NCAA

 NCAA Membership Breakdown – Sept. 1, 2017

Click here for information on Multidivision and Reclassifying institutions.

Definitions

Active member
An active member is a four-year college or university or a two-year upper-level collegiate institution accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting agency and duly elected to active membership under the provisions of the Association bylaws. Active members have the right to compete in NCAA championships, to vote on legislation and other issues before the Association, and to enjoy other privileges of membership designated in the constitution and bylaws of the Association.

Provisional member
A provisional member is a four-year college or university or a two-year upper-level collegiate institution accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting agency and that has applied for active membership in the Association. Provisional membership is a prerequisite for active membership in the Association. The institution shall be elected to provisional membership under the bylaws of the Association. Provisional members shall receive all publications and mailings received by active members in addition to other privileges designated in the constitution and bylaws of the Association.

Candidacy member
Once an institution is accepted to begin the Division II membership process, it enters a candidacy period for a minimum of two years. At the completion of the two-year period, the institution receives a determination of its readiness to become a provisional member.

Exploratory member
An institution seeking Division III membership must first complete one year as an exploratory member.

Member conference
A member conference is a group of colleges and/or universities that conducts competition among its members and determines a conference champion in one or more sports (in which the NCAA conducts championships or for which it is responsible for providing playing rules for intercollegiate competition), duly elected to conference membership under the provisions of the bylaws of the Association. A member conference is entitled to all of the privileges of active members except the right to compete in NCAA championships. Only those conferences that meet specific criteria as competitive and legislative bodies and minimum standards related to size and division status are permitted to vote on legislation or other issues before the Association.

Affiliated member
An affiliated member is a nonprofit coaches or sports association whose function and purpose are directly related to one or more sports in which the NCAA conducts championships or an emerging sport for women, or an association that consists of college/university administrators and has a direct connection to either the NCAA or its member institutions.

NCAA sport sponsorship - Sept. 2015

Note: These totals include sport sponsorship data provided by active and provisional members.

* Emerging Sport for Women