NATIONAL LETTER
OF INTENT
Susan Peal
speal@ncaa.org
This NLI session features questions from
your compliance administrator
of the year…
Ms. Bea N. Compliance
From: BeaNCompliance
To: NLI
Subject: Very Confused!
My coaches are recruiting these prospective student-athletes
(PSAs) and I am not sure if they can sign 2015-16 NLIs.
• Will graduate from a two-year college. Still has a valid NLI
noted in PSA’s record.
• Signed NLI in April 2014 but did not enroll at the signing
institution.
• Signed only an athletics aid agreement with another
institution.
• Will graduate from a two-year college. Still has a valid NLI
noted in PSA’s record.
 NLI can be signed provided PSA is expected to graduate
from the two-year college. Graduation will fulfill the
previously signed NLI.
• Signed NLI in April 2014 but did not enroll at the signing
institution.
 NLI cannot be signed since PSA has a valid NLI from April
2014.
• Signed only an athletics aid agreement with another
institution.
 NLI can be signed. Athletics aid agreement is not binding
on the PSA.
From: BeaNCompliance
To: NLI
Subject: Midyear Enrollees Driving Me Crazy
Can we sign these two PSAs to 2015-16 NLIs?
• PSA graduating high school early in December 2014 and
enrolling January 2015.
• International tennis PSA graduating in December 2015
(southern hemisphere academic calendar). Will enroll
January 2016.
• PSA graduating high school in December 2014 and
enrolling January 2015.
 PSA can sign NLI in November 2014 (2015-16 NLI).
Athletics aid agreement can include Spring 2015 and the
2015-16 academic year. (Division I)
• International tennis PSA graduating in December 2015
(southern hemisphere academic calendar). Will enroll
January 2016.
 PSA cannot sign NLI until November 2015 (2016-17 NLI).
Athletics aid agreement can include Spring 2016 and the
2016-17 academic year. (Division I)
From: BeaNCompliance
To: NLI
Subject: Me again
NLI records for these PSAs show they signed NLIs but one is
null and void and one has a complete release. Can my
coaches sign them to 2015-16 NLIs?
24-Apr-14
18-Nov-14
Null and Void
Valid
Victory College
State University
Men’s Track
Men’s Track
Complete Release
PDF
Permissible to sign 2015-16 NLI.
Note the Signing Date
Not permissible to sign 2015-16 NLI.
From: BeaNCompliance
To: NLI
Subject: What are my coaches doing?
Do we have NLI recruiting ban violations?
• PSA signed an athletics aid agreement with another
institution but our coaches have continued to recruit her.
• PSA enrolled at a two-year college instead of his signing
institution. This is his first year of enrollment and he was a
qualifier.
• PSA signed an athletics aid agreement with another
institution but our coaches have continued to recruit her.
 Not an NLI Recruiting Ban Violation.
• PSA enrolled at a two-year college instead of his signing
institution. This is his first year of enrollment and he was a
qualifier.
 This is an NLI Recruiting Ban Violation.
From: BeaNCompliance
To: NLI
Subject: HELP! Can’t make up our minds!
Our institution did not grant one of our signees an NLI release.
We now want to grant a complete release. Can we change
our decision?
 Yes, you can change the NLI release decision from a NO
RELEASE to a COMPLETE RELEASE.
From: BeaNCompliance
To: NLI
Subject: One and Done
One of our NLI signees who enrolled in the fall is transferring
after one semester. Is there anything that needs done with the
NLI?
 This student-athlete has not fulfilled the terms of the NLI.
The student-athlete is subject to the NLI penalty and the
NCAA transfer rules.
 The student-athlete needs to submit an NLI release request
in addition to being granted an NCAA transfer exception.
From: BeaNCompliance
To: NLI
Subject: Please attend another school
One of our NLI signees was denied a complete release. If she
still wants to attend our institution, do we have to provide her
with the athletics aid?
If you are holding the signee to her NLI agreement, your
institution must provide her with the athletics aid if she does
decide to attend your institution.
From: BeaNCompliance
To: NLI
Subject: R.I.P Fax Machine
Can NLIs be electronically submitted? What about digital
signatures?
 The NLI can be provided to a PSA electronically and a PSA
can submit the NLI to the institution by electronic means.
 Example: NLI can be sent by email with a photo
attachment.
 The NLI must be populated in the member institution portal
and cannot be populated out of a third party system.
 Signatures sent electronically are permissible provided the
PSA and/or parent’s signature is a replica of the actual
signature (e.g., using mouse, stylus, finger to sign). Digital
signatures are not a replica of the actual signature.
