Playing Sports in College: NCAA Eligibility & Requirements

• What student-athletes & families should know!

Presented by: Athletic Director, Kadeem Batts

Why This Matters

• Meeting eligibility is required to compete and receive athletic scholarships.

• Failure to meet standards = inability to participate, even if talent and opportunity exist.

• Early planning is key, decisions now will determine future opportunities.

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NCAA Core Course Requirements

• For Division I & II: 16 NCAA-approved core courses required� • For Division I: 10 of those 16 must be completed by the start of the 7th semester (i.e., before senior year begins)� • Among those 10, 7 must be in English, math, or natural/physical science. (i.e., 3 years of English, 2 years of Math, and 2 years of Science, plus 3 other courses from those same subjects)�
• Not all high school classes count, they must be on the NCAA-approved core course list.�
• Dual enrollment or college courses may count if approved and transcripted properly.�

Core Course Breakdown (by Subject)

• Division I Core Courses:� • English: 4 years� • Math (Algebra I or higher): 3 years� • Natural / Physical Science: 2 years (one must be lab if offered)� • Social Science: 2 years� • Additional core courses (English, math, science, foreign language, philosophy, etc.): 4 years�
• Note: Division II has slightly different requirements (e.g. lower math requirement): 2 years�

Grade Point Average (Core GPA) & Locked Courses

• NCAA calculates GPA only on those core courses �
• Minimum core GPA requirements:� • Division I: 2.3� • Division II: 2.2 �
• After the 10 core courses are completed by the 7th semester, those 10 courses become “locked”. Which means you cannot retake them to improve grade or GPA for NCAA purposes.

Registration & Eligibility Center

• All student-athletes must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center (formerly “clearinghouse”) ideally at start of junior year.�
• They will submit: transcripts, course history, core GPA, and amateurism questionnaire.
• Use NCAA sliding scale to match GPA and test score (for D1) when required.�

Division I vs Division II vs Division III

• Division I: 16 core courses, 10 by 7th semester, minimum 2.3 core GPA.

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• Division II: 16 core courses, minimum core GPA 2.2.

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• Division III: No NCAA core course requirement or test requirement; eligibility is set by the institution itself. Registration is optional but recommended for transparency.�

Tests, National Letter of Intent, & Timeline

• SAT / ACT: NCAA eliminated SAT/ACT test score requirements. Note: COVID-era waivers changed things, so always check current rule.�
• National Letter of Intent (NLI):� • NLI historically bound students to a school, but be aware: NLI for Division I & II was eliminated in fall 2024 and is now called “Aid Agreements”.�

Best Practices & Tips

• Students should take more than the minimum 16 core courses (e.g., honors, AP).�
• Consult your guidance counselor to ensure courses are NCAA-approved.�
• Monitor your core GPA regularly.�
• Beware of credit recovery / nontraditional courses, not all count toward NCAA core credit.�
• Aim to finish those 10 required core courses early to avoid “locked” risk.�
• Keep records (transcripts, course approvals) and communicate with your NCAA profile.�

Sample Timeline by Grade

• 9th Grade: Start with core prep courses, register NCAA profile.�
• 10th Grade: Continue core courses, track eligibility.�
• Junior Year: Register with Eligibility Center, 6th semester = checkpoint.�
• Senior Year: Complete courses, manage transcripts, sign “Aid Agreement”.�

Questions & Next Steps

• Families to talk with counselors about NCAA core course list!�
• NCAA website https://www.ncaa.com

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• NCAA Eligibility Center http://eligibilitycenter.org

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• Additional questions for student-athletes and parents - Please contact my email address shortbka@wauwatosa.k12.wi.us

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