NCAA Rules for Eligibility

This page contains a summary of the NCAA rules for eligibility that were in effect at the start of the 2010-11 academic year. Students should check with the athletic department (or read the current Student-Athlete Handbook) to find out if there have been any changes in the rules.
 

Admissions Standards/Initial Eligibility Standards:

A student-athlete must have been admitted as a regularly-enrolled, degree-seeking student in accordance with regular, published entrance requirements of the institution. Special admissions (e.g., admission to the General Studies program) are only permitted if the exceptions are set forth in an official document published by the University.

Freshmen must meet NCAA academic requirements, which are based on a sliding scale of high school core course GPA and SAT/ACT score. Certification of “qualifier” status is performed by the NCAA Eligibility Center. This certification is verified by the Admissions Office. While permissible by the NCAA, the Atlantic Sun Conference does not permit its members to award athletics scholarships to non-qualifiers.
 

Continuing Eligibility Standards:

To maintain eligibility to practice and compete, all student-athletes must:

1. Maintain full-time enrollment of 12 credits (3 units) for undergraduates.
2. Earn 6 credits (1.5 units) in the preceding REGULAR academic term.
3. Earn a minimum number of credits each year. Rising sophomores must earn 24 credits (6 units) in the preceding (freshman) academic year, at least 18 credits (4.5 units) of which must be completed during the regular academic terms (fall and spring). All other undergraduates must earn 18 credits (4.5 units) in the preceding academic year.
4. Declare a major by the beginning of the third year of full-time enrollment (at this point, all credits used to satisfy continuing eligibility standards MUST be degree-countable).
5. Maintain satisfactory progress toward a degree. Student-athletes enrolling full-time in August, 2003 or later must complete 40%, 60%, and 80% of degree requirements by the beginning of their third, fourth, and fifth years, respectively, of full-time enrollment. Satisfactory progress rules are first applied at the completion of two years of full-time enrollment.
6. Maintain a satisfactory GPA. For student-athletes enrolling in August, 2003 or later, the cumulative GPA must be 1.80 or better for those entering their second year of full-time enrollment, 1.9 or better for those entering their third year of full-time enrollment, and 2.0 or better for those entering their four year or beyond of full-time enrollment.

Certification of continuing eligibility is performed by the Registrar’s Office and is also reviewed and approved by the FAR. Adherence to the “6 credit” and GPA rules is certified after both the Fall and Spring terms. Adherence to the other continuing eligibility rules is certified annually, usually at the completion of the Spring semester.

Revised: 09/29/10