ASM Scholarships

Breaking down the NCAA eligibility checklist

Student-athletes must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center to be eligible to play NCAA Division I or II sports in college. Consequently, athletes playing Division III don’t have to register. The NCAA recommends that student-athletes register at the beginning of their junior year in high school, but many students register after. There is no registration deadline. But, students must be cleared by the Eligibility Center before they receive athletic scholarships or compete at Division I or II institutions.

Freshman Year


1. Download the list of NCAA core courses offered at your school. Also, download the NCAA Core Course GPA Calculator worksheet before you meet with your guidance counselor. You need to take and pass a minimum of 16 core courses before graduation. In the meantime, take at least one approved core course in each of the following: Math, English, Natural/Physical Science, and Social Science or Foreign Language.
2. Create your free NCAA profile account. Give yourself at least 15-20 minutes to complete the initial registration.

Sophomore Year


1. Review your transcript with your guidance counselor to ensure you’re on track to meet the NCAA core course requirements. Meanwhile, take at least one approved core course in each of the following: Math, English, Natural/Physical Science, and Social Science or Foreign Language.
2. Take the PSAT to familiarize yourself with standardized tests like the SAT and the ACT.

Junior Year


1. Are you starting to receive D1 or D2 interest? Create an NCAA Certification Account (cost: $90 for athletes in the U.S., Canada, and U.S. Territories and $150 for international athletes)
2. Have your counselor send your current transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center.
3. In the meantime, review your transcript using the core course calculator with your guidance counselor to ensure you’re on track to meet the NCAA core course requirements. Still, take at least one approved core course in the following: Math, English, Natural/Physical Science, and Social Science or Foreign Language.
4. Take the SAT.
5. Review your transcript using the core course calculator with your counselor to ensure you’re on track to meet the NCAA core course requirements. Focus on the 10 core course rules. At the same time, make sure you are on track to complete 10 of the courses by the end of the year. But, remember that seven of these courses will be “locked in.”
6. Finally, send your transcripts to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

Senior Year


1. Review your transcript using the core course calculator with your counselor to ensure you’re on track to meet the NCAA core requirements. You should know the exact courses you will need to take to hit eligibility based on your meeting at the end of your junior year.
2. Furthermore, if you need to re-take your second (or third) ACT and/or SAT, do it now. Use school code “9999” to have your scores sent to the NCAA.
3. Complete your amateurism questionnaire within your NCAA Certification Account. Likewise, if you’re enrolling in the Fall semester, you can request your final Amateurism Certification within your NCAA Certification Account on or after April 1, and if you’re enrolling in the Winter/Spring semester, on or after October 1. But, remember, April 1 (Fall semester) and October 1 (Winter/Spring semester) are just the first—not the only—day you can request Amateurism Certification.
4. Finally, have your counselor send your final high school transcripts and proof of graduation to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

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