Student-Athletes & The NCAA

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Sports play an active part on the American College campus. If you are hardworking and determined to participate on a collegiate athletic team, there are many ways to get involved, but first there are some things you need to know.

  • Which sports associations have athletic scholarships?
    National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA): The NCAA stands for National Collegiate Athletic Association and is the largest governing board for college athletics. The NCAA ensures eligibility of players and fair recruiting by coaches. The NCAA has three divisions (described further below).

    National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA): The NAIA has about 250 member universities and 26 championship sports. The eligibility process requires students to have at least a 2.3 in all of their high school courses or a combination of at least a 2.0 and a minimum SAT/ACT score. There is no age limit to play the NAIA. Many NAIA universities are smaller, regional universities.

    National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA): The NCJAA is comprised of community colleges otherwise known as junior colleges or JUCO. Community colleges have 2-year degree programs called Associate Degrees. JUCO athletes typically transfer to a university after they complete their two years at JUCO to then play two more years at a university and receive a Bachelor’s degree.

  • The NCAA
    The NCAA has three divisions denoted with roman numerals. These divisions have no reflection of the university’s academics, rather the amount of funding that goes to sports and how competitive they are. Division I is the most competitive and has the most athletic funding, while Division III provides more balance for student-athletes. Divisions I and II award athletic scholarships, while Division III only awards academic and needs-based funding to its recruits.

    The NCAA reviews athletes for eligibility in both their academics and amateurism status. If you are interested in the recruiting process use the NCAA website (ncaa.org) as a guide to help with the following:

  • The NCAA 16 Core Courses
    To meet the academic eligibility requirement, it is important for the athlete to work closely with their guidance counsellor to maintain a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.3 (for Division I) or 2.2 (for Division II), complete 16 Core Courses, and submit official transcripts to the NCAA.

    Letter Grade GPA
    A 4
    B 3
    C 2
    D 1

    The NCAA 16 Core Course grade point average (GPA) will be created using a students grade 9-12 (in Quebec, Sec 3-5 and CEGEP) transcripts. The core course categories are English (or first language), Math, Science, Social Sciences, and other core course (world language, philosophy, and some religion courses). The best 16 core course units will be averaged using the provincial grading scale (download your province here). It is important to note that in some provinces, certain courses are worth less than one unit, meaning you may need to take more than 16 courses to meet the core course requirements.

    Division I and Division II have slightly different GPA requirements. Division I core course GPA minimum is 2.3, while Division II’s minimum is 2.2.

    Division I Division II Requirement
    4 units 3 units English (or French first language)
    3 units 2 units Math
    2 units 2 units Natural or Physical Science
    1 additional unit 3 additional units English, Math, or Science
    2 units 2 units Social Science
    4 additional units 4 additional units English, Math, Science, Social Science, word language, comparative religion, or philosophy
    Timeline: Once beginning Grade 9, a student must graduate from high school in 4 years. Students must complete 15 out of 16 Core Courses by their graduation. Only 1 Core Course can be taken after their graduation (i.e. summer school or gap year). Students may delay their enrollment, otherwise known as taking a gap period, without losing any seasons of play in the NCAA. For most sports, this is 12 months. However, for men’s hockey and skiing, this is until age 21. And in tennis, the allowable gap period is 6 months.

    If an athlete meets the 16 course requirements but does not meet the GPA requirement, they are able to participate as an Academic Redshirt. An Academic Redshirt is a first-year who cannot compete with the team until they meet the requirement but can still practice with the team.

  • The Recruitment Process
    Review this page on the NCAA website for more resources on the recruitment process including timeline, rules, and expectations. In particular, the recruitment calendars outline when coaches can and cannot contact players. For all sports, coaches are restricted from direct contact of players until June 15th at the end of Grade 10. Highly sought after athletes may receive direct phone calls and messages from coaches on this date.

    If you are contacted by a coach: great! Talk to the coach to see what their program has to offer and learn more about the universities academic environment. The coach may invite you to an official visit (paid for by the school) and make a verbal offer prior to signing your official financial aid offer (scholarship) in your Grade 12 year.

    If you are not actively being recruited or would like to reach out to additional coaches on your own, here are some steps you can take:

    • Use the NCAA directory to learn which universities have your sport
    • Use College Board Big Future to cross reference which universities may have your major of interest
    • Complete a Recruiting Questionnaire for each athletic team you are interested in
    • Retrieve the coach’s name, email, and phone number and contact them with an email expressing your interest
    • Keep a spreadsheet with athletic and academic program information and all contacts made (with dates)
    • Create an online athletic resume or profile (this can be on Instagram, X, or a player site specific to your sport)
    • Post game tape and highlight videos on social media
    • When emailing coaches, share your links to your game tape and athletic resume/profile
    • Attend showcase tournaments and/or elite sports camps in the United States, when possible
    • Go on unofficial visits to universities of interest, when possible
  • Making the Choice
    As you narrow down your search and draw closer to choosing your future team here are some questions to consider:
    • Does the school have the academic major that you are looking for?
    • What is the overall reputation of the department of your major and what opportunities do they have for internships, co-ops, and job placements?
    • Did you get along with team during you unofficial or official visit? What was your impression?
    • How do you like the coach? Their coaching style? Their interactions with you?
    • What types of financial aid are being offered to you? Value of scholarships vs cost of the institution?

    During the recruitment process, athletes can go on official visits, which are paid for by the school. This is a great way to determine if the university and the team are good fits. There are no longer time restrictions on when students can go on official visits.

    In fall of the Grade 12 year, the athlete will sign a financial aid agreement with the university that they will be attending. This used to be called the National Letter of Intent.

  • Don't Forget to Apply!
    U.S. university admissions is different than NCAA eligibility. Even if you are a recruited athlete, you still need to complete an application to the university you have been recruited to in the fall of your grade 12 year (or one year before enrollment). University admissions may require the following (varies by institution):
    • An application and a fee
    • Official ACT or SAT scores (sent from the test-maker)
    • Official transcripts (directly from your high school guidance counsellor or the ministry of education)
    • Up to three letters of recommendation
    • A personal essay
    • Additional supplements, such as essays, a writing sample, a video, a resume, etc
If you have questions regarding becoming a U.S. student-athlete, be sure to check out the EducationUSA Canada YouTube channel with up-to-date videos from the NCAA Eligibility Center, NCAA athletic directors, and EducationUSA advisers.