NCAA Eligibility Requirements for Student-Athletes

The NCAA determines a student-athlete’s eligibility based on their academic preparedness and amateurism status. In April 2020, the NCAA loosened initial eligibility restrictions for high-school athletes in response to the academic disruptions caused by COVID-19. The changes were extended to the classes of 2021 and 2022, and now, students who intend to play D1 or D2 sports for the 2023-24 school year will enjoy the same benefits.

Read on to learn more about the current and past eligibility requirements for student-athletes, so you can better prepare for your future. 

NCAA eligibility rules and academic requirements

The NCAA determines an athlete’s academic eligibility using a combination of their SAT/ACT test scores, high school coursework and core course GPA. 

75 percent of college student-athletes will have no issue meeting the academic minimums laid out by the NCAA. That said, just because you are a good student doesn’t mean you can assume you’ll meet the academic eligibility rules. Every year, student-athletes with 3.5+ GPAs and honors courses are declared academically ineligible due to not meeting one of the following NCAA eligibility requirements. 

• Core Course Requirement – Each high school has a list of approved NCAA Core Courses with a requirement to pass 16. There is a slight variation in the requirements for D1 and D2 schools, but if you meet the D1 core course requirements, you will also be eligible at the D2 level. View our full breakdown on the NCAA core course requirements. 

• Core Course GPA – The NCAA does not use your entire high school transcript for determining your GPA, they are only concerned with core courses. The NCAA provides a core course worksheet, but it also likely requires a meeting with your high school counselor. Check out more information on how to determine your core course GPA. 

• NCAA Sliding Scale – A combination of your GPA and SAT/ACT test scores is used to determine your eligibility, but it is impossible to say what GPA or SAT/ACT scores you will need without knowing the other. View the sliding scales to determine what GPA and test scores you’ll need. 

Remember, even though high-school student-athletes graduating in 2023 are allowed to use pass/fail grades for core courses and are not required to take the ACT or SAT to meet eligibility, this may not apply for future grad years. Be sure to stay up-to-date with the latest NCAA academic eligibility requirements.  

NCAA amateurism requirements

The cornerstone of the amateurism rules is that student-athletes are not allowed to have received prize money (beyond the reimbursement for participation); they can’t have signed a contract with or receive benefits from an agent; they can’t receive money for promotion of products or services; and they are not allowed to make money by use of their athletic ability or fame. Additionally, student-athletes are prohibited from delaying their full-time collegiate enrollment to compete in organized sports.

NCAA Division 1 eligibility requirements

For high-school athletes graduating in 2022 or 2023 and enrolling in college full-time in 2022-23 or 2023-24: 

• Graduate high school
• Complete 16 core courses using pass/fail grades (see below for a full breakdown of core course requirements)
• Earn a core course GPA of 2.3 or higher 
• Receive final certification on your amateurism status via the NCAA Eligibility Center
• No longer required to take the ACT or SAT

For high school athletes graduating in 2024 and beyond (based on typical requirements from previous years):

• Graduate high school
• Earn a core course GPA of 2.3 or higher
• Complete 16 core courses
  • 4 years of English
  • 3 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher)
  • 2 years of natural/physical science
    • 1 year must be lab science if your school offers it
  • 1 additional year of English, math or natural/physical science
  • 2 years of social science
  • 4 additional years of English, math, natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy
• You must complete 10 of the core courses by the end of your junior year (before the start of your seventh semester). Seven of the 10 core courses need to be in English, math or natural/physical science. The grades in these seven courses will be “locked in,” meaning you will not be allowed to retake them to improve your grades.
• Earn an SAT combined score or ACT sum score matching your core-course GPA on the Division 1 sliding scale.
• Receive final certification on your amateurism status via the NCAA Eligibility Center

NCAA Division 2 eligibility requirements

For high-school athletes graduating in 2021 or 2022 and enrolling in college full-time in 2022-23 or 2023-24:

