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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.

Getting Started with International Requirements

Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center

International students planning to compete at a Division I or II school generally need an Academic and Athletics Certification account. International student-athletes planning to compete at a Division III school generally need athletics certification.

Understanding NCAA Initial Eligibility Requirements

Like all college-bound student-athletes planning to participate in NCAA sports, international students must meet specific academic requirements.

Learn more about Division-specific Initial Eligibility Requirements

Country-Specific Information

Select your region and country / academic system to review academic guidance for NCAA Eligibility.

Algeria
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
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
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

Submitting International Documents

International student-athletes must ensure their secondary schools submit academic records, and supporting documents, to the NCAA Eligibility Center for review.

Eligibility Resources in Other Languages

The NCAA Eligibility Center provides select documents in languages other than English to support international student-athletes, families and counselors. Choose a language below to access available translated resources.

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.

Still Need Help?

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
High School Counselors (PIN required) 877-622-2321
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET – Mon. through Fri.
NCAA Compliance Administrators Membership Portal
Eligibility Center International Contact Form

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