Understanding NCAA
Eligibility
Joann Graham and Scott Brewer
Counselors for Student Athletes
Santa Barbara City College
graham@sbcc.edu, brewer@sbcc.edu
(805) 965-0581
Steps You Must Take to
Participate in
NCAA Division I or II
Athletics
st
your 1 year of college
2
WHAT IS THE
NCAA AND NCAA ELIGIBILITY Center?
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Organization that determines student’s initial
eligibility for athletic participation
Students considering participation in college
sports at D1 or D2 university must register with
eligibility center
Need to take SAT/ACT even if going to
community college
www.ncaa.org
www.eligibilitycenter.org
877.262.1492
NCAA DIVISION I
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NCAA Division I - 5 years
to play 4 years
Full-time enrollment at
any college triggers "5year clock"
Exceptions: military
service, 1-time pregnancy
exception, religious
mission
Any exceptions must be
petitioned by the 4-year
college
NCAA DIVISION II
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10 semester/15
quarter- full-time
enrollment
Any full-time
collegiate enrollment
uses one semester /
quarter of eligibility
Clock stops if not
enrolled or enrolled
part-time
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HIGH SCHOOL
Freshmen and Sophomores Must:
Start planning now
Need 16 core courses
Work hard to get the best grades possible
Take classes matching your high school’s NCAA List of
Approved Core Courses
o NCAA Eligibility Center will only use approved core
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courses to certify your initial eligibility
Access and print your high school’s NCAA List of
Approved Core Courses at www.eligibilitycenter.org,
click “Resources” at top of the screen
JUNIORS Must:
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Beginning of junior year, register with Eligibility Center
www.eligibilitycenter.org
Take ACT, SAT or both and use Eligibility Center code
“9999” as a score recipient
Make sure that you are taking courses that match your
high school’s NCAA List of Approved Core Courses.
After completing your Junior year, SEND official transcript
to the Eligibility Center. (The Eligibility Center DOES NOT
accept faxed transcripts.)
Prior to Senior year, check with your counselor (and
Eligibility Center) to determine the number of core courses
that need to be completed your senior year
Seniors Must:
1. Take SAT and/or ACT as often as necessary.
Eligibility Center will use best scores from each section to
determine best cumulative score
2. Continue taking Core Courses
3. Take courses matching your high school’s NCAA
List of Approved Core Courses
4. Earn best grades possible
5. Graduate on time (in 8 academic semesters)
6. After graduation, send final OFFICIAL transcript to
Eligibility Center with proof of graduation
Core-Course Completion “On
Time”
From the time you enter
the ninth grade, you
have 4 years (or 8
semesters) to complete
the 16 core-course
requirement
“On time" also means
that graduation takes
place June 1, must
graduate June 1
DIVISION I :16 CORE COURSES
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4 years of English
3 years of mathematics (Algebra I or higher)
2 years of natural/ physical science (1 year of lab if
offered by high school)
1 year of additional English, mathematics or
natural/physical science
2 years of social science
4 years of additional courses (from any area above,
foreign language or nondoctrinal religion/philosophy)
See handout for sliding scale (GPA/SAT-ACT, verbal and
math sections only)
NEW SLIDING SCALE FOR DI
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Initial requirements are
increasing for students
who start 4-year college
Aug. 2016 (impacts HS
freshmen Fall 2012)
Must complete 10 core
courses before senior year
7 of 10 must be Math,
English, and Science.
