1. Eligibility 101- The Basics
Brenda White & Eric Bensing
NAIA Legislative Services

2. Today’s Focus: Fundamentals of Eligibility and the Bylaws
Academic Eligibility
Athletic Experience
Transfer Situations
Campus Responsibilities
Eligibility Forms & Documents

3. Academic Eligibility: Bylaw V.B.19 Athletic Eligibility: Bylaw V.B.18
Terms of Attendance (TOA)
Limit of 10 semesters; 15 quarters
Athletic Eligibility: Bylaw V.B.18
Seasons of Competition (SOC)
Limit of 4 seasons of competition in a given sport

4. All first-time NAIA participants must register at www. playnaia
All first-time NAIA participants must register at and receive an eligible determination prior to participating in any contest (scrimmage, exhibition or regular season).
EC Reviews:
Terms of Attendance
Seasons of Competition
Academic Eligibility
Graduation
EC Does Not Review:
Amateurism
Transfer Releases
Suspension Residency
Eligibility Certification

5. Eligibility Center: Reviews and Appeals
Request for review: An internal review by Eligibility Center management.
Request for appeal: Review by a national committee (National Eligibility Committee or Competitive Experience Committee).

6. Academic Eligibility

7. Academic Eligibility: Terms of Attendance
Article V, Section B, Item 19
Article V, Section B, Item 8
Academic Eligibility: Terms of Attendance
An NAIA student may only compete during the first 10 semester terms of attendance or 15 quarter terms of attendance.
TOA is any term (excluding summer sessions) in which the student becomes identified with an institution.
Identification: An association between the student and institution recognized by the NAIA.
Participation in an intercollegiate contest
Enrollment in 12 institutional credit hours as noted on the student’s official transcript (Freshman Exception)

8. Tricks of the Trade: Terms of Attendance & Identification
Article V, Section B, Item 19
Article V, Section B, Item 8
Tricks of the Trade: Terms of Attendance & Identification
The impact of institutional credits on identification
Institutional credit hour = grade + earned credit hours
Can be charged two TOAs in one academic term
Identification at one institution and then transfer to another institution
Identification at one institution and then a total withdrawal
21 day window will be discussed in Basics of Eligibility pt. 2

9. Academic Eligibility: 12-hour Enrollment
Article V, Section C, Item 3
Academic Eligibility: 12-hour Enrollment
To compete, a student must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 institutional credit hours.
At least 9 institutional credit hours must be at the NAIA institution
Up to 3 institutional credit hours from another institution - with prior permission from NAIA registrar – will count toward satisfying this rule.
If a student drops below 12 hours at any time, student must immediately stop competing.

10. Academic Eligibility: Entering Freshman Requirements
Article V, Section C, Item 2
Academic Eligibility: Entering Freshman Requirements
A student is considered an entering freshman until he/she has identified with a post-secondary institution of higher education for at least 2 semesters/3 quarters (or equivalent).

11. Academic Eligibility: Entering Freshman Requirements
Article V, Section C, Item 2
Academic Eligibility: Entering Freshman Requirements
Freshmen must meet 2 out of 3 requirements:
2.0 Cumulative GPA
Finish in top half of the student’s graduating class
Minimum standardized test scores of:
18 on the ACT (taken before March 2016), 16 on the ACT (taken March 2016 or later)*; or
860 on the SAT (Math & Reading only)
Early determinations are available after a student’s 6th and/or 7th semesters of high school.

12. Academic Eligibility: Additional Avenues for Freshmen
Home Schooled Students:
Test score requirement: 20* ACT / 950 SAT; OR
Individualized review by the NAIA Homes School Committee
Students with Learning Disabilities:
Meet entering freshman eligibility requirements; OR
Individualized review by the LDAC and NEC

13. Academic Eligibility: 2nd Term Freshman
Article V, Section C, Item 5
Academic Eligibility: 2nd Term Freshman
To participate in the student’s second TOA, the student must:
Have met entering freshman requirements (2 of 3); and
Have earned at least 9 institutional credits prior to the second term
Hours earned prior to identification at the NAIA school will not count.
CLEP hours will count if taken after school starts.
Quarter School Note:
To participate in the student’s third quarter TOA, the student must have earned 24 institutional credits over the students first 2 TOAs.

14. Academic Eligibility: Continuing Eligibility
Article V, Section C, Item 6
Academic Eligibility: Continuing Eligibility
24/36-Hour Rule:
Passing coursework and earning credits in a manner consistent with the expectations of a full-time student.
Taking institutional credit hours at face value over the previous 2 semesters/ 3 quarter TOAs.

15. Academic Eligibility: 24|36-Hour Rule
Article V, Section C, Item 6
Academic Eligibility: 24|36-Hour Rule
To compete, a student must have earned:
24 credits during the student’s previous two semester TOAs; or
36 credits during the student’s previous three quarter TOAs.
This calculation may include:
“Non-term” hours earned between or after the student’s 2nd most recent TOA.
No more than 12 non-term hours can apply to the calculation.

