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Becoming an NCAA Student-Athlete as an International Student

International college-bound student-athletes must meet NCAA academic and athletics eligibility requirements to compete at an NCAA school. Because education systems vary by country, the NCAA Eligibility Center reviews academic records and supporting documentation before certification.

Use the information below to find requirements for your country or educational system, prepare your academic documents and submit your records to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

International Initial-Eligibility Academic Requirements

International student-athletes must meet the initial-eligibility requirements for the NCAA division they plan to attend. Division I and II students must meet NCAA academic standards, while Division III schools set their own academic standards. Additional requirements may apply based on your country or educational system.

16 NCAA-Approved Core Course Credits

4 – English/Native Language
3 – Math
2 – Science
1 – Additional English/Native Language, Math or Science
2 – Social Science
4 – Additional Core Courses

Division I International Student-Athletes Must:

  • Complete 16 NCAA-approved core-course credits before the expected date of secondary school graduation
  • Crediting policies may be located in country-specific profiles. When no crediting policy is noted, the Standard Crediting Policy may be applied.
  • Earn a minimum 2.3 core-course GPA
  • Have your school submit a final official transcript from year nine and up in the native language, along with a certified line-by-line English translation and proof of graduation
  • Receive academic, athletics and period of eligibility certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center

Important: Students with solely international academic credentials are not required to meet the 10/7 core course progression requirement. Students that have completed some or all of their secondary education at a domestic (U.S.) school must meet this requirement.

VIEW ALL DIVISION I REQUIREMENTS
16 NCAA-Approved Core Course Credits

3 – English/Native Language
2 – Math
2 – Science
3 – Additional English/Native Language, Math or Science
2 – Social Science
4 – Additional Core Courses

Division II International Student-Athletes Must:

  • Complete 16 NCAA-approved core-course credits
  • Crediting policies may be located in country-specific profiles. When no crediting policy is noted, the Standard Crediting Policy may be applied.
  • Earn a minimum 2.2 core-course GPA
  • Have your school submit a final official transcript from year nine and up in the native language, along with a certified line-by-line English translation and proof of graduation
  • Receive academic, athletics and period of eligibility certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center
VIEW ALL DIVISION II REQUIREMENTS
Academic Standards Set by Division III Schools

Division III schools set their own academic standards on campus. The NCAA Eligibility Center certifies the athletics eligibility of Division III international student-athletes, including first-year enrollees and transfers. Contact the Division III school you plan to attend for information about its academic requirements.

Important: To process your athletics eligibility status under Division III amateurism rules, the Eligibility Center may assign tasks requesting your schools to submit academic records to establish when you graduated from secondary education.

VIEW ALL DIVISION III REQUIREMENTS

Stay on Track in High School

Follow the Eligibility Center high school timeline for steps from year nine through graduation, including additional guidance for international students.

View High School Timeline

Find Your Country-Specific Requirements

Academic requirements and educational systems vary by country. Find your country or educational system below to review information used by the NCAA Eligibility Center when evaluating your academic records.

Country-specific information may include:

  • Academic timelines
  • Acceptable proof of high school graduation
  • Required or additional academic documents
  • Grading scales
  • Other information specific to your educational system

Important: Educational paths can differ within each country and are subject to change. Country-specific information should be considered supplemental to the policies and procedures used to complete an academic certification. Country profiles will be updated on a rolling basis: please see the footer in individual country PDF’s for last modified date.

GED and Equivalent Credentials
Some international educational systems offer credentials that may be considered equivalent to a GED for NCAA initial-eligibility purposes. Review your country-specific information to determine whether a credential is recognized as a GED equivalent.

View GED and Equivalent Credential Requirements

Studying in a Different Educational System?
If you attend a school that follows another country’s educational system, use the requirements for the educational system you are completing rather than simply the country where your school is located.

For example, a student attending a French school in Venezuela and earning a French Diploma should reference France rather than Venezuela. Students earning General Certificate of Education (GCE), General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) or International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) credentials should generally reference the United Kingdom (England and Wales).

