GUIDE FOR
TWO-YEAR
TRANSFERS

2023-24
For Student-Athletes
at Two-Year CollegesInsideContents
3
4
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What Should You Consider Before Transferring?
Focus on Your Degree
Learn as Much as You Can
Transfer Checklist
How Do Transfer Rules Apply to You?
Our Three Divisions
When Can You Play?
Planning to Go Division I
Planning to Go Division II
Planning to Go Division III
Transfer Exceptions
Eligibility Clock
Important NCAA Terms

Information
Visit

eligibilitycenter.org
ncaa.org/transfer

Follow

Twitter @NCAAEC
YouTube @NCAAEC
Facebook @NCAAEC
Instagram @playcollegesports

Contact

NCAA legislative line:
877-917-6008, Monday-Friday
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time
International (including Quebec):
on.ncaa.com/intlcontact

Have a question abouttransferring?
» Read this guide.

» Search frequently asked questions at
ncaa.org/studentfaq.
» Review the Two-Year Transfer Best
Practices flyer.
» Visit ncaa.org/transfer.
» Contact the NCAA.

Other Resources» National Associationof Intercollegiate Athletics» NCAA Division I» NCAA Division II» NCAA Division III

NCAA and Make It Yours are trademarks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
All other trademarks are property of their respective holders. November 2023.

2
2023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDEWhat Should You Consider
Before Transferring?
Student-athlete success on the field, in the classroom and in life is at the heart of the NCAA’s mission. Your college experiencegives you the opportunity to receive a quality education and take your place among the student-athletes who have attended
college, played sports, received their degrees and gone on to make important contributions to society.
The decision to transfer to another school involves important and sometimes difficult choices. Make sure you understand therules, the options and the potential consequences of your decision. You do not want to risk your education or your chance to playNCAA sports.
This guide is for student-athletes transferring from a two-year school (junior or community college) to a four-year NCAAmember school. Students currently attending a four-year school should refer to the Guide for Four-Year Transfers, available atncaapublications.com.

32023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDEFocus on Your Degree
More than 500,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA sports but few move on to compete at the professional or Olympic level.
For the rest, the experiences of college athletics and the life lessons they learn along the way will help them as they pursue
careers in business, education, athletics administration, communications, law, medicine and many more fields.
Professional opportunities are extremely limited and the likelihood of a college athlete becoming a professional athlete is low. The
likelihood of an NCAA student-athlete earning a college degree is much greater: The graduation success rate for student-athletes
attending a Division I school is 89%. The academic success rate for Division II is 76%; the rate for Division III is 88%.

Percentage of College Athletes Who Become Professional Athletes
Men’s
Basketball

Women’s
Basketball

FootballBaseball

Men’s Ice
HockeyHigh School Student-Athletes

540,800

399,100

1,006,000

482,700

35,300NCAA Student-Athletes

18,80016,50073,70036,0004,300

NCAA Student-Athletes Drafted

52

31

254

791

71

*Percentage High School to NCAA

3.5%

4.1%

7.3%

7.5%

12.3%

*Percentage NCAA to Professional

1.2%

0.8%

1.6%

9.9%

7.4%

*Percentages of NCAA to major professional figures are based on the number of draft picks made in the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB and NHL drafts.

Learn as Muchas You Can
If you decide to transfer, the NCAA wants to help
your education and sports participation continue assmoothly as possible. But you have a responsibility
as well. Learn as much as you can to protect yourathletics eligibility and ensure that you will graduate on
time. While staff at the NCAA and its member schools
can give you advice, you need to understand howtransfer rules apply to you before you decide to moveto a new school.
This guide introduces you to the key issues involvedin transferring. Before you transfer, you may needmore information. Key people, including your coach orcompliance administrator, can help you successfully
work through the process. Take advantage of all theinformation available to you.
» Visit ncaa.org/transfer for FAQs and resources on
key topics.
» Talk to people at your current school,
including staff in the athletics department,compliance office or your academic advisor.
» Call the conference of the school you
are considering.
» Call the NCAA at 317-917-6008,
Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time.

