Membership FAQs
Common Questions About Membership
Joining Pi Kappa Phi means being a lifelong member of an incredible organization and brotherhood. Choosing to join a fraternity (and choosing the right fraternity for you) is a major decision, and we want to make that process easier for young men interested in joining our brotherhood. The information below includes answers to common questions we receive each year from prospective members to help you navigate the recruitment process.
Our founders believed that every young man deserved the opportunity to pursue his potential and begin living an extraordinary life, if he had the courage to do so. Pi Kappa Phi wants every member to embrace his role as a leader, put service before self and improve the world around him. This is accomplished by upholding the values of common loyalty, personal responsibility, achievement, accountability, campus involvement, responsible citizenship and lifelong commitment.
Common Loyalty: A commitment to Pi Kappa Phi that transcends any personal selfishness.
Personal Responsibility: The expectation that you live both your personal values, as well as those espoused in the Fraternity’s Ritual of Initiation.
Achievement: The expectation that you find your passion and excel.
Accountability: The duty to uphold and abide by the Fraternity’s standards of conduct and to use Ultimate Respect when confronting brothers who fail in their obligations to Pi Kappa Phi.
Campus Involvement: The obligation to become engaged in the college or university community.
Responsible Citizenship: The duty to lead and the privilege to serve others in order to better the world around you.
Lifelong Commitment: The obligation to remain involved in Pi Kappa Phi after graduation and to work perpetually to build the ideal fraternity.
Pi Kappa Phi’s esoteric values are taught to each member through our Ritual of Initiation. During this secret ceremony, we learn, in the words of our founders, the principles and ideals upon which our Fraternity was built more than a century ago.
Higher academic standards, exceptional leadership opportunities, an authentic community, personal growth, service, friendship – these are just some of the benefits of joining Pi Kappa Phi.
Joining Pi Kappa Phi offers you the opportunity to be part of a smaller community based on shared values when you enter college. It helps you build bonds with loyal friends you can rely on.
Joining Pi Kappa Phi is absolutely fun, but membership is a process and a commitment. You learn time management and discipline, expand your social circle and have unlimited chances to explore areas of interest:
- Leadership roles
- Financial management
- Fundraising
- Event planning
- Organizational management
There are many more. But no matter what, you’ll learn how to be an effective leader, how to work better as a team and why it really is greater to give than to receive.
Visit our chapter locator to search for your campus. You can also contact the fraternity/sorority life office on your campus for more information.
During recruitment, you can expect to meet active members, participate in various social and informational events and learn more about Pi Kappa Phi’s values, traditions and expectations. Recruitment is an opportunity for you to see if Pi Kappa Phi aligns with your values and if the brotherhood feels like a good fit for you.
If Pi Kappa Phi doesn’t currently have a chapter at your school, you can explore options to start a chapter with the help of the national organization. Contact Pi Kappa Phi’s expansion team to discuss the process of bringing a new chapter to your campus.
On a national level, there are four costs the chapter will incur on behalf of its members:
- A one-time pre-initiation fee of $70 (some chapters will charge $95 to include the cost of a $15 White Diamond associate education manual and $10 White Diamond associate pin).
- A one-time initiation fee of $195 (some chapters will charge $215 to include the cost of a $20 member badge).
- A one-time new member risk management and liability insurance fee of $100 (billed at the time of initiation).
- Annual national membership dues, $169 ($84 fall semester and $85 spring semester).
- Annual national housing investment fund fee, $20 annually or $10 per semester.
- Annual risk management and liability insurance fee, $300 (this can fluctuate year-to-year based on the greater organization’s recent claim history).
- Many chapters decide to incorporate all of the national fees into their local dues structure. Pi Kappa Phi’s governing bylaws allow each chapter to set and levy its own dues beyond the national minimums. Typical semester dues will include other local fees such as housing, interfraternity dues, social activities or meal plans. The amount of dues you pay each semester will depend on where you go to school.
You need to be aware of these and all associated costs before committing to Pi Kappa Phi. Prospective members often find that creating a four- or five-year personal budget will aid in determining whether or not Pi Kappa Phi is an affordable decision.
The time commitment to Pi Kappa Phi depends on your level of involvement. Most members attend weekly chapter meetings and participate in philanthropy events, social gatherings and other chapter activities. You can expect to dedicate at least a few hours per week, but leadership positions and special projects may require additional time.
Joining Pi Kappa Phi can actually help your academic performance. Studies show that fraternity members are more likely to engage with campus academic programs and report higher grades and higher satisfaction with their academic progress and institution than non-members.
Pi Kappa Phi strongly emphasizes academic excellence, and many chapters offer study groups, tutoring programs and academic incentives to encourage members to succeed. With time management, balancing fraternity involvement with your studies is achievable.
The Ability Experience is Pi Kappa Phi’s national philanthropic organization, dedicated to promoting awareness and fundraising for people with disabilities. Members of Pi Kappa Phi participate in events such as Journey of Hope, Gear Up Florida, Gear Up New York and Ability Camps to raise money and provide hands-on support to people with disabilities. This deep connection to service is one of Pi Kappa Phi’s core pillars. Learn more about The Ability Experience at abilityexperience.org.
Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity is a values-based membership development organization that focuses on building brotherhood through character enhancement, leadership development, academic achievement, commitment to service, lifelong friendship and social experiences.
Pi Kappa Phi offers a wide range of leadership opportunities, from holding positions on your chapter’s Executive Council to serving as a committee chair or participating in national programs like Pi Kapp College for Chapter Officers. These experiences help develop valuable leadership skills that extend beyond college.
Through Pi Kappa Phi’s philanthropic organization, The Ability Experience, members gain hands-on leadership development and learn a lifelong commitment to service through a host of programs that enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities. No other fraternity provides better programming for hands-on service learning.
Yes, many Pi Kappa Phi members are involved in other campus activities, clubs and organizations in addition to their academic commitments. The Fraternity encourages well-rounded involvement, and members are supported in balancing fraternity life with other obligations.
If you have a question that hasn’t been answered here, please feel free to email us.
