NCAA Eligibility Requirements

The standards issued by the Clearinghouse are slightly different for Division I and Division II but are based on the same four principles;

• Students must graduate from high school.
• Students must successfully complete all core courses.
• Students must have a minimum 2.0 GPA in the core courses.
• Students must have a minimum qualifying score on the ACT or SAT.

Core Courses

A core course is any course at your high school that has been reviewed and approved by the NCAA as a course that meets their academic standards. The Clearinghouse approves courses in four categories; English, Math, Natural/Physical Science and Social Science. Students must complete a minimum number of core courses in each category as part of the Clearinghouse certification process.

For the class of 2008: Division I only

If you plan to enter college in 2008 or after, 16 core courses are required

Courses required: Division I: 2008 & after

4 years of English
3 years of Math (Algebra 1 or higher)
2 years of Natural/Physical Science (minimum 1 lab science, if offered)
1 year of additional English, Math, or Natural/Physical Science
2 years of Social Science
4 years of additional courses (from any area above, foreign language or nondoctrinal religion/philosophy)

Courses required: Division II:

3 years of English
2 years of Math (Algebra 1 or higher)
2 years of Natural/Physical Science (minimum 1 lab science, if offered)
2 year of additional English, Math, or Natural/Physical Science
2 years of Social Science
3 years of additional courses (from any area above, foreign language or nondoctrinal religion/philosophy)

Division I Additional Requirement: Sliding Scale

In Division I, an academic sliding scale (based on GPA and standardized test scores) exists. A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required. The higher your GPA, the lower your minimum SAT or ACT score can be. For example, a student with a 2.0 GPA must score at least a 1010 on his SAT or an 86 on his ACT. However, a student with a 3.0 GPA is afforded a minimum of a 620 on his SAT or a 52 on his ACT.

In Division II, the student athlete must have a minimum SAT/ACT score of 820/68 and a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. Division II does not have a sliding scale.
In Division III, eligibility requirements are set by the member institution and the college's participating athletic conference.

Junior Year: Registration with the Eligibility Center

Immediately after the completion of the second semester of your junior year, the student-athlete should register with the Eligibility Center. You can access an online registration form by clicking here.

Changes in SAT/ACT tests

The SAT and ACT have made changes their tests; one of the most significant changes is the addition of a writing component. On both the SAT and ACT, students will be asked to write an essay. The SAT writing section is mandatory, while the ACT writing section is optional.

Will the NCAA require a writing test as part of its initial-eligibility requirements?

The NCAA has determined that the writing component should not be required at the present time.

How will the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse use the scores on the new SAT?

Because the critical reading and math sections will still be scored on a 200-800 point scale, the Clearinghouse will still combine those two sections for the combined score. The writing section will not be used.

What about the ACT?

The ACT is also has a writing component, but the ACT writing component is optional. The scores on the ACT will remain the same.