NCAA Athletic Programs
Division II

If a student athlete wants to compete in NCAA sports at a Division II school, they will need to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center to make sure they stay on track to meet initial-eligibility standards.

If a student athelete has questions about their eligibility or the registration process, they can call toll-free at 1-877-262-1492. International students should call 317-917-6222.

Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center

READY. SET. GO!

Grade 9

• Student athletes need to ask their counselor for a list of their high school’s NCAA core courses to make sure they take the right classes.

Grade 10

• Student athletes need to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center at eligibilitycenter.org.

Grade 11

• Student athletes need to check with their counselor to make sure they will graduate on time with the required number of NCAA core courses.
• Student athletes need to take the ACT or SAT and submit their scores to the NCAA using code 9999.
• At the end of the year, student athletes need to ask their counselor to upload their official transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

Grade 12

• Student athletes need to finish their last NCAA core courses.
• Student athletes need to take the ACT or SAT again, if necessary, and submit their scores to the NCAA using code 9999.
• Student athletes need to complete all academic and amateurism questions in your NCAA Eligibility Center account at eligibilitycenter.org.
• After graduating, student athletes need to ask their counselor to submit their final official transcript with proof of graduation to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

DIVISION II ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible to compete in NCAA sports during their first year at a Division II school, student athletes must meet academic requirements for their core courses, grade-point average (GPA) and test scores

Student athletes must graduate high school and meet ALL the following requirements:

• Complete 16 core courses:
  • Three years of English.
  • Two years of math (Algebra 1 or higher).
  • Two years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if your high school offers it).
  • Three additional years of English, math or natural or physical science
  • Two years of social science
  • Four additional years of English, math, natural or physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy
• Earn at least a 2.2 GPA in their core courses.
• Earn an SAT combined score or ACT sum score matching their core-course GPA on the Division II sliding scale, which balances their test score and core-course GPA. If a student athelete receives a low test score, they need a higher core-course GPA to be eligible. If a student athlete has a low core-course GPA, they will need a higher test score to be eligible.

WHAT IF I DON’T MEET THE REQUIREMENTS?

If a student athlete enrolls full-time at a Division II school, and they have not met all the Division II academic requirements, they may not compete in their first year. However, if they meet the requirements to be a partial qualifier, they may practice and receive an athletics scholarship in their first year at college. To be a partial qualifier, they must graduate high school and meet ALL the following requirements:

• Complete 16 core courses:
  • Three years of English.
  • Two years of math (Algebra 1 or higher).
  • Two years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if your high school offers it).
  • Three additional years of English, math or natural or physical science
  • Two years of social science
  • Four additional years of English, math, natural or physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy earn at least a 2.0 GPA in their core courses.
• Earn an SAT combined score or ACT sum score matching their core-course GPA on the Division II sliding scale.

If a student athlete is concerned you may not meet the Division II academic requirements, consider taking the following actions:

• Ask for advice and accountability from their high school counselor. Check in with the admissions or compliance office at the college they hope to attend.
• Get tutoring or other study help.
• Graduate on time. Division I schools allow college-bound student-athletes who graduate on-time to take one core course during the year after they graduate high school.
• Avoid quick fixes through credit recovery programs. These courses may not be accepted by the NCAA.
• Keep coursework. If the NCAA Eligibility Center needs to review records due to irregularities, they may be asked to provide your coursework.
• Follow their high school's policies. The best thing to do is work within the rules.

AMATEURISM

The NCAA promotes amateurism to create a level playing field for all student-athletes. The young men and women who play college sports are students first, athletes second. If they aspire to play NCAA sports at a Division II school, they must be an amateur athlete.

Learn more about amateurism