Joining a Chapter

At the University of Richmond, Fraternity and Sorority Life primarily engages in deferred recruitment, beginning at the start of Spring Semester. This approach is intentionally designed to support students' transition to college and help them make informed decisions about involvement, as memberships are a lifetime commitment.

While some organizations may participate in Continuous Open Bidding (COB) or host intake during Fall semester for upperclass students, the majority of social Greek-lettered chapters will recruit new member classes the second semester of the academic year.

Enrollment Status

All participants in a recruitment or intake process through Fraternity & Sorority Life at the University of Richmond must be fully enrolled students. First-year, first-semester students are not eligible to join social fraternities or sororities.

Transfer students with an accompanying collegiate transcript may be eligible to participate in recruitment or intake their first semester at the University of Richmond.

Time Commitment Expectations

New members and active members have the ability to make their experience more impactful by taking on leadership roles, serving on committees, running for elected positions in their chapter or council, and many other opportunities. These are all options to go above and beyond; however most chapters will require a minimum level of participation to be an active member.

These requirements will depend on the chapter, but most will hold weekly meetings for new and active members, ritual ceremonies, and philanthropic/service projects throughout the semester. Events are planned in advance so as to allow time to study, work, and uphold other commitments!

Financial Information & Resources

Joining a fraternity or sorority is both a financial and time investment - understanding these commitments helps students and supporters make informed decisions. Membership dues vary by chapter, but students can expect to pay anywhere from $500-$2,000 per semester. First-semester costs are typically higher because they include one-time initiation fees.

Financial assistance is often available through:

  • Spiders Helping Spiders

  • Extracurricular support

  • Chapter or national headquarters payment plans

  • Leadership development grants

We encourage students to ask chapters directly about payment plans, scholarship opportunities, and what support systems are available to members.