A Guide for Students Transferring from Two-Year Institutions

The varsity athletic experience can and should contribute to the participant's educational and personal development. Consequently, the selection of a four-year college or university at which to continue your education is of tremendous importance. The quality and breadth of the institution's academic offering, the quality of the coaching staff, the nature and sphere of athletic competition and the institution's philosophy regarding athletics as an integral part of the educational process are important considerations. We feel that the NAIA philosophy is sound and that participation in a well-conducted intercollegiate athletics program will provide an added dimension to your college experience. Best wishes in this important endeavor.

NAIA ELIGIBILITY REGULATIONS

The following basic regulations apply to all students representing an NAIA member institution in intercollegiate competition. However, you should be aware of some important aspects of determining your eligibility as a transfer student.

Hours applied to the 24-hour rule (see #3) are taken at face value, as reflected on the two-year institution's transcript, even if the NAIA institution will not accept all of those hours.

Determining your status for the progress rule and associated regulations (see #10-14) is somewhat different. For eligibility certification during the FIRST TERM ONLY at the NAIA institution, these regulations are met based on work completed at the previous institution(s). After the first term, you are no longer considered a transfer, and only those institutional credit hours included on the NAIA institution's transcript may be applied toward meeting NAIA eligibility regulations, except the 24-hour rule as noted in the previous paragraph. Therefore, when certifying eligibility for the second term, it is possible to "lose" hours which were used to certify during the first term. You are encouraged to contact the faculty athletics representative at an NAIA institution to clarify your actual eligibility status.

The GPA used to meet the appropriate regulations is determined in a like manner. The GPA you bring from the previous institution(s) is the one used for the initial term at the NAIA institution. Thereafter, the GPA recognized by the NAIA institution shall be used for athletics eligibility certification.

THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA MUST BE MET IN ORDER FOR YOU TO BE ELIGIBLE TO REPRESENT A MEMBER INSTITUTION IN ANY MANNER (SCRIMMAGES, INTERCOLLEGIATE COMPETITIONS).

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 12 institutionally approved, or required, credit hours at the time of participation. Should participation take place between terms, you must have been identified the term immediately preceding the date of participation.

YOU MUST have accumulated a minimum total of 24 institutional, or required, credit hours the two immediately previous terms of attendance. Up to 12 institutional credit hours earned during the summer and/or non-term may be applied to meet the 24-hour rule, provided such credit is earned AFTER one of the two immediately previous terms of attendance. However, if you have not been identified with an institution of higher learning for more than five semesters or seven quarters, have never been identified with a four-year institution, and have met graduation requirements for an associate degree from a junior college, you may be exempt from the 24-hour rule for the first term you are at an NAIA member institution. You must have passed all hours required for graduation in the term in which graduation occurred, and in the last two terms of attendance you must have needed fewer than 24 hours to complete graduation requirements.

YOU MUST, if a second-term freshman, have accumulated nine degree or required credit hours BEFORE identification for the second term of attendance.

YOU MAY NOT count repeat courses previously passed in ANY term toward the 24-hour rule.

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.

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 at the previous four-year institution. Exceptions to the 16 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 were enrolled for nine or more institutional credit hours and attended any class. (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 four-year 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 (effective for all new students enrolling Fall 1989 or later).

YOU MUST, to participate the third season in a sport, have accumulated at least 48 semester/72 quarter institutional credit hours (effective for all new students enrolling Fall 1989 or later).

YOU MUST, to participate the fourth season in a sport, have accumulated at least 72 semester/108 quarter institutional credit hours. These hours must include at least 48 semester/72 quarterhours in general education and/or your major field of study (effective for all new students enrolling Fall 1989 or later).

YOU MUST, to participate 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 (effective for all new students enrolling Fall 1989 or later).

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 a freshman, junior varsity or varsity participant or in any other athletic competition in which the institution, as such, is represented during a sport season.

Should you participate for two different institutions in the same sport, in the same academic year (example-basketball or fall baseball at a junior college and then transfer to an NAIA school and participate in basketball or spring baseball), you shall be charged with a second season of competition in that sport unless you earned an associate degree at a junior college the immediately previous term to transferring.

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.

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). The NAIA does not recognize a hardship granted by the NJCAA. If you were granted a hardship at a previous (non-NAIA) institution, the request must be resubmitted by an NAIA institution. 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.

Participation after being examined by a physician and before receiving written medical clearance shall nullify hardship consideration.

The athlete shall not have participated in over the Association's allowable number of contests in any sport recognized by the NAIA during the school year. Contact a member institution for the number per sport.

Remember, athletes, as well as member institutions, are responsible for knowing and abiding by NAIA rules and regulations as outlined in the NAIA HANDBOOK. Violations of any eligibility requirements by you, as an athlete, will 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 NAIA National Eligibility Committee that could charge you with a second season of participation or the loss of all future eligibility for playing while ineligible; disallow any honors, or consideration of such honors, awarded by the NAIA; and cause your institution to forfeit all contests in which you participated.

REINSTATEMENT OF AMATEUR STANDING

If you have lost amateur standing in a sport (signing a contract with, participating as a member of, and/or receiving money from a professional team, etc.), it may be possible to have your amateur standing reinstated. The process includes an initial request from the institution and your being identified with an NAIA institution for one year before a final decision can be reached. Contact the athletics director or faculty athletics representative for specific details.

SCHOLARSHIPS, GRANTS-IN-AID AND STUDENT LOANS

Assignment of scholarships, grants-in-aid, or student loans shall be controlled by the faculty through the regularly constituted committee on student loans and scholarships.

Any financial aid or assistance to prospective students, in money or in kind, except from members of the student's immediate family or from those upon whom the student is legally dependent, shall be administered by the institution under the policies and procedures established by the institution through the regularly constituted committee on student loans and scholarships.

A member institution of the NAIA shall award no more institutionally-controlled financial aid to a student-athlete than the actual cost of: 1) tuition; 2) mandatory fees, books and supplies required for courses in which the student-athlete is enrolled; 3) board and room for the student-athlete only, based on the official board and room allowance listed in the institution's catalog. Further financial assistance to a student-athlete, other than listed above, by a member institution shall be prohibited.

TRYOUTS, AUDITIONS

Individual or group tryouts may be conducted only on campus, if tryouts are a part of the general institutional policy for the procurement of students with special talents.

RECRUITMENT (CONTACT) OF A MATRICULATED STUDENT-ATHLETE

If, during the school year or summer vacation period, the athletics director, faculty athletics representative or coach of a member institution is contacted or becomes aware of contact by an athlete who was identified at another institution of higher learning (two-year or four-year), it shall be the responsibility of the contacted institution (athletics director or faculty athletics representative) to notify, in writing, the institution (athletics director, faculty athletics representative) where the athlete is presently enrolled, within 10 days following the first contact.

A coach or other representative of a member institution shall not make initial contact with an athlete who has matriculated at another institution. A coach or other representative of a member institution may respond to a contact by an athlete only after the athlete's identified institution (athletics director of faculty athletics representative) has been notified as prescribed above.

RECRUITMENT (CONTACT) OF A NON-MATRICULATED STUDENT-ATHLETE

A coach or other representative of a member institution shall not contact an athlete who, prior to school beginning, has drawn equipment and is engaged in organized practice at another institution.

The material presented 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 official NAIA HANDBOOK. See your Director of Athletics or Faculty Athletics Representative for further information.