NCAA/NAIA Certification
NCAA Certification
The NCAA Eligibility Center is the arm of the NCAA responsible for determining the academic eligibility and amateurism status for all DI and DII student-athletes. Previously, this part of the NCAA was called the NCAA Clearinghouse, but now, the NCAA Clearinghouse and NCAA Eligibility Center are the same process.
The most important thing to understand as a prospective student-athlete is that the NCAA is there to determine your eligibility, not to provide guidance on how to get or maintain your college eligibility. It is the responsibility of the student-athlete to understand the academic and amateurism requirements and make sure they are on track to meet those requirements with the help of their high school guidance counselor and school administrators.
NAIA Registration
The NAIA Eligibility Center is responsible for ensuring student-athletes are academically eligible to compete at its member schools. Athletes must register with the NAIA Eligibility Center, creating an online profile and sending in the appropriate documentation to prove they meet the eligibility requirements. Most recruits will create their NAIA profile right after their junior year of high school or early their senior year.
It’s important to note that the NAIA Eligibility Center is only responsible for making sure recruits meet the academic requirements. It’s up to the student-athlete to understand the academic requirements and make sure they are on track to meet those requirements, with the help of their high school guidance counselor and administrators.