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How to Join

Find Your Home Sweet Home on Rocky Top!

Welcome to the University of Tennessee! We are excited you are interested in joining the Sorority & Fraternity Life Community. The first step to joining an organization is determining which of our four councils is right for you. Once you are ready to pursue membership, we encourage you to use the steps outlined below to approach the council or organization of your choice.

Still unsure which council is right for you or how to navigate the joining process? Contact the Fraternity and Sorority Life Staff for additional assistance.

Those seeking membership must be a full time, fully enrolled student. Provisionally admitted students and students participating in the Road to Rocky Top Programs are not eligible for membership in any fraternity or sorority. 

Interfraternity Council

There are several opportunities for men to join the Interfraternity Council’s 21 organizations. There are two main ways to join a chapter: the formal week-long recruitment process at the beginning of each semester that requires registration. These events, dates, and registration information is released and planned by the IFC and can be found on social media, website, and other communications. Additionally, IFC encourages all chapters to recruit year-round, but will have their own limitations and policies surrounding these practices. For more information on this “365 recruitment” you can reach out to IFC or individual chapter recruitment chairmen.

For questions about recruitment, please contact the IFC Recruitment Team.

Check out IFC’s Recruitment Information & Registration

2024 Important Dates:

  • Registration opens: December 1
  • Early-Bird Registration ($60): December 1 – January 4
  • Regular Registration ($70): January 5 – January 22
  • Orientation: January 23
  • Bid Day: January 29
  • Beginning of 365 Recruitment: January 29
  • Spring IFC 101: February 6
  • New Member Orientation Health and Safety Module: Due March 31st
  • Fall 2024 Recruitment Registration Opens: May 1

Multicultural Greek Council


Each MGC organization accepts potential new members through a new member education process. Most MGC organizations start off with a series of events known as Recruitment. Recruitment is an informal week of educational, social, and service-related activities to get to know members and learn more about the organization. At the end of an organization’s recruitment week, they extend opportunities to selected individuals who meet the requirements of MGC and its national organization.

Intake is ONLY conducted during the beginning of the fall and spring term. Interested individuals would have the opportunity to attend an informational meeting-informal event to learn more about the organization or an interesting meeting-formal event to pursue membership.

Learn more about joining opportunities in our MGC community.

MGC Membership Requirements

  • Enrolled as a full-time student  
  • Transfer and upper-class students must have completed 12 credit hours at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
  • Transfer and upper-class students must have at least a 2.5 GPA.
  • Be in good conduct and academic standing with the University
  • Note: Each affiliate organization may have additional or higher membership requirements that are set by their inter/national organizations. All membership processes are overseen by one or more local appointed graduate chapter advisors. For more specific details, please contact the local chapter.

2024 Important Dates

  • January 25, 2024 – MGC Fest
  • Fall dates will be announced on May 1, 2024

National Pan-Hellenic Council

NPHC sororities and fraternities initiate potential new members through a formal Membership Intake process (MIP) also known as “Intake.” Intake is ONLY conducted during the beginning of the fall and spring term. Interested individuals would have the opportunity to attend an informational meeting-informal event to learn more about the organization or an interesting meeting-formal event to pursue membership. Interested individuals should attend Misconceptions & Stereotypes hosted by NPHC at least once an academic year.

Learn more about joining opportunities in our NPHC community.

Intake Eligibility Requirements 

  • Have completed at least 12 credit hours
  • Have at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA
  • Be in good conduct and academic standing with the University

2024 Important Dates

  • January 29 – Misconceptions & Stereotypes
  • Fall 2024 dates will be announced on May 1, 2024

Note: Each affiliate organization may have additional or higher membership requirements that are set by their inter/national organizations. All membership processes are overseen by one or more local appointed graduate chapter advisors. For more specific details, please contact the local chapter.

Panhellenic Council


Panhellenic sororities offer many opportunities for membership throughout the year. The most opportunities for membership happen during Primary Recruitment, which typically occurs the week prior to the first day of classes in the fall academic semester. Students not interested or unable to participate in Primary Recruitment may also have opportunities throughout the fall and spring semesters to join a Panhellenic organization through the Continuous Open Bidding (COB) process. It is important to note that not all Panhellenic chapters will participate in COB.

Learn more about joining opportunities in our Panhellenic Community.

2024 Important Dates

  • Spring:
    • Continuous Open Bidding starts on January 23
    • Panhellenic Open House: January 23, 5:30-7:30 in SU Ballrooms
  • Fall:
    • Registration opens: May 1
    • Fall primary recruitment details will be announced in the summer of 2024.
    • New Member Health & Safety Module Due: Before a new member can accept a bid!

*Priority registration guarantees early move-in for PNMs living on campus. Late registration will not have guaranteed early move-in for University Housing. 

Financial Information

Joining a sorority or fraternity comes with a financial responsibility called “dues.” These cover things such as inter/national dues, insurance, membership fees, events, apparel, and so much more. Most organizations will have new member dues and active member dues, and some will have alumni dues, rent, or meal plans. Each chapter handles their finances differently, so the best practice is to ask for financial transparency when you have a question! The document below provides an overview for each chapter’s dues structure, rent and meal plan rates, as well as good questions to ask when looking at chapters! Questions for on-campus housing and meal plans can be directed to greekhousing@utk.edu.

View the 2023 Community Financial Breakdown