Sliding scale changed to
min. GPA of 2.3
DIVISION II :14 CORE COURSES
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3 years of English
2 years of mathematics (Algebra I or higher)
2 years of natural/physical science (1 year of lab if
offered by high school)
2 years of additional English, mathematics or
natural/physical science
2 years of social science
3 years of additional courses (from any area above,
foreign language or nondoctrinal religion/philosophy)
No sliding scale, need a minimum of 820 (combined
Verbal and Quantitative) on SAT or 68 on ACT
NEW Core-Course Requirements – Div
II
16 Core Courses (Freshman Class of 2013)
3 years of English
2 years of math (Algebra I or higher)
2 years of natural/physical science
3 years of additional English, math, or natural/physical
science
2 years of social science
4 years of additional courses from any area above,
foreign language or comparative religion/philosophy
No sliding scale, need a minimum of 820 (combined
Verbal and Quantitative) on SAT or 68 on ACT
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NCAA Division III Requirements
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Division III institutions
do not require
registration with the
Eligibility Center
Contact your Div III
college or university
for details on
admission
requirements, financial
aid, practice and
competition
QUALIFIER
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Graduated High School
Successfully completed core curriculum 16 core courses
Met specified GPA in core classes and
met specified minimum SAT/ACT score
Student may practice, play, and receive
financial aid initially out of high school at a
4-year university
NON-QUALIFIER
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Not graduated from
high school, or
Not earned the GPA
in core curriculum or
SAT/ACT score
required to qualify
Cannot practice, play,
or receive financial aid
for one academic year
after high school at a
4 year university
Email & password
Initial-Eligibility Overview: Amateurism
• Update athletics participation information often,
especially if participating in events outside of the
normal high school season (i.e. Club sports)
• Meet often with HS counselor, to ensure
protecting amateurism AND meeting core-course
requirements
• Stay college eligible – Always Ask Before You Act!
IMPORTANT TERMS FOR COLLEGE ELIGIBILITY
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Participation
Student athlete plays one play or one second - counts as one season of
participation
Score is being kept officially. Scrimmages do not count!
Officials/ refs during competition
Game counts toward official record or post- season play
Redshirt: student athlete enrolls full-time but does not play
Medical Redshirt: injury before specific time period of season, out for rest of
the season. Trainer and doctor must fill out the appropriate paperwork
Greyshirt: student athlete enrolls part-time at a school and does not play first
semester. Does not trigger the Division I eligibility clock
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QUALIFIERS VS. NON-QUALIFIERS AT
THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE2-4
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RANSFERS
QUALIFIER:
•Division
I:
•You can be recruited after 1 full-time semester
•Must average 12 transferable credits per full-time term
•Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.00
•New GPA as of Aug. 1st 2012-2.5
•No more than 2 PE activity units may be applied towards the
transferable unit count and GPA
•Division II:
•You can be recruited after 1 full-time semester
•Earn an Associate of Arts degree, OR
•Average 12 transferable units per full-time term
•EX. 3 semesters = 36 units
•Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.00
•D2 has a task force in place to look at changing requirements to look
like D1
•Division III:
•Must have been considered academically and athletically eligible if you
stayed at your two-year school
QUALIFIERS VS. NON-QUALIFIERS AT
THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE2-4 TRANSFERS (CONTINUED)
•NON-QUALIFIER:
•Division
I:
•Complete
a minimum of 3 semesters (summer doesn't count)
•Earn an Associate of Arts degree
•Earn a minimum of 48 transferable units
•Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.00
•NEW GPA 2.5, 6 units of transferable english, 3 units TR math, and 3
units of science.
•Division
II:
•Complete
2 full-time semesters and
•Earn an Associate of Arts degree, OR
•Average 12 transferable units per full-time term
•Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 plus 6 units of English, 3 units of
transferable math.
•Division
•Must
III:
have been considered academically and athletically eligible if
you stayed at your two-year school
QUALIFIERS/NON-QUALIFIERS4-2-4 TRANSFERS
Division I:
All 4-2-4 transfers
•Obtain an Associate of Arts
degree
•Complete 24 transferable
units
•2.00 GPA in the transferable
units
•1 calendar year must have
elapsed after leaving four-year
institution
Exception: Return to original
4-year institution and
determined eligible
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QUALIFIERS/NON-QUALIFIERS4-2-4 TRANSFERS
Division II:
•Attended
two-year
institution for 1 fulltime semester
•2.00 GPA
•Earn an Associate
of Arts degree OR
average 12
transferable units per
full-time term
ANY QUESTIONS?
Understanding NCAA
Eligibility
Joann Graham and Scott Brewer
Counselors for Student Athletes
Santa Barbara City College
graham@sbcc.edu, brewer@sbcc.edu
(805) 965-0581