NCAA Eligibility Rules - Initial Eligibility for Freshman Student-Athletes

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know the ncaa eligibility rules

The Importance of Knowing the Eligibility Rules Starting at High School

Unfortunately, high school academic results that fail to meet the academic requirements set out by the NCAA Eligibility Rules are one of the most common reasons football colleges stop recruiting high school athletes.

These requirements, are actually not extreme and are quite frankly generous to student-athletes!

Yet, many high school students put too much emphasis on their athletic achievements and NOT enough on their academic ones.

That is just one reason you find so many talented players at junior college or postgraduate level as they try to sort out their academics to be certified by the NCAA as eligible to compete in college sports.

Obviously, knowing the eligibility rules as early as in your junior year in high school and adhering to them throughout high school is the most responsible way to ensure your path to competing in college sports.

This guide, however, covers the set of eligibility rules that apply only to incoming student-athletes who apply to college for the first time (hence the name - “Initial” eligibility rules).

Note - there are also ongoing NCAA eligibility rules referred to as Continuing Eligibility Rules that admitted student-athletes must meet throughout their college studies after they have received the initial financial aid (under the initial eligibility rules), as explained here.

Initial Eligibility Rules Breakdown

The Standard Academic Requirements for College-Bound Student-Athletes

As mentioned above, most recruits come into the college recruiting process at a Division I or II school assuming they just need to hit a minimum GPA in order to qualify.

However, that is a clear failure of understanding the NCAA academic requirements.

The NCAA academic standards for initial eligibility to study and play in a Division I or II school are far more detailed than a simple number, and actually, specify the number of core-courses required as well as a sliding scale to match the core-course GPA score with the required test scores respectively.

Those who pay attention to the eligibility requirements and try their best in the classroom at high school will have an easy time hitting the NCAA academic eligibility standards.

Especially with how straightforward these requirements are, no matter the division level.

Division I Initial Eligibility Rules

To be eligible for financial aid from the NCAA during your first year of study at a Division I school, you must meet the following requirements for academic eligibility:

Beyond the above, you must also achieve the following:

  • Complete 10 of your 16 core-courses before reaching your seventh high school semester. Of these 10 courses, seven must relate to math, science, or English.
  • Have a minimum GPA of 2.3 for all of your core-courses.
  • Meet the NCAA’s current sliding scale standard for Division I.

Assuming you meet all of the above requirements, you should be able to apply for a qualified student-athlete status and for a full or partial scholarship. But, again, the exact amount depends on your chosen school and the specific financial aid it offers.

Also keep in mind that if you fail to get a credit for whatever reason, there are some credit recovery programs that you can take part in.

NCAA Core Course List for Division I

This core-course list details the study areas and the minimum credit level required in each study area for Division I freshmen.

As mentioned above, student-athletes who wish to enter and study at a Division-I school are required to earn 16 core-course credits, in the core-courses that were approved by the NCAA.

This of course means that courses taken in high school that are not part of the NCAA-approved core-course list - DO NOT count for eligibility by the NCAA.

The approved core-courses list and the minimum credit requirement in each study area for Division I schools are:

  • Four years of English;
  • Three years of math;
  • Two years of natural or physical science including 1 year of lab if available;
  • Two years of social science classes;
  • An additional 1 year of either an English, math, or science course; and
  • Four years of additional coursework in a foreign language, philosophy, or comparative religion class.

However, just taking the core-courses is only half the battle - as the grades in those classes determine the minimum SAT or ACT test scores required in addition to the GPA score.

NCAA Minimum Test Score Requirement for Division I

The minimum core-course GPA is 2.3 on a 4.0 scale, so just above a C average, but those also come with the strictest requirements for standardized testing.

The NCAA supplies a full table of the minimum test score for Division-I (‘Sliding Scale’) that is required based on your core-course GPA.

For example, a 3.55 GPA or better (with the maximum being 4.0) would require a combined SAT score (in critical reading and math) of 400 or a combined ACT sum score of 37.

But for a 2.3 GPA, the minimums are a 980 combined SAT or a 75 combined on the ACT.

Those who fail to meet these combined minimums but graduated from high school with a qualifying GPA and qualifying test score are however eligible for an academic year in residence.

Division II Initial Eligibility Rules

To be eligible for financial aid from the NCAA during your first year of study at a Division II school, you must meet the following requirements for academic eligibility:

Beyond the above, you must also achieve the following:

  • Complete 10 of your 16 core-courses before reaching your seventh high school semester. Of these 10 courses, seven must relate to math, science, or English.
  • Have a minimum GPA of 2.2 for all of your core-courses.
  • Meet the NCAA’s current sliding scale standard for Division II.

Assuming you meet all of the above requirements, you should be able to apply for a qualified student-athlete status and for a full or partial scholarship. But, again, the exact amount depends on your chosen school and the specific financial aid it offers.

Also keep in mind that if you fail to get a credit for whatever reason, there are some credit recovery programs that you can take part in.

NCAA Core Course List for Division II

This core-course list details the study areas and the minimum credit level required in each study area for Division II freshmen.

As mentioned above, student-athletes who wish to enter and study at a Division-II school are required to earn 16 core-course credits, in the core-courses that were approved by the NCAA.

This of course means that courses taken in high school that are not part of the NCAA-approved core-course list - DO NOT count for eligibility by the NCAA.

The approved core-courses list and the minimum credit requirement in each study area for Division II level schools are:

  • Three years of English;
  • Two years of math;
  • Two years of natural or physical science including 1 year of lab if available;
  • Three years of social science classes;
  • An additional 1 year of either an English, math, or science course; and
  • Four years of additional coursework in a foreign language, philosophy, or comparative religion class.

