Transferring schools is about more than just finding a new team. You need to stay academically eligible to compete. Here's what you need to know about the academic requirements that determine whether you can play.
📚 Minimum Credit Hours: How Many Classes You Must Pass
Think of credit hours as "academic checkpoints" you must hit each semester and year to stay eligible.
Per-Semester Requirements (Division I & II)
Time Period | Minimum Credit Hours |
Each full-time semester | 6 semester hours (or 8 quarter hours) |
Each academic year | 24 semester hours (or 36 quarter hours) |
What "full-time" means: Usually 12+ credit hours per semester, though schools define this themselves.
💡 Plain Language: You need to pass at least 6 credits every semester you're enrolled full-time, and 24 credits total each academic year (fall through summer). If you don't hit these numbers, you lose eligibility for the next term.
🚨 Division II 2025 Change
OLD RULE: Athletes had to earn at least 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) during the regular academic year (fall + spring only).
NEW RULE (Effective August 1, 2025): This 18-hour regular-year requirement was eliminated.
✅ Now Division II athletes just need:
9 semester hours during each full-time term
24 total annual hours (can include summer)
Maintain 2.0 GPA
Why it matters: More flexibility! Summer classes now count more freely toward your annual 24-hour requirement. The elimination simplifies the certification process while athletes still meet other important academic requirements.
📊 Progress-Toward-Degree: The "40-60-80 Rule"
This is where things get more complicated. It's not enough to just pass classes! You must be making progress toward completing your actual degree.
The Percentage Requirements (Division I)
By the time you reach each year of enrollment, you must have completed this percentage of your degree:
Year of Enrollment | Percentage Complete | What This Means |
End of 2nd year (after 4th semester) | 40% | Almost halfway done with degree requirements |
End of 3rd year (after 6th semester) | 60% | More than halfway done |
End of 4th year (after 8th semester) | 80% | Almost finished, entering final year |
End of 5th year (after 10th semester) | 100% | Degree complete |
For 5-year degree programs (150+ credit hours):
3rd year: 33%
4th year: 50%
5th year: 67%
📝 What Counts as "Progress Toward Degree"?
First Two Years (Freshman & Sophomore):
ANY college-level course at your school counts
General education, electives, major requirements—everything counts
Maximum flexibility during these years
Starting Third Year (Junior year and beyond):
You MUST declare a major by the beginning of your 3rd year (5th semester)
From this point on, only courses that count toward your specific degree are eligible:
Required major courses
General education requirements
Required minor courses (if your degree requires a minor)
Free electives (only if your degree program allows them)
❌ What DOESN'T Count After Your 3rd Year:
Random electives that don't fit your degree plan
Courses from a different major you're not pursuing
Extra courses beyond what's needed for graduation
Courses you must eventually repeat for your major
💡 Plain Language: What This Actually Means
Think of your degree as a 100-point checklist.
By the end of your:
2nd year: You need to check off 40 boxes
3rd year: You need to check off 60 boxes
4th year: You need to check off 80 boxes
If you transfer schools and credits don't transfer well, you might lose progress on this checklist, which can threaten your eligibility.
🎯 GPA Requirements: What Numbers You Need
Division I GPA Requirements
After Completing... | Minimum Cumulative GPA Required |
1st year (2 semesters) | 1.80 |
2nd year (4 semesters) | 1.90 |
3rd year (6 semesters) | 2.00 |
4th year and beyond | 2.00 |
The GPA requirement gradually increases, but you must maintain at least a 2.0 (C average) by your junior year to stay eligible.
Division II GPA Requirements
After Earning... | Minimum Cumulative GPA Required |
24 semester hours | 1.80 |
48 semester hours | 1.90 |
72 semester hours (and beyond) | 2.00 |
Division III GPA Requirements
No NCAA-mandated minimums. Each school sets its own academic standards.
You must:
Be in good academic standing per your school's definition
Make satisfactory progress toward degree per your school's rules
Be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per term
⚠️ What Happens If You're Behind Academically
❌ If You Don't Meet Credit Hour Requirements
Result: You're ineligible for the next term of competition.
How to fix it:
Complete the missing credit hours during the next term
Once you satisfy all requirements, eligibility can be restored
Exception: Division I baseball athletes who aren't eligible in fall remain ineligible until the following academic year
❌ If You Don't Meet Progress-Toward-Degree Requirements
Result: You're ineligible until you catch up.
How to fix it:
Take additional courses that count toward your degree
May require summer school or extra semesters
Work with your academic advisor and compliance office
Waivers are available in some circumstances
❌ If You Don't Meet GPA Requirements
Result: You're ineligible until GPA improves.
