Luther is one of the select higher education institutions in the United States with a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, a scholastic organization that recognizes students who have achieved distinction in the liberal arts and sciences.

In accordance with the regulations of the national governing body of Phi Beta Kappa, members are elected on the basis of broad cultural interests, scholarly achievement, and good character. The Eta of Iowa Chapter at Luther College was founded in 1983. The current number of members initiated at Luther College is 1,870.

The specific criteria for eligibility for election to Phi Beta Kappa at Luther include but are not limited to the following:

• A senior must have at least 94 hours of liberal arts work (of the 128 hours required for graduation) with a high standard of scholastic achievement. A junior must have at least 58.5 hours of liberal arts work (out of at least 80 hours of college work), with an extremely high standard of scholastic achievement.
• All candidates must have completed at least three full semesters of work (45 semester hours) in residence at Luther College and be fully registered for a fourth semester.
• The candidates must also have completed course work or be able to show competence at the 201-level or above in a language other than English, and they must have taken either PHIL 110 (Logic), LING 133 (Introduction to Syntax), CS 260, or a mathematics course at or above the MATH 141-level. (MATH 327 and 328 not included).