In order to be eligible to compete at the college level, prospective student-athletes must meet certain NCAA requirements, including required core courses and minimum a GPA and ACT/SAT score. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and “uncertainty in the educational environment”, the NCAA has decided to update these requirements for the class of 2021, including:
- No longer requiring the SAT or the ACT for Division 1 or Division 2 students.
- Eligibility will only be calculated based onNCAA core course GPA and the core course requirements.
Within these requirements, the NCAA has made adjustments to the core course and GPA eligibility requirements for 2021–22 by division. To check their core source GPA, student-athletes can use the core course worksheet to see where they stand.
Division 1
NCAA eligibility rules require a 2.3 grade-point average in 16 NCAA core courses. Ten of those courses (seven in math, science and English) have to be completed by the seventh semester of high school.
Division 2
NCAA eligibility rules require a 2.2 grade-point average in 16 NCAA core courses.
In addition to the above, the NCAA has made several over eligibility rules updates:
- Automatic waiver: This means student-athletes who meet the updated standards are automatically eligible to compete with the NCAA and receive an athletic scholarship.
- Homeschooling: The NCAA Eligibility Center won’t require review of “distance, e-learning or hybrid programs offered by schools with NCAA-approved core courses during 2020–21.”
- Pass/fail grades: Pass/fail courses are eligible for core course requirements through the 2020–21 academic year, though these grades cannot lower a student’s GPA. A pass grade will only be assigned a value of 2.3 if it can raise a student’s GPA.
- ACT/SAT testing: While it is no longer required for NCAA eligibility, a NCAA poll of D1 colleges revealed that “About 37% indicated at that time they still will require the SAT or ACT.”
The NCAA has also announced an extra year of eligibility for student-athletes across multiple competition season. To learn more, visit NCSA’s Coronavirus Resources page.
