Student
FAQs- Educator
FAQs - Administrator
FAQs
How is NSTEM™ different from other honor societies?
First, NSTEM™ Chapters recognize and award academic achievement and projects specifically in STEM disciplines. NSTEM admits only students with a record of excellence in STEM coursework and engagement in STEM enrichment activities, making membership a prestigious honor. Also, Chapters can be started at the elementary, middle, high school, and college/university levels. This allows students to be part of NSTEM™ from K to Career™. Furthermore, National STEM Honor Society™ is also an ongoing, vital group that meets throughout the year. Finally, the manager or Advisor of your Chapter doesn’t need to be a member of your school faculty. Instead, the “Chapter Advisor” can be any qualified individual or organization that supports STEM-focused activities to help manage your chapter if additional resources are needed.
What happens with students who have not satisfied membership criteria to meet the minimum student member requirements?
Students that have not completed the required number of hours of STEM academic curriculum and/or STEM enrichment activities may be admitted to the local Chapter as provisional members to permit them to belong to the local Chapter while completing their required hours. Provisional members will have all of the rights and obligations of regular members except that they may not be elected as an officer of the local chapter. Provisional members will have one academic year to complete the required number of hours of STEM academic curriculum and/or STEM enrichment activities and attain regular membership.
What resources are available exclusively to Chapters, members, and their families?
NSTEM Chapter advisors, members and their families can access resources available to members only including
- thousands of curated resources in the NSTEM Resource Library
- interactive calendars of Important STEM Dates
- NSTEM STEM Champions of Excellence Awards for excellent Chapters and advisors
- NSTEM Scholarship Program for college tuition and enrichment activities
Who can be a member of NSTEM™?
To be a member, your school must have an NSTEM™ Chapter. If your school has a Chapter, then any student that attends your school in grades kindergarten through college/university who meets the minimum eligibility requirements can be a member.
Why should I become a member of NSTEM™?
There are many benefits to becoming a member of NSTEM! Please review membership benefits here.
What are the eligibility requirements?
NSTEM™ has established minimum eligibility requirements for students to become and remain members of their NSTEM Chapter. A Chapter may increase or add to those minimum requirements in its bylaws. However, a Chapter may not decrease the minimum requirements including: GPA of a B equivalent, curricular hours in STEM courses, and enrichment hours. additionally, Chapters may not add requirements in non-STEM courses or activities.
What are “STEM enrichment activities”?
STEM enrichment activities are extracurricular activities that are designed to increase a student’s knowledge of and engagement in STEM related topics. Examples include science fairs and competitions, math contests, STEM-related clubs (e.g. science, math, cyber, Lego, robotics), tutoring other students in STEM disciplines, coding, individual or group STEM projects, attending a lecture or film on STEM topics, working at a STEM-related internship/job, etc.
STEM enrichment activities can be sponsored by your school or by outside organizations. If they are provided by outside organizations, then the activity must be pre-approved by the Chapter Advisor for it to count as a STEM enrichment activity.
What are the minimum eligibility requirements established by NSTEM™?
Please review the NSTEM™ minimum eligibility requirements for students.
How do I become a member of NSTEM™?
Check with your school to see if it has a Chapter. If it does, speak with your school’s Chapter Advisor on how to become a member. If it does not, talk with your administration, teachers and peers about starting a Chapter, Visit How do I start a Chapter. Only a school can start a National STEM Honor Society Chapter, students can become members of that Chapter.
Are there requirements I need to fulfill to remain an active member of my NSTEM™ Chapter?
Each year you must continue to satisfy your Chapter’s member eligibility requirements in order to remain an active member of your Chapter. Check with your Advisor to ensure you are in compliance for the requires including: minimum GPA, curricular hours in STEM courses, and enrichment hours.
Can I be a member if I’m enrolled in an online school?
If the online school has been approved by your State, then it can have a chapter.
