Greek Life Frequently Asked Questions

The University of Idaho offers orientation programs for students interested in Greek Life during the fall and spring semesters.

Recruitment events are the easiest way to learn about individual chapter houses, meet other students in fraternities and sororities, and immerse yourself in student life on campus.

Fall Formal Recruitment is held in August before fall semester classes begin. The smaller Spring Informal Recruitment is held in February.

New Student Orientation is also held in the fall for first-year students. Those who register for fall recruitment are automatically signed up for New Student Orientation.

Yes! You can hold membership in any honor/service fraternity, as well as any social fraternity/sorority. You can also join more than one honor/service fraternity, but social fraternities/sororities do not allow for membership in more than one social organization.

Each chapter is self-supported through dues charged to members. In the first year of membership, a few one-time expenses are also collected.

Greek living costs include lodging, meals, Internet, cable, phone service, study and recreation areas, and direct access and involvement in a great community. Costs are incredibly competitive compared to other housing options on campus. The average cost is $3,400 per semester for fraternities and $3,900 for sororities.

Joining a fraternity or sorority can make the adjustment to college life easier by offering students a support group and friends for life.

A Greek organization is a group of individuals with similar interests bonded together by common goals and aspirations. These bonds are created through membership rituals based on common principles such as honor, friendship, truth and knowledge. Each group works to instill and support these ideals in their members through everyday activities.

Students who live on campus are also more likely to have higher GPAs and graduate faster. Other advantages include:

• Access to scholastic resources to help students achieve academic goals.
• Learning leadership skills and hands-on opportunities to practice them.
• Encouragement to get involved on campus and in the community.
• Exposure to career and other opportunities through interaction with fellow students and alumni.

There are more than 1,700 students in the Greek community. More than 1,000 live in chapter facilities — 600 of which are first-year students. 

Our community offers 34 chapters whose members make up more than 20 percent of the student population.

Download a complete list of things to bring (PDF), or view quick suggestions:

Sorority Recruitment

• Sleeping Bag or blankets (Twin XL)
• Pillow
• Toiletries
• Bath towel and washcloth
• Shower items
• Formal attire for sorority events
• Casual clothes
• Pajamas
• Water bottle
• Personal medications
• Fan

Fraternity Recruitment

• Sleeping Bag or blankets (Twin XL)
• Pillow
• Toiletries
• Bath towel and washcloth
• Shower items
• Casual clothes
• Pajamas
• Water bottle
• Athletic clothes/apparel
• Business-casual clothing (i.e. polo shirt)
• Personal medications
• Fan

All fraternities and sororities have a process for orientation that will take less than 10 weeks to complete. During this time, new members will participate in scheduled meetings to learn about the history and values of the fraternity/sorority, engage in personal and professional development sessions and community service projects. We encourage all potential new members to speak with the members responsible for this orientation to understand this process prior to accepting an invitation of membership.

We have 34 fraternities and sororities, each of these groups receive governance from one of our three councils; Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), Interfraternity Council (IFC), and Panhellenic Council (PHC).

Greek letter organizations are also known as fraternities and sororities. There are different types of Greek organizations; social, honorary, and pre-professional are examples of these types. Not all of these organizations will explicitly use Greek letters. Our office represents 34 social fraternities and sororities at the University of Idaho.

Philanthropic events are events where organizations will raise money for a charitable cause. Most of our organizations have particular charities that are associated with their (inter)national headquarters, as well as local partners.

All organizations require an investment of time; this investment may be spent by weekly chapter meetings, new member meetings, engaging in community service or philanthropy projects, as well as social events. If you choose to pursue a leadership role within these organizations, such as committees, then the amount of time required by you to invest may increase. Our organizations have some required events, however, students generally have the ability to choose which events they wish to participate in.

Academics is one of the most important priorities for students in fraternities and sororities. When a student joins a fraternity or sorority, they join a group of like-minded students who are focused on their academics as well. All organizations set a minimum academic expectation to join as well as to retain membership in good standing. We encourage you to speak with the member who is responsible for academic initiatives within an organization before accepting an invitation of membership from a fraternity/sorority.