NCAA Eligibility Center

Initial-Eligibility and Delayed Enrollment Relief

Understanding Additional Options from the NCAA for Your Athletes

Given the continuing impact of COVID-19 on the educational environment for your athletes, the NCAA Eligibility Center has partnered with the NCAA membership to identify the following changes to the initial-eligibility certification process and delayed enrollment flexibility.

Academic Initial-Eligibility Alternative Standard

For students who initially enroll full time in a collegiate institution during the 2021-22 or 2022-23 academic year, the Eligibility Center has removed the requirement for a standardized test score to be included as part of a student-athlete’s initial-eligibility certification requirements. This means student-athletes enrolling in an NCAA Division I or Division II school during the upcoming 2021-22 or 2022-23 season will not be required to have an ACT or SAT score on file to complete their academic certification. Under the COVID-19 alternative standards, students planning to enroll, study and play at a NCAA Division I or Division II member school must meet the following requirements to be certified as a full qualifier:

*Standardized test scores are excluded from these criteria . **Students certified based solely on international credentials are exempt from the 10/7 core-course progression requirement.

Full qualifiers are eligible to practice, play and receive athletics aid. For more information, please review and share our COVID-19 FAQ at on .ncaa .com/COVID19_Fall_H to ensure your athlete and their families understand the changes to the initial-eligibility certification process for students who initially enroll full time in a collegiate institution during the 2021-22 or 2022-23 academic year .

Delayed Enrollment Flexibility

In addition to academic alternative standards, the Eligibility Center recently released information on flexibility NCAA Divisions I and II have approved for college-bound student-athletes who delay initial full-time collegiate enrollment and participate in organized competition following their legislated grace period .

Division I Relief

Division I college-bound student-athletes who have not previously enrolled full time in a collegiate institution, and their legislated grace period ends before or during the 2020-21 academic year, may only receive relief from the delayed-enrollment legislation for organized competition that occurs in 2020-21 .

Division II Relief

Division II college-bound student-athletes who have not previously enrolled full time in a collegiate institution, and their legislated grace period ends before or during the 2021-22 academic year, may receive relief from the delayed-enrollment legislation for organized competition that occurs in either 2020-21 or 2021-22 (whichever is more beneficial).

The Eligibility Center will apply this flexibility during the amateurism certification process, and it will be visible in the PSA’s Eligibility Center account Please review our COVID-19 Delayed Enrollment document for more information on the flexibility NCAA Divisions I and II have approved for college-bound student-athletes who delay initial full-time collegiate enrollment and participate in organized competition following their legislated grace period . The Eligibility Center will continue to monitor the environment and make necessary adjustments to prioritize health, safety and fairness for all prospective student-athletes . Please watch the Eligibility Center’s coaches newsletter for additional information . To receive the newsletter, sign up at https://pub .s1 .exacttarget . com/2ccvy5cr5fsv .