42022-23 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDETransfer Checklist
ADMISSIONSHave you applied to the admissions department at the school you are transferring to?

INITIAL ELIGIBILITY
Have you registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center?
» To play at a Division I or II school (or Division III school if you are
an international student-athlete), you must register with the
Eligibility Center at eligibilitycenter.org.
» See page 9 for more information.

ELIGIBILITY CLOCK o you have any remaining eligibility to compete in your sport after transferring?
D» Student-athletes have four seasons to compete in each sport.
» See Eligibility Clock for more information.

TRANSFER ELIGIBILITYIn some cases, student-athletes who transfer to an NCAA school must sit out ofcompetition for an academic year of residence at their new school.
» You may be able to compete immediately if you meet division-specifictwo-year transfer criteria and/or a transfer exception.
» See transfer exceptions for more information.

OTHER TRANSFER REQUIREMENTS
Do you meet other transfer requirements?
» After initiating the proper transfer protocol with your current school, you may ask thecompliance staff at your new school if you meet all transfer requirements.

52023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDEHow Do Transfer Rules
Apply to You?
Note: This following information is for student-athletes transferring from a two-year school (junior or community college) to afour-year school. Students currently attending a four-year school should refer to the Guide for Four-Year Transfers, available atncaapublications.com.
You may be wondering how soon you can compete after you transfer. Before you can answer that question, you need to follow
these steps to understand how the transfer rules apply to your situation:
1. Determine if you are a transfer student-athlete.
2. Decide where you are going.
3. Understand your initial-eligibility status.
4. Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center, if needed.
The rules also depend on whether you currently attend a two- or four-year school. For instance, if you attend a two-year
school (community college or junior college) and want to transfer to an NCAA Division I or II school, you may need to graduate
first from your two-year school before you can compete at your new school. If you transfer before you graduate, you may haveto sit out of competition for an academic year of residence before you can compete.
The following information will help guide you through the process to determine if you qualify totransfer and what you must do to transfer.

1. Determine if You Are a Transfer Student-Athlete

To learn which transfer rules apply to your situation, you first need to determine
whether your situation meets the common definition of a transfer.
Ask yourself if you have met any of the conditions — called ‘‘transfer triggers” —of a typical transfer situation:
1. 	Have you been a full-time student at a two- or four-year school during a
regular academic term?
2. 	Have you practiced or competed with a college team? This includes during
any full- or part-time enrollment and includes reporting to any practicethat occurred prior to the start of an academic term.
3. 	Have you received athletics aid from a college while attending
summer school?
4. 	Have you received financial aid while attending an NCAA Division I school
during the summer?
If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, you are likely a transfer
student-athlete because you have met conditions that trigger your transfer
status. Now you need to learn how to meet the transfer rules so you can playyour sport at a new NCAA school.
If you answered “no” to all the above questions, you probably are not atransfer student-athlete and the transfer rules may not apply to you. Contact thecompliance staff at your new school and ask them to certify your eligibility status.

62023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDECASE STUDY
Jaylon was recruited to playbasketball at a two-year school. He
enrolled in classes as a full-timestudent and attended class on thefirst day of the semester.
On the fourth day of class, Jaylon
went to the registrar’s office anddropped from 12 credit hours to nine,
making him a part-time student for
the rest of the semester.
At the end of the semester, Jaylon
decided that he wanted to transfer toan NCAA school.
Is Jaylon a transfer student-athlete?
Yes. The transfer rules applied to
Jaylon the minute he became a fulltime student and went to class on
the first day of the semester.

