What is the meaning of the word "Mensa"?

“Mensa” means “table” in Latin, and the organisation was so named because Mensa is a round-table society where ethnicity, colour, creed, national origin, age, politics, educational and social background are all completely irrelevant.

Is it a club only for English-speakers?

Mensa Hong Kong welcomes people from all walks of life and therefore language is never a criterion. Over 70% of our members speak Chinese. This website is written in English just because it is hard to seek a translator who is willing to do the translation for free.

Is Mensa here to make money?

Mensa is a non-profit-making organisation. As a recognised chapter of Mensa, Mensa Hong Kong is also a non-profit-making organisation.

So where does the money come from?

Mensa Hong Kong has two major sources of income: the Admission Test fee, and the membership fee. Since the committee members of Hong Kong Mensa are all volunteers, and most of the activities are at the participants' expenses, Hong Kong Mensa is able to run at a very low cost.

Do members spend most of the time solving IQ puzzles in the gatherings?

No. Members are too busy to solve any IQ puzzle when they are having debates, playing tennis, enjoying dinner, or cracking jokes.

I am from mainland China. Can I join Mensa Hong Kong?

Sorry, no, though you can apply to Mensa International to become a Direct International Member. Mensa rules stipulate that you can only join the Mensa group applicable to your place of residence, but currently there is no established group in mainland China. In the same way as for the Olympics, Hong Kong is permitted to operate as a group of its own right for Mensa purposes.

I just took the Admission Test. Will you tell me my score?

Thank you for taking our Admission Test. According to the current policy of Mensa Hong Kong, we would not disclose a candidate's score in the admission test, but would only inform the candidate of his/her eligibility for membership.

How many members are there around the world? Hong Kong?

Currently there are around 150,000 members in roughly 50 countries throughout the world. The largest concentrations are in the UK and USA, but in recent years new groups have been set up in many parts of Asia and other countries. Hong Kong Mensa currently has more than 600 members.

My son, who is 9, is very smart and proved a gifted child. Can he join Hong Kong Mensa?

For application to join Hong Kong Mensa, testing by way of Admission Test is only for those who are aged 14 or above. For children aged under 14, applications need to be made via submitting prior evidence. The average age of the members of Hong Kong Mensa is 31. We currently do not have any programme or activity particularly for children. 


If you have any questions about submitting prior evidence, please contact the Admision Officer at [email protected]

My friend said she's a member of Mensa. Her name is XXX. Could you please verify?

It is Hong Kong Mensa's policy not to disclose a member's personal details without that member's permission. By the way, we issue a new membership card every year for each member in good standing.