To play sports at an NCAA Division I or II school, you must graduate from high school, complete 16 NCAA-approved core courses, earn a minimum GPA and earn an ACT or SAT score that matches your core-course GPA.
Core Courses
Only courses that appear on your high school’s list of NCAA core courses will count toward the 16 core-course requirement. Visit eligibilitycenter.org/courselist for a full list of your high school’s approved core courses.
NCAA Division I Academic Requirements
Complete 10 NCAA core courses, including seven in English, math or natural/physical science, before your seventh semester.
- English – 4 years
- Math (Algebra I or higher) – 3 years
- Natural/Physical Science (including one year of lab, if offered) – 2 years
- Additional English, Math or Natural/Physical Science – 1 year
- Social Science – 2 years
- Additional Core Courses (any area mentioned above, foreign language or comparative religion/philosophy) – 4 years
NCAA Division II Academic Requirements
- English – 3 years
- Math (Algebra I or higher) – 2 years
- Natural/Physical Science (including one year of lab, if offered) – 2 years
- Additional English, Math or Natural/Physical Science – 3 years
- Social Science – 2 years
- Additional Core Courses (any area mentioned above, foreign language or comparative religion/philosophy) – 4 years
Grade Point Average
The NCAA Eligibility Center calculates your grade-point average based only on the grades you earn in NCAA-approved core courses.
- Division I requires a minimum 2.3 GPA
- Division II requires a minimum 2.2 GPA
Test Scores
You may take the SAT or ACT an unlimited number of times before you enroll full-time in college. Every time you register for the SAT or ACT, use the NCAA Eligibility Center code 9999 to send your scores directly to the NCAA Eligibility Center from the testing agency. The NCAA Eligibility Center only accepts official scores from the ACT or SAT, and won’t use scores shown on a your high school transcript. If you take either test more than once, the best subscore from different tests are used to give you the best possible score.
Sliding Scale
Divisions I and II use sliding scales to match test scores and GPAs to determine eligibility. The sliding scale balances your test score with your GPA. If you have a low test score, you need a higher GPA to be eligible. Sliding scales can be found on the Division I and II Initial Eligibility Quick Reference Sheets listed below.
Key Resources
