1. Chesney Allen & Matt Hanson NAIA Legislative Services
Eligibility The Basics
Chesney Allen & Matt Hanson
NAIA Legislative Services

2. Today’s Focus: Fundamentals and Processes
Academic Eligibility
Athletic Experience
Transfer Situations
Campus Responsibilities
Eligibility Forms & Documents

3. Academic Eligibility Athletic Eligibility Terms of Attendance (TOA)
Limit of 10 semesters; 15 quarters
Athletic Eligibility
Seasons of Competition (SOC)
Limit of 4 seasons of competition in a given sport

4. All first-time NAIA participants must register at www. playnaia
All first-time NAIA participants must register at and receive an eligible determination prior to participating in any contest (scrimmage, exhibition or regular season).
EC Reviews:
EC Does Not Review:
Terms of Attendance
Amateurism
Seasons of Competition
Transfer Releases
Academic Eligibility
Suspension Residency
Graduation
Eligibility Certification

5. Eligibility Center: Reviews and Appeals
Request for review: An internal review by Eligibility Center management.
Should be based upon the discovery of new information, or an error in the determination.
Request for appeal: Review by a national committee (National Eligibility Committee or Competitive Experience Committee).
Can be based upon:
Misapplication of the rule;
Decision was reached in an arbitrary or capricious manner; or
There was bias or discrimination in the decision-making process.

6. Academic Eligibility

7. Academic Eligibility: Terms of Attendance
An NAIA student may only compete during the first 10 semester terms of attendance or 15 quarter terms of attendance.
TOA is any term (excluding summer sessions) in which the student becomes identified with an institution.
Identification: An association between the student and institution recognized by the NAIA.
Participation in an intercollegiate contest
Enrollment in 12 institutional credit hours as noted on the student’s official transcript (Freshman Exception)

8. Terms of Attendance & Identification
Tricks of the Trade:
Terms of Attendance & Identification
The impact of institutional credits on identification
Identification at one institution and then transfer to another institution
Identification at one institution and then a total withdrawal
Within 21 days of the start of classes
Outside of 21 days from the start of classes

9. Academic Eligibility: 12-hour Enrollment
Article V, Section C, Item 3
Academic Eligibility:
12-hour Enrollment
To compete, a student must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 institutional credit hours.
At least 9 institutional credit hours must be at the NAIA institution
Up to 3 institution credit hours from another institution - with prior permission from NAIA registrar – will count toward satisfying this rule.
If a student drops below 12 hours at any time, student must immediately stop competing.

10. Academic Eligibility: Entering Freshman Requirements
Article V, Section C, Item 2
Academic Eligibility:
Entering Freshman Requirements
A student is considered an entering freshman until he/she has identified with a post-secondary institution of higher education for at least 2 semesters/3 quarters.
Freshmen must meet 2 out of 3 requirements:
2.0 Cumulative GPA
Finish in top half of the student’s graduating class
Minimum standardized test scores of:
18 on the ACT; or
860 on the SAT (Math & Reading only)
Early determination are available after a student’s 6th and/or 7th semesters of high school.

11. Academic Eligibility: Freshman Exceptions
Home Schooled Students:
Test score requirement: 20 ACT / 950 SAT; OR
Individualized review by the NAIA Homes School Committee
Students with Learning Disabilities:
Meet entering freshman eligibility requirements; OR
Individualized review by the LDAC and NEC

12. Academic Eligibility: 2nd Term Freshman
Article V, Section C, Item 5
Academic Eligibility:
2nd Term Freshman
To participate in the student’s second TOA, the student must:
Have met entering freshman requirements (2 of 3); and
Have earned at least 9 credits prior to the second term
Can’t count pre-identification hours
Quarter School Note:
To participate in the student’s third quarter TOA, the student must have earned 24 credits over the students first 2 TOAs.

13. Academic Eligibility: Continuing Eligibility
24/36-Hour Rule:
Passing coursework and earning credits in a manner consistent with the expectations of a full-time student.
Considers terms of attendance and earning expected credits over previous 2 semester/3 quarter TOAs
Progress Rule:
Earning credits so that one’s academic achievement aligns with one’s athletic experience
Considers seasons of competition and earning expected credits prior to the start of the next SOC

14. Academic Eligibility: 24|36-Hour Rule
Article V, Section C, Item 6
Academic Eligibility:
24|36-Hour Rule
To compete, a student must have earned:
24 credits during the student’s previous two semester TOAs; or
36 credits during the student’s previous three quarter TOAs.
This calculation may include:
“Non-term” hours earned after the student’s 2nd most recent TOA.
No more than 12 non-term hours can apply to the calculation.

15. Academic Eligibility: 24|36-Hour Rule
Article V, Section C, Item 6
NAIA Rules Education
Academic Eligibility:
24|36-Hour Rule
4th
academic year
1st Academic Year:
Fall – 12 credits
Spring – 12 credits
Meets 24/36-Hour Rule for Fall of the 2nd Academic Year
Rules Education • National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics •

16. Academic Eligibility: 24|36-Hour Rule
Article V, Section C, Item 6
NAIA Rules Education
Academic Eligibility:
24|36-Hour Rule
Meets 24/36-Hour Rule for Fall of the 3rd Academic Year
4th
academic year
1st Academic Year:
Fall – 12 credits
Spring – 12 credits
Summer – 3 credits
2nd Academic Year:
Fall – 15 credits
Spring – 6 credits
Rules Education • National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics •

17. Academic Eligibility: 24|36-Hour Rule
Article V, Section C, Item 6
NAIA Rules Education
Academic Eligibility:
24|36-Hour Rule
3rd Academic Year:
Fall – 12 credits
Spring – Did not Identify
(0 credits)
4th
academic year
1st Academic Year:
Fall – 12 credits
Spring – 12 credits
Summer – 3 credits
2nd Academic Year:
Fall – 15 credits
Spring – 6 credits
Does not meet 24/36-Hour Rule for Fall of the 4th Academic Year
Rules Education • National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics •

18. Academic Eligibility: Progress Rule
Article V, Section C, Item 9
Academic Eligibility:
Progress Rule
To compete in a student’s 2nd SOC:
24 semester / 36 quarter institutional credits accumulated.
To compete in a student’s 3rd SOC:
48 semester / 72 quarter institutional credits accumulated.
To compete in a student’s 4th SOC:
72 semester / 108 quarter institutional credits accumulated.
48 semester / 72 quarter general education and/or major institutional credits accumulated.

