1. NAIA Legislative Services
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NAIA Legislative Services

2. Initial Eligibility Requirements

3. Entering Freshman Requirements
Bylaw Article V, Section C, Item 2
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).
Freshman 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:
16 on the ACT* (Minimum score of an 18 is required for tests taken prior to March After March 2016, minimum score of a 16 is required. This exception will apply through the academic year – see bylaw proposal 18-B-14).
860 on the SAT
Early determinations are available after a student’s 6th and/or 7th semesters of high school.

4. Entering Freshman Requirements: ACT & SAT
Bylaw Article V, Section C, Item 2
Standardized Test Scores
“Super Scores” not accepted.
SAT: Critical Reading and Math section only; Writing section not applicable
Must be taken and score received prior to start of semester to be used for eligibility
Vacated Scores:
No longer count toward eligibility requirement
If student has already participated, does not constitute ineligible participation
Students can still meet the requirement by taking the ACT/SAT and receiving the passing score in the term (semester or quarter) before the term they wish to compete.
Also see bylaw proposal 18-B-14

5. Entering Freshman Requirements: GPA
Bylaw Article V, Section C, Item 2
Multiple GPAs:
If multiple GPAs exist on the transcript, then use the GPA used to determine class rank.
If multiple ranks exist, then use the rank for determining the valedictorian.
If the selection for a valedictorian does not exist, then use weighted over unweighted rank.
If the school does not rank their students but offer academic and overall GPA, then use the overall GPA.

6. Entering Freshman Requirements: Class Rank
Bylaw Article V, Section C, Item 2
The class rank that is accepted is the rank as it appears on the final high school transcript after the student’s date of graduation.
Multiple Class Ranks:
If there are multiple variations of class rank, then use the rank that determines valedictorian.
If no class rank appears on the transcript, then…
Can accept a letter from the principal/headmaster, assistant/vice principles, guidance counselors and registrars certifying student graduated in top 50%.
Also see bylaw proposal 18-B-15

7. Entering Freshman Requirements: Alternatives
Bylaw Article V, Section C, Item 2
Home Schooled Students:
Complete home school program AND Test score requirement: 20* ACT / 950 SAT; OR
Waiver requests reviewed by the NAIA Homes School Committee.
Students with Learning Disabilities:
Meet entering freshman eligibility requirements; OR
Individualized review by the LDAC and NEC.

8. Freshman Eligibility: 9-Hour Rule
Bylaw Article V, Section C, Item 5
First term freshman are required to accumulate a minimum of nine institutional credit hours prior to identification for the second term of attendance.
Only credits earned after identification in the first term may be applied.

9. 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
Also see bylaw proposal 18-B-13

10. EC Review: Example

11. Eligibility Center: Reactivation, Updates, Reviews, & Appeals
Reactivation –The process that institutions and students use to have the NAIA Eligibility Center provide an updated determination.
Part of Situational Analysis
Update – This can be requested by anyone, with no deadline.
IF – There are added courses from different institution (interim courses) to original institution transcript = Update
Review – An internal review by Eligibility Center management. Must be requested by AD or FAR within 45 days of the decision.
Ex: Check Seasons of Competition Charged!
IF – There was a letter grade change on transcript = Review
IF – There are more credits from added from school = Review
Appeal – A review by the National Eligibility Committee (NEC). Must be requested by AD or FAR within 45 days of the decision.

12. Review and Update: Examples
Review Example:
A Student transferred from a previous non-NAIA institution but the credits have not been accepted on the new transcript.
A grade change or new credits added to a previously used transcript.
Update Example:
A student was issued a ‘not eligible’ decision prior. Since then, the student took summer courses after that original decision that could affect the original decision.

13. Situational Analysis

14. Eligibility Center: Situational Analysis
Reactivation with the NAIA Eligibility Center
When a student-athlete is required to reactivate his/her PlayNAIA account the following must occur:
The student-athlete is required to update academic and athletic experience with any new information.
Eligibility Center must issue a new determination before the student-athlete can be certified on campus.
Reactivation does not incur additional registration fees.
The Situational Analysis Document can be found online at under “Legislative Resources”.

15. Situation No. 4: Eligible, No Competition in First Year
If a student-athlete:
Receives an ‘eligible’ decision for term A;
Does not compete in initial academic year;
Maintains continuous identification at NAIA institution through the conclusion of the initial academic year;
Seeks to compete for the same institution the following academic year(s) with no break in continuous identification;
Then:
No reactivation required;
Certify on campus through ECP Software.

