NCAA Eligibility Rules

The rules governing eligibility to play college sports are indeed complicated. It would be so much simpler to have only two basic rules, one to cover each of the primary concerns for college athletes: that they must be (1) amateurs and (2) progressing toward a degree. Unfortunately, numerous other rules that have been instituted are necessary because the two basic rules have been violated through the years in the attempt by one party to gain a competitive edge over opponents. These opponents, of course, have too often also been looking for their own competitive edge, which serves to escalate the rules violations. New rules are developed to stem the constant flow of new ways found to violate the existing rules-to the point that you, the student-athlete, may feel as if you are buried beneath them.

Below are the rules governing eligibility as they appear in the NCAA Rules and Regulations Information Sheet (1983-84 version). To assist you in your reading, we have added explanations in brackets [...] where we feel the rules might be unclear.

A student-athlete SHALL NOT be eligible in a sport if the student has:

1. Ever taken pay, or accepted the promise of pay, in any form, for participation in that sport.
   
   
2. Ever entered into an agreement of any kind to compete in professional athletics in that sport, or to negotiate a professional contract in that sport.
   
   
3. Ever directly or indirectly used athletic skill for pay in any form in that sport.
   
   
4. Ever signed a contract or commitment of any kind, regardless of its legal enforceability or the consideration (if any) received, to play professional athletics in that sport.
   
   
5. Ever received, directly or indirectly, any salary, reimbursement of expenses (except as permitted on one 48-hour visit [to the college] prior to enrollment) or any other form of financial assistance from a professional organization in that sport based upon athletic skill or participation.
   
   
6. Subsequent to regular enrollment in a collegiate institution, tried out in that sport with a professional sports organization during any part of the institution's regular academic year.
   
   
7. Ever agreed to be or been represented by an individual, agency or organization in the marketing of the student's athletic ability or reputation in a sport or to assist the student for compensation in being placed in a collegiate institution as a recipient of athletically related financial aid.
   
   
8. Ever participated in that sport on a team: (a) which was a member of a recognized professional sports organization; (b) which was directly supported or sponsored by a professional team or sports organization; (c) which was a member of a playing league that was directly supported or sponsored by a professional team or sports organization; or (d) on which there was an athlete receiving, directly or indirectly, payment of any kind from a professional team or sports organization for the athlete's participation. [In other words, you may compete against professionals, but not on the same team with them.
   
   
9. Ever received compensation, in any form, for a complimentary ticket to an athletic contest involving the student's institution; received money from the institution for or in lieu of such tickets, or purchased tickets from the institution to an athletic event when the tickets were not equally available for purchase by the student body in general.
   
   
10. Subsequent to enrollment in a collegiate institution, accepted remuneration for or permitted the use of his or her name or picture to directly advertise, recommend or promote the sale or use of a commercial product or service of any kind, or received remuneration for endorsing a commercial product or service through use of such product or service. [Doing this makes you ineligible in any and all sports, not just the one in which you are known and marketable.]
    
    
11. Subsequent to enrollment in a collegiate institution, ever received compensation for employment during which work was not actually performed or [received] compensation at a rate not commensurate with the going rate for the services performed. [You aren't allowed to be paid more than other students receive for doing the same work.]
    
    
12. Subsequent to enrollment in a collegiate institution, received compensation in any form from or through the arrangement of the institution for teaching or coaching sports skills or techniques in that sport.
    
    
13. Subsequent to enrollment in a collegiate institution, received compensation for officiating games or contests involving teams which are members of or affiliated with a recognized professional sports organization.
    
    
14. Ever realized expenses (excluding permissible expenses for athletic competition) from the institution or any representative of its athletic interests to travel for any personal purpose.
    
    
15. Subsequent to enrollment in a collegiate institution, received or realized from the institution or any representative of its athletic interests any special arrangements or extra benefits for the student or the student's relatives or friends.
    