2. Decide Where You Are Going

Now that you know if you are a transfer student-athlete, you need to decide which school you want to attend. As you think
about new schools, keep in mind academics are just as important as athletics. Your new school should help you meet all yourgoals – on the field, in the classroom and in life.
Each NCAA school is part of a division and a conference, and has its own admission policies. Transfer rules are different
for each NCAA division and may be more restrictive for some conferences.
Learn more about your new school’s division
As you research schools, take time to learn more about each NCAA division. Schools in Divisions I and II may offer
athletics scholarships to cover tuition, fees, room and board, and books. Division III schools do not award athletics
scholarships but do offer financial aid based on academics or need.
» See page 8 for more on the NCAA’s three divisions.
Learn more about your new school’s conference
In some cases, conference transfer rules can be more restrictive than NCAA rules, so you need to have a clear
picture before you make a move. For instance, conferences may differ on how long you must attend a new school
before you may compete.
Learn more about your new school’s admission policies
Meeting the NCAA transfer rules does not guarantee you will be admitted to a new school. You also need tomeet the school’s admission requirements — including academic standards — before you can play NCAA sports.
» Visit on.ncaa.com/MemberMap for a full list of NCAA schools, sorted bydivision, sport and conference, and a database with contact information foreach school's athletic department.
» Talk to the academic, admissions and financial aid offices at the school you
wish to attend to make sure the school will be a good fit for you.

72023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDEOur Three Divisions

The NCAA’s three divisions were created in 1973 to align like-minded
campuses in the areas of fairness, competition and opportunity.

DIVISION

351

293

433

8,449

2,300

1,655

1 in 221 in 91 in 6AVERAGE NUMBER OFTEAMS PER SCHOOL

19

16

19

PERCENTAGE OF NCAASTUDENT-ATHLETESIN EACH DIVISION

36%

25%

39%

Multiyear, cost-of-attendance
athletics scholarships available

Partial athletics
scholarship model

No athletics
scholarships

58% of athletesreceive athletics aid

67% of athletesreceive athletics aid

80% of athletesreceive nonathletics aid

Division I studentathletes graduate ata higher rate than thegeneral student body.

Division II is the only
division with schools
in Alaska, Puerto
Rico and Canada.

Division III’s largest
school has 27,642
undergraduates.
The smallest? 228.

NUMBER OFSCHOOLS*

MEDIANUNDERGRADUATEENROLLMENTSTUDENTS WHO
ARE ATHLETESATHLETICSSCHOLARSHIPS

(33%)

(27%)

(40%)

DID YOU KNOW?

*The number of schools for each division is current as of the 2022-23 academic year. This does not include reclassifying, provisional or exploratory schools.
Student-athlete participation numbers include NCAA championship sports only and are current as of the 2021-22 academic year.

How is each division governed?
NCAA schools develop and approve
legislation for their own divisions. Groups ofpresidents and chancellors lead each divisionin the form of committees with regularlyscheduled meetings.

What are the eligibility
requirements in each division?

If you want to compete at an NCAA school,
you must meet academic and/or amateurism
standards set by NCAA members. Academic
and amateurism standards are outlined inthis guide and can be found on each division’s
page on ncaa.org.

82023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDE3. Understand Your Initial-Eligibility Status

Once you know whether you are a transfer student-athlete and have identified the school you want to attend, you need to find out
what your initial-eligibility status is for your new school.
Why do you need to know your initial-eligibility status?
In part, your initial-eligibility status determines which transfer rules apply to you and how many seasons of competition you may
have remaining to play at your new school.
What is your initial-eligibility status?
High school student-athletes who want to compete in NCAA sports during their first year at a Division I or II school need to meetcertain division-wide academic standards. Your initial-eligibility status indicates whether you meet the academic standards tocompete in your first year at a Division I or II school.
The NCAA Eligibility Center will determine your initial-eligibility status based on the NCAA-approved core courses you took in highschool, the grades and number of credits you earned in those courses. If you do not have an academic initial-eligibility status, talkto the compliance office at your new school.
Division III schools set their own admissions and academic requirements. If your first college enrollment was at a Division III
school, you probably were not assigned an academic initial-eligibility status by the Eligibility Center. However, international
student-athletes (first-year enrollees and transfers) enrolling at a Division III school after Aug. 1, 2023, must be certified as anamateur by the Eligibility Center. If you are transferring to a Division III school, you need to meet the admission requirements of theschool you plan to attend.

4.	Register With the NCAA Eligibility Center, if Needed

By now you should know if you are a transfer student-athlete, which school you want to attend and what your initial-eligibility
status is. If you want to transfer to a Division I or II school and you have never registered with the Eligibility Center, you need tovisit eligibilitycenter.org to register before you continue the transfer process.
If you have not registered with the Eligibility Center, your initial-eligibility status is “nonqualifier.” Schools cannot assume you area qualifier or partial qualifier.

