• Established on 1906
• Governs more than 1,280 colleges & universities
• Member colleges and universities create the rules and guidelines for eligibility

• The NCAA membership includes:
• 331 active Division I members
• 291 active Division II members
• 429 active Division III members

• Certifies academic and amateur credentials of all college-bound student-athletes for NCAA
• Eligibility Center staff is available to help student athletes
• The staff is available to help answer questions such as:
  
• What are the rules and regulations related to initial eligibility?
  
• What are the rules and regulations related to amateurism?
  
• What are the regulations about transferring from one college to another? 
• What are the rules and regulations related to initial eligibility?
  
• Visit www.ncaaclearinghouse.net for additional answers to questions and visit the Prospective Student-Athletes section
• NCAA Staff hours of operation: M-F from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. @ (877) 262-1492
  

If you want to participate in athletics or receive an athletics scholarship during your first year, you must:

• Graduate from high school
• Complete these 16 core courses:
• 4 years of English
• 3 years of math (algebra 1 or higher)
• 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered by your high school)
• 1 extra year of English, math, or natural or physical science
• 2 years of social science
• 4 years of extra core courses (from any category above, or foreign language, nondoctrinal religion or philosophy);
  

If you enroll in a Division II college and want to participate in athletics or receive an athletics scholarship during your first year,you must:

• Graduate from high school
• Complete these 14 core courses:
• 3 years of English
• 2 years of math (algebra 1 or higher)
• 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered by your high school)
• 2 additional years of English, math, or natural or physical science
• 2 years of social science
• 3 years of extra core courses (from any category above, or foreign language, nondoctrinal religion or philosophy);
• Earn a 2.000 grade-point average or better in your core courses;and
• Earn a combined SAT score of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68.
• Completion of the 14 core courses with a 2.000 core-course grade-point average.

Division III does not use the Eligibility Center.  Contact your Division III college or university directly about the admission process.

• Start planning now!
• Work hard to get the best grades possible.
• Take classes that match your school’s NCAA list of approved core courses.
• You can receive your school’s NCAA list of approved core courses at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net.
  

• At the beginning of your junior year, register at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net and complete the amateurism questionnaire.  $60 fee
• Print both Copy 1 and Copy 2 of the Transcript Release Form. 
  
• Sign the Transcript Release Forms and give both to your high school guidance counselor.
  
• Register to take the ACT, SAT or both and use the Eligibility Center code (9999) as a score recipient.
• Double check to make sure the courses you have taken match your school’s NCAA list of approved core courses.
  
• Ask your guidance counselor to send an official transcript to the Eligibility Center after completing your junior year.  (The Eligibility Center does NOT accept faxed transcripts or test scores.)
• Prior to registration for classes for your senior year, check with your guidance counselor to determine the amount of core courses that you need to complete your senior year.
  

• Take the SAT and/or ACT again.  The Eligibility Center will use the best scores from each section of the ACT or SAT to determine your best cumulative score.
• Continue to take college-prep courses.
• Check the courses you have taken to match your school’s NCAA list of approved core courses.
• Review your amateurism questionnaire responses and request final amateurism certification on or after April 1 (for fall enrollees) or October 1 (for spring enrollees).
• Continue to work hard to get the best grades possible.
• Graduate on time (in eight academic semesters).  If you fall behind, use summer school sessions prior to graduation to catch up.
• After graduation, ask your guidance counselor to send your final transcript with proof of graduation.

Information gathered from the NCAA Guidelines Handbook 2008-2009