NCAA ATHLETIC REQUIREMENTS

The NCAA has established a central clearinghouse to certify athletic eligibility for Divisions I and II Colleges.  Here are the answers to questions that are frequently asked by students about what they need to do to participate in college sports under this process.

Why do I need to register and be certified?  If you intend to participate in Division I or II athletics as a freshman in college, you must be registered with and be certified as eligible by the NCAA initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse (CH).  To be certified you need to graduate from high school, earn a grade point average of at least 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in a core curriculum of at least 13 academic courses, and achieve a qualifying score of 68 (sum score) on the ACT or 820 on the SAT.  Please note that initial-eligibility certification pertains only to whether or not you meet the NCAA requirements for participation in Division I or II athletics and has no bearing on your admission to a particular Division I or II institution.

When should I register?  You should register with the CH whenever you decide you would like to participate in athletics as a college freshman.  It’s generally best to register after your junior year grades appear on your transcript.  Although you can register anytime prior to participation, if you register late, you may face delays that will prevent you from practicing and competing.

How do I register?  You will need to obtain registration materials from the counseling office.  Follow all directions in the registration packet.  Make sure to pay the registration fee.

What if I have attended more than one school?   If you have attended multiple high schools since ninth grade, each school will need to send your official transcript to the CH.

How can I arrange for my scores to be sent directly from the testing agency?  When you register to take the ACT or the SAT, you can mark code 9999 so that the CH will be one of the institutions receiving your scores; or alternatively, you can submit a request (and fee) for an “Additional Score Report” to the appropriate testing agency by indicating code 9999 on your request form.

What will the Clearinghouse provide to those institutions recruiting me?  The CH will send your eligibility status to any Division I or II institution that requests it, provided that you have given your permission on your Student Release Form for the institution to receive that information.  Please note that the CH will not send your eligibility information at your request; rather the institution must make the request for that information.

How do I contact the Clearinghouse?

                    1-800-638-3731 or

                       (319) 337-1492

                       www.ncaa.org

NOTE:  The discussion above is not an official explanation of NCAA eligibility requirements.  Fife High School does not guarantee that the information presented here is recognized by the NCAA Clearinghouse.  The NCAA Clearinghouse sets its own standards and updates qualification information independent of Fife High School.  For the most accurate and up-to-date information, contact the Clearinghouse directly.