16. Situation No. 8: EC Registration, No NAIA Enrollment
If a student-athlete:
Receives an eligibility decision for term A of eligible;
Does not identify at an NAIA institution in term A;
Seeks to compete in term B or later;
Then:
Reactivation is required prior to competition after identification in future term;
Eligibility center indicates eligibility status for new term;
Certify on campus through ECP Software.

17. Situation No. 10: Eligible, Additional Sport Participation
If a student-athlete:
Receives a decision of ‘eligible’ for term A;
Subsequently decides to play additional NAIA sports not listed on original registration in term A or beyond;
Then, there are two applications:
For students who are not subject to the competitive experience review.
For students who are subject to the competitive experience review.

18. Situation No. 10: Eligible, Additional Sport Participation
For those who are not subject to the competitive experience rule:
No reactivation required;
Certify on campus through ECP Software.
For those who are subject to the competitive experience rule, there are two applications:
Competition in the original sport before adding a new sport.
Reactivation not required
Competition the in new sport before competing in the original sport.
Reactivation required

19. Situation No. 11: Multi-Sport Athlete, Mixed Determination
If a student-athlete:
Receives a decision of ‘eligible’ for term A in sport X and ‘not eligible’ for term A in sport Y;
For example: the student-athlete receives an eligible decision in soccer and a not eligible decision in basketball for the fall term.
Maintains continuous identification at NAIA institution;
Seeks to compete in sport Y in term B or later;
Then, there are two applications:
For student who competed in sport X.
No reactivation required
For students who did not compete (or only competed in scrimmages) in sport X.
Reactivation Required

20. Emerging and Invitational Sports

21. Emerging and Invitational Sports
Emerging Sports and Year 1 Invitational Sports:
Not governed by NAIA rules.
The sport’s national governing body determines eligibility rules.
Certification is done through the current sport’s governing body.
Contact eligibility chair on specifics of to certify.
Year 2 Invitational Sports:
All NAIA eligibility rules apply, including the requirement of an Eligibility Center determination.
First-time NAIA participants require a determination before they will be eligible to play.
Students who participated in NAIA competition and were properly certified for such during first year of invitational status do not need to have EC determination.
Students may be charged SOC’s for past club and/or intercollegiate experience.

22. Emerging and Invitational Sports: Timelines
Competitive Cheer and Dance
Invitational Year 1:
Invitational Year 2:
Men’s/Women’s Lacrosse
Invitational Year 1:
Invitational Year 2: ,
Men’s Volleyball
Men’s/Women’s Bowling
Invitational Year 1:
Invitational Year 2:

23. Eligibility Center Exception: “Grandfathering Clause” for Emerging Sports
A student shall be exempt from the requirement of receiving an “eligible” determination from the Eligibility Center prior to competing if:
The student was certified under the eligibility rules of the sport governing body in the sport’s first year as a recognized invitational sport;
The student represented an NAIA institution in an intercollegiate contest in the sport’s first year as a recognized invitational sport;
The student’s institution sponsored the sport as a varsity intercollegiate sport and submitted a declaration of intent noting the sport’s varsity status; and
The student is properly certified as meeting all other NAIA eligibility requirements.

24. Case Studies

26. Assumptions:
Assume all needed transcripts for each student are included in the provided documentation.
Assume the students did not participate anywhere other than the leagues and intercollegiate competition listed.
On the transcripts, you will not need to know what a specific symbol means on the transcript unless otherwise noted.

27. Question 1
Concept: Invitational Sports, Eligibility Center decisions, CFAR Policy Section III, Item 5
Kevin graduated from high school in May of He attended Biscuit University, an NAIA institution, for fall of 2017 and spring of He competed in an intercollegiate contest as a varsity participant in bowling and met current eligibility requirements under the national bowling governing body. Does he need an eligibility center determination for bowling for the academic year?
Yes, Kevin does not have an eligibility center determination yet and needs a decision before competing.
No, bowling is not an NAIA championship sport and does not need eligibility center determinations.
No, Kevin meets the exception to receiving an eligibility center determination as long as he is properly certified as meeting all other NAIA eligibility requirements listed in Article V.

28. Answer 1
Answer: C. No, Kevin meets the exception to receiving an eligibility center determination as long as he is properly certified as meeting all other NAIA eligibility requirements listed in Article V.
Rationale: Kevin meets all four of the criteria listed for the eligibility center exception for invitational sport participants (CFAR Policy Section III, Item 5a).

