Welcome to the Yale Phi Beta Kappa website. Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest academic honor society in the country. Yale’s chapter, Alpha of Connecticut, was established in April 1780, four years after the Society was founded at the College of William and Mary. It is the second oldest chapter in the country.

Students from any undergraduate major at Yale can be elected to Phi Beta Kappa at one of three elections for each class: the beginning of junior year, the beginning of senior year, and at Commencement. In addition to the induction ceremonies, the chapter hosts a number of events during the academic year, including informal receptions and an anual banquet at which the chapter presents the William Clyde DeVane Award to Yale faculty for distinguished teaching and scholarhip, as well as the Joseph W. Gordon Award to a Yale graduate in recognition of their contributions to the arts and sciences.