    
16. Ever received awards or similar mementos prohibited or in excess of those permitted by NCAA Constitution [Bylaw] #3-1-(i) and its subparagraphs. [The list of limits on awards, which covers two pages in the NCAA Manual, is too lengthy to be provided here. If you have any question about whether or not an award is prohibited, look in section #3-1-(i) of the NCAA Manual. Your coach or the athletic department will have a copy.
    
    
17. Participated in intercollegiate athletics while not in good academic standing or while not maintaining satisfactory progress toward a degree as determined by the regulations of the institution and, for student-athletes at Division I or II institutions, the requirements of Bylaw 5-1-GM6). [This rule is too long to repeat fully here. It refers to the "12/24 Rule," which states, in essence, that those who have been in college for a year may not compete in sports if they are not currently taking 12 units applicable toward graduation and if they have not passed 24 units applicable toward graduation during the previous year. ]
    
    
18. Practiced in intercollegiate athletics while not enrolled in a minimum full-time program of studies as determined by the regulations of the institution.
    
    
19. Ever received financial assistance related to attendance at the student's institution, either for educational expenses or other reasons, which was not administered by the institution's regular financial aid authority or which was not provided by someone upon whom the student was naturally or legally dependent. [Taking gifts or cash from appreciative boosters, coaches, or anyone else, except the people who support you-parents, guardian, etc.-may put an end to your college athletic career. Any scholarship, grant, or loan must come to you through the school's Financial Aid Office.]
    
    
20. Ever exhibited dishonesty in evading or violating NCAA regulations; knowingly furnished false or misleading information concerning involvement in or knowledge of a violation of an NCAA regulation; refused to furnish information relevant to investigation of a possible violation when requested to do so by the NCAA or the individual's institution; or knowingly been involved in arrangements for fraudulent academic credit or false transcripts.
    
    
21. Ever participated following completion of high school eligibility (and, in the case of a high school game, before enrollment in college) in a high school or college all-star game in football or basketball which was not certified in accordance with NCAA legislation or participated in more than two high school all-star football or two high school all-star basketball games certified in compliance with NCAA legislation. Student-athletes participating on a member institution's women's intercollegiate basketball team shall be exempt from these regulations until August 1, 1985.
    
    
22. Subsequent to enrollment in a member institution, ever participated in an extra event in track and field or gymnastics which was not certified by the NCAA Extra Events Committee.
    
    
23. Subsequent to being a candidate for an NCAA member institution's intercollegiate basketball team, participated in an organized basketball competition, as defined by NCAA Official Interpretation 10, other than while representing the student's institution or while participating in outside competition or a summer basketball league approved by the NCAA.
    
    
24. Subsequent to enrollment in an NCAA member institution and during the student's intercollegiate season in a year in which the student was a member of the intercollegiate squad or team in that sport, competed as a member of any outside team in any non-collegiate, amateur competition in a sport, other than the official Olympic games and the final official tryouts therefore, or competition approved by the NCAA.
    
    
25. Participated in intercollegiate athletics at any time after five calendar years have elapsed from the date of the student-athlete's initial registration and attendance at a collegiate institution except as permitted by the provisions of NCAA Bylaw 4-1-(a) for Division I student-athletes or after the first 10 semesters or 15 quarters of full-time enrollment in a collegiate institution for Division II and III student-athletes.
    

If you are moving from junior college to an NCAA college:

1. In order to be eligible for practice, participation in regular-season competition, and athletically related financial aid during the first academic year in residence at a Division I NCAA member institution, a junior college transfer student who graduated from high school with a minimum 2.00 grade-point average (on a 4.00 scale) for all work taken through the accumulative 6, 7, or 8 semesters must satisfy the transfer and eligibility requirements of the institution as well as its athletic conference. For such a student at a Division I NCAA member institution or any junior college transfer student (regardless of the student's high school academic record) at a Division II or III NCAA member institution to be immediately eligible for an NCAA championship event or postseason football game, the student must be a junior college graduate or present a minimum of 24 semester or 36 quarter hours of transferable degree credit from a junior college with an accumulative minimum grade-point average of 2.00 and have spent it at least two semesters or three quarters in residence at the junior college, excluding summer school.
   
