Start a Group

New Group Application Deadlines, 2022-2023 Academic Year:

  • Fall semester: October 15, 11:59 PM
  • Spring semester: March 3, 11:59 PM

The ASA Board may accept applications submitted after these deadlines, contingent on the number of applications or other executive board duties. Email asa-groups@mit.edu with questions.

Group Recognition Process

Currently, there are approximately 450 student groups at MIT. When recognizing new student groups, the ASA looks to recognize groups that will bring something novel to MIT student life in the long term. The ASA policies and philosophy about group recognition can be found in the ASA Recognition Procedures document. 

In particular, the ASA looks to recognize groups that will be long-term sustainable, rather than to give legitimacy to particular projects. The group recognition process can be slow, and projects which are seeking immediate status and use of the MIT name and resources will be disappointed. While different for every group, the process usually takes at least several weeks, and can take up to a few months or (in extreme cases) half a year or more.

While considering applications, the ASA primarily looks for a unique purpose and at the student group’s anticipated use of resources. Students interested in starting a new group are advised to consider whether their purpose can be acheived within an already-recognized group; frequently, students will be told to talk to a similar-seeming group before the ASA makes a final decision about recognition.

The recognition process goes as follows:

  1. Determine the type of group you would like to start
  2. Send an application to the ASA board before one of the two application deadlines listed above
    1. The application includes writing a constitution for your group; see here for a sample
  3. The ASA Board votes on submitted applications -- this process can take up to several weeks depending on the time of submission
  4. If the Board has questions about an application, they contact the group to receive further information about the application
  5. Upon approval of an application, the group sends the ASA Board the following information:
    1. Membership confirmation
    2. Officer and general membership email lists
    3. Confirmation of sending the MA Hazing Law to members
    4. Selection of funding board if approved as a Funded group
  6. Once these steps are completed, the ASA Board creates an Engage page and requests a funding account for the group, and they are fully recognized