Awards, Fellowships, and Grants

For decades, the Mensa Foundation has presented annual awards, fellowships, and educational grants to individuals around the world. Some awards are specifically for Mensa members who contribute to the Foundation’s mission, but others recognize the advancement of knowledge and education without membership requirements.

Awards for Excellence in Research

Presented annually, the Mensa Foundation’s Awards for Excellence in Research celebrate groundbreaking investigations in the disciplines of intelligence, intellectual giftedness, and related fields.

Copper Black Award for Creative Achievement

A Mensan who truly valued creativity, Copper Black left in her will a legacy funding a special annual award to recognize an outstanding creative achievement by a member of Mensa International.

Dissertation Mini-Grant

The Mensa Foundation’s Dissertation Mini-Grant provides a $2,500 award to doctoral students for dissertation research related to intelligence or gifted education. This grant supports the development of a research agenda focused on intelligence or giftedness among future leaders and researchers who are early in their careers.

Distinguished Teacher Award

The Mensa Foundation’s Distinguished Teacher Award recognized a teacher, professor, or instructor at any educational level who had an especially positive influence on the education or life of a Mensa member.

Early Career Researcher Mini-Grant

The Mensa Foundation’s Early Career Researcher Mini-Grant provides a $2,500 award to post-doctoral researchers or early career faculty for research related to intelligence, creativity, or gifted education. The program seeks proposals for research projects regarding those who are gifted or twice exceptional or on human intelligence or creativity.

Gifted Education Fellowship

The Foundation’s Gifted Education Fellowship is intended to help teachers to acquire a graduate degree in gifted education or a closely related field from an accredited institution of higher education. The Fellowship has a value of $5,000 per year, renewable for one year.

Intellectual Benefits to Society Award

The Intellectual Benefits to Society Award program recognized the application of Mensans' intellectual abilities that result in tangible benefit to society.

Laura Joyner Award

The Laura Joyner Award was given to recognize outstanding work, theoretical or applied, in the areas of education, literacy, work with the gifted, or identifying threats to, or preventing loss of, intelligence.

Lifetime Achievement Award

The Mensa Foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award is presented every other year in recognition of a lifetime of contributions to the field of intelligence and related subjects.

Mensa Foundation Prize

The Mensa Foundation Prize is awarded biennially for the best scientific discovery in the field of intelligence or creativity. Endowed by the estate of Kenneth Douglas Thomson, the award includes a $10,000 prize, personal plaque and medal.

Mensa Press Award

The Mensa Press Award recognized excellence in writing about human intelligence and giftedness; it is designed to encourage reporters and editors to spread the latest news about intelligence to lay audiences.