At a glance
National Honor Society (NHS)
Grades 10-12
National hour rule: None nationally: your chapter sets it. Members must also take part in chapter and individual service projects.
Chapters we checked: 15 to 30 hours to apply
National Junior Honor Society (NJHS)
Grades 6-9
National hour rule: None nationally: your chapter sets it, for the school, the community or both.
Chapters we checked: 12 to 20 hours a year
Key Club
High school
National hour rule: No minimum in the bylaws: your club board approves each hour. Key Club asks members to be ready for 50 a year.
Chapters we checked: 20 hours
Beta Club
Grades 4-12
National hour rule: None nationally: your club and sponsor decide. National Beta publishes what counts.
Chapters we checked: 8 to 15 hours a year
Interact (Rotary)
Ages 12-18
National hour rule: A club rule rather than an hour number: at least two projects a year, one that helps the school or community and one that promotes international understanding.
The chapter numbers come from school pages we checked in October 2026; each guide links them. Your chapter's own rules are the ones that count, so ask your adviser for them in writing.
What counts almost everywhere
The national definitions agree on the basics: service is voluntary, unpaid and helps someone beyond yourself, whether your school, your community or a cause. Key Club adds one more test: your club board has to approve the hour. Past that, chapters write the rules, and they are often stricter. National Beta rules out club meetings, fundraising for the club itself and family chores, and the New England District of Key Club does not count meetings, planning or fundraisers for the club.
Can the same hours count twice?
Ask each adviser before you count the same hours for two clubs. Rules differ, and some clubs ask you to check first: Northside High School's Key Club in North Carolina, for example, asks members to talk to its advisors about hours earned with other school organizations. The same hours may also count toward a graduation requirement or a scholarship such as Bright Futures, if each program accepts them.
Subject honor societies
Math, science, art, music, language and social studies honor societies, such as Mu Alpha Theta, the Science National Honor Society, Tri-M, the National Art Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society and Rho Kappa, have their own national rules, mostly about grades in the subject. Service expectations, if any, vary from chapter to chapter, so ask your adviser for them in writing.
One record for all of them
Write down every hour the day you do it, with the date, the organization, what you did and a supervisor who can confirm it. The free volunteer hours log works for any club. In My Award Tracker you can track up to five goals at once: add each club as a My school or club requirement goal with its own number, and see the hours left and the weekly pace for each. Working out a pace first? Try the volunteer hours calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Which honor societies and clubs require service hours?
NHS, NJHS, Key Club and Beta Club all count service, but none sets one national hour number: your chapter or club does. Interact clubs must run at least two service projects a year.
How many service hours do NHS, NJHS, Key Club and Beta Club require?
Chapters we checked in October 2026 asked for 15 to 30 hours to apply to NHS, 12 to 20 a year for NJHS, 20 for Key Club and 8 to 15 a year for Beta Club. Key Club International also asks members to be ready for 50 hours a year.
Can the same volunteer hours count for NHS and Key Club?
It depends on your chapters, and rules differ. Ask each adviser before you count the same hours for two clubs.
Do club meetings count as service hours?
Usually not. National Beta and the New England District of Key Club both say meetings are not service, except for time spent on a service project during a meeting.
What is the difference between an honor society and a service club?
Honor societies such as NHS, NJHS and Beta Club select members, mostly for grades, character, leadership and service. Service clubs such as Key Club and Interact are built around doing service together, and each club sets its own membership requirements.