NCAA Eligibility Overview

A key part of your recruitment process is staying eligible to participate in NCAA college sports. It is important to stay informed about eligibility requirements and always be aware of your progress. You can begin to learn about the academic and amateurism eligibility requirements by reviewing the following information and resources.
NCAA Initial Eligibility
In this section, we provide an overview of the academic and amateurism initial-eligibility requirements. 

Important Note:
Meeting NCAA initial-eligibility requirements does not guarantee you admission into college — it simply determines whether you may participate in athletics during your freshman year of college. You must follow each member college's admission policies and apply directly to that college.

  • Complete 16 NCAA approved core courses 
  • Earn a minimum GPA in your core courses (2.3 for DI and 2.2 for D2) and earn an SAT/ACT test score that matches or exceeds your core course GPA based on the sliding scale
  • Graduate from high school

Core Courses
Similar to college admissions requirements, the NCAA requires that you complete a set of 16 approved core courses in the areas of English, mathematics (Algebra 1 or higher), natural or physical science, social science, foreign language or comparative religion or philosophy. View this NCAA brochure for a great overview of the core course requirements.

Helpful Tip: Division I and Division II requirements are slightly different, however, Division I requirements are higher, so if you meet those, you are also on track for Division II. We encourage you to always exceed all requirements to maintain a competitive edge.  

How do I know if I'm on track?
  • It is CRITICAL that you communicate your goal of playing college soccer to your high school guidance counselor so they can confirm your progress and register you in the proper classes.
  • It's also important to be proactive in making sure you are on track with your core courses. 
    • You can find your high school's list of core courses at the NCAA High School Portal. 
    • You can use this NCAA Worksheet to track your progress. Bring this with you when you meet with your counselor.  
For more information about NCAA core courses, visit the NCAA website here.


GPA and Test Scores
The NCAA determines your eligibility GPA based on your grades in the NCAA core courses. For DI, the minimum core course GPA is a 2.3 and for DII it is a 2.2. These are only the bare minimums. It is best to obtain the highest GPA you can in all your courses so you can stay competitive in the recruiting process and meet admissions standards for selective colleges. A strong academic record also opens the doors to more financial aid opportunities!

As of now*, all student-athletes planning to play at a DI or DII program must take either the SAT or ACT to become academically eligible. The minimum test score required of you will depend on your core course GPA.  Division I and Division II use "sliding scales" to match test scores with GPA. Essentially, the higher the core course GPA is, the lower a test score can be. Or, the higher your test score, the lower your GPA can be. When you look at the Division I and Division II sliding scales, you will see that test scores are calculated by adding different sub scores.

SAT sub scores: Reading + Math
ACT sub scores: English + Math + Reading + Science

Below you can see the DI and DII Sliding Scales. Remember, these are only bare minimum requirements and do not guarantee you admission to a college or keep you competitive. 


Helpful Tip: If you take the test more than once, the best sub score from different test dates are combined to meet initial eligibility requirements. This is also known as superscoring. 

*Note: The NCAA is considering removing the SAT/ACT as an academic requirement. We will share more details of if this decision is made.

Amateurism 

If you seek to play at the college level, it is critical that you protect your amateur status. See this NCAA handout for more information about amateurism certification basics. 

For additional information about NCAA amateurism requirements, visit the NCAA website here.
NCAA Eligibility Center

What is the NCAA Eligibility Center?
The NCAA Eligibility Center certifies the academic and amateur status of all prospective student-athletes who plan to compete in NCAA Division I or Division II sports. Through the Eligibility Center, the NCAA reviews your academic record, test scores, and amateur status to ensure conformity with NCAA rules. 

The NCAA Eligibility Center does NOT:

    • Take the place of college applications. You still have to submit college applications during 12th grade. 
    • Lead college coaches to find you. It's your responsibility to be proactive! 

When to Register
The NCAA encourages students interested in competing at Division I or Division II schools to register for an Academic and Amateurism Certification Account in 9th grade. Although there is no exact deadline, it's best to get it done as soon as possible. You must be registered before you can go on an official visit to a DI or DII school. Also, you will receive your NCAA ID # which you can share with college coaches during the recruitment process.

How to Register
Use this checklist to gather all your information and register at: eligibilitycenter.org (Links to an external site.)
Check out the Eligibility Center's Frequently Asked Questions (Links to an external site.) page for more detailed information. You can also call the NCAA at 877-262-1492.

Fee Waiver
The Eligibility Center registration fee is $100. However, you may be eligible for a fee waiver if you qualified for a fee waiver for the SAT/ACT. It's important to check in with your counselor to see if you qualify. They will also be the one responsible for approving your fee waiver from their online High School Portal account. 

Submitting Transcripts
Ask your counselor to submit your transcripts at the end of the each academic year.

Submitting Test Scores
You are responsible for sending your test scores to the Eligibility Center.  You can add the Eligibility Center as a score recipient when you register for the SAT/ACT using code 9999 or you can add them at a later time. 

NCAA Resources

The NCAA provides many resources to help you understand the initial eligibility process and how you can prepare to become a college student athlete in general. We include many of these resources throughout this Resource Center but here are some we hope you become very familiar with. 

Yearly Guide
The NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete is your go-to guide for information about the eligibility and recruitment process. Become familiar with it and take a look every year in case there are important changes. 


Handouts
Soccer Amateurism Certification Basics
Initial Eligibility Brochure

NCAA Eligibility Center Registration Checklist


Useful Links
eligibilitycenter.org

NCAA High School Portal
NCAA.org/playcollegesports
NCAA.org/studentfaq

Social Media
Twitter:
@ncaa_ec
@NCAA
@NCAASoccer (DI)

Instagram:
ncaa
ncaasoccer (DI)

Quick Quiz
The following questions will help guide you as you begin to understand some of the basic NCAA eligibility requirements. The answers can be found in the resources provided.

Note: These questions apply to Division I and II.