NCAA Continuing Eligibility

NCAA Bylaw

• 14.2: Full-Time Enrollment
  • Must be a full-time student to practice and/or compete.
  • Undergraduate: 12 credit hours minimum
  • Graduate: nine credit hours minimum
• 14.4.3.1 Fulfillment of Credit-Hour Requirements. Eligibility for competition shall be determined based on satisfactory completion of at least:
  1. 24 hours of academic credit prior to the start of the student-athlete's second year of collegiate enrollment (third semester, fourth quarter);
  2. 18 hours of academic credit since the beginning of the previous fall term or since the beginning of the certifying institution's preceding regular two semesters or three quarters (hours earned during the summer may not be used to fulfill this requirement) (see Bylaw 14.4.3.1.4); and
  3. six hours of academic credit during the preceding regular academic term (e.g., fall semester, winter quarter) in which the student-athlete has been enrolled full-time at any collegiate institution
• 14.4.3.1.7 Hours Earned or Accepted for Degree Credit. The calculation of credit hours for the application of Bylaws 14.4.3.1-(a), 14.4.3.1-(c) and 14.4.3.1.6 shall be based on hours earned or accepted for degree credit at the certifying institution in a student-athlete's specific baccalaureate degree program, as follows:
  1. during the first two years of enrollment, a student-athlete may use credits acceptable toward any of the institution's degree programs;
  2. by the beginning of the third year of enrollment (fifth semester or seventh quarter), a student-athlete shall be required to have designated a program of study leading toward a specific baccalaureate degree. From that point, the credits used to meet the progress-toward-degree requirements must be degree credit toward the student's designated degree program;
  3. a student-athlete who changes his or her designated degree program between terms may comply with the progress-toward-degree requirements if:
     1. the change in programs is documented appropriately by the institution's academic authorities;
     2. the credits earned prior to the change are acceptable toward the degree previously sought; and
     3. the credits earned from the time of the change are acceptable toward the new desired degree.
  4. a student-athlete who, in accordance with institutional policy, changes his or her designated degree program during a regular academic term may use credits earned during the term to fulfill credit-hour requirements toward the degree previously sought or the newly designated degree; and
  5. once a student-athlete has begun his or her third year of enrollment (fifth semester or seventh quarter), a course may not be used to fulfill the credit-hour requirements for meeting progress toward degree if the student ultimately must repeat the course to fulfill the requirements of the student's major, even if the course fulfills an elective component of the student-athlete's degree program.
• 14.4.3.2 Fulfillment of Percentage of Degree Requirements
  A student-athlete who is entering his or her third year of collegiate enrollment shall have completed successfully at least 40 percent of the course requirements in the student's specific degree program. A student-athlete who is entering his or her fourth year of collegiate enrollment shall have completed successfully at least 60 percent of the course requirements in the student's specific degree program. A student-athlete who is entering his or her fifth year of collegiate enrollment shall have completed successfully at least 80 percent of the course requirements in the student's specific degree program. The course requirements must be in the student's specific degree program.
• 14.4.3.3 Fulfillment of Minimum Grade-Point Average Requirements.
  A student-athlete who is entering his or her second year of collegiate enrollment shall present a cumulative minimum grade-point average (based on a maximum 4.000) that equals at least 90 percent of the institution's overall cumulative grade-point average required for graduation. A student-athlete who is entering his or her third year of collegiate enrollment shall present a cumulative minimum grade-point average (based on a maximum of 4.000) that equals 95 percent of the institution's overall cumulative minimum grade-point average required for graduation. A student-athlete who is entering his or her fourth or later year of collegiate enrollment shall present a cumulative minimum grade-point average (based on a maximum of 4.000) that equals 100 percent of the institution's overall cumulative grade-point average required for graduation. If the institution does not have an overall grade-point average required for graduation, it is permissible to use the lowest grade-point average required for any of the institution's degree programs in determining the cumulative minimum grade-point average. The minimum grade-point average must be computed pursuant to institutional policies applicable to all students.