Academic and amateur standards for freshman participation in intercollegiate athletics vary depending on the level of play and the governing body. Detailed descriptions can be found within the documents and Web sites linked from the left-hand column of this page, or by contacting school compliance and admissions offices directly. Some generalized requirements and guidelines appear below.
STUDENT GUIDELINES
NCAA
- All Students wishing to participate in NCAA Division I or II athletics must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center. There is a one-time fee for registration.
- Division III institutions do not use the Eligibility Center. Contact the school regarding admission policies, financial aid and athletic competition.
- There are three components to NCAA academic certification:
- ACT and SAT scores
- Core curriculum grade-point average
- High school graduation.
Details can be found at the NCAA Eligibility Center.
- ACT and SAT test scores must be submitted directly to the NCAA Eligibility Center from the testing center, using code 9999.
- Initial eligibility is based on academic performance and amateur certification.
- Details regarding amateur status appear in the Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete. Students may begin the amateur certification process by answering a questionnaire online at the NCAA Eligibility Center.
- Identify the administrator in your school responsible for keeping the list of core courses up-to-date with the NCAA Eligibility Center.
- Meet with a counselor or school administrator each year to verify progress toward the require amount of core courses.
NAIA
- Entering freshmen must meet two of three criteria for first-year participation at NAIA schools:
- Required scores on ACT or SAT
- Minimum required high school grade-point average
- Graduated in the top half of high school graduating class.
- Further details may be found in the NAIA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete.
Junior College
- Students must be a high school graduate or must have received a high school equivalency diploma or have been certified as having passed a national test such as the General Education Development Test (GED).
- Due to the complexity of the NJCAA eligibility rules, it is recommended that each potential student-athlete discuss their athletic eligibility with the athletic personnel at the NJCAA college where they have chosen to attend.
- Further details may be found online at NJCAA.org.
NOTE: Initial eligibility and admission to a desired institution are two separate matters. Simply because a student meets NCAA eligibility requirements, each institution decides on which students to admit. A student still need apply to each school. Likewise, admission to a give school may not meet NCAA eligibility standards.
RELATED LINKS
COACHES, COUNSELORS, ADMINISTRATORS
- High school personnel can lend prospective student-athletes the greatest amount of assistance in two ways: making sure the student is taking enough required core courses, and keeping those courses updated on the school's list of NCAA-Approved Core Courses.
- For the eligibility center to count a course toward a student's eligibility, the course on the transcript must appear exactly as it appear's on your high school's list.
- Approved administrators can find and update a school's list of approved courses on the NCAA Eligibility Center Web site under "High School Administration."
- This list should be reviewed at least once per year.
- Encourage 11th-graders to take both the ACT and SAT. When registering for the test, they need to select the eligibility center as one of the score recipients, using code 9999.
- Upon graduation, send accurate transcripts to the eligibility center or college of the student's choice. Courses on the transcript much appear exactly as they do on the list of high school courses offered.
PARENTS
- Develop open lines of communication with school personnel involved in the core curriculum and progress toward your child's graduation.
- Review materials linked to on the left-hand side of this page and consult with admissions and compliance officers from various institutions. They will be more than happy to address any concerns.
- Pay particular attention to amateur certification requirements within these documents prior to allowing your child to participate in events which may be deemed professional.