IBCA E-Newsletter

Initial-eligibility requirements for college-bound student-athletes

Many high school athletes aspire to one day compete in college athletics. Academic performance at the high school level is often an early question that college coaches ask about when considering a prospect from the high school level. Remember, it is “student-athlete” and not just “athlete.”

The NCAA has established “initial-eligibility standards” to determine whether an athlete may compete as a freshman in college. The NCAA Eligibility Center has partnered with the NCAA membership to provide the following guidance for the initial-eligibility certification process for students who initially enroll full time in a collegiate institution during the 2027-28 academic year. The Eligibility Center will continue to monitor the environment and make necessary adjustments to prioritize health, safety and fairness for all prospective student-athletes.

Here is a link to the NCAA Eligibility Center: web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/

Some additional NCAA information for Division I and Division II is available at this link: www.ncaa.org/eligibility-center/initial-eligibility-requirements/

NCAA Division III schools determine their own eligibility. Students should speak with the compliance office at the Division III school recruiting them for additional information.

The NCAA has collaborated with the National Federation of State High School Associations to create an online course for student athletes and their families to learn about initial-eligibility rules as well as the NCAA registration and certification process. Here is a link to that course: nfhslearn.com/courses/ncaa-eligibility

If you have additional questions regarding the NCAA, please contact NCAA Eligibility Center’s Customer Service team at 877-262-1492 (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday).

Similarly, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics has a set of “initial-eligibility standards” for its member schools. play.myNAIA.org helps future student-athletes discover and connect with NAIA schools, coaches and athletic scholarships. Play.myNAIA.org also is the official clearinghouse for NAIA eligibility. Every student-athlete must register with the NAIA Eligibility Center to play sports at an NAIA college or university.

More information about NAIA programs, go to play.myNAIA.org.