Don't lose your college eligibility by becoming a professional.
The activities listed below may cause you to lose your
eligibility. Since there are division-specific amateurism
regulations, please contact NCAA student athlete reinstatement or
membership services if you have additional questions.
You are NOT ELIGIBLE if you:
- Are paid (in any form) or accept the promise of pay for playing
in an athletics contest;
- Sign a contract or verbally commit with an agent or a
professional sports organization;
- Ask that your name be placed on a draft list [Note: In
basketball, once you become a student-athlete at an NCAA school,
you may enter a professional league's draft one time without
jeopardizing your eligibility provided you are not drafted by any
team in that league and you declare your intention in writing to
return to college within 30 days after the draft];
- Use your athletics skill for pay in any form (for example, TV
commercials, demonstrations);
- Play on a professional athletics team; or
- Participate on an amateur sports team and receive any salary,
incentive payment, award, gratuity, educational expenses or expense
allowances (other than playing apparel, equipment and actual and
necessary travel, and room and board expenses). · Receive
educational expenses to attend a high school or preparatory college
(tuition and/or fees, room and/or board) from an agent,
professional sports team/organization or representative of an
institution's athletics interests.
- Receive gifts or other benefits (e.g., vehicle, jewelry, meals)
because of your athletics ability or reputation.
Before enrolling in college, you may:
- Try out (practice with but not participate against outside
competition) with a professional sports team at your expense;
- Receive actual and necessary expenses from any professional
sports organizations for one visit per professional organization
not in excess of 48 hours; and
- Receive a fee for teaching a lesson in a particular sport.
Division II Amateurism Legislation:
Pre-Enrollment
NOTE: The following summary
information is subject to change. The NCAA membership services
staff should be consulted regarding the application of NCAA
legislation.
A. Prize Money: It is permissible for an
individual, prior to initial full-time collegiate enrollment, to
accept prize money based on place finish. (Please note that if the
student-athlete competes, the student-athlete may be subject to the
seasons of competition rule.)
B. Contract: It is permissible for an
individual, prior to initial full-time collegiate enrollment, to
sign a contract with a professional team. (Please note that if the
student-athlete competes, the student-athlete may be subject to the
seasons of competition rule.)
C. Draft: It is permissible for an individual,
prior to initial full-time collegiate enrollment, to enter the
draft and be drafted. (Please note that if the student-athlete
competes, the student-athlete may be subject to the seasons of
competition rule.)
D. Salary: It is permissible for an individual,
prior to initial full-time collegiate enrollment, to accept a
salary for participation in athletics. (Please note that if the
student-athlete competes, the student-athlete may be subject to the
seasons of competition rule.)
E. Educational Expenses: An individual is
permitted to accept educational expenses (i.e., tuition, fees, room
and board, and books) before collegiate enrollment from any
individual or entity other than an agent, professional sports
team/organization or a representative of an institution's athletics
interests, provided such expenses are disbursed directly through
the recipient's educational institution (e.g., high school, prep
school).
F. Competition with Professionals: It is
permissible for an individual to compete on a professional
athletics team. (Please note that the student- athlete may be
subject to the seasons of competition rule.)
G. Agent: An individual loses his or her
amateur status and shall not be eligible for intercollegiate
competition in a particular sport if the individual enters into an
agreement with an agent either before or after initial full-time
collegiate enrollment.
H. Seasons of Competition Rule: If an
individual, after his/her first opportunity to enroll in college
and prior to initial full-time collegiate enrollment engages in
organized competition, the student-athlete shall be charged with
one season of competition for every year he/she engages in
organized competition. Further, the student-athlete must serve one
academic year in residence. For specifics on organized competition
and exceptions refer to NCAA Bylaw 14.2.4. AMATEURISM
OVERVIEW: PRE-ENROLLMENT
Division II Amateurism Legislation: Post-Enrollment
NOTE: The following summary information is subject to change.
The NCAA membership services staff should be consulted regarding
the application of NCAA legislation.
