ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY

Student-athletes must satisfy many NCAA rules to become eligible or maintain eligibility throughout their collegiate career. This edition of the Compliance Corner will discuss the basics that determine each student-athlete’s eligibility status.

*These are the general eligibility rules that student-athletes must maintain to preserve their NCAA eligibility. There are additional regulations that all student-athletes at Oakland University must fulfill in order to remain in good academic standing.

Freshman Year -- Initial Eligibility
All incoming freshmen must meet the NCAA standards for initial eligibility in order to be immediately eligible for practice, competition and athletic financial aid during their first year of school. In order to be a qualifier (an individual who is eligible for practice, competition and athletic financial aid) a student must meet a sliding scale that includes a core high school grade point average and a standardized test score. The scale ranges from a 2.0 GPA with a 1010 SAT or 86 sum ACT to a 2.5 GPA or greater with an 820 SAT or 68 sum ACT.

For all freshmen, at all NCAA Division I and II schools, these requirements are certified through a central organization, the NCAA Clearinghouse.  Student-athletes must register with the Clearinghouse during their senior year of high school, in which they will issue final high school transcripts, test scores and proof of graduation.  Using this information, the clearinghouse will certify them as either a “qualifier” or a “non-qualifier.”  “Qualifiers” are eligible for practice, competition, and athletics-based financial aid.  “Non-qualifiers” are not able to practice, compete or receive any athletically related benefits throughout a full year of residence.

All freshmen must be enrolled in at least 12 semester hours for both fall and winter terms in order to maintain full-time enrollment status.  This full-time status is crucial when determining each student-athlete’s eligibility for both competition AND practice.

Continuing Eligibility Standards
Once a prospective student-athlete becomes a full-fledged student-athlete at a university (i.e., after he or she has attended the first day of practice or classes), he or she must then begin to meet NCAA "continuing eligibility" or "satisfactory progress" regulations in order to maintain eligibility for competition. Each year a student-athlete progresses through school, the NCAA standards are somewhat different. Following is a breakdown of the NCAA requirements for all current student-athletes who are entering or pursuing credit within each specified year.

Included in all of the following standards, are minimum GPA requirements. The GPA requirements vary on the year in attendance, the first term of initial enrollment, and the particular degree program that a student-athlete is enrolled in. It is a good rule of thumb for student-athletes to always maintain a GPA at or above the minimum requirement for their major.

(*Keep in mind, the labels “Sophomore,” “Junior,” etc... are merely titles for the number of years a student has maintained fulltime enrollment.  Each degree designates specific class standing according to how many credits have been completed.)

Sophomore Year (2^nd Year)
A sophomore must have successfully completed 24 hours of credit between the opening of classes for the fall of his/her freshman year and the end of the summer session immediately preceding his/her sophomore year. Of the 24 hours, 18 (75%) must be completed during the regular academic year (fall and winter semesters), allowing for 6 (25%) to be completed in the spring and summer sessions.

A sophomore must have successfully completed six hours of credit during the last term of full-time enrollment.

Sophomores must meet the 18 semester hour requirement prior to the start of the winter term as well  (i.e. in order to be eligible for the winter term, credits completed for the winter of freshman year and fall of sophomore year must add up to at least 18).

A sophomore must be enrolled in at least 12 semester hours for both fall and winter terms in order to maintain full-time enrollment status.  This full-time status is crucial when determining a student-athlete’s eligibility for both competition AND practice.

Junior Year (3^rd Year)
A junior must have successfully completed 24 hours of credit between the opening of classes for the fall of his/her sophomore year and the end of the summer session immediately preceding his/her junior year. Of the 24 hours, 18 (75%) must be completed during the regular academic year (fall and winter semesters), allowing for 6 (25%) to be completed in the spring and summer sessions.

A junior must have successfully completed six hours of credit during the last term of full-time enrollment.

Juniors must meet the 18 semester hour requirement prior to the start of the winter term as well  (i.e. in order to be eligible for the winter term, credits completed for the winter of sophomore year and fall of junior year must add up to at least 18).

A student-athlete must designate a degree program by the opening day of fall classes their junior year, and prior to the fall term must have 40% of degree requirements completed towards the designated degree.

A junior must be enrolled in at least 12 semester hours for both fall and winter terms in order to maintain full-time enrollment status.  This full-time status is crucial when determining a student-athlete’s eligibility for both competition AND practice.

Senior Year (4^th Year)
A senior must have successfully completed 24 hours of credit between the opening of classes for the fall of his/her junior year and the end of the summer session immediately preceding his/her senior year, or must have an average of 12 credit hours for every semester of every year the individual has been in attendance as a full-time student. 75% of these hours must be completed during the academic year and must have 50% of the course requirements for his/her current specific degree program completed.

A senior must be enrolled in at least 12 semester hours for both fall and winter terms in order to maintain full-time enrollment status.  Seniors, however, may fall below 12 semester hours of enrollment during a regular academic term, if, upon completion of that term, he/she will earn their specified degree.

Fifth Year
A fifth year student-athlete must have successfully completed 24 hours of credit between the opening of classes for the fall of his/her senior year and the end of the summer session immediately preceding his/her fifth year, or must have an average of 12 credit hours for every semester of every year the individual has been in attendance as a full-time student. 75% of these hours must be completed during the academic year and must have 75% of the course requirements for his/her current specific degree completed.

Fifth years may also fall below the 12 semester hours of enrollment during a regular academic term as long as upon completion of that term, he/she will earn their specified degree.

Updated 9/30/05

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