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NCAA / NAIA

NCAA Eligibility Center

NAIA Eligibility Center

Grade 9 - Plan

• Start planning now! Take the right courses and earn the best grades you can.

• Ask your counselor for a list of your high school’s NCAA core courses to make sure you take the right classes. Or, find your high school’s list of NCAA core courses at eligibilitycenter.org.

Grade 10 - Register

•Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center at eligibilitycenter.org.

• If you fall behind on courses, don’t take shortcuts to catch up. Ask your counselor for help with finding approved courses or programs you can take.

Grade 11 - Study

• Check with your counselor to make sure you are on track to graduate on time.

• Take the ACT or SAT and make sure we get your scores by using code 9999.

• At the end of the year, ask your counselor to upload your official transcript.

Grade 12 - Graduate

• Take the ACT or SAT again, if necessary, and make sure we get your scores by using code 9999.

•Request your final amateurism certification after April 1.

• After you graduate, ask your counselor to upload your final official transcript with proof of graduation.

NCAA Division I Academic Requirements for High School Athletes

Students who enroll full time at an NCAA Division I school this fall must graduate high school and meet ALL the following 16 core course requirements:

  • Four years of English
  • Three years of math (Algebra 1 or higher)
  • Two years of natural/physical science (including one year of lab science if your high school offers it)
  • One additional year of English, math or natural/physical science
  • Two years of social science
  • Four additional years of English, math, natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy
  • Complete 10 core courses, including seven in English, math or natural/physical science, before the start of the seventh semester. Once students begin their seventh semester, they must have more than 10 core courses completed to be able to repeat or replace any of the 10 courses used in the preliminary academic certification.
  • Earn at least a 2.3 GPA in their core courses.
  • Earn an SAT combined score or ACT sum score matching their core-course GPA on the Division I sliding scale, which balances their test score and core-course GPA. If students have a low test score, they will need a higher core-course GPA to be eligible. If they have a low core-course GPA, they will need a higher test score to be eligible.