Can I be a member of NSTEM™ if I’m homeschooled?
Only a school that has been approved by its State can establish an NSTEM™ Chapter. If you’re homeschooled, you probably are affiliated with a State approved school. If so, then that school can apply to have a chapter. Once it applies for and is approved as an NSTEM™ Chapter, then you may become a member of that Chapter even though you’re homeschooled.
What happens if I was a member of NSTEM™ last year, but this year I’ll be in a new school or a new grade that has higher hourly requirements for STEM courses and/or enrichment activities? Am I eligible to join NSTEM™ this year?
Yes, however, you will be a provisional member until you complete the new academic year and satisfy all of your hourly requirements. At that time, you will once again become a regular member.
What happens if I have the required grades and hours of STEM courses, but haven’t completed the necessary hours of STEM enrichment activities?
Your Chapter can admit you as a provisional Chapter member so that you can belong to the Chapter while completing the required hours of STEM enrichment activities. At the end of the academic year, if you have completed the required number of hours, then you can become a regular member of the Chapter. Please speak to your Chapter Advisor for more details.
How do I start an NSTEM™ chapter at my school?
A chapter must be started by your school. The first step would be to find an individual or organization that is willing to serve as the Chapter Advisor. You then can work with the proposed Chapter Advisor to request that your school principal, director, dean, headmaster or president (who would be the Chapter Director) submit a chapter application. View Start a Chapter.
How often do Chapters meet?
Chapters can determine how often they meet, but we would suggest monthly at a minimum in order to plan programs, enrichment activities, projects, fundraisers, and more. Visit the Ten Tips for a Successful Chapter for ideas.
Does it cost anything to be a member of a local Chapter?
Each Chapter will decide how much, if any, to charge student members. NSTEM™ requires that any student membership fees must not exceed $20 per student per year.
How can parents become involved?
NSTEM™ encourages family and community member involvement in advocating for you. Have them speak with your school’s administration and teachers to get involved and to Start a Chapter. Remember only a school can start a Chapter. If the school already has a Chapter, have them speak to your Chapter’s Advisor.
How much does it cost for my school to become a local Chapter of NSTEM™?
The school is responsible for paying the annual Chapter fee which is $295 per year. NSEM does not require student membership fees although the Chapter may impose them (a $20/annual individual membership fee is the maximum NSTEM permits)
Who can be a Chapter Advisor?
The Chapter Advisor is any individual or representative of an organization who is approved by the Chapter Director (i.e., the principal, headmaster or executive director of the school) to act as the Chapter Advisor. An individual who is a Chapter Advisor does not need to be a faculty member, but can be a school counselor, parent, representative of a local organization, or any other individual. However, since Advisors have access to student records and private information, NSTEM strongly encourages care in choosing an Advisor. It is possible and advised to permit co-Advisors.
What are the responsibilities of the Chapter Director and Advisor?
The head of school or principal of a school (Chapter Director) must agree to sponsor the Chapter and pay the annual dues, as well as approve and assign a Chapter advisor. The Chapter Advisor must be an individual or organization who is approved by the Chapter Director (ie., the principal, headmaster or executive director of the school) to serve in this capacity. An individual who is a Chapter Advisor does not need to be a faculty member, but can also be a school counselor, parent, or any other individual.
The Chapter Advisor, with help from others and maybe their Chapter Advisory Council, is responsible for the day to day organization of the Chapter and
- acts as a liaison between and engages with faculty, administration, students, families and community
- invites students to join the Chapter, reviews applications for membership, and recruits student members
- works with students and others to plan and execute projects, enrichment activities, events, programs, speakers, etc.
- approves external STEM enrichment activities
- organizes and supervises meetings
- manages the officer election process
What is a Chapter meeting like?
