NOTE: Academic Year 20-21 recruitment will be entirely virtual, and all OFSL groups will be expected to follow the Campus Compact.
Eligibility Requirements
In order to be eligible for membership, a candidate must:
- Be a full-time enrolled undergraduate student in good standing with the University of Pennsylvania
- Have at least 4.0 course units completed on their University of Pennsylvania transcript.
- Have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.50.
- Must register on Campus Director or complete Aspirant Grade Verification Form within respective timelines.
Please note that individual chapters may impose additional academic requirements to the University standards listed above.
Course credits and academic eligibility vary across undergraduate schools. If you are considering in participating in recruitment, we encourage you to speak with your academic advisor.
back to top
Organizations to Join
There are 48 fraternities and sororities at Penn organized into three councils.
back to top
Intercultural Greek Council (IGC)
Membership in IGC organizations is open to all, and the Intake/Recruitment process will vary from chapter to chapter on a rolling basis throughout the academic year. Each chapter coordinates their own process that is not regulated by the IGC. Both the frequency and timing of the process are at the discretion of each organization. IGC chapters embrace a lifetime commitment and focus on academic achievement, cultural competence, and community service.
IGC conducts recruitment/intake processes which may include interest meetings and/or chapter-specific events where candidates (also known as “aspirants”) can learn about the organization. Some chapters work closely with a Graduate Chapter, comprised of members who were initiated after having graduated college, and/or their inter/national headquarters to receive permission to conduct a recruitment/intake process. All second-semester freshmen, as well as sophomores, juniors, and seniors are eligible to participate in the recruitment/intake if they meet the eligibility requirements.
If you have questions about a specific chapter’s recruitment/intake process, please contact the IGC advisor, Michael Beavers, for more information.
Meet The Greeks | Friday, 9/25/2020 at 7pm via Zoom (pre-registration required)
Twice a year, this informal evening event is held to allow students to learn more about the different chapters in the IGC. It also details the application process and rules of the organizations.
Interfraternity Council (IFC)
There are two major periods in which IFC recruits new members to its 26 organizations (24 men’s and 2 co-ed groups): Informal Recruitment in the Fall semester, and Formal Recruitment in the Spring semester. It’s important to note that Informal Recruitment is only for sophomores, juniors, and seniors, which Formal Recruitment is also open to freshmen.
However, only students that meet the eligibility requirements are able to join in the fall. Students must have at least a 2.50 GPA and have 4 completed course units. Individual chapter requirements may apply.
Registration for 2021 IFC Formal Recruitment is coming soon!
For spring recruitment, the process begins by signing up on Campus Director, in which prospective students fill out an e-application that helps OFSL determine eligibility for joining.
After registering, if you would like to request accommodation due to a disability, please contact the Office of Student Disabilities Services at 215-573-9235 or through their website. Please contact the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life if you would like to request access to an event by calling 215-898-5264.
Spring Formal Recruitment begins with the IFC expo, where students can gain exposure to all IFC chapters by virtually meeting a few members from each organization. This casual-setting event allows you to ask questions and learn more about the chapters.
Open Recruitment | TBD
IFC “Open House” is the time in which any interested students are free to virtually visit the chapter of each organization across three prescribed time slots (time slots will be updated at a future date). Some chapters Events will often have a pre-registration for your name and contact information so that groups are able to contact you for an invitation to their Closed Recruitment event(s).
Closed Recruitment | TBD
This stage of the process is approximately a week long, and is similar to Open Recruitment, only events are now by invitation only.
Bid Night | TBD
The main closing event of Closed Recruitment is Bid Night, where all prospective members for IFC organizations gather virtually to find out which organizations have extended them an invitation of membership. Upon receiving a bid, students have 24 hours to submit their decision and complete a Membership Affiliation Card, which is submitted to OFSL.
