College Athletic Eligibility

The NAIA is an alternative organization to the NCAA. Membership consists of nearly 300 smaller colleges and universities from the United States and Canada. The NAIA recruitment process is less cumbersome, with fewer restrictions on the contact a student-athlete and coach can make. For more information visit:

http://naia.org

2018-19 Guide for the College-bound student-athlete                    
 

Division I Academic Requirements

What is the NCAA?
The NCAA, or National Collegiate Athletic Association, was established in 1906 and serves as the athletics governing body for more than 1,280 colleges, universities, conferences and organizations. The national office is in Indianapolis, but the member colleges and universities develop the rules and
guidelines for athletics eligibility and athletics competition for each of the three NCAA divisions. The NCAA is committed to the student-athlete and to governing competition in a fair, safe, inclusive and sportsmanlike manner.

The NCAA’s membership includes:

• 331 active Division I members
• 291 active Division II members
• 429 active Division III members

One of the differences among the three divisions is that colleges and universities in Divisions I and II may offer athletics scholarships, while Division III colleges and universities may not.

Please contact the NCAA when you have questions like these:

• What are the rules and regulations related to initial eligibility?
• What are the rules and regulations related to amateurism?
• What are the regulations about transferring from one college to another?
• What are the rules about athletics scholarships and how can they be reduced or canceled?
• I have an education-impacting disability. Are there any other requirements for me?

NCAA
P.O. Box 6222
Indianapolis, IN 46206-6222
317/917-6222 (customer service Monday – Friday, noon – 4 p.m. Eastern time)

NCAA Eligibility Information
What is the NCAA Eligibility Center?
The NCAA Eligibility Center (formerly the clearinghouse) will certify the academic and amateur credentials of all college-bound student-athletes who wish to compete in NCAA Division I or II athletics.

To assist with this process, the Eligibility Center staff is eager to foster a cooperative environment of education and partnership with high schools, high school coaches and college-bound student-athletes. Ultimately, the individual student-athlete is responsible for achieving and protecting his or her eligibility status.

NCAA Eligibility Center
Certification Processing
P.O. Box 7136
Indianapolis, IN 46207-7136

Customer service hours - 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time Monday through Friday.
Toll-free phone number (U.S. callers) - Customer service line - 877-262-1492
Phone number (international callers) - Customer service line - 317-223-0700
Fax number: 317-968-5100

Division I initial-eligibility requirements
Aspiring DI student-athletes need to present 16 core courses in the following breakdown:

• 4 years of English
• 3 years of mathematics (Algebra I or higher)
• 2 years of natural/physical science (one must be a lab science)
• 1 year of additional English, math or science
• 2 years of social studies
• 4 years of additional core courses (from any area listed above, or from world language, non doctrinal religion or philosophy)

NCAA Eligibility Center Approved Courses