29. Question 2
Concept: Situational Analysis #10 – Invitational Sport, Additional Sport
In the fall of 2018, Kevin competed for Biscuit University in bowling. Now, he wishes to add baseball for the spring of Does Kevin need an eligibility center determination for baseball for spring of 2019?
Yes, Kevin has not competed in baseball before and needs an eligibility center determination.
No, since Kevin has represented his NAIA institution in competition during the fall 2018 term; in a sport in which he received an exception to receiving an eligibility center decision; he does not need to go through the eligibility center .
Yes, Kevin competed in bowling without an eligibility center determination because he used the CFAR Policy exception; therefore, he still needs a determination for any new sport.

30. Answer 2
Answer: B. No, since Kevin has represented his NAIA institution in competition during the fall 2018 term; in a sport in which he received an exception to receiving an eligibility center decision; he does not need to go through the eligibility center.
Rationale: Based on Situational Analysis #10 part A, Kevin has used his eligibility center determination for bowling by competing in the fall of Now adding a new sport, Kevin can be certified on campus to compete in additional sports.

31. Question 3
Concept: Situational Analysis #11 – Multi-Sport Athlete, Scrimmages
Indi comes to an NAIA institution in the fall of 2017 to compete in both soccer and softball. She receives a decision from the eligibility center, however the decisions are different for each sport. During the fall of 2017, Indi competes in scrimmages only for the soccer team and passes 13 institutional credit hours. Moving into spring of 2018, should the Indi’s eligibility/certification for softball be completed on campus only?
Yes, since Indi competed in the fall and earned at least 12 institutional credit hours, she can be certified to compete in softball for the spring 2018 term.
Yes, since Indi received an eligible decision in the first sport she competed in, she can then be certified on campus moving forward.
No, because Indi only competed in scrimmages in soccer and was determined ineligible for softball, she must be reactivated through the eligibility center .

32. Answer 3
Answer: C. No, because Indi only competed in scrimmages in soccer and was determined ineligible for softball, she must be reactivated through the eligibility center.
Rationale: The student-athlete fits into situational analysis #11, part B because the student-athlete received an eligible fall decision for soccer but only competed in scrimmages. Therefore, the student-athlete received an ineligible decision in softball, so the student must be reactivated.

33. Question 4 Concept: Situational Analysis #4, Unattached
Groot receives an eligibility center determination of eligible in the spring of 2018 for wrestling at the NAIA institution, Dig College. To preserve a season of competition, he decides to only compete as unattached throughout the season. Now, Dig College and Groot wish for him to compete in a fall 2018 tournament for the team. Does Groot need to be reactivated?
No, Groot does not need to be reactivated because he still maintained continuous identification with his institution.
Yes, Groot competed as an unattached athlete and therefore did not represent his institution with an eligible determination.

34. Answer 4
Answer: A. No, Groot does not need to be reactivated because he still maintained continuous identification with his institution.
Rationale: Based on situation #4, the student-athlete maintained continuous identification with the NAIA institution even though he competed as an unattached student-athlete. Therefore, the student-athlete does not need to be reactivated. Finally, the student-athlete will need to be certified on campus through the ECP software.

35. Question 5 Concept: Multiple High School GPAs
Charlie graduated from Tail Wag High School in May 2017 and is wishing to compete at an NAIA institution in the fall of She has multiple GPAs on her final high school transcript and a qualifying ACT score of 20. Will Charlie be eligible for the fall 2017 term?
Yes, Charlie’s Total Academic GPA on her final high school transcript is above 2.0.
No, a majority of Charlie’s listed GPA’s are not above a 2.0.
No, Charlie is not in the top 50% of the class rank.

36. Answer 5
Answer: A. Yes, Charlie’s Total Academic GPA on her final high school transcript is above 2.0.
Rationale: NEC Multiple GPAs Interpretation
Tail Wag High School uses the total academic GPA when ranking the student-athletes; therefore, that GPA is what should be used when determining the initial eligibility of the student-athlete. Finally, the student-athlete received a qualifying ACT score of 20. Thus, the student-athlete meets initial eligibility requirements and is eligible.

37. Question 6
Concept: Situational Analysis #8 – EC Decision for Fall, No identification till Spring
Salem receives an eligibility center determination of eligible for the fall of 2015 for cross country and track. He does not attend the NAIA institution, Yarn University, until spring of Does Salem need to get reactivated before competing in the spring of 2016?
Yes, Salem never maintained identification at the institution for the term of the eligible decision.
No, Salem did not attend the institution; therefore, the decision will transfer to the spring term.

38. Answer 6
Answer: A. Yes, Salem never maintained identification at the institution for the term of the eligible decision.
Rationale: Based on situation #8, the student-athlete did identify in the term they received an eligible decision from the eligibility center. Therefore, the student-athlete must be reactivated before competing in any term.