How to fix it:
Retake failed courses (see rules below)
Earn higher grades in current courses
Your cumulative GPA must reach the minimum threshold
Takes time—you can't fix a low GPA in one semester
🔄 How Repeating Classes Affects Eligibility
Basic Rules for Repeated Courses
✅ You CAN repeat a course and have it count IF:
You failed the course or got an unsatisfactory grade
You've only repeated it once (the retake can count)
You successfully complete it the second time
❌ You CANNOT use a repeated course for eligibility IF:
You already passed it (even with a low grade like D)
The course is one you'll eventually need to repeat for your major (after 3rd year)
You've already repeated it once and failed again
Examples
Scenario 1: Failed Course
You fail Biology 101 first semester → Get an F
You retake Biology 101 and pass with a C → ✅ This counts toward your credit hours and progress-toward-degree
Scenario 2: Improving a Grade
You pass Calculus with a D freshman year
You retake Calculus junior year to get a B
❌ The retake does NOT count toward progress-toward-degree requirements
✅ But the higher grade DOES count toward your GPA
Scenario 3: Repeatable Courses
Some courses can be taken multiple times (like PE activity courses)
These are limited by institutional regulations
Can't exceed maximum credits allowed for any degree program
After Your 3rd Year: Special Rule
Once you start your 3rd year of enrollment, you CANNOT use a course for eligibility if:
You ultimately must repeat it to fulfill your major requirements
Even if it fulfills an elective initially
Example:
Example:
You're a biology major taking Organic Chemistry as a junior
You pass with a D
Your major requires C or better in Organic Chemistry
You'll have to retake it → ❌ The first attempt does NOT count toward progress-toward-degree
🎓 How Changing Your Major Affects Eligibility
Changing majors is allowed, but it can seriously affect your eligibility.
Here's how it works:
Before Your 3rd Year (Sophomore or Earlier)
✅ Relatively Easy
All your previous credits counted toward "any degree" requirements
You have maximum flexibility
Switching majors has minimal impact
After Your 3rd Year (Junior or Later)
⚠️ Much More Complicated
Requirements you must meet:
The change must be documented appropriately by your school's academic authorities
Credits earned before the change must have been acceptable toward your previous degree
Credits earned after the change must be acceptable toward your new degree
What this means:
All those courses you took for your old major? They might not count toward progress-toward-degree anymore
You might drop from 60% degree completion back to 40% or lower
You could lose eligibility if you fall below the required percentage
Example: Changing from Biology to Business
Starting situation (end of junior year):
Biology major, 60% complete (required for eligibility)
Took mostly science courses (Organic Chem, Genetics, Anatomy, etc.)
After switching to Business:
Only 6 credits transfer to Business degree (Econ 101, Statistics)
Your percentage drops to 25% complete
You're now ineligible because you need 60% by end of junior year
To regain eligibility:
Must take additional business courses quickly
May need summer school or extra semester
Compliance office can help evaluate your situation
💡 Strategic Advice
If you're thinking about changing majors:
✅ Talk to your compliance office FIRST before officially switching
✅ Ask them to calculate how it will affect your progress-toward-degree percentage
✅ Find out if you'll remain eligible or need to catch up
✅ Consider taking courses in your new major before officially switching
✅ Plan carefully because this can delay graduation and exhaust your eligibility clock
🔀 Special Case: Dual Majors
Good news: Dual majors can sometimes help eligibility!
If both majors are in the SAME degree program (both BA, or both BS):
Schools can include course requirements for both majors when calculating progress-toward-degree
This increases the denominator (total courses needed)
Can help you meet percentage requirements if you're close to borderline
Example:
Single major: Need 120 credits → 60% = 72 credits completed
Dual major: Need 150 credits → 60% = 90 credits completed
If you have 75 credits:
Single major: 75/120 = 62.5% ✅ Eligible
Dual major: 75/150 = 50% ❌ Not eligible
Talk to your compliance office about whether declaring a second major helps or hurts!
📋 Division-by-Division Summary
Division I
Credit hours: 6 per semester, 24 per year
Progress-toward-degree: 40% → 60% → 80% by end of years 2, 3, 4
GPA: 1.8 → 1.9 → 2.0 by end of years 1, 2, 3+
Must declare major: By 3rd year (5th semester)
Division II
Credit hours: 9 per semester, 24 per year (18-hour regular-year requirement eliminated August 1, 2025)
Progress-toward-degree: Similar to Division I
GPA: 1.8 after 24 hours → 1.9 after 48 hours → 2.0 after 72 hours
Must declare major: By 3rd year
Division III
Credit hours: Minimum 12 per term for competition
Progress-toward-degree: Set by individual schools
GPA: Set by individual schools
Academic requirements: Each school determines its own standards
🆘 When to Get Help
Contact your school's athletic compliance office if:
You're considering changing your major
You failed multiple courses and need to understand impact
You're transferring schools and need to know how credits will transfer
You're behind on progress-toward-degree and need a plan
You're not sure if a course will count toward your degree
You need to request a waiver for special circumstances
Remember: Your compliance office is there to help you stay eligible—don't wait until you're already ineligible to ask for help!