Visit ncaa.org/student-athletes/future tolearn more about initial-eligibility statuses.

92023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDECASE STUDYWhen Can You Play?
There are several aspects of your college experience that determine when
you may compete after transferring. Find the chart on the following pages
that applies to you to figure out when you may compete.
Depending on your college experience, you may be able to compete as soon
as you transfer or you may need to spend one academic year as a full-timestudent at your new school before you are eligible to compete.
For your academic year of residence to count, you must attend classes onlyat the school where you plan to compete and be a full-time student (at least
12 credit hours). You cannot meet this requirement by attending your new
school part time or by not attending school at all.
Each school determines its own full-time status, so check with thecompliance office at your new school to find out how many credit hours
you need to take.
» For a semester or quarter to count toward your academic year ofresidence, you must enroll before the 12th day of that academic term.
Additional progress-toward-degree rules from the NCAA, your new schoolor your new school’s conference may affect when you can play. For more
information, talk to the compliance office at your new school.
If you are an international student and attend a two-year school outside of
the United States, use the rules for student-athletes at four-year schools in
the Four-Year Transfer Guide.

102023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDE

Jackson transferred to an NCAA
school before the beginning of theschool year and is sitting out a year.
He completed 12 credit hours in thefall and 12 credit hours in the spring.
At his new school, students whotake 12 credit hours are consideredfull-time students.
Did Jackson complete hisacademic year of residence?
Yes. Since Jackson completed two
full-time semesters (12 + 12), hesatisfied the full-time requirement
for the year.

CASE STUDY
Sydney transferred to an NCAA
school and is sitting out a year. At
her new school, students with 12
credit hours are considered fulltime students.
Sydney completed 12 hours in thefall. In the spring, she enrolled fornine hours and was considered apart-time student.
Did Sydney complete her
academic year of residence?
No. Sydney did not complete twosemesters as a full-time student.
She must still complete a second
semester as a full-time student
before she has fulfilled heracademic year of residence.

Planning To Go Division I 2-4 TRANSFER
YOU PLAN TO ATTEND A DIVISION I SCHOOL.
YOU HAVE NEVER ATTENDED A FOUR-YEAR SCHOOL FULL TIME.

You are a qualifier:

You are a nonqualifier or academic
redshirt (or qualifier who does not meetcriteria listed on the left side of this page):

At your two-year school, did you:
1.	Complete at least one semester or quarter as a full-timestudent? Summer school does not count.

At your two-year school, did you:

2.	Complete an average of 12 transferable credit hours in eachterm you attended full time?*

1.	Graduate from your two-year school? You must have earned
25% of your credit hours at the two-year school awarding
your degree.

3.	Earn a GPA of 2.5 in those transferable credit hours?

2.	Complete at least three semesters or four quarters as a fulltime student? Summer school does not count.

If YES to all

3.	Complete 48 transferable credit hours if your school uses
semesters or 72 transferable credit hours if your school
uses quarters? *Your transferable credit hours must include
all the following subjects:»	English: Six hours if your school uses semesters or eight
hours if your school uses quarters.

If NO to any»	Math: Three hours if your school uses semesters or fourhours if your school uses quarters.
You can practice,
get an athletics
scholarship andcompete as soon
as you transfer.**

You canpractice andget an athletics
scholarship assoon as you
transfer.

»	
Science: Three hours if your school uses semesters orfour hours if your school uses quarters.

You cannot
compete until
you sit out foran academic
year ofresidence.

4.	Earn a GPA of 2.5 in those transferable credit hours?

If YES to all

You can practice,compete andget an athletics
scholarship assoon as you
transfer.**

If YES to questions 1-3, NO toquestion 4, and your GPA
is 2.00–2.49

You canpractice andget an athletics
scholarship assoon as you
transfer.

You cannot
compete until
you sit out foran academic
year ofresidence.

