Persons seeking membership must be initiated through an established chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon.

There are two classes of membership in GTU:

Regular Member: In keeping with the Society’s Specialized Scholarship classification, initiates must have completed the equivalent of three semesters of college coursework, a minimum of three courses in geography with a 3.3 GPA (on the 4.0 scale) in those courses, and rank in the top 35% of their class (a 3.3 GPA can be used as a substitute for the ranking if the institution does not calculate rankings). Please note that regular members do not have to be currently enrolled, nor must they be geography majors.

Honorary Member: Honorary membership is available only under extraordinary circumstances and upon approval by the Executive Committee for a person whom the committee feels has contributed to a marked advancement in any phase of geography. A chapter may apply directly to the Executive Committee to petition for honorary membership on behalf of an individual. Please note that honorary membership is reserved for those not eligible for regular membership.

• Engage: Chapters can organize and host geography-related speakers, campus-wide programs, field trips, social events and more.
  
• Service: Members can participate in service functions with their local chapter, or the GTU Executive Committee as a Student Outreach Assistant.
  
• Network: Membership provides a network that helps students become better acquainted with other geography students and faculty.
  
• Scholarships: Members are eligible to apply for a variety of Gamma Theta Upsilon scholarships.
  
• Expertise: Membership in an academic honor society is evidence of your dedication to and competency in your potential career field. Some employers give hiring preference or a higher starting salary to accredited honor society members. Members can also improve their expertise in the field of geography by learning things not normally covered in the classroom.
  
• Lifetime membership: GTU provides lifetime memberships to all its members, so that members, with no renewals or annual subscriptions.

The 2025 GTU scholarship competition is open for applications. Application material and guideline can be found here.

Five scholarships are awarded annually to Gamma Theta Upsilon members: four to undergraduates, and one to a continuing graduate student. See the GTU Constitution for more information regarding each scholarship.

• The Buzzard Undergraduate Scholarship – awarded to a college senior for use toward graduate school expenses
• The Buzzard Graduate Scholarship – awarded to a continuing graduate student
• The Maxfield Scholarship – awarded to a junior or senior with either career or graduate school aspirations
• The Richason Scholarship – awarded to a junior or senior with either career or graduate school aspirations
• The Rechlin Scholarship – to a junior or senior with either career or graduate school aspirations

The evaluation committee reviews each scholarship application with particular attention to the following items: cumulative GPA, geography GPA, letters of recommendation, applicant’s contribution to local GTU chapter and the department, as well as the applicant’s own appraisal of how the scholarship will help him or her personally and professionally.