In the spring semester, the local Phi Beta Kappa chapter, Beta of Iowa, selects high-achieving third-year and senior students from among the candidates for election. All candidates for election as members-in-course shall meet successfully the following requirements of their academic course of study:

• Foreign language. Completion of a course at or beyond the third-semester level of a modern foreign language, or the second-semester level of a classical language, or proficiency beyond such level as demonstrated by the candidate's educational history, e.g., years of education in a non-English-speaking country.
• Mathematics. Completion of the course Mathematics 124 or 131, or a mathematics course for which Mathematics 124 or 131 is a prerequisite.
• General Distribution. At least 12 semester credits of study in the divisions of humanities, sciences, and social studies as defined at Grinnell College, with no more than eight divisional credits counted to come from any one academic department, and completion of at least one science course with a laboratory experience. A letter grade will be required in courses used to satisfy distribution requirements for election to Phi Beta Kappa, except for courses only offered S/D/F. Courses accepted as transfer credits by the Office of the Registrar may be used to satisfy distribution requirements, even though no letter grade appears on the student’s transcript for these courses. In any case, only courses designated to one of the three academic divisions by the Office of the Registrar will count toward the distribution requirements. For courses cross-listed in two or more divisions (such as Mathematics 115/Social Studies 115), the student should ensure that the course is designated to the desired division on his or her transcript. Academic skills courses (including writing lab, reading lab, math lab, Library 100) do not count toward satisfying divisional requirements.

Advanced Placement (AP) and transfer credits may be used to satisfy any eligibility requirement, provided that the Office of the Registrar has determined them to be equivalent to the relevant courses at Grinnell. A maximum of four AP credits may be used to satisfy the distribution requirement in each division. The student is responsible for ensuring that the appropriate credits are listed on his or her transcript.

Transcripts will be evaluated after the add/drop period of spring semester courses. Courses that are in progress will count toward the eligibility requirements. Before the induction ceremony each year, the chapter may verify the eligibility of students to be elected by requesting that the Office of the Registrar notify the chapter if a student has withdrawn from a course needed to satisfy eligibility requirements. The chapter initiates the consideration of third-year students and seniors for membership without action by the students. Students will be notified by the chapter if they are to be offered membership in Phi Beta Kappa.