NAIA Eligibility Regulation

YOU MUST, if an entering freshman, meet two of three entry level requirements:
1. An entering freshman is defined as a student who upon becoming identified with an NAIA institution has not yet been previously identified with an institution of higher learning for two semesters or three quarters (or equivalent).
  1. Achieve a minimum score of 18 on the ACT or 860 on the SAT. Tests must be taken on a national testing date {residual tests. are not acceptable). Scores must be achieved on a single test.
  2. Achieve a minimum overall high school grade point average of 2.000 on a 4.000 scale.
  3. Graduate in the top half of your high school graduating class.

(The ACT/SAT test must be taken on a national testing date and certified to the institution prior to the beginning of the term in which the student initially participates.)

YOU MUST be making normal progress toward a recognized baccalaureate degree and maintain the grade points required to remain a student in good standing, as defined by the institution you are attending.
YOU MUST be enrolled in a minimum of 12 institutionally-approved or required credit hours at the time of participation. Should participation take place between terms, you must have been identified with the institution the term immediately preceding the date of participation.
YOU MUST, if a second-term freshman, have accumulated a minimum total of nine institutional or required credit hour BEFORE identification for the second term of attendance,
YOU MUST have accumulated a minimum total of twenty-four (24) institutional or required credit hours the two immediately previous semester terms of attendance, or 36 credit hours in the immediately previous three (3) quarter terms of attendance. Up to 1.2 institutional credits earned during the summer and/or non-term may be applied to meet the 24/36 hour rule) provided such credit is earned AFTER one of the two immediately previous terms of attendance and only in certain instances toward the 12 hour enrollment 1ule.
YOU MAY NOT count repeat courses previously passed in ANY term toward the 24 credit-hour rule. In certain instances repeat courses may count toward the 12 hour enrollment rule; see your athletics director or faculty athletics representative for more specific infon11ation.
YOU MUST be eligible in your own conference.
YOU MUST, if a transfer student from a four year institution, have eligibility remaining at the institution from which you are transferring to be eligible for further intercollegiate competition and have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.000 on a 4.000 scale.
YOU MUST, if a transfer student having ever participated in intercollegiate athletics at a four-year institution, reside for 16 consecutive calendar weeks ( 112 calendar days), not including summer sessions, at the transferred institution before becoming eligible for intercollegiate competition in any sport in which you participated while attending the previous four-year institution. Exceptions to the 16 calendar-weeks residency will be explained by the institution's faculty athletics representative.
YOU MUST be within your first 10 semesters, 12 trimesters, or 15 quarters of attendance as a regularly enrolled student. A term of attendance is any semester, trimester or quarter in which you enroll for twelve or more institutional credit hours and attend any class or participate in an intercollegiate contest. (Summer sessions are not included, but night school, extension or correspondence courses are applicable to this ruling.)
YOU MUST, upon reaching junior academic standing as defined by the identified institution, have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.000 on a 4.000 scale as certified by the institutional registrar.
YOU MUST, to participate the second season in a sport, have accumulated at least 24 semester/36 quarter institutional credit hours.
YOU MUST, to participate the third season in a sport, have accumulated at least 48 semester/72 quarter institutional credit hours.
YOU MUST, to participate the fourth season in a sport, have accumulated at least 72 semester/108 quarter institutional credit hours. Those hours must include at least 48 semester/72 quarter hours in general education and/or your major field of study.
YOU MAY NOT participate for more than four seasons in any one sport. A season of competition is defined as participation in one or more intercollegiate contests, whether as a freshman, junior varsity or varsity participant, or in any other athletic competitions in which the institution, as such, is represented during a sport season.
Should you be charged a season of competition in one sport by different institutions, in the same academic year (example- basketball or fall golf at a junior college and then transfer to an NAIA school and participate in basketball or spring golf), you shall be charged two seasons of competition in that sport unless you earned an associate degree at a junior college in the term immediately preceding the transfer.
YOU MUST be an amateur, as defined by the NAIA, in the sport(s) in which you participate. See your athletics director or faculty athletics representative for all amateur regulations as printed in the NAIA Bylaws.
YOU MUST, to participate in the third and/or fourth season in a sport, have and maintain a total cumulative grade point average of at least 2.000 on a 4.000 scale.

HARDSHIPS deal only with seasons of competition. A hardship request is a request for an exception to the season of.-competition regulation (see Item 15 above).

Hardship requests will be considered only if the following criteria are met.

The injury or illness is beyond the control of the student-athlete and/or coach, and incapacitates the student-athlete from competing further during the season. Verification by an M.D. or D.O. is required.
The student shall not have participated in more contests or dates than the Association's allowable number in any sport-recognized by the NAIA during the school year. Contact a member institution for the number per sport.
Participation after being examined by a physician and before receiving written medical clearance shall nullify hardship consideration.

If you were granted hardship at a previous (non-NAIA) institution the request must be resubmitted by an NAIA institution.

Remember, athletes, as well as member institutions, are responsible for knowing and abiding by NAIA rules and regulations as outlined in the NAIA Official Handbook. Violations of any eligibility regulations by you, as an athlete, shall:

Make you ineligible, resulting in your immediate withdrawal from intercollegiate competition in that sport for that season;
Find you charged with a season of competition and a term of attendance for participating;
Cause an investigation by the NATA National Eligibility Committee that could charge you with a second season of participation or the loss of all further eligibility for playing while ineligible;
Disallow any honors. or consideration of such honors, awarded by the NAIA; and/or
Cause your institution to forfeit all contests in which you participated.

The material presented here is not to be construed as a complete listing of all rules and regulations of the NAIA but rather as a guide to assist athletes and institutional representatives in becoming more knowledgeable. All NAIA eligibility regulations are published in the NAIA Official Handbook. See your athletics director or faculty athletics representative for further information, or visit www.NAJA.org.