1. Troy University Compliance Education
Session: NCAA Requirements

2. Steps to Achieve Eligibility
Freshman Year:
Start planning NOW.
Work hard to earn the best grades possible.
Access and print your high school’s List of NCAA Courses at
Take only approved courses that are on your high school’s List of NCAA Courses.
Communicate with High School counselor about NCAA aspirations.

3. Steps to Achieve Eligibility
Sophomore Year:
Keep working hard to earn the best grades possible.
Remember to take only approved courses that are on your high school’s List of NCAA Courses.
Register at at the beginning of your sophomore year.
Register to take the ACT, SAT or both and use the NCAA Eligibility Center code “9999” as a score recipient.
If you fall behind, use summer school sessions BEFORE your senior year to catch up.

4. Steps to Achieve Eligibility
NCAA Eligibility Center:
Must Register to Compete in Division I or Division II.
Online Registration –
Registration Fee
$80.00 (Domestic)
$ (International)
Fee Waiver available (talk to High School Counselor)

5. Steps to Achieve Eligibility
Click here to create an account

6. Steps to Achieve Eligibility
Junior Year:
Register to take the ACT, SAT again, if you haven’t already. Be sure to use the NCAA Eligibility Center code “9999” as a score recipient.
Double check to make sure that you are taking courses that are approved on your high school’s List of NCAA Courses.
Request to have an official transcript sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center after completing your junior year. (The NCAA Eligibility Center does NOT accept faxed or ed transcripts.)
Transcripts are accepted electronically through Parchment, Scrip Safe, ConnectEDU, National Transcript Center/Pearson Edustructure, USMO ET and Xap.

7. Steps to Achieve Eligibility
Senior Year:
Continue to take the SAT/ACT if needed.
Continue to take College-Preparatory classes.
Check you list of NCAA courses.
Graduate ON-TIME (8 semesters).

8. Steps to Achieve Eligibility
Senior Year (continued):
Visit your Eligibility Center account to view your eligibility status and check for any missing information or documents.
Review your sports participation (amateurism) responses and request final amateurism certification beginning April 1 (for fall enrollees) or October 1 (for spring enrollees).
After graduation, ask your high school counselor to send your final transcript with proof of graduation to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

9. Academic Initial Eligibility Requirements
What is a Core Course?
A course that qualifies for high school graduation in one or more of the following: English, mathematics, natural or physical science, social science, foreign language or comparative religion or philosophy;
Is considered four-year college preparatory;
Is taught at or above the high school’s regular academic level;
For mathematics courses, is at the level of Algebra I or higher; and
Is taught by a qualified instructor as defined by the appropriate academic authority.

10. Academic Initial Eligibility Requirements
Core Course Time Limitation (Division I):
From the time you enter the ninth grade, you have four (4) years or eight (8) semesters to complete your core-course requirement. If you fail to complete high school "on time" in eight semesters, core courses taken after the eighth semester will not be counted toward your NCAA academic-eligibility requirements.
“On time" also means that if your high school graduation takes place June 1, you must graduate June 1. If you do not graduate June 1 with the rest of your high school class, you have not completed your requirements "on time."

11. Academic Initial Eligibility Requirements
Academic Requirements:
Graduate from high school.
Complete NCAA-approved courses.
Earn a minimum required core-course grade-point average (GPA).
Earn a required SAT or ACT sum score.

12. Academic Initial Eligibility Requirements
Qualifier Requirements for Athletics Aid, Competition/Practice (Division I):
Students will need to meet the following requirements to receive athletics aid, practice and compete their first year:
16 Core Courses
4 years English.
3 years math (Algebra I or higher).
2 years natural/physical science (1 year of lab if offered by high school).
1 year additional English, math or natural/physical science.
2 years social science.
4 years additional courses (from any area above, foreign language or comparative religion/philosophy).
Minimum GPA in these 16 core courses.

