MEMBERSHIP
Membership in Pi Delta Phi is open to all, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or disability, provided that the candidate meets the eligibility requirements of the Society. Membership is lifetime.
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Membership in Pi Delta Phi is only available via a local chapter hosted at a college or university. The Society does not grant membership at the national level.
Any group of students and/or teachers of French at an accredited college or university in the United States may apply to the National President for affiliation with Pi Delta Phi, the National French Honor Society. Students who submit a letter of interest should include the name and email address of a French faculty member who has agreed to serve as Chapter Moderator. The Qualifications to establish a new chapter are: a major or minor in French or French studies, or related major or minor in Romance or Modern Foreign Languages, Global or International Studies, etc. that requires students to complete a minimum of two advanced-level courses taught in French (beyond the intermediate series of classes).
National one-time dues for Regular and Honorary members are required, and membership in Pi Delta Phi is lifetime. Chapters may also elect to require one-time chapter dues. Members receive a pin and personalized certificate, and may elect to purchase honor cords in blue, white and red. Students, faculty, and others are encouraged to join any of Pi Delta Phi's free social media and networking groups or fan pages; to join, click on of the social media icons above.
To establish a chapter of Pi Delta Phi, download the How to Apply for a New Chapter brochure or contact the National President.
If your college or university already has a chapter of Pi Delta Phi, but the chapter is inactive, consult the How to Reactivate Brochure.
CATEGORIES OF MEMBERSHIP
Regular
Regular members include graduate and undergraduate students at the sponsoring institution who are nominated in recognition of their academic achievement in French. Undergraduate or graduate candidates do not need to be French or French Studies majors or minors to be nominated for membership. The eligibility requirements for all undergraduate students are:
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be at least 18 years old
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completion of at least one course of upper-division French (i.e. beyond the intermediate-level series of courses)
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3.0 GPA in French, 3.3 GPA overall, AND rank in the top 35% of their class; If a school does not use class rank, ACHS required a minimum 3.3 overall G.P.A. (as of Feb., 2023)
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sophomore standing (i.e. students have attended at least one year of college and be in at least their second year of university study)
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degree seeking student at the host institution
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Graduate students who are not already members of Pi Delta Phi are eligible for regular membership. Students who were inducted into Pi Delta Phi as undergraduates are already lifetime members of the Society regardless of the chapter into which they were inducted. Graduate students who are pursuing advanced degrees in fields other than French are also eligible for membership. The eligibility requirements for all graduate students are:
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completion of 2 graduate courses in French, and
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minimum overall 3.5 GPA in graduate coursework
Students from neighboring institutions who take French courses at the sponsoring institution, and domestic and foreign non-degree seeking students are not eligible for regular membership, but may be nominated for honorary membership.
Honorary
Honorary members include: the French faculty of the sponsoring institution who are not already members of Pi Delta Phi; members of the faculty at large who are not already members of the Society; undergraduate and graduate students who do not meet the above requirements for regular membership; college or university alumni who did not become members while attending the sponsoring institution; and diplomats, community and business leaders, and others who have demonstrated support of French language, and/or of the cultures and literatures of the French-speaking world. Candidates for Honorary Membership must also be at least 18 years old.