Initial Eligibility
Prospective student-athletes who would like to participate in Division I athletics must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center and meet academic requirements while still in high school. Beginning in 2016, the academic standards are changing, and prospective student-athletes will need to meet the new requirements to compete during their first year.
- Eligibility Center - Home Page
- Play Division I Sports - High School Check List
Continuing Eligibility
Student-athletes at a Division I school must meet specific academic benchmarks, called progress-toward-degree requirements, to continue competing. The progress-toward-degree requirements guide student-athletes toward graduation. The standards ensure student-athletes take the appropriate steps to earn their degree and include everything from grade-point average to term-by-term and annual credit hour requirements.
Transfer Eligibility
Two-Year College Transfers
Student-athletes who attend a two-year school must meet certain academic benchmarks to compete during their first year at the four-year school. Students who do not meet these benchmarks may seek an NCAA waiver. These benchmarks are built upon research and better position student-athletes to succeed at the four-year institution.
Graduate Transfers
Student-athletes who earn a bachelor’s degree prior to the end of their athletics eligibility may go on to compete as graduate students for another school provided they meet certain criteria or obtain an NCAA waiver.