Chapter meetings are held at times that are convenient for Chapter members and staff involved in managing your NSTEM Chapter. We encourage Chapters to invite members of the community who have a vested interest in STEM, the school, and the Chapter’s growth. Meetings should engage members in planning and executing exciting, engaging, and educationally relevant Chapter projects, programs, events, enrichment activities, and community involvement.
How is NSTEM™ Committed to IDEA?
The National STEM Honor Society™ has made a Commitment to IDEA which we incorporate into our way of doing business.
How does NSTEM Support and Promote Community among Members and Advisors?
The National STEM Honor Society™ has created a Commitment to Community and Connectivity which we incorporate in a variety of ways, including our message, tools, and business techniques.
How does NSTEM embrace sustainability?
The team at the National STEM Honor Society™ has made a Commitment to Sustainability our way of doing business.
What resources are available exclusively to Chapters and their members?
NSTEM Chapter advisors, members and their families can access resources available to members only including thousands of curated resources in the NSTEM Resource Library; interactive calendars of Important STEM Dates; NSTEM STEM Champions of Excellence Awards for excellent chapters and advisors; and an NSTEM Scholarship Program for college tuition and enrichment activities.
Does NSTEM™ have a listing of STEM scholarships/awards that students can access?
Yes, once you become a member of a chapter, then you will be able to view such a listing on the NSTEM™ website. See NSTEM Resource Library.
Are there resources provided specifically for underserved populations?
The NSTEM vast curated library of educational and engaging national opportunities and resources includes a category especially committed to resources for underserved STEM students. The complete list is available only to NSTEM members, as is the entire library.
Where can I learn more about the organizational structure of NSTEM™?
The NSTEM™ structure is described in the NSTEM™ Constitution.
Does NSTEM™ have merchandise for sale?
Student members and their parents can purchase t-shirts, hats, hoodies, polos and other merchandise on the NSTEM Store.
Is this website secure?
In a word YES. Nstem.org is protected with an SSL certificate which is a way to encrypt information that you send between your browser and our web server. This protects any information you send us from “man-in-the-middle” attacks, where someone steals the information being sent, like personal information, credit card information or logins.
You can tell if a site is secure by looking for the lock symbol in your browser’s url bar.
Does NSTEM™ have a privacy policy?
Yes, please see a copy of our Privacy Policy.
Do you use cookies on your website?
Yes, we use cookies to help us improve the functionality of our website. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.
Is your logo trademarked?
Learn more about our logo and other trademarks, as well as rules for how to use them, at our Trademark Usage Guidelines.
How does NSTEM differ from other honor societies?
First, NSTEM™ Chapters recognize and award academic achievement and projects specifically in STEM disciplines. NSTEM admits only students with a record of excellence in STEM coursework and engagement in STEM enrichment activities, making membership a prestigious honor. Also, Chapters can be started at the elementary, middle, high school, and college/university levels. This allows students to be part of NSTEM™ from K to Career™. Furthermore, National STEM Honor Society™ is also an ongoing, vital group that meets throughout the year. Finally, the manager or Advisor of your Chapter doesn’t need to be a member of your school faculty. Instead, the “Chapter Advisor” can be any qualified individual or organization that supports STEM-focused activities to help manage your chapter if additional resources are needed.
What happens with students who have not satisfied membership criteria to meet the minimum student member requirements?
Students that have not completed the required number of hours of STEM academic curriculum and/or STEM enrichment activities may be admitted to the local Chapter as provisional members to permit them to belong to the local Chapter while completing their required hours. Provisional members will have all of the rights and obligations of regular members except that they may not be elected as an officer of the local chapter. Provisional members will have one academic year to complete the required number of hours of STEM academic curriculum and/or STEM enrichment activities and attain regular membership.
Can my school create an NSTEM™ Chapter?
Any public or private/independent educational school that has been approved by its state’s Department of Education and is comprised of one or more of grades kindergarten through the fourth year of college/university is eligible to apply for designation as a local Chapter. Each school must have its own Chapter with a unique Director (i.e., principal, director, dean, headmaster or president).