If NO to any

You cannot
practice, getan athletics
scholarship orcompete until
you sit out for an
academic year ofresidence.

*You may not use more than two credit hours of physical education activity courses to fulfill
the transferable degree credit and GPA requirements unless you are enrolling in a degree
program requiring physical education activity courses.

*You may not use more than two credit hours of physical education activity courses to fulfill
the transferable degree credit and GPA requirements unless you are enrolling in a degree
program requiring physical education activity courses. Remedial English and math classes
may not be used to satisfy this requirement.

**If you are a baseball, softball or basketball student-athlete who transfers to a new school inthe middle of the academic year, you may not compete until the fall term.

**If you are a baseball, softball or basketball student-athlete who transfers to a new school inthe middle of the academic year, you may not compete until the fall term.

Disclaimer: Your academics and athletics eligibility must be certified by the compliance office at the NCAA school you are transferring to.

112023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDEPlanning To Go Division I 4-2-4 TRANSFER
YOU PLAN TO ATTEND A DIVISION I SCHOOL.
YOU ATTENDED A FOUR-YEAR SCHOOL FULL TIME AND NOW ATTEND A TWO-YEAR SCHOOL FULL TIME.

You are aqualifier:

You are a nonqualifier oracademic redshirt:

At your two-year school, did you:

At your two-year school, did you:

1.	Graduate from your two-year school? You must have earned
25% of your credit hours at the two-year school awarding
your degree.

1. Graduate from your two-year school? You must have earned
25% of your credit hours at the two-year school awarding
your degree.

2.	Complete an average of 12 transferable credit hours foreach term you attended full time?*

2.	Complete an average of 12 transferable credit hours foreach term you attended full time? *Your transferable credit
hours must include all the following subjects:»	English: Six hours if your school uses semesters or eight
hours if your school uses quarters.

3.	Earn a GPA of 2.5 in those transferable credit hours?
4.	Before competing for your new NCAA Division I school, has
one calendar year elapsed since your last day of enrollment
at your original four-year school?

»	
Math: Three hours if your school uses semesters or fourhours if your school uses quarters.
»	
Science: Three hours if your school uses semesters orfour hours if your school uses quarters.
3.	Earn a GPA of 2.5 in those transferable credit hours?

If YES to all

You canpractice, getan athletics
scholarshipand compete
as soon as you
transfer.**If NO to any

You canpractice andget an athletics
scholarship assoon as you
transfer.

4.	Before competing for your new NCAA Division I school, has
one calendar year elapsed since your last day of enrollment
at your original four-year school?

You cannot
compete until
you sit out foran academic
year ofresidence.

If YES to all

You canpractice, getan athletics
scholarshipand compete
as soon as you
transfer.**If NO to question 4 only

You can practiceand get an athletics
scholarship, butcannot compete
until one calendar
year has elapsed.

If NO to any

You can practiceas soon as you
transfer if you
completed one
academic year at
all your colleges
combined.

You can get
an athletics
scholarship assoon as you
transfer if you
completed one
full-time academic
term at your twoyear school.

You cannot
compete until
you sit out foran academic
year ofresidence.

If NO to question 4 only

You can practice and get an athletics
scholarship, but cannot compete until one
calendar year has elapsed.
*You may not use more than two credit hours of physical education activity courses to fulfill
the transferable degree credit and GPA requirements unless you are enrolling in a degree
program requiring physical education activity courses.

*You may not use more than two credit hours of physical education activity courses to fulfill thetransferable degree credit and GPA requirements unless you are enrolling in a degree program
requiring physical education activity courses.

Remedial English and math classes may not be used to satisfy this requirement. Transferable
English, math and natural/physical science courses earned at previous four-year college may
be used.

**If you are a baseball, softball or basketball student-athlete who transfers to a new school inthe middle of the academic year, you may not compete until the fall term.

**If you are a baseball, softball or basketball student-athlete who transfers to a new school inthe middle of the academic year, you may not compete until the fall term.

A qualifier can also use the nonqualifier standard to avoid the year in residence.

Disclaimer: Your academics and athletics eligibility must be certified by the compliance office at the NCAA school you are transferring to.

