Transfer Portal 🌐
An online database created by the NCAA in October 2018
Where athletes officially declare their intent to explore transferring
Makes your availability visible to coaches at other schools
Your current school must enter your name within 2 business days (DI) or 7 days (DII)
Schools cannot block you from entering
Transfer Window 🪟
Specific dates when athletes can enter the NCAA Transfer Portal
Varies by sport (typically 15-45 days per year)
Usually opens after your sport's championship selections
Missing the window means waiting months for the next opportunity
Different sports have different windows
Immediate Eligibility ✅
The ability to compete right away at your new school without sitting out
As of April 2024, athletes can transfer unlimited times with immediate eligibility
Requires maintaining academic eligibility (typically 2.0 GPA minimum)
Must enter portal during your sport's designated window
This is a major change from previous rules
Sit-Out Year ⏸️ (Mostly Eliminated)
Previously required athletes to sit out a year after multiple transfers
As of April 2024, sit-out years are eliminated if you meet requirements
You could still sit out if academically ineligible
Under old rules, you practiced but couldn't compete
Redshirt 🔴
A year where you practice with the team but don't compete in games
Preserves a year of athletic eligibility
In football, you can play in up to 4 games without losing the redshirt
Allows you to develop physically and learn the system
Strategic decision made with coaches
Medical Redshirt 🏥
A redshirt year granted due to season-ending injury
Must have been injured in the first half of the season
Must have competed in less than 30% of games
Allows you to get that year of eligibility back
Requires medical documentation
Walk-On 🚶 (Severely Limited as of 2025)
An athlete on the roster without a full athletic scholarship
Important 2025 change: New roster limits dramatically reduced walk-on opportunities
Previously, rosters could exceed scholarship limits (extra spots were walk-ons)
Now, roster caps limit total team size
Example: Football went from ~124 roster spots to 105 cap
If you make the roster under new rules, you CAN receive a scholarship (full or partial)
Note: The traditional walk-on pathway (join without scholarship, earn one later) still technically exists but is much harder due to smaller rosters.
Roster Limits 📏 (New in 2025)
Replaced scholarship limits as of July 1, 2025 due to House settlement
Each sport now has a maximum roster size
Example: Football capped at 105 players (down from average 124)
All players on roster can receive scholarships (full or partial)
Schools that "opt in" to House settlement must follow roster limits
Many athletes lost roster spots when these limits took effect
Five-Year Clock ⏰
Athletes have five calendar years to complete four seasons of competition
Starts when you first enroll full-time at any college
Applies whether you compete or not (with some exceptions)
Can be extended for medical reasons or other hardships
Transferring doesn't stop the clock
Academic Eligibility 📊
Meeting minimum GPA and credit requirements to compete
Typically requires 2.0 GPA minimum (schools may require higher)
Must complete a percentage of degree requirements each year
Now the PRIMARY restriction for transferring multiple times
Poor grades can prevent you from transferring with immediate eligibility
Graduate Transfer 🎓
An athlete who completes their bachelor's degree and transfers as a graduate student
Enrolls in a master's program at the new school
As of April 2024, must follow same transfer windows as all athletes (no longer exempt)
Popular option for fifth-year athletes seeking new opportunities
Often brings experience and leadership
NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) 💰
Athletes' right to profit from their name, image, and likeness
Includes endorsements, social media deals, and appearances
Allowed since 2021
Increasingly influences transfer decisions
Some athletes transfer seeking better NIL opportunities
Revenue Sharing 💵 (New in 2025)
Schools can now directly pay athletes starting July 2025 (House settlement)
Division I schools can share up to ~$20.5 million with athletes
Separate from NIL deals
Allocated across all sports, not just revenue sports
Influences transfer decisions as athletes seek better compensation
Depth Chart 📋
The ranking of players at each position on the team
Shows who's starting and who's backup
Often influences decisions about playing time
Changes based on performance, injuries, and coaching decisions
Designated Student-Athlete (DSA) 🏷️ (New in 2025)
Athletes who lost or would have lost roster spots due to new roster limits
Do not count against roster limits for remainder of eligibility
Protected under House settlement modifications
Schools can (but aren't required to) reinstate these athletes
Can transfer to another school without counting against that school's roster limit
4-4 Transfer
Shorthand for transferring from one four-year school to another
Example: Florida State to Ohio State
Most common type of transfer
2-4 Transfer (JUCO Transfer)
Shorthand for transferring from two-year junior college to four-year school
Common pathway for athletes developing skills
Often brings immediate playing experience
House Settlement ⚖️ (2025)
Landmark $2.8 billion settlement approved June 2025
Allows schools to directly pay athletes (revenue sharing)
Eliminated scholarship limits, replaced with roster limits
Changed college athletics landscape dramatically
Effective July 1, 2025