NCAA Update: New Eligibility & Test Score Requirements

In April 2022, the NCAA Eligibility Center reaffirmed the implications of the COVID-19 Automatic Waiver Criteria regarding NCAA Core Courses and standardized test score requirements for initial eligibility requirements for current high school juniors or seniors (enrolling full-time in a collegiate institution during the 2022-23 or 2023-24 academic year).

Wondering how it will impact your student-athletes?

Honest Game has summarized the COVID-19 Automatic Waiver Criteria for 2022-23 or 2023-24 enrollment below:

• The NCAA COVID-19 waiver is not applied until the time of NCAA academic evaluation.
• Distance, e-learning & hybrid programs run by NCAA-approved schools will be approved automatically for distance courses taken during 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 years.
• Pass/fail grades earned in 2020-21, 2021-22 and/or 2022-23 will be assigned 2.3 value unless it hurts the student’s GPA.
  • This applies for all students taking high school courses during those years regardless of grad year.
• For students enrolled in college 2022-23 or 2023-24 years, up to 6 units (12 semesters) can be counted starting after the 7th semester (fall senior year) before full-time enrollment.
  • Graduating on time is not a requirement to get these additional units.

Students who initially enroll full-time during 2022-23 or 2023-24 will receive an automatic initial-eligibility waiver in the academic certification process that provides the highest level of relief for which they are eligible, per the criteria below:

The following chart provides a quick reference for each division and the COVID-19 Automatic Waiver criteria for 2022-23 or 2023-24 enrollment:

Even though a standardized test score is not necessary for the NCAA initial-eligibility certification process for those enrolling in college in the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 academic years – colleges and universities may still require test scores for admission. It is highly suggested to inquire with the specific college’s admissions standards. Additionally, some academic scholarships, financial aid, and grants or loans may factor in standardized test scores.

For those student-athletes enrolling in college in Fall 2024 and beyond, it has been recommended by the NCAA Committee on Academics to remove the standardized test requirement for initial-eligibility certification, but it will not be finalized until the NCAA vote in January 2023.

Still have questions? Navigating the complex and changing NCAA rules can be a challenge, and Honest Game is here to simplify the process. Contact Honest Game to help take the guesswork out of academic eligibility for college sports.

By Joyce Anderson, Honest Game Co-founder and COO
Having served on the NCAA Eligibility Center High School Advisory Board and as the College Bound Student-athlete Advisor at Evanston Township High School, Joyce has advised more than 2,000 high school student-athletes on academic eligibility and recruiting.