 PSAs can download apps to sign documents and send
electronically.
 The director of athletics and/or financial aid authority
signature can be a digital signature (e.g., authorized pdf
stamp).
From: BeaNCompliance
To: NLI
Subject: Valid or Not? My head is spinning!
• PSA’s parents refuse to sign his NLI. He is 18 years old.
He signed his NLI and athletics aid agreement without a
parent signature.
• PSA signed her NLI on the first signing date. Her parent
was out of the country so parent signature is 5 days after
PSA’s signature.
• PSA signed an athletics aid agreement in November and
now signed the NLI in April. A new athletics aid agreement
was not provided since one was already signed.
PSA’s parents refuse to sign his NLI. He is 18 years old. He
signed his NLI and athletics aid agreement without a parent
signature.
 NLI is INVALID without a parent or legal guardian signature if
PSA is under the age of 21.
PSA signed her NLI on the first signing date. Her parent was out
of the country so parent signature is 5 days after PSA’s signature.
 NLI is VALID since a parent signed within the 7-day signing
deadline.
PSA signed an athletics aid agreement in November and now
signed the NLI in April. A new athletics aid agreement was not
provided since one was already signed.
 NLI is VALID. Another athletics aid agreement does not have
to be signed.
From: BeaNCompliance
To: NLI
Subject: Shopping for an answer
My conference office told me these NLIs were invalid.
• PSA and parent signed the NLI on the first signing date but
did not include the time of signing.
• The financial aid director signed the athletics aid agreement
after the PSA returned the NLI and aid agreement.
• The director of athletics or designee signature was blank.
• PSA and parent signed the NLI one day before the issuance
date.
PSA and parent signed the NLI on the first signing date but did
not include the time of signing.
 NLI is INVALID. Must include time of signing on the first
signing date.
The financial aid director signed the athletics aid agreement
after the PSA returned the NLI and aid agreement.
 NLI is INVALID. Per NCAA rules, financial aid authority
must sign the athletics aid agreement before it is provided
to the PSA.
The director of athletics or designee signature was blank.
 NLI is INVALID. Director of athletics or designee must sign
the NLI before it is provided to the PSA.
PSA and parent signed the NLI one day before the issuance
date.
 If the issuance date was the first date of the signing period,
NLI is INVALID. If the issuance date is not the first date of
signing, NLI is VALID.
From: BeaNCompliance
To: NLI
Subject: That time of year!
I am trying to determine the NLI status now that the academic
year has started.
• Quit team during preseason practice and goes home.
• Initial eligibility status is still pending.
• Delayed enrollment at the request of our coach.
• Delayed enrollment to take an additional core course at
prep school.
• Did not enroll and coach has not heard from the signee.
Quit team during preseason practice and goes home.
 NLI is binding.
Initial eligibility status is still pending.
 NLI is binding.
Delayed enrollment at the request of our coach.
 NLI is null and void.
Delayed enrollment to take an additional core course at prep
school.
 NLI is null and void if declared a nonqualifier.
Did not enroll and coach has not heard from the signee.
 NLI is binding.
From: BeaNCompliance
To: NLI
Subject: Carrying the Torch
We signed an international PSA to an NLI in November
2013. She was admitted for Fall 2014 and was a qualifier. She
informed our coaches that she was not going to enroll until Fall
2016, after the 2016 Olympics.
Our coaches want to make sure the NLI is still valid and will
remain valid until she enrolls in Fall 2016.
 The NLI would stay valid since it is assumed the athletics
aid is available for when she enrolls unless the institution
notifies her the athletics aid is no longer available. If this is
the case, the one-year absence would be applied to null
and void the NLI.
 At the end of the 2014-15 academic year the NLI recruiting
ban is no longer in effect.
From: BeaNCompliance
To: NLI
Subject: Stuck between signing periods
Is it permissible to sign an athletics aid agreement without the
NLI after the initial signing date? Sports that sign in November
are permitted to sign an athletics aid agreement anytime after
that, correct?
 NCAA rule prohibits signing an athletics aid agreement prior
to the NLI initial signing date.
 If a sport has two signing periods, the initial signing date is
the first date of each signing period. A PSA is not permitted
to sign an athletics aid agreement between the November
and April signing periods.
 A PSA can sign an athletics aid agreement after all the
signing periods have concluded (e.g., August 1).
Use Your Resources
Use Your Resources
Use Your Resources
Use Your Resources
QUESTIONS
Susan Peal
speal@ncaa.org