   
2. In order to be eligible for practice, participation in regular-season competition, participation in an NCAA championship event or a postseason football game, and athletically related aid during the first year in residence at a Division I NCAA member institution, a junior college transfer student who failed to graduate from high school with a minimum 2.00 grade-point average (on a 4.00 scale) for all work taken through the accumulative 6, 7, or 8 semesters must graduate from a junior college.
   
   
3. A student who transfers to an NCAA member institution from a junior college after transferring from any four-year college must complete one calendar year of residence at the NCAA member institution in order to be eligible for NCAA championships or postseason football games, unless the student has completed a minimum of 24 semester or 36 quarter hours at the junior college following the student's transfer from the four-year college and also has graduated from the junior college, and one calendar year has elapsed since his or her transfer from the four-year college. Such a student transferring to a Division III member institution need not graduate from the junior college but must meet the other requirements set forth in this paragraph.
   
   
4. When a student has been in residence at two or more junior colleges, the terms of residence at all junior colleges may be combined in order to satisfy the residence requirements described in paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 of this section. All grades earned by the student in courses that would be transferable to the NCAA member institution must be included in determining whether the student has earned the required average.
   
   
5. A transfer student from a junior college is not subject to the residence requirement for NCAA championships or postseason football games if the NCAA Eligibility Committee concludes that the student changed institutions in order to continue participation in a sport because the student's junior college dropped the sport from its intercollegiate program or never sponsored the sport on the intercollegiate level while the student was in attendance at the institution, provided the student never attended any other collegiate institution that offered intercollegiate competition in that particular sport and provided the student earned at least a minimum 2.00 grade-point average at the junior college.
   
   
6. A transfer student from a junior college to a Division III member institution is not subject to the residence requirement for NCAA championships in a particular sport if the student has not competed in that sport at the previous institution or has not competed in that sport for a period of one year immediately prior to the date on which the student begins participation (practice or competition) in that sport at the certifying institution and the student has entered the certifying institution prior to the start of the regular-season competition in that sport and provided the student earned at least a minimum 2.00 grade-point average at the junior college.
   

The following rules govern academic eligibility for intercollegiate sports for continuing students, i.e., not freshman or transfer students. These rules apply to Division I and II schools only.

1. Eligibility for financial aid and practice during each academic year after the student-athlete's initial year in residence or after the student-athlete has utilized one season of eligibility in a sport shall be based upon the rules of the institution and the conference of which the institution is a member. [This means that if your school or conference has academic progress rules for athletes that are tougher than the ones listed here, you have to follow the tougher rules.]
   
   
2. Eligibility for regular-season competition subsequent to the student-athlete's first academic year in residence or after the student-athlete has utilized one season of eligibility in a sport shall be based upon: (1) satisfactory completion prior to each term in which a season of competition begins of an accumulative total of semester or quarter hours of academic credit acceptable toward a baccalaureate degree in a designated program of studies at the institution which is equivalent to the completion of an average of at least 12 semester or quarter hours during each of the previous academic terms in academic years in which the student-athlete has been enrolled in a term or terms, or (2) satisfactory completion of 24 semester or 36 quarter hours of acceptable degree credit since the beginning of the student-athlete's last season of completion.
   
   
3. The calculation of credit hours under the provisions of sub-paragraph (ii) shall be based upon hours earned or accepted for degree credit in a specific baccalaureate degree program for the student-athlete at the certifying institution. Hours earned in the period following the regular academic year at the institution (e.g., hours earned in summer school) may be utilized to satisfy academic credit requirements of this regulation. [Any course won't necessarily apply to your minimum for academic eligibility; the course must apply to your degree in some way. (For example, remedial or study skills courses do not count.) Before a summer session course can apply to your academic eligibility, it must be approved by an officer of the college. Correspondence, extension, and credit-by-examination courses taken at an institution other than the one in which you are enrolled as a full-time student may not be counted toward this minimum for athletic eligibility.
   
   
4. A graduate student who is otherwise eligible for regular-season competition shall be exempt from the provisions of this regulation.