19. Academic Eligibility: 2.0 GPA Requirement
Article V, Section C, Items 8 & 9
Academic Eligibility:
2.0 GPA Requirement
Junior academically and/or 3rd Season of Competition, or
Senior Academically and/or 4th Season of Competition
Calculating GPA
First TOA at your institution: cumulative GPA from all transcripts
Total Quality Points achieved
Total GPA Hrs. attempted
After initial TOA at your institution: use institution's cumulative GPA policy for all students
Retention/Graduation GPA is only used if it is the only GPA
If multiple “cumulative GPAs” appear, use whichever GPA institution uses to determine honors, graduation, etc.
Cum GPA =

20. Athletic Eligibility: Seasons of Competition
Article V, Section B, Item 18
Athletic Eligibility:
Seasons of Competition

21. Athletic Eligibility: Seasons of Competition
Article V, Section B, Item 18
Athletic Eligibility:
Seasons of Competition
A student may compete in 4 SOC that include a combination of:
Intercollegiate competition
Varsity and subvarsity (JV and/or freshman)
Transfer students’ previous SOC are determined by previous athletic association
Non-intercollegiate competition (elite-level)
Participation in leagues or experiences that meet the evaluative criteria for determining a chargeable league
PSAY – 12 month “grace period” after high school

22. Athletic Eligibility: Intercollegiate SOC
Article V, Section B, Item 18
Article V, Section M
Athletic Eligibility:
Intercollegiate SOC
A student is charged one season of competition for any participation in an exhibition or intercollegiate contest
One pitch, one play, one second
Medical Hardships
Season-ending injury verified by the treating physician
Student must not have exceeded competition limits
Injury cannot occur in last regular season or postseason contest
Only restores intercollege SOC. Does not restore TOA.

23. P P P Athletic Eligibility: Hardship Waiver Forms
Article V, Section M
NAIA Rules Education
Athletic Eligibility:
Hardship Waiver Forms P
Coach / AD / FAR must complete portions 1-4
Transcript is required
Competition dates – be prepared to submit verifying stats
Signatures P P
Rules Education • National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics •

24. P P P P Athletic Eligibility: Hardship Waiver Forms
Article V, Section M
NAIA Rules Education
Athletic Eligibility:
Hardship Waiver Forms
Doctor (M.D. or D.O only) must complete portion 5
Answer and initial all questions
Date for return must be given – must be at least specific to the month
Signature P P P P
Rules Education • National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics •

25. Athletic Eligibility: Non-Collegiate Competition
Article V, Section B, Item 18(b)
Athletic Eligibility:
Non-Collegiate Competition
Who is subject to a competitive experience review?
Eligibility Center Determinations
Any student who will enroll at an NAIA institution a year or more after high school graduation.
Campus Certification
Any student with a break in full-time enrollment.
Any student who, while at a non-NAIA institution, was not charged seasons of competition for every year of full-time enrollment.

26. Athletic Eligibility: Directory of Competition
Article V, Section B, Item 18
Athletic Eligibility:
Directory of Competition
The Directory of Competition within PlayNAIA Manager allows institutions to see if a league/event is chargeable as elite-level competition.
NOTE: The Directory is not exhaustive and only contains those leagues evaluated by the Eligibility Center.

27. Article V, Sections F-H
Transfer Rules

28. Transfer Rules Definition of a Transfer
Article V, Sections F-H
Transfer Rules
Definition of a Transfer
A student who becomes identified with an NAIA school after having been previously identified with another institution.
General Transfer Residency Rule
A student with prior participation at a 4-year institution must serve a 16-week residency period prior to NAIA participation.
Residency Rule Exceptions:
Most recent intercollegiate participation was at 2-year institution
Did not participate at the most recent 4-year institution
Has both a 2.0 GPA and written release

29. Article V, Sections F-H
Transfer Rules
Transfer student who represents 2 institutions in one academic year can be charged 2 SOCs in a 12-month period
JuCo Exception: JuCo grad who participated at JuCO, transfers to NAIA school in same sport season and is otherwise eligible
Mid-Year Transfers and Spring Events
Student must be certified as eligible to participate in next SOC
Applies even for spring scrimmages, where student won’t be charged a SOC

30. Tying it All Together

31. Eligibility Certification Forms
Article V, Section J
Eligibility Certification Forms
Required:
NAIA Official Eligibility Certificate
NAIA Certificate of Clearance
Students may not compete until all necessary forms are completed and sent to conference eligibility chair
When applicable:
Transfer Eligibility Statement
Eligibility Certificate for Entering Freshmen
Competitive Experience Form

32. Conference Eligibility Chair
Article V, Section L; Article VI, Section B&E
NAIA Forms and Processes
Self Report Violation
Exception Request
Appeal of Previous Ruling
Send to:
Conference Eligibility Chair
Send to:
National
Office

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