Eligibility Requirements
Find Out the Eligibility Requirements to Make It to the US
Each student-athlete that wishes to attend university within the US must register with the NCAA or NAIA eligibility centers.
Both of these governing bodies will require you to submit high school transcripts, college transcripts and information relating to the level you have been competing at athletically. Once gathered this information will determine if you are eligible to compete within the desired organization.
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) requires international students to meet the following academic and amateurism eligibility rules in order to be deemed eligible to compete.
1.
Complete 16 NCAA approved core course credits on your way to graduating high school successfully.
2.
D1 schools require a minimum overall high school grade point average of 2.3. D2 schools require a minimum overall high school grade point average of 2.2.
3.
The NCAA eligibility center will ask you a number of questions about your athletic participation to determine if you qualify for amateurism status.
In January 2023, the NCAA eliminated SAT/ACT test score requirements for initial eligibility for student athletes. This exemption is for eligibility purposes only. Many colleges still require students to take the ACT or SAT for admissions purposes. College coaches may also ask to see your scores to determine if you meet their program’s academic standards.
NAIA
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) eligibility center requires all incoming international freshman to meet two of the following three criteria to be deemed eligible to compete.
1.
Achieve a minimum of 18 on the ACT or 970 on the SAT.
2.
Achieve a minimum overall high school grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
3.
Graduate in the top half of your high school class.
The NAIA eligibility center will ask you a number of questions about your athletic participation to determine if you qualify for amateurism status.
NJCAA
The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) requires international students to have high school transcripts that include the following.
1.
Translated into English
2.
Must be from nine years and up
3.
Be an acceptable proof of graduation as defined by the district, state, province, or other governing body.
In the NJCAA, eligibility is determined at the institutional level and all previous college work is taken into consideration when determining athletic eligibility. Each potential student-athlete must discuss their athletic eligibility with the athletic personnel and will have their eligibility status vetted at the NJCAA college where they have chosen to attend.