How do I create a Chapter at my school?
Please review how to Start a Chapter.
How much is the annual Chapter fee? When must it be paid?
The annual Chapter fee is $295 and must be paid to have your Chapter application processed. Paying by credit card activates your Chapter membership immediately while paying by check or PO can take up to 72 hours to activate your Chapter. Chapters can be started anytime and applications are processed throughout the year. The cost for a Chapter annual membership is independent of size of the school, Chapter, or number of members; each Chapter has the same annual fee of $295.
Does NSTEM™ offer financial support to students if they can’t afford Chapter membership fees?
NSTEM™ doesn’t offer financial support to individual students for membership fees. The amount of the student membership fee is at the discretion of the Chapter. Per the NSTEM™ Constitution, the Chapter is not permitted to charge members more than $20 per student per year.
How much are the student membership fees?
Each chapter will decide how much, if any, to charge student members. NSTEM™ requires that any student membership fees may not exceed $20 per student per year.
How does NSTEM support and promote community among members and advisors?
The National STEM Honor Society™ has created a Commitment to Community and Connectivity which we incorporate in a variety of ways, including our message, tools, and business techniques. NSTEM™ is an agile organization that can be used across educational delivery platforms, bridging the gap between in-persona and virtual environments.
What are the benefits of an NSTEM™ Chapter?
Review membership benefits here.
What are the responsibilities of the Chapter Director and Advisor?
The head of school or principal of a school (Chapter Director) must agree to sponsor the chapter and pay the annual dues, as well as approve and assign a chapter advisor. Each chapter advisor must recruit student members, review applications for membership, organize and supervise all meetings, manage the officer election process, plan and execute NSTEM events, provide opportunities to members, engage with teachers and parents/guardians, and more! Advisors, with assistance from parents and students, plan speakers, coordinate programs and opportunities with teachers and community organizations and members, oversee enrichment activities, including participation in such pursuits as science fairs and field trips.
How is NSTEM committed to diversity, tolerance, antiracism, and IDEA?
The National STEM Honor Society™ has made a Commitment to IDEA which we incorporate into our way of doing business.
What resources are available exclusively to Chapters, members, and their families?
NSTEM Chapter advisors, members and their families can access resources available to members only including
- thousands of curated resources in the NSTEM Resource Library
- interactive calendars of Important STEM Dates
- NSTEM STEM Champions of Excellence Awards for excellent Chapters and advisors
- NSTEM Scholarship Program for college tuition and enrichment activities
Is there a deadline for submitting a Chapter application?
No, you can submit an application at any time. The NSTEM™ affiliation year is from July 1 – June 30. The annual Chapter fee is $295 and must be paid to have your Chapter application processed. Paying by credit card activates your Chapter membership immediately while plying by check or PO can take up to 72 to activate your Chapter. Annual Chapter fees are not prorated.
What resources will I have to assist me in establishing and running a local Chapter?
We understand you are a busy educator with an incredible amount of demands from all directions. NSTEM™ provides you with an expandable amount of resources that you can use as your discretion. Advisors are equipped with a exclusive and comprehensive access to an Advisor Toolkit with forms, sample documents, and checklists to assist you in managing your Chapter. NSTEM Chapter Advisors, members and their families have full access to resources exclusively available to members including:
- thousands of curated resources in the NSTEM Resource Library
- interactive calendars of Important STEM Dates
- NSTEM STEM Champions of Excellence Awards for excellent Chapters and advisors
- NSTEM Scholarship Program for college tuition and enrichment activities
Are there resources provided specifically for underserved populations?
Our fast-growing vast curated library of educational and engaging state and national resources includes a category especially committed to underserved STEM students. The complete list is available only to NSTEM members, as is the entire library.
What are the eligibility requirements for Chapter members?
