Student-athletes who are considering participation in collegiate athletics should explore the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) requirements for eligibility. A high school diploma alone is not sufficient to permit a student to participate in college athletics. The NCAA has a set of minimum standards that students must meet to be eligible. Detailed information can be found at www.eligibilitycenter.org. The information included here is only the most basic information about requirements. Students interested in playing collegiate athletics are strongly encouraged to review the detailed requirements reported on the clearinghouse site to ensure they are making appropriate decisions about the course selections.
The following basic information is taken from NCAA Freshman-Eligibility Standards Quick Reference Sheet:
To be eligible to participate, students must meet minimum GPA and minimum SAT/ACT standards while completing a minimum number of core courses at the College Preparatory Level. Students should access the above documents to determine GPA/SAT/ACT requirements. See your counselor to discuss your options.
Core Courses
16 Core Courses
- NCAA Divisions I and II require 16 core courses. See the chart included in this section of the EPG.
- Beginning August 1, 2016, NCAA Division I will require 10 core courses to be completed prior to the seventh semester (seven of the 10 must be a combination of English, math or natural or physical science that meet the distribution requirements below). These 10 courses become "locked in" at the start of the seventh semester and cannot be retaken for grade improvement.
- Beginning August 1, 2016, it will be possible for a Division I college-bound student-athlete to still receive athletics aid and the ability to practice with the team if he or she fails to meet the 10 course requirement, but would not be able to compete.
Test Scores
- Division I uses a sliding scale to match test scores and core grade-point averages (GPA). The sliding scale for those requirements is shown on chart included in this section of the EPG.
- Division II requires a minimum SAT score of 920 or an ACT sum score of 70.
- The SAT score used for NCAA purposes includes only the critical reading and math sections. The writing section of the SAT is not used.
- The ACT score used for NCAA purposes is a sum of the following four sections: English, mathematics, reading and science.
- When you register for the SAT or ACT, use the NCAA Eligibility Center code of 9999 to ensure all SAT and ACT scores are reported directly to the NCAA Eligibility Center from the testing agency. Test scores that appear on transcripts will not be used.
Grade-Point Average
- Be sure to look at your high school’s List of NCAA Courses on the NCAA Eligibility Center's website (www.eligibilitycenter.org). Only courses that appear on your school's List of NCAA Courses will be used in the calculation of the core GPA. Use the list as a guide.
- Division I GPA required to receive athletics aid and practice is 2.000-2.299 (corresponding test-score requirements are listed on the Sliding Scale).
- Division I GPA required to be eligible for competition is 2.300 (corresponding test-score requirements are listed on the Sliding Scale).
- The Division II core GPA requirement is a minimum of 2.2.
- Remember, the NCAA GPA is calculated using NCAA core courses only.
NCAA Division I:
- 4 years of English.
- 3 years of mathematics (Algebra I or higher).
- 2 years of natural/physical science (1 year of lab if offered by high school).
- 1 year of additional English, mathematics or natural/physical science.
- 2 years of social science.
- 4 years of additional courses (from any area above, foreign language or comparative religion/philosophy).
NCAA Division II:
- 3 years of English.
- 2 years of mathematics (Algebra I or higher).
- 2 years of natural/physical science (1 year of lab if offered by high school).
- 3 years of additional English, mathematics or natural/physical science.
- 2 years of social science.
- 4 years of additional courses (from any area above, foreign language or comparative religion/philosophy).
Any student who is considering participating in collegiate athletics should only elect College Preparatory or Honors level courses. Any core course (English, mathematics, science, or social studies) that is not a College Prep or Honors level course will not be accepted by the NCAA. If you have any questions regarding NCAA eligibility contact your school counselor.
All courses that are approved by the NCAA Eligibility Center are noted with "NCAA" following the course description.