13. Academic Initial Eligibility Requirements
Qualifier Requirements for Athletics Aid, Competition/Practice (Division I) (continued):
Sliding Scale. (The full sliding scale can be found at under Resources.)
Minimum sum ACT or SAT (critical reading and math only) score that matches the 16 core-course GPA.
Example: core-course GPA requires 820 SAT or 68 sum ACT.
Example: 640 SAT or 53 sum ACT requires core-course GPA of

14. Academic Initial Eligibility Requirements
Sliding Scale (Division I):

15. Academic Initial Eligibility Requirements
Qualifier Requirements for Athletics Aid, Competition/Practice (Division I) (continued):
Core-course progression:
Must complete 10 core courses before seventh semester of high school (e.g., senior year).
Of the 10 core courses completed, seven must be in the area of English, math, or science.
These 10 core courses become “locked in” for the purpose of GPA calculation.
A repeat of any of the “locked in” courses will not be used if taken after the seventh semester begins.

16. Academic Initial Eligibility Requirements
Core Course Time Limitation (Division II):
You are permitted to use all core courses completed from your ninth-grade year until the time you enroll full time at a college or university.

17. Academic Initial Eligibility Requirements
Academic Requirements (Division II):
16 Core Courses:
3 years English.
2 years math (Algebra I or higher).
2 years natural/physical science (1 year of lab if offered by high school).
3 years additional English, math or natural/physical science.
2 years social science.
4 years additional courses (from any area above, foreign language or comparative religion/philosophy).
Earn a GPA or better in your core courses.
Earn a combined SAT sum score of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68.

18. Academic Initial Eligibility Requirements
Academic Requirements (Division III):
Unlike Divisions I and II, there is no uniform set of eligibility requirements for Division III schools.
Eligibility for admission, financial aid, practice and competition is determined by the college or university.
The NCAA Eligibility Center does not perform certifications for Division III college-bound student-athletes.

19. ACT/SAT
ACT/SAT Code:
Be sure to enter the “9999” code when registering for the ACT or SAT.
This requests for your official test scores to be sent directly to the NCAA Eligibility Center.
Test scores on high school transcripts will not be used.

20. ACT/SAT Stacked Scoring System:
Your Best Test Scores Will Be Used to Certify You.
SAT uses your Math and Critical Reading scores.
ACT uses your Math, Science, English, and Reading scores.
The NCAA does not require the Writing portion of the test.

21. Recruiting Prospective Student-Athlete (PSA):
Generally, a prospective student-athlete (PSA) must be in the ninth grade or higher.
Coaches are permissible recruiters of a PSA.
Boosters and are not permissible recruiters.

22. Recruiting Phone Calls: When and how often can a coach call you?
Football: 1 phone call between April 15 and May 31 of a PSA’s junior year.
Once per week outside of contact period after September 1 of the PSA’s senior year.
Unlimited calls during the contact period.
Men’s Basketball: Unlimited calls may be made after June 15 at the conclusion of the PSA’s sophomore year.
Other Sports: Unlimited calls after September 1 at the beginning of a PSA’s junior year.
How often can a booster call you?
NEVER
How often can you call coach?
Whenever you like.

23. Recruiting Emails, Social Media, and Texts:
How often can a coach you?
Men’s Basketball: After June 15 at the conclusion of the PSA’s sophomore year, whenever they like. This applies to social media messaging and text messaging too.
Other Sports: After September 1 of your junior year, whenever they like.
How often can you coach?
Whenever you like.
How often can a coach message you on Facebook?
After September 1 of a PSA’s junior year, whenever they like. Until an NLI or written offer of admission/financial aid is signed, the messages must be private.
How often can a coach text you?
After September 1 of a PSA’s junior year, whenever they like.