16. Academic Eligibility: 24|36-Hour Rule
NAIA Rules Education
Article V, Section C, Item 6
Academic Eligibility:
24|36-Hour Rule
4th
academic year
1st Academic Year:
Fall – 12 credits
Spring – 12 credits
Meets 24/36-Hour Rule for Fall of the 2nd Academic Year
Rules Education • National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics •

17. Academic Eligibility: 24|36-Hour Rule
NAIA Rules Education
Article V, Section C, Item 6
Academic Eligibility:
24|36-Hour Rule
Meets 24/36-Hour Rule for Fall of the 3rd Academic Year
4th
academic year
1st Academic Year:
Fall – 12 credits
Spring – 12 credits
Summer
3 credits
2nd Academic Year:
Fall – 15 credits
Spring – 6 credits
Rules Education • National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics •

18. Academic Eligibility: 24|36-Hour Rule
NAIA Rules Education
Article V, Section C, Item 6
Academic Eligibility:
24|36-Hour Rule
3rd Academic Year:
Fall – 12 credits
Spring – Did not Identify
(0 credits)
4th
academic year
1st Academic Year:
Fall – 12 credits
Spring – 12 credits
Summer – 3 credits
2nd Academic Year:
Fall – 15 credits
Spring – 6 credits
Does not meet 24/36-Hour Rule for Fall of the 4th Academic Year
Rules Education • National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics •

19. Academic Eligibility: Continuing Eligibility
Article V, Section C, Item 9
Academic Eligibility: Continuing Eligibility
Progress Rule:
Earning credits so that one’s academic achievement aligns with one’s athletic experience
Consider seasons of competition and expected credits earning prior to the start of the next SOC

20. Academic Eligibility: Progress Rule
Article V, Section C, Item 9
Academic Eligibility: Progress Rule
To compete in a student’s 2nd SOC:
24 semester / 36 quarter institutional credits accumulated.
To compete in a student’s 3rd SOC:
48 semester / 72 quarter institutional credits accumulated.
To compete in a student’s 4th SOC:
72 semester / 108 quarter institutional credits accumulated.
48 semester / 72 quarter general education and/or major institutional credits accumulated.

21. Continuing Eligibility
NAIA Rules Education
Article V, Section C, Item 9
Continuing Eligibility
Progress Rule
3rd Season of Competition:
Must accumulate at least
48 Semester Credits
2nd Season of Competition:
Must accumulate at least
24 Semester Credits
4th Season of Competition:
Must accumulate at least
72 Semester Credits
(48 gen ed./major credits)
Rules Education • National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics •

22. Academic Eligibility: 2.0 GPA Requirement
Article V, Section C, Items 8 & 9
Academic Eligibility: 2.0 GPA Requirement
Junior academically and/or 3rd Season of Competition, or
Senior Academically and/or 4th Season of Competition
Calculating GPA
First TOA at your institution: cumulative GPA from all transcripts
Total Quality Points achieved
Total GPA Hrs. attempted
After initial TOA at your institution: use institution's cumulative GPA policy for all students

23. Continuing Eligibility
NAIA Rules Education
Article V, Section C, Item 8 & 9
Continuing Eligibility
2.0 GPA Requirement
Junior Academically and/or 3rd Season of Competition:
2.0 Cumulative GPA
Senior Academically and/or 4th Season of Competition:
2.0 Cumulative GPA
Rules Education • National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics •

24. Athletic Eligibility:
Seasons of
Competition

25. Athletic Eligibility: Intercollegiate SOC
Article V, Section B, Item 18
Athletic Eligibility: Intercollegiate SOC
A student is charged one season of competition for any participation in an exhibition or intercollegiate contest
One pitch, one play, one second
A student may be awarded a season back if they meet the criteria listed in the Medical Hardship bylaw (Article V, Section M).

26. Athletic Eligibility: Non-Collegiate Competition
Article V, Section B, Item 18(b)
Athletic Eligibility: Non-Collegiate Competition
Who is subject to a competitive experience review?
Eligibility Center Determinations
Any student who will enroll at an NAIA institution a year or more after high school graduation.
Campus Certification
Any student with a break in full-time enrollment.
Any student who, while at a non-NAIA institution, was not charged seasons of competition for every year of full-time enrollment.

27. Athletic Eligibility: Directory of Competition
Article V, Section B, Item 18
Athletic Eligibility: Directory of Competition
The Directory of Competition within PlayNAIA Manager allows institutions to see if a league/event is chargeable as elite-level competition.
NOTE: The Directory is not exhaustive and only contains those leagues evaluated by the Eligibility Center.

28. Transfer
Rules

29. Transfer Rules Definition of a Transfer
Article V, Sections F-H
Transfer Rules
Definition of a Transfer
A student who becomes identified with an NAIA school after having been previously identified with another institution.
This does not include being identified while in a high school dual enrollment program.

30. Transfer Rules General Transfer Residency Rule
Article V, Sections F-H
Transfer Rules
General Transfer Residency Rule
A student with prior participation at a 4-year institution must serve a 16-week residency period prior to NAIA participation.
Residency Rule Exceptions:
Most recent intercollegiate participation was at 2-year institution
Did not participate at the most recent 4-year institution
Has both a 2.0 GPA and written release

31. Article V, Sections F-H
Transfer Rules
Transfer student who represents 2 institutions in one academic year can be charged 2 SOCs in a 12-month period
Exception: junior college grad who participated at the JC, transfers to NAIA school in same sport season and is otherwise eligible
Mid-Year Transfers and Spring Events
Student must be certified as eligible to participate in next SOC
Applies even for spring scrimmages, where student won’t be charged a SOC

32. Tying it
All Together

33. Eligibility Certification Forms
Article V, Section J
Eligibility Certification Forms
Required:
NAIA Official Eligibility Certificate
NAIA Certificate of Clearance
When applicable:
Transfer Eligibility Statement
Eligibility Certificate for Entering Freshmen
Competitive Experience Form
Students may not compete until all necessary forms are completed and sent to conference eligibility chair
Check out the Eligibility Software Workshop Tuesday, 12:30 p.m.- 1:30 p.m. in the San Diego Ballroom

34. NAIA Forms and Processes
Article V, Section L;
Article VI, Section B&E
NAIA Forms and Processes

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Questions?
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