NCAA

Get Ready. Get Set. Go!

Grade 9 - Plan

Start planning now: take the right courses and earn the best grades possible.
Ask your counselor for a list of your high school's NCAA-approved core courses to make sure you take the right classes. Find your high school's list of NCAA-approved courses at NCAA.org/courselist. CEEB Code: 391510

Grade 10 - Register

Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center at eligibilitycenter.org
If you fall behind, ask your counselor for help with finding approved courses.

Grade 11 - Study

Check with your counselor to make sure you are on track to complete the required number of NCAA-approved courses.
Take the ACT or SAT and submit your scores to the NCAA Eligibility Center using code 9999.
At the end of the year, ask your counselor to send or upload your official transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center. If you took classes at more than one high school or program, submit an official transcript for each school.
Make sure you are on track to graduate on time with your class.

Grade 12 - Graduate

Complete your final NCAA core courses as you prepare for graduation.
Take the ACT or SAT again, if necessary, and submit your scores.
Request your final amateurism certification beginning April 1 (fall enrollees) or Oct. 1 (spring enrollees) in your NCAA Eligibility Center account at eligibilitycenter.org
After you graduate, ask your counselor to send or upload your final official transcript with proof of graduation to the NCAA.
Only students on an NCAA Division I or II school's certification request list will receive a certificate.

What is a core course?

For a high school class to be an NCAA-approved core course, it MUST meet these conditions:

Be an academic, four-year college preparatory course in one of these subject areas;
- English
- Math (Algebra I or higher)
- Natural/physical science
- Social science
- Foreign Language
- Comparative religion or philosophy
Be taught at or above your high school's regular academic level.
Receive credit toward high school graduation and appear on an official transcript with course title, grade and credit awarded.

Academic Standards

Division I:

1. Complete a total of 16 NCAA core courses in the following areas:

4 years of English

+3 years of math (Algebra I or higher)

+2 years of natural/physical science (including one year of lab science if offered).

+2 years of social science

+1 additional year of English, math or science

+4 additional years of English, math, science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion of philosophy

2. Complete 10 of your 16 core courses, including seven (7) in English, math or natural/physical science, before the start of your seventh semester (start of senior year).

3. Earn an SAT combined score or ACT sum score that matches your core-course GPA (minimum 2.300) on Division I sliding scale. SAT scores earned on or after March 2016 will be evaluated based on concordance tables established by the College Board.

Division II:

If you enroll BEFORE August 1, 2018 -

1. Complete a total of 16 core courses in the following areas:

3 years of English

+2 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher)

+2 years of natural/physical science (including one year of lab science if offered)

+2 years of social science

+3 additional years of English, math or science

+4 additional years of English, math, science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy.

2. Earn at least a 2.000 GPA in your core courses.

3. Earn an SAT combined score of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68. SAT scores earned during or after March 2016 will be evaluated based on concordance tables established by the College Board.

2023-2024 Guide for the College-bound student-athletes

For more information, please visit http://www.ncaa.org/