NCAA & NAIA
STUDENT ATHLETE INFORMATION
Interested in continuing to be a student-athlete in college? Be sure to register with the appropriate organization to clear your academic eligibility. There are two governing organizations that determine eligibility for college student-athletes; NCAA and NAIA. Where you will go to college and the division under which that school falls determines the organization with which you will need to register and the eligibility criteria you will need to meet.
NAIA v NCAA: What’s the Difference?
For student-athletes, school size means more than just class or campus population. It often determines a school's sports division and shapes your athletic experience. That’s why every student-athlete should understand the difference between the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) before picking a school. NCAA schools are often larger, especially in Division I sports, while Division II, Division III, and NAIA schools tend to have smaller student populations.
When you think of college sports, the NCAA (Div I, Div II, etc.) usually comes to mind. The NCAA includes about 460,000 student-athletes at over 1,200 schools, conferences, and groups, all competing in 89 championship events. Fans of “March Madness” or college bowl games know that Division I schools are the top, most competitive teams (like Notre Dame, Penn State, Georgia, Kentucky, UNC, Harvard, and BU). Bigger schools usually have Division I teams, but not always. In fact, a school’s division is based less on its overall size and more on how much money it can dedicate to its sports programs—especially to attract top players. That’s why bigger schools, which tend to have larger sports budgets, often compete in the top division, but exceptions exist.
The NAIA consists of far fewer schools than the NCAA. While less well known, especially on the East Coast, the NAIA organizes over 260 colleges and universities and 60,000 student-athletes. It hosts 23 national championships in 13 sports. Although its competition level is lower than that of NCAA Division I, which produces most pro athletes, NAIA sports are generally viewed as comparable to NCAA Division II.
When you think of college sports, the NCAA (Div I, Div II, etc.) usually comes to mind. The NCAA includes about 460,000 student-athletes at over 1,200 schools, conferences, and groups, all competing in 89 championship events. Fans of “March Madness” or college bowl games know that Division I schools are the top, most competitive teams (like Notre Dame, Penn State, Georgia, Kentucky, UNC, Harvard, and BU). Bigger schools usually have Division I teams, but not always. In fact, a school’s division is based less on its overall size and more on how much money it can dedicate to its sports programs—especially to attract top players. That’s why bigger schools, which tend to have larger sports budgets, often compete in the top division, but exceptions exist.
The NAIA consists of far fewer schools than the NCAA. While less well known, especially on the East Coast, the NAIA organizes over 260 colleges and universities and 60,000 student-athletes. It hosts 23 national championships in 13 sports. Although its competition level is lower than that of NCAA Division I, which produces most pro athletes, NAIA sports are generally viewed as comparable to NCAA Division II.
NAIA Requirements
An entering freshman must:
- Be a graduate of an accredited high school or be accepted as a regular student in good standing as defined by the enrolling institution and
- Meet two of the three following requirements:
- Minimum high school GPA of 2.0
- Minimum SAT combined score of 940 or ACT composite score of 16
- Graduate in the top 50% of your class
Create your student-athlete account by accessing the eligibility center