Phi Kappa Psi - Membership

Membership

An active member of the fraternity is a full-time enrolled student at his chapter's host institution at the undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate level; all others, including members who have graduated or transfer to a school without a Phi Psi chapter, are considered alumni. Men may be initiated into Phi Kappa Psi either by an active chapter, or as part of a colony that is being installed as a chapter. Members typically join Phi Kappa Psi when a chapter extends an offer to enter into a probationary period known as pledgeship, which lasts for several weeks and concludes with initiation.

Membership is normally only granted to men who are enrolled as full-time students at a chapter's host institution. There have been three exceptions to this:

1. Alumni of a colony which became a chapter after their graduation, and for two years after.

2. Men who have been of service to a chapter, but not students at the institution.

3. Honorary membership extended to men of prominence, a practice that was banned in 1885.