Interfraternity Council Family Resource Guide

The Big Picture

Sorority and Fraternity Life at the University of Kansas is a long-standing tradition grounded in the pillars of scholarship, leadership, service, and friendship. Fraternity members benefit from resources that support their academic success and often achieve strong academic outcomes. The community provides leadership opportunities on campus and beyond, helping students develop skills for future career and life success. With 18 Interfraternity Council (IFC) chapters, KU offers a large and active fraternity community that fosters lasting friendships and meaningful involvement.

• Recruitment is unstructured and relationship-based (not one formal rush week).
• Recruitment is a student-driven process, so interested students are expected to take initiative by reaching out, attending events, and actively engaging.
• Students can join in Spring, Summer, or Fall, depending on when they engage. However, joining at different times potentially means different housing expectations, as not all organizations are housed. If students want to live in a fraternity house their first year, they should start their process as early as the beginning of their senior year.
• Many of the organizations have a first year live-in requirement.
• Chapters who require students to live-in their first year, recruit early to get their contracts filled.

Seasonal Timeline

While unstructured recruitment is year-round, it follows three main periods at KU:

Spring: January - March

What’s Happening?

• Chapters begin to outreach to admitted high school seniors and current KU Students.
• Students will receive communication from recruitment chairs either through text messaging, Instagram messages, or emails.

What Your Student Should Do:

• Submit the IFC Recruitment Interest Form to be contacted by chapters, and consider reaching out directly to recruitment chairs via email or Instagram if they would like to connect.
• Have conversations about what they want in their experience and if living in first year is something they want or if they want to live on campus in a residence hall.
• Attend events early to explore options. 
• If they are offered a bid they can accept at this time or wait for others.

Summer: April - July

What’s Happening?

• Chapters will continue hosting events both on campus and in hometowns, such as Kansas City. They also offer smaller, more personal interactions, such as dinners or house tours.
• Some students may receive bids starting early spring.
• If your student has not started their recruitment process, we recommend they start now.

What Your Student Should Do:

• Students should stay engaged and attend events as their schedule allows, while also asking questions throughout the process.
• If they have accepted a bid, ask when housing contracts will be sent (if applicable).
• If they have not accepted a bid, start having them narrow down where they feel most comfortable.

Fall: August - September

What’s Happening?

• Recruitment will continue for some chapters.
• Opportunities for students to connect will be shared on the IFC Instagram @kuifc.
• Not all chapters participate at this stage.
• Bids may still be extended.This timeline is great for students who want to be involved in an IFC fraternity and are living elsewhere.

What Your Student Should Do:

• Continue conversations if still exploring.
• Make a final decision if they receive a bid.

How the Process Works

Initial Interest:

• Students should be reaching out directly to chapters they are interested in.
• Your student will need to fill out the IFC Recruitment Interest Form.

Chapter Outreach:

• A recruitment chair will contact your student directly over text message, Instagram, or email.
• Invitations to chapter events may be extended to your student.

Attending Events:

• Chapter events will be casual and low-pressure environments.
• This is an opportunity for your student to meet many different members and explore their fit within the chapter.
• Your student should think of it like a mutual interview.

Getting to Know the Chapter:

• Once your student attends the larger more casual events, the chapter may invite your student to a smaller event like dinners or house tours.
• During this time, the chapters will assess fit socially and culturally.
• The chapters will have conversations with your student about dues/fees and housing expectations.

Receiving a Bid:

• After your student has attended the smaller events and expressed interest in joining the organization, members of the chapter will vote internally.
• A formal invitation (bid) will be extended if accepted.
• Your student may receive bids from multiple chapters but can only accept one.

Accepting & Transitioning:

• Once your student has signed their bid, the student is committed to that organization.
• If the organization is housed, then move-in occurs in August. Specific dates will be communicated to the members of the chapter from House Corporation and Chapter President.
• If your student has signed up for KU Housing & Residence Life, both you and your student are required to follow the KU Housing & Residence Life contract cancellation timeline to cancel your contract and move in to the chapter facility.

Key Family Takeaways

Key things for Families to Keep in Mind:

• Recruitment can start as early as January.
• This process is driven by students continuing to reach out and engaging with chapters they are interested in. 
• Conversations about finances and housing will happen before a bid is offered.
• Students are encouraged to explore multiple chapters before deciding.
• If your student does not engage before the start of the semester, that does not mean they are too late.

How You Can Support Your Student

• Look into the chapters' values, reputations, costs, and time commitments. The Kansas IFC website provides resources! Individual chapter websites or social media will offer insights into their activities.
• Allow your student to make their own choices, even if it differs from family history or expectations.
• Have honest conversations about balancing academics with fraternity life, as well as the financial responsibilities of membership.
• Advise them to explore different chapters. IFC hosts two events each semester that support individual chapter recruitment, which provides a great opportunity to learn about chapters and identify those that interest your student.