NSTEM™ has established minimum eligibility requirements for students to become and remain members of their NSTEM Chapter. A Chapter may increase or add to those minimum requirements in its bylaws. However, a Chapter may not decrease the minimum requirements including: GPA of a B equivalent, curricular hours in STEM courses, and enrichment hours. additionally, Chapters may not add requirements in non-STEM courses or activities.
What are “STEM enrichment activities”?
STEM enrichment activities are extracurricular activities that are designed to increase a student’s knowledge of and engagement in STEM related topics. Examples include science fairs and competitions, math contests, STEM-related clubs (e.g. science, math, cyber, Lego, robotics), tutoring other students in STEM disciplines, coding, individual or group STEM projects, attending a lecture or film on STEM topics, working at a STEM-related internship/job, etc.
STEM enrichment activities can be sponsored by your school or by outside organizations. If they are provided by outside organizations, then the activity must be pre-approved by the Chapter Advisor for it to count as a STEM enrichment activity. Each grade level of NSTEM has required hours its members must engage in enrichment activities to remain an active member of their Chapter.
Please visit the Minimum Eligibility Requirements for student members for more information.
What happens if a student has the required grades and hours of STEM courses, but hasn’t completed the necessary hours of STEM enrichment activities?
Your Chapter can admit the student as a provisional Chapter member so that the student can belong to the Chapter while completing the required hours of STEM enrichment activities. At the end of the academic year, if the student has completed the required number of hours, then the student can become a regular member of the Chapter.
How do I increase student involvement?
Your NSTEM Chapter should
- seek to have visibility at various school wide events
- offer recognition and awards throughout the school year, at graduation, and other school-wide ceremonies
- sponsor or approve STEM projects that are interesting and engaging that impact your students and the community
- involve the community in programs, projects, member opportunities, and events
- promote your Chapter successes your school newsletter, teacher and principal blogs, town and city news outlets, etc.
- order items through the NSTEM™ store to give your members visibility
- promote your Chapter using your social media platforms and tag the National STEM Honor Society
Who can be the Chapter Advisor and what are his/her/their duties?
The Chapter Advisor must be an individual or organization who is approved by the Chapter Director (ie., the principal, headmaster or executive director of the school) to serve in this capacity. An individual who is a Chapter Advisor does not need to be a faculty member, but can also be a school counselor, parent, or any other individual.
The Chapter Advisor is responsible for the day to day organization of the Chapter and
- acts as a liaison between and engages with faculty, administration, students, families and community
- invites students to join the Chapter, reviews applications for membership, and recruits student members
- works with students and others to plan and execute projects, enrichment activities, events, programs, speakers, etc.
- approves external STEM enrichment activities
- organizes and supervises meetings
- manages the officer election process
What is a Chapter meeting like?
Chapter meetings are held at times that are convenient for Chapter members and staff involved in managing your NSTEM Chapter. We encourage Chapters to invite members of the community who have a vested interest in STEM, the school, and the Chapter’s growth. Meetings should engage members in planning and executing exciting, engaging, and educationally relevant Chapter projects, programs, events, enrichment activities, and community involvement.
How often do Chapters meet?
Chapters can determine how often they meet, but we would suggest monthly in order to plan programs, enrichment activities, projects, fundraisers, and more. Visit the Ten Tips for a Successful Chapter for ideas.
How do I create bylaws for my chapter? With the students or with the administrator?
Each chapter must create its own bylaws that are consistent with the NSTEM Constitution but that can further amplify sections of the Constitution, increase minimum student eligibility requirements, and set forth specific operating standards and procedures for the chapter. NSTEM™ provides a Sample Chapter Bylaw in the NSTEM™ Advisor Toolkit that chapters can modify to fit their circumstances.
The chapter will decide who should be involved in drafting and approving the chapter bylaws. Depending on the age of the student members, the Chapter Advisor may choose to involve the student members in the drafting of the bylaws. Once adopted, a copy of the bylaws must be sent to NSTEM™.
