The Omicron Delta Kappa Society and Educational Foundation Board of Trustees have approved the following fees for the 2024-25 academic year:
- National Initiation Fee: $94 per individual
- Institutional Membership (Affiliation) Fee: $200 (beginning July 1, 2024)
- Institutional Chartering Fees: $1,000 non-refundable Application Fee and $4,000 Chartering Fee (beginning July 1, 2024)
OΔK FY2024-25 Fee Explanation
The National Initiation Fee, a one-time fee payable before initiation, is $94. This fee is the Society’s primary source of revenue and supports everything from leadership development programs to technology, personnel, circle outreach, and publications. Please note, to more specifically describe the nature of this fee, the Board of Trustees voted to change the terminology from a “membership” fee to an “initiation fee.” The initiation fee is paid only at the time of joining ODK. Other membership and programmatic fees are assessed to support specific programs or member benefits.
The Institutional Membership Fee (IMF) is a fee that supports programs including, but not limited to, circle consultation visits and the annual conference. By paying this fee, you not only support these programs but also ensure the active status of your circle. All institutions with a circle are required to pay this fee even if they do not participate in these specific programs or initiate members during the year. Circles that do not pay this fee may be classified as inactive. Inactive circles are not eligible for grants or circle recognition and may be charged additional fees for O∆K programs.
Circles will be invoiced for the IMF one month prior to the month in which it generally holds its initiation ceremony. For example, if the initiation ceremony is generally held in October, the circle will be invoiced in September. If a circle initiates twice annually, the invoice will be sent one month prior to the first initiation. Invoices are sent to the circle coordinator and circle treasurer on the 15th day of the month. If the 15th is a weekend, the invoice will be sent on the prior Friday. This process ensures transparency and gives you ample time to prepare for the payment.
Charter Application and Institutional Chartering Fees
The process to charter a new Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa now requires two separate fees.
A non-refundable Charter Application Fee of $1,000 is required at the time of formal application. This ensures that the circle is fully prepared for the chartering process and that the costs associated with the administration of a chartering process are covered.
The Institutional Chartering Fee of $4,000 will be assessed when the Institution submits the final Petition for Charter. This fee is fully refundable if the Board of Trustees votes not to grant the circle a charter. The Institutional Chartering Fee covers the cost of the ceremonial key, record book, ODK staff travel, and general support for the newly established circle’s post-chartering support.
If you have questions about any of the fees, contact Ellen Pennine, Financial Services Manager (finance@odk.org).