Definition of a professional team: A professional team is any
organized team that:
1. Is a member of a recognized professional sports organization;
2. Is directly supported or sponsored by a professional team or
professional sports organization (see also Bylaw 12.6.1.1);
3. Is a member of a playing league that is directly supported or
sponsored by a professional team or professional sports
organization (see also Bylaw 12.6.1.1); or
4. Has an athlete receiving for his or her participation any
kind of payment, directly or indirectly, from a professional team
or professional sports organization (see also Bylaw 12.6.1.1).
B. Competition with Professionals:
An individual loses his or her amateur status and shall not be
eligible for intercollegiate competition in a particular sport if
the individual, after full-time collegiate enrollment, competes on
any professional athletics team and knows (or had reason to know)
that the team is a professional athletics team, even if no pay or
remuneration for expenses was received.
C. Draft:
An individual loses amateur status in a particular sport when
the individual asks to be placed on the draft list or supplemental
draft list of a professional league in that sport, even though:
1. The individual asks that his or her name be withdrawn from
the draft list prior to the actual draft
2. The individual's name remains on the list but he or she is
not drafted; or
3. The individual is drafted but does not sign an agreement with
any professional athletics team. However, an enrolled
student-athlete in the sport of basketball may enter a professional
league's draft one time during his or her collegiate career without
jeopardizing eligibility in that sport, provided the
student-athlete is not drafted by any team in that league and the
student-athlete declares his or her intention to resume
intercollegiate participation within 30 days after the draft. The
student-athlete's declaration of intent shall be in writing to the
institution's director of athletics. (see also Bylaw 12.2.4.2.1)
D. Agent: An individual also loses his or her
amateur status and shall not be eligible for intercollegiate
competition in a particular sport if the individual enters into an
agreement with an agent either before or after initial full-time
collegiate enrollment.
E. Salary: An individual also loses his or her
amateur status and shall not be eligible for intercollegiate
competition in a particular sport if the individual accepts a
salary for his/her participation in athletics.
F. Contract: An individual also loses his or
her amateur status and shall not be eligible for intercollegiate
competition in a particular sport if the individual signs a
contract with a professional team regardless of its legal
enforceability or any consideration received.
G. Educational Expenses: An individual loses
his or her amateur status and shall not be eligible for
intercollegiate competition in a particular sport if the individual
accepts educational expenses subsequent to collegiate enrollment by
an outside sports team or organization that are based in any degree
on the recipient's athletics ability (except as specified in Bylaw
15.2.2.2), even if the funds are given to the institution to
administer to the recipient.
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Division I (Student-athletes first enrolling on or after August
1, 2002)
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Division II -
(Student-Athletes enrolling on or after August 1, 2001)
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Division III -
(Student-athletes first enrolling on or after August 1, 2002)
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Enters into a Professional Contract
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No
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Yes*
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Yes*
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Accepts Prize Money
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Yes - If open event, and does not exceed actual and necessary
expenses or money from sponsor.
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Yes*
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Yes*
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Enters Draft
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Yes
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Yes*
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Yes*
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Accepts Salary
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No
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Yes*
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No
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Receives Educational Expense
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Yes - If other than an agent, booster, or professional team or
organization.
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Yes - If other than an agent, booster, or professional team or
organization.
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No
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Receives Expenses from a Professional Team
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No
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Yes*
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Yes*
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Competes with Professional
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No
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Yes*
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Yes*
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Receives Benefits from an Agent
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No
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No
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No
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Enters into Agreement with an Agent (Oral or Written)
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No
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No
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No
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- May be subject to Bylaw 14.2.4.2 in Division II and Bylaw
14.2.4.3 in Division III. (If the student-athlete does not enroll
in college at first opportunity and participates in organized
competition, the student-athlete is charged with a season of
competition for every year of competition. Further, the
student-athlete must fulfill an academic year in residence upon
enrolling in college).
- Definition of organized competition is different in Division II
and Division III. (See Division II Bylaw 14.2.4.2 and Division III
Bylaw 14.2.4.3.)
This chart is to be used only as a reference; please check the
manual for specific information. NCAA
Web Page
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