Where can I edit my profile, change my password, view invoices, and get the link for students to create their student accounts?
Answer: Please visit the Membership Account page.
How can I review information about my account?
Your Member Account page provides billing details for your account as well as the link for your students to use to set up their sub memberships
What can my school purchase on the NSTEM™ Store?
It can purchase -t-shirts, sweatshirts, caps, event banners, induction certificates, award and graduation certificates, membership cards, pins, graduation cords and more. See NSTEM™ Store.
If our question isn’t listed here, how do we contact NSTEM™?
Please see Contact Us.
How is NSTEM™ Committed to IDEA?
The National STEM Honor Society™ has made a Commitment to IDEA which we incorporate into our way of doing business.
How does NSTEM™ Support and Promote Community among Members and Advisors?
The National STEM Honor Society™ has created a Commitment to Community and Connectivity which we incorporate in a variety of ways, including our message, tools, and business techniques.
How does NSTEM embrace sustainability?
The team at the National STEM Honor Society™ has made a Commitment to Sustainability our way of doing business.
Is this website secure?
In a word YES. Nstem.org is protected with an SSL certificate which a way to encrypt information that you send between your browser and our web server. This protects any information you send us from “man-in-the-middle” attacks, where someone steals the information being sent, like personal information, credit card information or logins.
You can tell if a site is secure by looking for the lock symbol in your browser’s url bar.
Do you use cookies on your website?
Yes, we use cookies to help us improve the functionality of our website. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy.
Does NSTEM™ have a privacy policy?
Yes, please see a copy of our Privacy Policy.
Is your logo trademarked?
Learn more about our logo and other trademarks, as well as rules for how to use them, at our Trademark Usage Guidelines.
Can I use the NSTEM™ logo and name on letterhead and other items?
Yes, you can use it on letterhead, event announcements and other supplies provided you do so in accordance with the Trademark Usage Guidelines. You may not apply it on clothing, student membership cards, induction and graduation certificates, or other items that are available for purchase on the NSTEM™ Store.
Is my school eligible to start a Chapter?
Any public or private/independent educational school that has been approved by its state’s Department of Education and is comprised of one or more of grades kindergarten through the fourth year of college/university is eligible to apply for designation as a local Chapter. Each school must have its own Chapter with a unique Director (i.e., principal, director, dean, headmaster or president).
What happens with students who have not satisfied membership criteria to meet the minimum student member requirements?
Students that have not completed the required number of hours of STEM academic curriculum and/or STEM enrichment activities may be admitted to the local Chapter as provisional members to permit them to belong to the local Chapter while completing their required hours. Provisional members will have all of the rights and obligations of regular members except that they may not be elected as an officer of the local chapter. Provisional members will have one academic year to complete the required number of hours of STEM academic curriculum and/or STEM enrichment activities and attain regular membership.
How do I start a Chapter in my district/school?
It’s easy! Chapters can only be started by a school and each school has its own unique Chapter, managed by an Advisor and Director (head of school). The annual fee for each Chapter is $295. Please visit How do I Start a Chapter.
What are the benefits of an NSTEM™ Chapter?
Review membership benefits here.
How does NSTEM differ from other honor societies?
NSTEM differs in several unique ways:
- First, NSTEM™ Chapters recognize and award academic achievement and projects specifically in STEM disciplines.
- NSTEM admits only students with a record of excellence in STEM coursework and engagement in STEM enrichment activities, making membership a prestigious honor.
- Chapters can be started at the elementary, middle, high school, and college/university levels. This allows students to be part of NSTEM™ from K to Career™.
- The National STEM Honor Society™ is also an ongoing, vital group that meets throughout the year.
- The “manager” or Advisor of your Chapter doesn’t need to be a member of your school faculty. Instead, the “Chapter Advisor” can be any qualified individual or organization that supports STEM-focused activities to help manage your Chapter if additional resources are needed.
