1. Understanding NCAA Eligibility
Joann Graham and Mary Willer
Counselors for Student Athletes
Santa Barbara City College
(805)

2. Steps You Must Take to Participate in NCAA Division I or II Athletics
your 1st year of college 2

3. What is the NCAA and NCAA Eligibility Center?
Determine initial eligibility for athletic participation
Students considering participation in college sports at D1/ D2 must register with eligibility center
Take SAT/ACT even if going to community college /

4. NCAA Division I NCAA Division I - 5 years to play 4 years
Full-time enrollment at any college triggers "5- year clock"
Exceptions: military service, 1-time pregnancy exception, religious mission
Any exceptions must be petitioned by the 4-year college

5. NCAA Division II 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

6. HIGH SCHOOL Freshmen and Sophomores Must:
Start planning now
Need 16 core courses
Work hard to get best grades possible
Take classes matching your high school’s NCAA List of Approved Core Courses - NCAA Eligibility Center only uses approved core courses to certify initial eligibility
Access and print your high school’s NCAA List of Approved Core Courses at click “Resources” at top of screen

7. JUNIORS Must:
Beginning of junior year, register with Eligibility Center
Take ACT, SAT or both and use Eligibility Center code “9999” as a score recipient
Make sure to take courses matching your high school’s NCAA List of Approved Core Courses
After completing Junior year, SEND official transcript to Eligibility Center. (E.C. DOES NOT accept faxed transcripts)
Prior to Senior year, check with your counselor (and Eligibility Center) to determine number of core courses needed to be completed senior year

8. Seniors Must:
Take SAT and/or ACT as often as necessary. E.C. uses best scores from each section to determine best cumulative score
Continue taking Core Courses
Take courses matching your H.S.'s List of Approved Core Courses
Earn best grades possible
Graduate on time (in 8 academic semesters)
After graduation, send final OFFICIAL transcript to Eligibility Center with proof of graduation

9. 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 if graduation takes place June 1, you must graduate June 1

10. Division I : 16 Core Courses
4 years of English
3 years of mathematics (Algebra I or higher)
2 years of natural/physical science (1 year of lab)
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 non-doctrinal religion/philosophy)
See handout for sliding scale (GPA/SAT-ACT, verbal and math sections only)

11. New sliding scale for DI
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

12. NEW Core Course Requirements – Div II
16 Core Courses
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
Need a minimum of 820 (combined Verbal and Quantitative) on SAT or 68 on ACT/2.0 GPA

13. NCAA Division III Requirements
Division III institutions do not require registration with the Eligibility Center
Contact Div III college or university for details on admission requirements, financial aid, practice & competition

14. Qualifier Graduated High School
Successfully completed core curriculum 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

15. Non-Qualifier 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

16. & password

20. 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!

22. Important Terms for College Eligibility
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

24. Qualifiers vs. Non-Qualifiers at the Community College- 2-4 Transfers
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 2.5
Division II:
You can be recruited after 1 full-time semester
Average 12 transferable units per full-time term
EX. 3 semesters = 36 units
Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.2
Division III:
Must have been considered academically and athletically eligible if you stayed at your two-year school

25. Qualifiers vs. Non-Qualifiers at the Community College- 2-4 Transfers (Continued)
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
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 2.2 plus 6 units of English, 3 units of transferable math.
Division III:
Must have been considered academically and athletically eligible if you stayed at your two-year school

26. Qualifiers/Non-Qualifiers- 4-2-4 Transfers
Division I:
All transfers
Earn Associate of Arts degree
Complete 12 transferable units per full-time term (excluding summers)
2.50 GPA in transferable units
1 calendar year must have elapsed after leaving four-year
Exception: Return to original 4- year institution

27. Qualifiers 4-2-4 Transfers
Division II:
Attended two-year institution for 2 full- time semesters
2.2 GPA
Earn Associate of Arts degree OR average 12 transferable units per full-time term

28. Any Questions?