Join or Start a Fraternity or Sorority

Eligibility Form

Complete this form for the University to verify your eligibility to join an organization.

Eligibility Requirements

Undergraduate students are eligible to join a fraternity or sorority at the University of Rochester if the student:

  • Is in good conduct standing at the University of Rochester
  • Has completed at least one full semester of studies in the College*

*Transfer students with a full semester at another institution are eligible to join. AP credit and college credit earned through a high school program do not count.

New Member Orientation

Every student who joins a fraternity or sorority is required to participate in the new member orientation program. The purpose of this program is to prepare you to be a positive contributor to the fraternity and sorority community at the University of Rochester. If you have accepted the bid then you can enroll into New Member Orientation.

Join an Inter-Fraternity Council (IFC) Fraternity

Chapters in the IFC host structured informal and formal recruitment events over a two-week period at the beginning of each semester. Students can speak directly with members of an organization, participate in social and service activities, and learn about the values and history of the individual fraternities.

Students can choose to attend events at whichever fraternities they are interested, and the fraternities will extend bids for membership to individuals whom they would like to be brothers. The complete IFC recruitment schedule will be available through organizations’ Instagram pages.

Join a Multicultural Greek Council (MGC) Fraternity or Sorority

Recruitment for the MGC does not always occur during a scheduled recruitment period. Rather, organizations hold informational sessions for prospective members to learn more about the chapter. They also ask individuals to participate in the social, cultural, and educational programming as well as community service activities of the individual fraternities and sororities.

Through these encounters, students can decide whether they share interests and values with the members of the organization. Once both the student and members are ready, the student can be offered an invitation for membership.

You are encouraged to reach out directly to an MGC organization or its advisors if you are interested in learning more about membership.

Join a Panhellenic Organization

The Panhellenic Association has a structured recruitment process in January. Students do not need to return to campus early to participate in Panhellenic Association recruitment. Instead, they will be able to sign up online when they return in January.

Some organizations also hold informal recruitment events in the fall and spring. There are limited opportunities to join an organization outside of formal recruitment, but chapters that hold informal recruitment events will advertise them individually and through the Panhellenic Association Facebook page.

Start a New Fraternity or Sorority

Individuals interested in bringing a new organization to campus should follow the Expansion and New Organizations Policy. Any new group must be an international or national fraternity or sorority and be recognized by a national governing body. Preference will be given to members of the:

Any students interested in starting a new organization should first meet with the director of fraternity and sorority affairs (john.disarro@rochester.edu) to discuss their interest.