• Graduate high school
• Complete 16 core courses using pass/fail grades (see below for a full breakdown of core course requirements)
• Earn a core course GPA of 2.2 or higher 
• Receive final certification on your amateurism status via the NCAA Eligibility Center
• No longer required to take the ACT or SAT

For high school athletes graduating in 2024 and beyond (based on typical requirements from previous years):

• Graduate high school
• Earn a core course GPA of 2.2 or higher
• Complete 16 core courses
  • 3 years of English
  • 2 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher)
  • 2 years of natural/physical science
    • 1 year must be lab science if your school offers it
  • 3 additional years of English, math or natural/physical science
  • 2 years of social science
  • 4 additional years of English, math, natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy
• Earn an SAT combined score or ACT sum score matching your core-course GPA on the Division II sliding scale.
• Receive final certification on your amateurism status via the NCAA Eligibility Center

NCAA Division 3 eligibility requirements

Division 3 schools are responsible for setting their own academic eligibility rules. If you are going to be competing for a D3 institution, or if you are unsure what division level you’ll be competing at, you can start with a free NCAA Profile page. If you do decide to pursue a D1 or D2 program, you can always transition to a Certification Account later.

Academic status: What your academic status with the NCAA means

The NCAA will only review an athlete’s eligibility status if their status has been requested by a D1 or D2 college. This process will begin once you graduate high school, complete a minimum of 16 core courses—with a minimum 2.3 GPA average in these courses—and earn a qualifying ACT or SAT test score. If you’re graduating high-school in 2022 or 2023, the NCAA is no longer requiring ACT or SAT test scores. However, you must earn a minimum core course GPA.

You also need to request your final amateurism certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center. Once the NCAA reviews your account, they will assign you an “Academic Status.” Here are the various statuses you could receive and what they mean:

• Final Qualifier: You meet all of the academic requirements and can receive an athletic scholarship your first year.
• Early Academic Qualifier: This status is based on your academic record after six semesters of high school. It means you are eligible to receive an athletic scholarship and practice/compete with your team during your first year of full-time college enrollment. Make sure to meet with your college’s compliance office to confirm this status.
• Final Nonqualifier: You do not meet the academic requirements and are not eligible to compete or practice at the college requesting your final status. You will not be eligible to receive an athletic scholarship.
• Final Partial Qualifier: This is a status for only D2 schools. Athletes with this status can receive an athletic scholarship and practice with the team, but you are not eligible to compete your first year in college.
• Under Review: The NCAA Eligibility Center is reviewing a unique academic situation related to your case.
• Academic Redshirt: This means you will be eligible to receive an athletic scholarship and practice but will not be allowed to compete during your first year in school. Only athletes enrolling in a Division 1 school after August 1, 2016, are eligible for this status.
• Automatic Waiver Approved: This indicates that you are immediately eligible to receive an athletic scholarship, and practice/compete with your team during your first year as a full-time enrollee. Contact your college’s compliance department for more details.
• HS Decision Pending: If your high school courses are not NCAA Approved, the NCAA will likely need to make a more in-depth review of your high school classes.
• In Process: The NCAA Eligibility Center is reviewing your case. Usually, cases remain in process for no more than two business days.
• Secondary Review: On rare occasions, the NCAA will make a secondary review of your status. This will only happen with the help of your college compliance office.
• Waiver Approved: From time to time, your colleges compliance office will file for a waiver if they think you will meet one of the cases for academic waivers. This status means that the waiver has been approved.
• Waiver Denied: If your compliance office has filed for a waiver and it is denied, you will receive this status. This likely means you will not be eligible for a scholarship or to compete.
• Waiver Partially Approved (athletics aid only): If your compliance office has filed for a waiver on your behalf, it might be partially approved. This would mean you are eligible to receive an athletic scholarship but are not eligible to practice or play your first year in college.
• Waiver Partially Approved (aid and practice): If your compliance office has filed for a waiver on your behalf, this status would mean you are eligible to receive an athletic scholarship and practice, but you will not be eligible to compete your first year in college.

NCAA eligibility FAQs