How much is the annual Chapter fee? When must it be paid?
The annual Chapter fee is $295 and must be paid to have your Chapter application processed. Paying by credit card activates your Chapter membership immediately while paying by check or PO can take up to 72 hours to activate your Chapter. Chapters can be started anytime and applications are processed throughout the year. The cost for a Chapter annual membership is independent of size of the school, Chapter, or number of members; each Chapter has the same annual fee of $295.
Does NSTEM™ provide funding opportunities to Chapters for students to get involved in projects?
Chapters are responsible for raising funds through fundraising, school budget, grants, donations, membership fees, etc. to cover the Chapter activities and projects. There are many fundraising ideas in the Advisor Toolkit.
What are the student eligibility requirements?
NSTEM™ has established minimum eligibility requirements for students to become and remain members of their NSTEM Chapter. A Chapter may increase or add to those minimum requirements in its bylaws. However, a Chapter may not decrease the minimum requirements including: GPA of a B equivalent, curricular hours in STEM courses, and enrichment hours. Additionally, Chapters may not add requirements in non-STEM courses or activities.
What are “STEM enrichment activities”?
STEM enrichment activities are extracurricular activities that are designed to increase a student’s knowledge of and engagement in STEM related topics. Examples include science fairs and competitions, math contests, STEM-related clubs (e.g. science, math, cyber, Lego, robotics), tutoring other students in STEM disciplines, coding, individual or group STEM projects, attending a lecture or film on STEM topics, working at a STEM-related internship/job.
STEM enrichment activities can be sponsored by your school or by outside organizations. If they are provided by outside organizations, then the activity must be pre-approved by the Chapter Advisor for it to count as a STEM enrichment activity.
What happens if a student has the required grades and hours of STEM courses, but hasn’t completed the necessary hours of STEM enrichment activities?
Your chapter can admit the student as a provisional chapter member so that the student can belong to the chapter while completing the required hours of STEM enrichment activities. At the end of the academic year, if the student has completed the required number of hours, then the student can become a regular member of the chapter.
How much are the Chapter membership fees for students?
Each chapter will decide how much, if any, to charge student members. NSTEM™ requires that any student membership fees may not exceed $20 per student per year.
What are the responsibilities and who can fulfill the roles of the Chapter Director and Advisor?
The head of school or principal of a school (Chapter Director) must agree to sponsor the Chapter and pay the annual dues, as well as approve and assign a Chapter advisor. The Chapter Advisor must be an individual or organization who is approved by the Chapter Director (ie., the principal, headmaster or executive director of the school) to serve in this capacity. An individual who is a Chapter Advisor does not need to be a faculty member, but can also be a school counselor, parent, or any other individual.
The Chapter Advisor, with help from others and maybe their Chapter Advisory Council, is responsible for the day to day organization of the Chapter and
- acts as a liaison between and engages with faculty, administration, students, families and community
- invites students to join the Chapter, reviews applications for membership, and recruits student members
- works with students and others to plan and execute projects, enrichment activities, events, programs, speakers, etc.
- approves external STEM enrichment activities
- organizes and supervises meetings
- manages the officer election process
Who creates bylaws for the chapter? Do they have to be signed off on by the administrator?
Each chapter must write and adopt bylaws. The bylaws can amplify sections of the NSTEM™ Constitution, increase minimum membership eligibility requirements, and clarify operating standards and procedures of the chapter. The chapter bylaws must be consistent with this Constitution. To assist in the drafting of the chapter bylaws, NSTEM™ has provided Sample Chapter Bylaws that can be modified to fit the circumstances.
The chapter will decide who should be involved in drafting and approving the chapter bylaws. Depending on the age of the student members, the Chapter Advisor may choose to involve the student members in the drafting of the bylaws. Once adopted, a pdf of your bylaws must be uploaded to the NSTEM™ server.
How often do Chapters meet and what are the meetings like?
