Students enrolling full-time in any four-year, DI university must meet the NCAA's initial-eligibility requirements. The NCAA Eligibility Center evaluates each student based on the the standards found in the table below.

Students who meet these academic standards will be certified as either a qualifier or an academic redshirt.  A qualifier is eligible to practice, compete and receive an athletics scholarship as a freshman.  An academic redshirt is eligible to practice and receive an athletics scholarship as a freshman, but is not allowed to compete. In addition, in order for academic redshirts to be able to practice in their second semester of enrollment, they must successfully complete nine semester credits in their first semester of enrollment. 

Qualifier (14.3.1.1) Academic Redshirt (14.3.1.2)
Eligible for financial aidpractice and competition during their first year in college. Eligible for financial aid and practice. No competition during their first year in college.
  • Meets core GPA and SAT/ACT index in Bylaw 14.3.1.1.3. Must have a minimum core GPA of 2.3. 
  • Meets core GPA and SAT/ACT index in Bylaw 14.3.1.2.1 (sliding scale specifically for academic redshirts). Must have a minimum core GPA of 2.0. 

English

Math (Algebra 1 or higher)

Natural/Physical Science

Social Science

Addtl Eng/Math/N-P science

Addtl Core Courses

 

4 years

3 years

2 years

2 years

1 year

4 years

English

Math (Algebra 1 or higher)

Natural/Physical Science

Social Science

Addtl Eng/Math/N-P science

Addtl Core Courses

 

4 years

3 years

2 years

2 years

1 year

4 years

  • Completes 10 of the 16 core courses before the start of his/her 7th semester. Seven of those 10 core courses must include English, Math and Natural/Physical Science. These 10 courses cannot be replaced later by other core courses in order to increase GPA.
  • Did not complete 10 core courses before the start of his/her 7th semester OR 7/10 did not include English, Math and Natural/Physical Science.
 
  • Must complete 9 hours in the first semester of college in order to be eligible for practice in the second semester.

Students who do not meet these academic standards will be certified as a nonqualifier. Nonqualifiers may not practice or compete and are not eligible for athletics scholarships as a freshman. Nonqualifiers are also not allowed to compete in more than three seasons at a DI school. However, they may start college at a two-year school to improve their grades and then transfer to a four-year, DI university after they graduate from their two-year college.

Be sure to work closely with your high school counselor so that you can complete all NCAA initial eligibilty requirements.  If you have further questions, please contact the BYU Compliance Office