Members-in-course
Members-in-course at TCNJ are elected on the basis of their academic records as college seniors, and, in exceptional cases, as juniors. To be eligible for election, students must have pursued a broad program of study in the liberal arts and sciences and have achieved academic success at distinguished levels. Typically, no more than 10 percent of the candidates for degrees in liberal arts and sciences are elected. Each year, about one college senior in a hundred, nationwide, is invited to join Phi Beta Kappa.
Alumni and Honorary members
Alumni members are elected from among alumni of TCNJ who graduated at least 10 years earlier and merit recognition for scholarly accomplishment after graduation. Honorary members are chosen on the same basis as alumni members, but they are not TCNJ alumni.
Resident members
Resident members are a Phi Beta Kappa chapter’s active membership, regardless of where they were elected or in which membership category. Thus, TCNJ’s resident members are the faculty, administrators, staff, and student members of any Phi Beta Kappa chapter.