122023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDEPlanning To Go Division II 2-4 TRANSFER
Additional DII 2-4 transfer information on page 14

You have never attended a four-year
school full time, are a qualifier andhave attended only one semester orquarter at a two-year school full time:

You have never attended a four-year
school full time, have been enrolled formore than one full-time term in a
two-year school but have not graduatedand are a qualifier or partial qualifier:

At your two-year school, did you:

At your two-year school, did you:

1. Complete only one semester or quarter as a full-time student?
Summer school does not count.

1. Complete at least two semesters or three quarters as afull-time student? Summer school does not count.

2. Complete at least 12 transferable credit hours for thesemester or quarter you attended full time?*

2. Complete an average of 12 transferable credit hours foreach term you attended full time, earning a GPA of 2.2 in alltransferable credit hours? *Your transferable credit hours must
include all the following subjects:» English: Six hours if your school uses semesters or eight
hours if your school uses quarters.

3. Earn a GPA of 2.2 in all transferable credit hours?
4. Earn at least nine-semester or eight quarter hours during yourlast full-time term.

» Math: Three hours if your school uses semesters or fourhours if your school uses quarters.
If NO to any

If YES to all» Science: Three hours if your school uses semesters or fourhours if your school uses quarters.
3. Earn at least nine-semester or eight quarter hours during yourlast full-time term.

You can practice,
get an athletics
scholarship andcompete as soon as
you transfer.

Please refer to theright-hand columnof this page.

If YES to all

You canpractice, getan athletics
scholarshipand compete
as soon as you
transfer.

If NO to question 3 only

You canpractice andget an athletics
scholarship assoon as you
transfer.

If NO to question 1 or 2

You can practice and get
an athletics scholarship assoon as you transfer but
cannot compete.
*You may not use more than two credit hours of physical education activity courses to fulfill
the transferable degree credit and GPA requirements unless you are enrolling in a degree
program requiring physical education activity courses.
Remedial courses may not be used to satisfy these requirements.
Disclaimer: Your academics and athletics eligibility must be certified by the compliance office at the NCAA school you are transferring to.

132023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDEYou cannot
compete until
you successfullycomplete ninecredit hours towarda degree during afull-time term.

Planning To Go Division II 2-4 TRANSFER
Continued from page 13

YOU HAVE NEVER ATTENDED A FOUR-YEAR SCHOOL FULL TIME.
YOU GRADUATED FROM YOUR TWO-YEAR SCHOOL.

If you are a qualifier or partial qualifier andgraduated from your two-year school:
At your two-year school, did you:
1. Complete at least two semesters or three quarters as a full-timestudent? Summer school does not count.
2. Earn at least 25% of the credit hours needed to fulfill the degree
requirement at the two-year school awarding your degree?
3. Earn at least nine-semester or eight-quarter hours during yourlast full-time term.

If YES to all

If NO to question
2 onlyYou can practice,
get an athletics
scholarship andcompete as soon
as you transfer.

Please refer tothe right-handcolumn on
page 13 for thetransfer option
more closely
related to yoursituation.

If NO to question
3 onlyYou canpracticeand get anathletics
scholarshipas soon as
you transfer.

You cannot
competeuntil yousuccessfullycomplete ninecredit hours
toward adegree during
a full-time
term.

Disclaimer: Your academics and athletics eligibility must be certified by the compliance office at the NCAA school you are transferring to.

142023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDEPlanning To Go Division II 4-2-4 TRANSFER
Additional DII 4-2-4 transfer information on page 16

YOU ATTENDED A FOUR-YEAR SCHOOL FULL TIME AND
NOW ATTEND A TWO-YEAR SCHOOL FULL TIME.

If you attended only one semester orquarter at a two-year school full timeand graduated and are a qualifier orpartial qualifier:If you did not graduate fromthe two-year school and are aqualifier or partial qualifier:
At your two-year school, did you:

At your two-year school, did you:

1. Complete at least two semesters or three quarters as afull-time student? Summer school does not count.

1. Graduate from your two-year school?

2. Complete an average of 12 transferable credit hours foreach term you attended full time, earning a GPA of 2.2 in alltransferable credit hours? *Your transferable credit hours
must include all the following subjects:» English: Six hours if your school uses semesters oreight hours if your school uses quarters.

