NCAA Academic Requirements For College Athletes (2024)

FAQs

What is NCAA academic eligibility? ›

For the NCAA, academic eligibility is typically determined using a combination of a student-athlete's high school coursework and GPA. Freshman student-athletes entering NCAA Division I and Division II programs must complete 16 units (32 semesters) of NCAA-approved high school core courses.

You must earn at least a 2.3 GPA in your core courses that are outlined the NCAA academic requirements. You must earn an SAT combined score or ACT sum score matching your core-course GPA on the NCAA sliding scale for Division 1, which balances your test score and core-course GPA.

The common threshold for most schools in the NCAA is a 2.0 GPA, and if you fall into the danger zone (below it), then you risk becoming ineligible for a semester - the penalties vary by institution, but at the very least this means no competition.

What GPA do you need to be eligible for the NCAA? The minimum GPA you can have to be considered an early academic qualifier for D1 is a 2.3 GPA. You will need a 2.2 GPA to be eligible at the D2 level.

Earn a minimum 2.3 core-course GPA. Submit your final transcript with proof of graduation to the Eligibility Center.

If a student-athlete does not meet the minimum academic requirements set out by the NCAA, NAIA, or NJCAA – they will not be able to practice, compete or receive an athletic scholarship.

For D1 sports, the minimum GPA is 2.3, and for D2 schools, it's 2.0.

To calculate your estimated core-course grade-point average, divide the total number of quality points for all of your core courses by the total number of core-course units you have completed.

Specifically, 7 of those 10 courses MUST be in the subject areas of English, Math, or Natural/Physical Science. Once senior year starts, grades achieved in such courses must be used to meet the 10/7 requirement and cannot be replaced or repeated, so the term “locked in” is often used.

So while the NCAA does not place an age limit on athletics, their rules of eligibility make it extremely difficult for anyone who is older to maintain their amateur eligible status.

How do I get an NCAA eligibility waiver? ›

A student-athlete who provides proof of graduation, meets the core-course progression requirement (10/7) and presents 13 or more core-course units (max three-unit deficiency) with a 2.800 or higher core-course GPA (based on the final certification for qualifier requirements) will receive an automatic IEW.

The NCAA has a rules for everything from the major to the trivial, but it has no age limit for athlete-students. With some exceptions, the young person must enroll in college no later than 12 months after graduating from high school, and then has four years of eligibility. A player may red shirt.

Division 1: For Division 1 programs, athletes must meet the minimum GPA required to graduate at their institution. For example, if your school requires its graduates to have a 2.2 GPA or higher, then you must have, at minimum, a 2.2 GPA throughout your time in college.

The minimum GPA for NCAA Divisions 1 and 2 is 2.0 on a 4.0 scale, but a combined score of 1010 on the critical reading and math sections of the SAT or 86 on the four sections of the ACT is also required. The NCAA uses a sliding scale of GPA and standardized test scores, with higher GPAs requiring lower test scores.

To play a sport at a collegiate level, there's a minimum GPA and standardized test score required. For NCAA Division 1, that means a minimum of a 2.3 GPA (or 2.0 if you plan for an academic redshirts), a 900 in the SAT or 25 in the ACT; , Divisions 2 and 3 have their own corresponding academic standards.

How can I check my eligibility status? You can check your status by logging in to your account at eligibilitycenter.org. On your dashboard, your current academic (for NCAA Divisions I and II) and amateur status (for Divisions I, II and III) will be listed under the sport(s) you selected.

Having an eligibility number indicates that a student-athlete has completed all the necessary academic requirements and has only competed at the amateur level.

Currently, more than 350 student-athletes are awarded $2.6 million in scholarships and grants annually to pursue a graduate degree or complete their undergraduate degree after they have exhausted eligibility for other athletics-related financial aid.