National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) www.ncaa.org

CONTACT NCAA AT: 1-877-262-7492

Student athletes wishing to play sports in college at the Division I or II levels must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center. Registration should be completed during the summer prior to the student’s junior year. Information regarding NCAA eligibility can be found using the following link: http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/future. It is recommended that families begin looking at NCAA requirements prior to Junior year, as early as grade 9. The district offers annual information sessions for potential athletes and their parents/guardians through the Community School Academies. 

Division I         http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/play-division-i-sports

Division II        http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/play-division-ii-sports

Other links are provided below:

• Eligibility Center:  https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/

• Eligibility center Website Registration Checklist: (See Document in the Appendix) http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/Student_Resources/ Registration_Checklist.pdf

• This List of NCAA-Approved Courses:  This link will bring you to the page to search for your High Schools list of approved NCAA Core Courses. https://web3.ncaa.org/hsportal/exec/hsAction? hsActionSubmit=searchHighSchool

• Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete: (This document is in the Appendix section) http://www.ncaapublications.com/productdownloads/CBSA18.pdf

• Most Popular Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): https://ncaa.egain.cloud/kb/EligibilityHelp/Home

• The DI and DII Academic Requirements Fact Sheets: (See Documents in Appendix)

  • DI Academic Requirments: http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/Student_Resources/DI_ReqsFactSheet.pdf

  • DII Academic Requirements: http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/Student_Resources/DII_ReqsFactSheet.pdf

What are NCAA core courses?

Not all high school classes count as NCAA core courses. Only classes in English, math (Algebra 1 or higher), natural or physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion, or philosophy may be approved as NCAA core courses. Remedial classes and classes completed through credit-by-exam are not considered NCAA core courses.

Classes that are NCAA core courses include:

• English: English 1-4, American Literature, creative writing

• Math: Algebra 1-3, Geometry, statistics

• Natural of physical science: biology, chemistry, physics

• Social science: American History, civics, government

• Additional: comparative religion, Spanish 1-4

Classes that are not NCAA core courses include:

• Classes in non-core areas, fine arts, or vocations such as driver education, typing, art, music, physical education, or welding.

• Personal skill classes such as personal finance or consumer education.

• Classes taught below grade level, at a slower pace or with less rigor or depth.

• These classes are often titled basic, essential, fundamental, or foundational.

• Classes that are not academic in nature such as film appreciation, video editing or greenhouse management.

If you take a high school class such as Algebra 1 or Spanish 1 before you start ninth grade, the class may count for your 16 core courses if it is on your high school’s list of approved core courses and is shown on your high school transcript with a grade and a credit.