Chapters can determine how often they meet, but we would suggest monthly in order to plan programs, enrichment activities, projects, fundraisers, and more. Visit the Ten Tips for a Successful Chapter for ideas. Chapter meetings are held at times that are convenient for Chapter members and staff involved in managing your NSTEM Chapter. We encourage Chapters to invite members of the community who have a vested interest in STEM, the school, and the Chapter’s growth. Meetings should engage members in planning and executing exciting, engaging, and educationally relevant Chapter projects, programs, events, enrichment activities, and community involvement.
Can all of the schools in my district be under a single Chapter?
No, each school must have its own Chapter with a unique Director (principal, head of school, etc.).
Our schools share the same building facility but have separate principals/heads of school. Can they be considered as one school for purposes of establishing a Chapter?
Each separate school must have its own Chapter with a unique Director (principal/head of school).
How can I pay the annual Chapter fee? Do you accept purchase orders (PO’s)?
NSTEM accepts credit cards, checks, and Purchase Orders (PO’S) as forms of payment for annual Chapter fees. If your school requires a purchase order, then when you submit a completed Chapter application online, you will automatically receive an invoice with your chapter confirmation email. Please use this invoice to complete your internal processing (purchase order, etc.) and then send a check with a copy of the invoice to NSTEM.
Where can I edit my profile, change my password, view invoices, and get the link for students to create their student accounts?
Everything you need to manage the administration of your Chapter is in your Membership Account. If you have any questions or need assistance, please email membercare@nstem.or or call our main number 978.381.9305.
What resources are available exclusively to Chapters, members, and their families?
NSTEM Chapter advisors, members and their families can access resources available to members only including
- thousands of curated resources in the NSTEM Resource Library
- interactive calendars of Important STEM Dates
- NSTEM STEM Champions of Excellence Awards for excellent Chapters and advisors
- NSTEM Scholarship Program for college tuition and enrichment activities
Are there resources provided specifically for underserved populations?
The NSTEM vast curated library of educational and engaging national opportunities and resources includes a category especially committed to resources for underserved STEM students. The complete list is available only to NSTEM members, as is the entire library.
What can my school purchase on the NSTEM™ Store?
It can purchase -t-shirts, sweatshirts, caps, event banners, induction certificates, award and graduation certificates, membership cards, pins, graduation cords and more. See NSTEM™ Store.
How is NSTEM Committed to IDEA?
The National STEM Honor Society™ has made a Commitment to IDEA which we incorporate into our way of doing business.
How does NSTEM Support and Promote Community among Members and Advisors?
The National STEM Honor Society™ has created a Commitment to Community and Connectivity which we incorporate in a variety of ways, including our message, tools, and business techniques.
How does NSTEM embrace sustainability?
The team at the National STEM Honor Society™ has made a Commitment to Sustainability our way of doing business.
Is this website secure?
In a word YES. Nstem.org is protected with an SSL certificate which a way to encrypt information that you send between your browser and our web server. This protects any information you send us from “man-in-the-middle” attacks, where someone steals the information being sent, like personal information, credit card information or logins.
You can tell if a site is secure by looking for the lock symbol in your browser’s url bar.
Does NSTEM™ have a privacy policy?
Yes, please see a copy of our Privacy Policy.
Do you use cookies on your website?
Yes, we use cookies to help us improve the functionality of our website. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy.
Is your logo trademarked?
Learn more about our logo and other trademarks, as well as rules for how to use them, at our Trademark Usage Guidelines.
Can I use the NSTEM™ logo and name on letterhead and other items?
Yes, you can use it on letterhead, event announcements and other supplies provided you do so in accordance with the Trademark Usage Guidelines. You may not apply it on clothing, student membership cards, induction and graduation certificates, or other items that are available for purchase on the NSTEM™ Store.
If our question isn’t listed here, how do we contact NSTEM™?
Please see Contact Us.
