What you need to know about the NCAA Eligibility Center

The NCAA Eligibility Center exists to help determine which student-athletes will be allowed to compete in college. In keeping with the NCAA’s mission the Eligibility Center is the gate keeper that determines if a recruit is a quality enough student to represent a school in college. Without their regulations, colleges could technically allow students who were not “full-time” enrolled, or making any academic progress compete for the schools. The NCAA is looking to evaluate students, rather than to assist them through the Eligibility Center. So it will be up to you to make sure that you have completed everything you need to be certified to compete.

Making an account with the NCAA

The traditional account that you will make with the NCAA will be an NCAA Certification Account. It is best to create one prior to the summer of your senior year. If you are actively being recruited by schools earlier than you may want to do so sooner. And it allows the NCAA to begin processing your eligibility for any D1 or D2 schools. Think of your account like creating a file folder with the NCAA. Without a file folder in your name, any documentation you send will not have a place for it to go, and may be lost. The NCAA also allows recruits who are considering D3 options to create a free NCAA Profile page. However, it is less important to make one of these early. It will provide reminders of things you should complete before graduating high school but does not monitor eligibility the same way that a traditional certification account does. A lot of this is because D3 schools do not hand out “athletic” scholarships and as a result, the NCAA does not need to manage it.

Why does the NCAA have an Eligibility Center?

The mission of the NCAA Eligibility Center is to protect the integrity of the NCAA. Schools provide athletic opportunities as a means to help better the experience of students, and contribute towards both college and career success. Athletics is competitive but should never take precedence over academic pursuits. Therefore at the Division 1 and 2 levels specifically, the Eligibility Center monitors every student-athlete to verify their performance as a student is up to the NCAA’s standards. Without a system to police who is allowed to compete, athletes who are not truly a full member of the college, those who ignore academics entirely, or even those who are way too old or have professional experience, could compete without being caught. The NCAA Eligibility Center is the wing that enforces the rules to make sure that all college programs remain in compliance, so that college competition is carried out fairly, and provides opportunities for every student.

Coach Rob’s Note: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed eligibility waives for current college athletes. These waivers will run out after 2024. As a result there will be 20% more athletes eligible to compete than the amount of roster spots available, making it even harder to find a team to compete for. But the best way to overcome those odds is to know which types of schools you should focus on in recruiting.

Don’t go under-recruited! I put in the hard work for you to know exactly which colleges already want to recruit you, which ones will view you as a top recruit, and how to get their attention. Book a meeting with me, Coach Rob, and see how easy it can be to get the offers you deserve!

Registering for the Eligibility Center

To sign up for the NCAA Eligibility Center, you will need to use the NCAA Eligibility Center website. You will have to pay an initial fee. The two most important parts of your account to satisfy will be having your high school send official transcripts to the NCAA and sending your standardized test scores. After creating the account you will also be given an NCAA ID number which some college coaches may ask for to help them look you up.

What are the academic requirements for NCAA Eligibility

The requirements for eligibility are both to satisfy amateurism, and academic performance standards. Amateurism is established by filling out a questionnaire truthfully that proves the athlete has not been paid for their athletic performance prior to starting college. Academic performance standards require recruits to satisfy 16 core academic courses from an approved list with at least a 2.2 or 23 GPA average. However, the NCAA no longer requires an ACT/SAT score to be submitted directly to them. In short, as long as the college you apply to accepts you, and you satisfy all the other NCAA requirements you will be eligible to compete. But be aware that many colleges still require a standardized test score for admissions.

Recent Eligibility Changes: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA extended a series of temporary changes for eligibility. But those changes are now permanent. Starting with the Class of 2023 student-athletes will not be required to submit a score for either exam in order to obtain eligibility. This will certainly help some recruits, but remember that many colleges still require the exam scores either for admissions, or as a qualifier for much needed academic financial aid and scholarship dollars.

Checklist for the NCAA Eligibility Center

You cannot complete the Eligibility Center requirements until you officially graduate high school. The final step is always submitting proof of your high school graduation. But until that point you will have to complete the following:’

• Register for a personal account and obtain an NCAA ID.

• Send official transcripts after your junior year (test scores are temporarily not required through 2023)

• Send proof of graduation with a final high school transcript

Much of the additional processing through the eligibility center is out of the hands of a recruit, but you may need to log in periodically to check on your status or obtain information.

NCAA Eligibility Center Contact information

National Office

The National Collegiate Athletic Association
700 W. Washington Street
P.O. Box 6222
Indianapolis, Indiana 46206-6222
Phone: 317-917-6222
Fax: 317-917-6888

You can also search for answers to Frequently Asked  Questions from the NCAA Eligibility Center.

Coach Rob’s Note: If you are an international recruit, you should visit the International Student-Athlete Homepage.

Coach Rob is a recruiting expert and the Founder of SCA Recruiting. He is also the author of the book Winning the Ship: How to Win the College Athlete Recruitment Game. Available now on Amazon.