Student living

Introduction To Fraternity Life At the University of Arizona

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As students get settled back on campus for the start of the semester, many find themselves looking to explore the social and student organizations on campus that serve an essential role in fostering a true college experience.

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For many new students, this includes learning more about Greek life and the impact it can have on one’s time in college.

Greek life is a new experience for many first-year students and can be a source of anxiety as they navigate college.

To help you understand fraternities’ role in campus life at the University of Arizona, here’s a brief overview of some common questions we hear from UArizona students.

Yes, fraternities are popular among some segments of the student population at the University of Arizona.

Each year around 500 incoming freshmen join a fraternity.

This is less than the number of new students joining a sorority, as sororities tend to be more popular than fraternities, and those who join fraternities tend to be less diverse than those opting not to participate in Greek life.

All chapters at the UArizona belong to a governing council. Both the United Sorority & Fraternity Council (USFC) and the Interfraternity Council (IFC) are home to fraternities and offer different experiences.

What are the benefits of being in a fraternity at the University of Arizona?

The Office of Fraternity & Sorority Programs at the University of Arizona markets four significant benefits to joining a Greek organization.

The first benefit is academic excellence, as many fraternities have a grade point average requirement for joining and maintaining membership, thereby encouraging members to stay focused on their studies.

The second benefit is leadership since students often take on additional chapter responsibilities outside of the classroom.

The third benefit is service, as many chapters participate in community service events throughout the year to support their chapter, the University, or the local community.

The fourth benefit is friendship since fraternities are primarily social organizations and can lead to lifelong friendships that extend far beyond a student’s time at the University of Arizona.

How many fraternities are there at the University of Arizona?

There are 29 national fraternities with chapters at the University of Arizona.

These national chapters include traditional social Greek fraternities and cultural fraternities for specific racial, ethnic, religious, and social groups on campus. These include Jewish, African American, LGBTQ+, Latinx, and Asian/Pacific Islander fraternities for University of Arizona students.

The University of Arizona’s traditional Greek fraternities are governed by the Interfraternity Council (IFC), which oversees most chapters.

The 21 fraternities within the Interfraternity Council are:

  1. Delta Chi
  2. Delta Kappa Epsilon
  3. Delta Sigma Phi
  4. Delta Tau Delta
  5. Kappa Alpha Order
  6. Kappa Sigma
  7. Omega Delta Phi
  8. Phi Delta Theta
  9. Phi Gamma delta
  10. Phi Kappa Tau
  11. Pi Kappa Phi
  12. Sigma Alpha Mu
  13. Sigma Chi
  14. Sigma Nu
  15. Sigma Phi Epsilon
  16. Sigma Tau Gamma
  17. Tau Kappa Epsilon
  18. Theta Delta Chi
  19. Theta Xi
  20. Zeta Beta Tau
  21. Zeta Psi

The cultural fraternities at the University of Arizona are governed by the United Sorority & Fraternity Council (USFC), which oversees an additional eight chapters on campus.

The eight fraternities governed by the USFC are:

  1. Alpha Phi Alpha
  2. Delta Lambda Phi
  3. Kappa Alpha Psi
  4. Lambda Sigma Upsilon
  5. Lambda Theta Phi
  6. Phi Beta Sigma
  7. Pi Alpha Phi
  8. Sigma Lambda Beta

The other governing council for Greek life on-campus at the University of Arizona is the Panhellenic Council (PC), which governs sorority life at UArizona.

USFC Week is during the second week of classes of the Fall 2022 semester. You will have the opportunity to learn about any organizations you are interested in and get to know the members and the chapter’s unique recruitment/intake process. Visit the USFC website for event information.

When does fraternity rush begin at the University of Arizona?

Rush, also known as recruitment, takes place at the beginning of the fall semester at the University of Arizona.

Priority registration begins in April with a priority fee of $100, while standard registration is in mid-July and costs $150.

The recruitment period begins with an open house for new and returning students to meet current members and narrow their list of potential fraternities to join.

There are then a series of 5 rounds with social events and chapter meetings to get to know more members and submit a preference for which fraternity a student would like to join.

The process ends with Bid Day when fraternities offer membership to a select number of potential new members. Selectivity varies by the fraternity, depending on the popularity of the chapter.

IFC-governed fraternities with their own chapter houses tend to be more popular and selective since members have the option to live in the chapter house during their time on campus.

How much does it cost to join a fraternity at the University of Arizona?

Fraternity members at the University of Arizona can expect to pay over a thousand dollars each semester in membership dues, not including the cost of housing if a member lives in the chapter house.

These dues cover the cost of local and national chapter fees, social events, and any charges specific to new members.

Among IFC-governed fraternities, the average cost for a new member without housing is $1,519, and the average cost for an active member without housing is $1,216. Housing expenses for living in a chapter house costs an average of $5,126 per semester as of the Fall 2021 semester.

Aspire Tucson is a 12-story highrise located within walking distance of the campus, Greek row, and University Blvd. The community offers fully-furnished studio to six-bedroom apartment homes specifically designed for University of Arizona students.

Do fraternities have their own houses at the University of Arizona?

Yes, most fraternities at the University of Arizona have their own house on campus.

Houses are typical for members of the Interfraternity Council, but not all IFC-governed fraternities have chapter houses. Some may rent houses for unofficial fraternity homes, but this is not the case with all fraternities, including the cultural fraternities governed by the United Sorority & Fraternity Council.

The IFC-governed fraternities that have their own chapter house at the University of Arizona are:

  1. Delta Kappa Epsilon
  2. Kappa Alpha Order
  3. Phi Delta Theta
  4. Phi Gamma Delta
  5. Pi Kappa Phi
  6. Sigma Alpha Mu
  7. Sigma Chi
  8. Sigma Nu
  9. Sigma Phi Epsilon
  10. Sigma Tau Gamma
  11. Tau Kappa Epsilon
  12. Theta Delta Chi
  13. Theta Xi
  14. Zeta Beta Tau
  15. Zeta Psi

Other housing options at the University of Arizona

Aspire Tucson is the perfect off-campus housing option for students at the University of Arizona. It offers an affordable apartment close to campus, has plenty of amenities, and is within walking distance of various excellent restaurants.

We have apartments explicitly designed for University of Arizona students, with fully furnished studios to six-bedroom floor plans.

The six-bedroom, two-story penthouses on the top four floors are among the most popular apartments. They’re trendy among Greek students looking for an off-campus apartment to live with other members.

Aspire is the perfect place to live if you’re looking for a fitness center, study rooms, a courtyard, underground parking, a rooftop pool, and a hot tub.

To find out more about pricing and availability for the upcoming semester, call our team at (520) 532-4065 today!