Student group registration is the annual process that all student organizations—both undergraduate and graduate—must complete to be considered active for the academic year. Registered groups gain access to University resources, including room and space reservations, activities fairs, use of the Penn name (per policy), mailing lists/marketing tools, and funding through University and school-based entities.
Any member of the University community may start a new organization. However, you should check the list of registered groups on PennClubs before beginning the process in order to identify if a similar club already exists. Prospective sport clubs should also contact the Recreation Department to find out about the availability of space and other resources.
Notable Changes for This Year
There are significant policy updates and updates to the timelines for existing/returning group re-registration, new group registration. Please see below for more information:
The term “SAC Recognition” is retired; the distinction of being “SAC-recognized” and the need for a General Body Assembly or New Group Recognition process are eliminated.
SAC now focuses solely on stewardship and allocation of student group funding.
Registration Status in PennClubs is now the gateway for access to funding and other University resources.
The Annual Registration Process in PennClubs is more comprehensive to determine a club’s registration status and access to resources.
New profile fields appear on each group’s PennClubs page: Category, Classification, and Status.
Registration Timeline for the 2025-26 Academic Year
Returning Groups (Groups Previously Registered during the 2024-25 AY)
August 11th, 2025
Registration opens in PennClubs for all returning student groups.
- Undergraduate groups approved for PennClubs registration will also be eligible to sign up for a spot in the Fall Activities Fair which will be held from August 26th to August 28th
- To be eligible to sign up for the Fair, a group’s registration must be submitted by August 22nd.
December 18th, 2025 (End of Fall Term)
Registration closes for the 2025–2026 academic year.
New Groups
October 1st, 2025
The New Group Application period opens.
- Applications can be submitted at any time throughout October.
October 31st, 2025 at 11:59p
Deadline to submit the New Group Application via PennClubs
Week of December 1st, 2025
New Group Decision Notifications will be released.
Eligibility & Who Manages Registration
Eligibility
Who Manages Registration
Any undergraduate or graduate student organization that is student-led and complies with University and student organization policies is eligible to register.
The Office of Student Affairs (OSA) manages registration using PennClubs, a student group management system designed by Penn Labs.
How to Register
Register or update your group through PennClubs using your PennKey login. If your group was previously registered, log in and update your existing profile.
We have formalized many long-standing practices related to the requirements for student groups to register with the University. To successfully re-register your organization, the following prerequisites must be met:
Membership Requirements: Each club must have at least eight active members, with a minimum of three members designated as officers.
Group Contacts: Listed group contacts are members of the organization who have significant understanding of, and influence on, group operations.
Club Operations: Student organizations are to be initiated by, organized, primarily comprised of and solely led by undergraduate or graduate students.
Training and Workshops: Organizations must complete any required student organization trainings or workshops, such as the Student Organization Summit or New Student Group Training.
Branding Compliance: Clubs must have logos that adhere to University branding standards and ensure consistency use across all platforms, including social media and websites. Please Refer to the Student Branding Guidelines for more information.
University Affiliation: The club description must clearly state that the group is a student organization at the University.
Policy Adherence: All groups must comply with the relevant rules, guidelines, policies and guidelines for students and student organizations.
New This Year
Description Fields
Choose the primary group category based on your mission:
- Academic & Pre-Professional
- Arts & Performance
- Civic Engagement & Community Service
- Cultural & International
- Greek Life
- Instructional & Competitive (Non-Sports-Related)
- Media & Publication
- Peer Education & Support
- Political & Advocacy
- Religious & Spiritual
- Special Interest
- Sports & Recreational
- Student Governance
Membership eligibility options:
- UG – Undergraduate students only
- UGo – Undergraduate-led, open to graduate students
- G – Graduate students only
- Go – Graduate-led, open to undergraduates.
Current standing options:
- Full – Fully registered and in good standing
- Provisional – Newly approved group in probationary phase
- Preliminary – Application submitted, pending approval
- Inactive – Not currently operating
- Suspended – Temporarily restricted due to policy issues
- Defunct – Permanently dissolved.
Mission Statement Requirements
All groups must include a mission statement that clearly describes purpose and intended impact.
- Requirements: Must explicitly identify the organization as a student group at the University of Pennsylvania (or at Penn), consistent with University policy.
- Limit: 150 words.
- Reflect your primary focus area and significant activities.
- Do not include hyperlinks, promotional language, recruitment info, or event descriptions (these belong in other profile sections).
Compliant Examples:
- “This is a student-run organization at the University of Pennsylvania.”
- “We are a student group at Penn…”
“Red & Blueprint for Health is a student-run organization at the University of Pennsylvania dedicated to exploring the intersection of health policy, innovation, and community impact. Our mission is to empower students with the tools and knowledge to become informed leaders in shaping equitable health systems. We host interactive workshops, speaker events, and policy discussions that engage undergraduates across disciplines. Our aim is to foster a collaborative space where future public health advocates, policymakers, and researchers can connect, learn, and lead meaningful change both locally and globally.”
Constitution Requirement
All clubs are required to have a copy of their Constitution saved to their PennClub’s account. You can upload a docx or pdf version of the Constitution under the Resources tab in the account.