24. Recruiting Off-Campus Contacts:
When can off-campus contact take place?
Men’s Basketball: After the opening day of a PSA’s junior year.
Women’s Basketball: After March 1 of a PSA’s junior year.
Other Sports: After July 1 of a PSA’s junior year.
Where can off-campus contact take place?
Certified Coaches: At any location off-campus (some exceptions apply).
Other staff members: Within 1 mile of campus during an unofficial visit and within 30 miles during an official visit.
Is off-campus contact with current student-athletes allowed?
Yes, provided that the contact is not occurring at the direction of an institutional staff member.

25. Recruiting Evaluations: What is an evaluation?
Any away-from-university activity designed to assess the academic qualifications or athletics ability of a PSA.
Does an evaluation have to involve contact between the coach and PSA?
No, an evaluation can occur even if no contact between the institution’s coach and the PSA takes place.
Who does the evaluation count towards?
An evaluation is counted for all PSA’s in the high school for which sport the evaluation took place.

26. Recruiting Number of Recruiting Opportunities:
Football: 6 in-person, off campus recruiting contacts and 3 evaluations per PSA.
Basketball (Men’s and Women’s): During the academic year, 7 recruiting opportunities (contacts and evaluations combined).
Other Sports: 7 recruiting opportunities (contacts and evaluations combined) per PSA. During the PSA’s senior year, no more than three may be off-campus contacts.

27. Recruiting Official Visits (Paid by University):
A PSA may take a maximum of 5 official visits, with no more than 1 to any single university.
The length of an official visit may not exceed than 48 hours (2 full days).
May receive up to 6 complimentary admissions to home athletic events for the PSA and those accompanying him/her.
Requirements:
Must present the institution with a high school (or college) transcript.
Must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center.
Must be listed on the institution’s institutional request list (IRL).

28. Recruiting First Opportunity for Official Visits: Football:
Begins April 1 of the PSA’s junior year through the Sunday before the last Wednesday in June. Thereafter, a PSA can receive an official visit beginning with the opening day of his senior year.
Basketball:
Men’s Basketball: January 1 of the PSA’s junior year.
Women’s Basketball: Thursday following the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship game during her junior year.
Sports other than Basketball and Football:
The opening day of classes of the PSA’s senior year.

29. Recruiting Unofficial Visits (Nonpaid by University):
A PSA may visit a campus at his or her own expense an unlimited number of times. (not permissible during Dead periods).
Basketball (Men’s and Women’s) exception: May not be taken in the month of July unless he or she has signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) or the institution’s written offer of admission or financial aid.
May be taken before a PSA’s senior year.
May receive up to 3 complimentary admissions (5 for nontraditional families) to home athletic events for the PSA and those accompanying him/her.

30. Recruiting Inducements:
NCAA rules prohibit coaches, staff, boosters or student-athletes from giving anything of value to a PSA, their family or their coach to lure the PSA into enrolling at their institution.
This includes:
Clothing
Employment
Loans
Cash
Tangible Items
Free or reduced services
Use of athletics equipment
Expenses for tutoring

31. Resources List of Helpful Resources:
Resources tab on the NCAA Eligibility Center website (
(mobile ready website with new academic requirements).
Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete.
Quick Reference Guide.
Initial Eligibility Brochure.

32. Facts Academic Facts: Division I: Division II: Division III:
176,000 Student-Athletes.
83% of student-athletes earn a college degree.
56% receive some form of athletics financial aid.
Division II:
118,800 Student-Athletes
71% of student-athletes earn a college degree.
61% receive some form of athletics financial aid.
Division III:
187,800 Student-Athletes
87% of student-athletes earn a college degree.
82% receive some form of academic grant or need-based scholarships.

33. Facts Probability of Advancing in Your Athletic Careers:
Professional Athletics Career Chances:
Fewer than 2 percent of NCAA student-athletes go on to be professional athletes. In reality, most student-athletes depend on academics to prepare them for life after college. Education is important. There are nearly half a million NCAA student-athletes, and most of them will go pro in something other than sports.

34. Questions