However, taking the core-courses is only half the battle - as the grades in those classes - determine the minimum SAT or ACT test scores required in addition to the GPA score.

NCAA Minimum Test Score Requirement for Division II

The minimum core-course GPA is 2.2 on a 4.0 scale but this also comes with the strictest requirements for standardized testing.

The NCAA supplies a full table of the minimum test score for Division II (‘Sliding Scale’) that is required based on your core-course GPA.

For example, a 3.30 GPA or better (with the maximum being 4.0) would require a combined SAT score (in critical reading and math) of 400 or a combined ACT sum score of 37.

But for a 2.2 GPA, the minimum score is a 920 combined SAT or a 70 & above combined on the ACT.

Those who fail to meet these combined minimums but graduated from high school with a qualifying GPA and qualifying test score are ho

Additional NCAA Eligibility Rules - Apply to Both Division I and II

If you do not meet the standard NCAA eligibility rules, there is still a chance that you can receive financial aid to play NCAA sports.

A student-athlete who earns only a 2.0 GPA or higher while meeting the NCAA’s current sliding scale standard can still apply for financial aid for the entire year.

However, this aid comes with caveats - the student will be able to practice with his chosen team for at least the first term of their college education, however, he will NOT be able to take part in competitions.

A college freshman athlete who achieves academic success during their first term will be allowed to continue practicing with his team for the entire year.

There are no NCAA eligibility rules for Division III colleges. Instead, these institutions set their own admission criteria for initial entry into the college.

The NCAA Eligibility Center and Its Purpose

ncaa eligibility center building at indianapolis

The purpose of the NCAA eligibility center is to ensure there is a central database of student-athletes academic achievements, as a one-stop shop for colleges to view a potential recruit’s high school transcript, GPA, and test scores, as well as monitor the achievements throughout college.

It also makes the process easier to get a recruit approved to play once they get on campus because all of the academic information is already in the hands of the NCAA.

Tip - College-bound athlete-students in high school are advised to register with the eligibility center prior to their freshman year (9th grade) in high school. This would ensure their entire achievements throughout high school are available to potentially interested college football programs for monitoring and contact.

How to Contact the NCAA Eligibility Center?

Online account registration: Continue here >>

Existing accounts log-in: Continue here >>

Toll-free phone number: (877) 262-1492 (open: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, Mon-Fri)

Int’l callers phone number: (317) 917-6222 (open: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, Mon-Fri)

Mailing address: P.O. Box 7110. Indianapolis, IN 46207 *

(*for Transcripts by domestic students)

Overnight/Express mailing address: 1802 Alonzo Watford Sr. Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202 **

(**for Transcripts by home-schooled and Int’l. students)

Int’l students contact form: Continue here >>

How to Ensure Eligibility

With all of the stress associated with your high school studies, it’s often easy to overlook the various requirements for NCAA eligibility.

The information in this article can serve as a checklist, allowing you to confirm that you’re studying the appropriate number of core-courses and that you’re achieving the required grades.

To ensure you comply with the eligibility rules during high school or secondary school discuss your situation with a counselor at your institution.

That being said, also throughout your college years you must meet certain ongoing requirements (the Continuing Eligibility Rules) in order to continue receiving aid and to ensure nothing gets in the way of completing your amateur playing career.

Remember that NCAA financial aid packages are not guaranteed for your entire college education so it is important to familiarize yourself with the Continuing Eligibility rules as well as, as to comply with them.

FAQs about NCAA Eligibility Rules

What Is a Core Course?

NCAA-approved core-courses are courses in high school that you must complete to be eligible for financial aid in college as a student-athlete.

Most high schools have a list of the NCAA-approved core-courses which mostly relate to key academic subjects such as math, sciences, and English.

It’s up to you to ensure you’re taking the required number of core-courses to ensure eligibility for NCAA funding.

And, yes, you do also need to be in good academic standing with all of your core-courses.

What Is the NCAA Sliding Scale?

The NCAA uses a combination of GPA and ACT or SAT scores in the form of a sliding scale to determine student-athletes eligibility for financial aid in college sports - the higher the GPA score is, the lower the ACT or SAT scores required to match it, and vice versa.

This sliding scale is actually a table that sets the ACT or SAT score required to match each GPT score.

The sliding scale changes every year so you should check the scale regularly to determine your eligibility.

Since relying on the sliding scale could limit the amount of aid you receive and even bar you from competitive play, it’s best to aim for the highest score to ensure you rely on the sliding scale as little as possible.

Does the NCAA Look at My Whole GPA?

No, the NCAA only examines your GPA in your core-courses.

This provides you with some flexibility in your non-core-courses, allowing you to achieve a lower GPA without affecting your NCAA application.

However, dipping below the required GPA on your core-courses, could make you ineligible for financial aid.

What Is NCAA Amateurism?

A fundamental NCAA rule is that all student-athletes must be certified as amateurs before they can compete, meaning, they are prohibited from that point in time from receiving prize money for competing in collegiate sports.

However, they can still receive reimbursement related to their participation.

This means that college-bound student-athletes:
1. can’t sign up with an agent or receive any of the benefits one might receive from working with an agent.
2. can’t use their skills or any fame gained from being a student-athlete to make money.
3. can’t receive money in exchange for endorsing a product or service.
4. can’t delay the start of their college enrollment to take part in an organized, professional sport.

This certification process is made through the NCAA Eligibility Center upon registration with the center.

How Does the NCAA Set Its Eligibility Rules?

The NCAA is a member-led organization with a governance system to determine the rules it enforces. This system includes several committees, typically led by college presidents, athletes, and athletics directors, who set these initial eligibility standards.

If an NCAA member proposes a new rule or a rule change, this group of committees votes on the proposal.
If the proposal passes, it becomes part of the NCAA eligibility rules.