New Member Education Process
Bid Night also marks the beginning of the New Member Education Process, which by University policy is a maximum of 6 weeks (though some chapters will have a shorter process). All chapters must initiate their new members before Thanksgiving Break (for informal recruitment) or Spring Break (for formal recruitment.) The New Member Education Process is structured like a class, with a mixture of brotherhood-building activities and meetings to learn about the chapter’s history, traditions, and values. Once the New Member Education Process concludes, a student officially becomes a lifetime member of an IFC organization at Penn!
Panhellenic Council (PHC)
Panhellenic Primary Recruitment is the formal process through which potential new members (PNMs) consider sororities, while sororities choose new sisters. The Primary Recruitment period is comprised of multiple rounds where potential new members visit each of the 8 chapters on Penn’s campus. Through a process of mutual selection, students narrow their choices until they are matched to a sorority following the last round.
There are two major periods in which PHC recruits new members to its sororities: Fall Continuous Open Bidding (COB) in the Fall semester, and Spring Primary Recruitment in the Spring semester. All second-semester freshmen, as well as sophomores, juniors, and seniors are eligible to participate in primary recruitment if they meet the eligibility requirements. Fall COB is only open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
Note: Penn Panhellenic is dedicated to ensuring that everyone who identifies as a woman is given full opportunity to take advantage of the benefits of sorority life, regardless of her race, religion, background, socioeconomic status, disability, or sexual orientation.
Convocation | Sunday, January 17, 2021 – Time TBD
This event marks the start of Primary Recruitment. Participants will be able to meet their Recruitment Guide (also known as a “Rho Gamma”) and learn about the details of recruitment during an orientation presentation from the Panhellenic Recruitment Team. This is required for all potential new members (PNMs) and will take place on the campus platform.
Open House Round | Sunday, January 17, 2021 – Time TBD
PNM’s will watch a video for each of the 7 Panhellenic chapters on the campus platform. You will have access to canvas a week prior to this date and all videos must be watched by January 17th. You will meet with your Rho Gamma Group on Sunday Jan 17th and at that time enter your preferences for the next round of recruitment.
Sisterhood Rounds | Monday, January 18, 2021 – Time TBD and Tuesday, January 19, 2021 – Time TBD
During the Sisterhood Round, PNMs will virtually visit the chapters they’ve been matched with to learn more about the chapters’ traditions and values. The events of this round are split over two evenings, in which prospective women will have the chance to meet more of the members and watch sisterhood videos.
Philanthropy Round | Wednesday, January 20, 2021 – Time TBD
During the Philanthropy Round, PNMs will virtually visit the chapters they’ve been matched with to learn about their philanthropy and service activities.
Preference Round | Thursday, January 21, 2021 – Time TBD
The Preference Round is a beautiful ceremonial experience. PNMs will virtually visit the chapters they are matched with to talk with sisters and experience their unique ceremony.
Bid Day | Friday, January 22, 2021 – Time TBD
This day of celebration is when the official invitation (or “bid”) to join one of the Panhellenic organizations are given out. The bid will only be from one of the chapters you virtually visited on the day prior (Preference Round.) After the official invitation is received, PNMs will join their sorority for a virtual sisterhood event. Not all women who register for recruitment receive bids; however, PNMs who fully participate in recruitment by maximizing their options and participating in all events to which they are invited have a very high bid-matching rate at Penn.
New Member Education Process
Bid Day also marks the start of the New Member Education Process, which by University policy is a maximum of 6 weeks (though some chapters will have a shorter process). The New Member Education Process is structured like a class: when you receive your schedule, you will see a mixture of sisterhood-building activities, ceremonies, and meetings to learn about the chapter’s history, traditions, and values. The New Member Education Process concludes with a ceremonial ritual called initiation. Following initiation, students are lifetime members of their Panhellenic organization! All organizations must initiate their new members before Thanksgiving Break (for Fall COB) or Spring Break (for formal recruitment.) All New Member Education will be held virtually this year.