Attending an NCAA-Recognized High School?
Students who attend a high school that is eligible for an Eligibility Center account, per the NCAA High School Review Committee policies, will be subject to domestic course and document review procedures for courses completed at that high school. This includes schools located in American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Algeria
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Cape Verde (Cabo Verde)
Central African Republic
Chad
Congo, Democratic Republic of
Congo, Republic of
Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
Djibouti
Egypt
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Sint Eustatius
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Swaziland/Eswatini
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Aruba
Bahamas
Barbados
Bermuda
Bonaire
British Virgin Islands
Cayman Islands
Cuba
Curacao
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Grenada
Haiti
Jamaica
Monsterrat
Saba Island
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and Grenadines
Saint Maarten
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks and Caicos Islands

Albania
Andorra
Austria
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
European Baccalaureate
Faroe Islands
Finland
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Kosovo
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembord
Malta
Republic of Moldova
Monaco, Pricipality of
Montenegro
Netherlands
Northern Ireland
North Macedonia
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russian Federation
Scotland
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Ukraine
United Kingdom
Virgin Islands (UK)

International Baccalaureate

Examination Board Contact Information

Students completing credentials through an examination board may need to contact the appropriate organization for academic records or other documentation.

Official Document Requirements

Before your school administrators submit official copies of your academic records, make sure you have the documents required for your country or educational system. The NCAA Eligibility Center may request additional records or information to complete your academic certification.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
  • Transcripts for the ninth year of schooling and up
  • Acceptable proof of graduation, as defined in your country-specific requirements
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS MAY BE REQUESTED
  • Transcript for year eight
  • Graduation certificate or diploma
  • Grading scale with the minimum passing grade from each school attended for the ninth year of schooling and up
  • Course completion dates
  • Other relevant records or information required for certification

Documents Published in a Non-English Language

If you attended school in a country where English is not considered a native language, all official documents must be submitted in the native language. A complete, word-for-word certified English translation is also required for academic records published in a language other than English.

Submitting International Documents

The following options are avaialble for submitting academic records for international students. Please ensure the student’s name and NCAA ID are indicated clearly on each submitted item.

Important: The NCAA cannot return submitted documents.

DIRECT UPLOAD

NCAA member schools may upload documents directly to the student’s NCAA Eligibility Center account.

This method is preferred because information is immediately attached to the student’s account upon upload. Please contact the athletics compliance office at your NCAA school to discuss this option.

EMAIL

Available only to international high schools, ministry offices, issuing bodies, and translation services (for translations only).

Include the student’s name and NCAA ID in the email subject line.

Certified documents may be emailed from a school or official email address and must include a school administrator name and school signature. Documents submitted from general email providers, such as Gmail or Yahoo, may not be accepted.

Any academic records or translations emailed by students will not be accepted.

Documents must:

  • Be submitted as PDF attachments
  • Not be password protected
  • Country-specific profiles may include additional submission conditions (e.g., an IB Diploma and results statement must be submitted by the IBO)

Please allow two business days for processing from the date the email is received.

Important: This email address may only be used to submit academic records, translations and requested information. Questions or requests submitted to this email address will not receive a response. Please use the International Contact Form below for questions.

ec-processing@ncaa.org
MAIL

Academic records may also be mailed to:

NCAA Eligibility Center
Certification Processing
P.O. Box 7110
Indianapolis, IN 46207-7110

Please allow up to five days for processing from the date the mail is received.

Additional Academic Considerations

RESOURCE

The International Student-Athlete Handbook

Living and studying in the U.S. doesn’t come with an instruction manual — until now. This comprehensive A-to-Z handbook covers what likely works differently here than back home: dress code, classroom expectations, credit cards, cultural norms, taxes, immigration, and career options.

It’s written for prospective and current international student-athletes, their parents, and the coaches and administrators who support them.

Download the Handbook →

For NCAA Schools

Information for NCAA schools regarding international academic certification, Eligibility Center authority and reconsideration decisions.

Still Need Help?

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Contact the Eligibility Center Customer Service team

Domestic and Canadian students (except Quebec) 877-262-1492
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET – Mon. through Fri.
International and Quebec students International Contact Form
Eligibility Center International Contact Form

This form is only for questions related to international student-athletes.