2. Complete only one semester or quarter as a full-time student?
3. Earn at least nine-semester or eight-quarter hours during
your last full-time term.

If YES to all

If NO to question
1 only» Math: Three hours if your school uses semesters orfour hours if your school uses quarters.

If NO to question
2 only» Science: Three hours if your school uses semesters orfour hours if your school uses quarters.
3. Earn at least nine-semester or eight-quarter hours during
your last full-time term.

You can practice,
get an athletics
scholarshipand compete
as soon as you
transfer.

Please refer to theright-hand column ofthis page.

Please refer to page
16 for the transfer
option more closely
related to yoursituation.

If YES to all

You can practice,
get an athletics
scholarship andcompete as soon as
you transfer.

If NO to question
3 onlyYou can practice and get
an athletics scholarshipas soon as you transfer.

You cannot compete
until you successfullycomplete ninesemester or eightquarters hours towarda degree during a fulltime term.

If NO toquestion 3 only

You canpractice andget an athletics
scholarship assoon as you
transfer.

If NO to question 1 or 2

You can practice and get
an athletics scholarship assoon as you transfer but
cannot compete.
*You may not use more than two credit hours of physical education-activity courses tofulfill the transferable degree credit and GPA requirements unless you are enrolling in adegree program requiring physical education-activity courses.
Remedial English and math classes may not be used. Transferable English, math andnatural/physical science courses earned at previous four-year college may be used.

Disclaimer: Your academics and athletics eligibility must be certified by the compliance office at the NCAA school you are transferring to.

15
2023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDEYou cannot
compete until
you completenine-semester or eightquarters hours
toward a degree
during a full-timeterm.

Planning To Go Division II 4-2-4 TRANSFER
Continued from page 15

YOU ATTENDED A FOUR-YEAR SCHOOL FULL TIME AND NOW ATTEND A TWO-YEAR SCHOOL FULL TIME.
YOU ATTENDED THE TWO-YEAR SCHOOL FOR AT LEAST TWO SEMESTERS OR THREE QUARTERS
FULL TIME AND GRADUATED.

If you are a qualifier or partial qualifier:
At your two-year school, did you:
1. Complete at least two semesters or three quarters asa full-time student?
2. Graduate and earn at least 25% of the credit hours needed
to fulfill the degree requirement at the two-year school
awarding your degree?
3. Earn at least nine-semester or eight-quarter hours during
your last full-time term.

If YES to all

If NO to either
question 1 or 3

If NO to question
3 onlyYou can practice,
get an athletics
scholarship andcompete as soon
as you transfer.

Please refer to theright-hand column
on page 15
for the transfer
option more closely
related to yoursituation.

You can
You cannot
practice andcompete until
get an athletics you complete
scholarship as nine-semestersoon as you or eight-quartertransfer.
hours toward a
degree during afull-time term.

Disclaimer: Your academics and athletics eligibility must be certified by the compliance office at the NCAA school you are transferring to.

162023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDEPlanning To Go Division III
YOU PLAN TO ATTEND A DIVISION III SCHOOL.

If you have never attended afour-year school:

If you attended a four-year school andnow attend a two-year school:

At your two-year school, did you practice or compete inintercollegiate sports?

1. At	 the time of transfer from your previous four-year school,
would you have been athletically and academically eligible
had you remained at your previous four-year school without
ever attending the two-year school?
2.	At your two-year school, did you complete at least two fulltime semesters or three quarters (summer school does notcount) AND complete 24 transferable credit hours if yourschool used semesters or 36 transferable credit hours if
your school used quarters?

If YES

If NO

You can compete
immediately after
your transfer ONLY
IF you would havebeen academically andathletically eligible tocompete had you stayedat your two-year school.

You are immediately
eligible to compete
upon transfer to theDivision III school.

If YES to either
question 1 or 2

If NO to both questions
1 and 2

You can compete
immediately upontransfer to theDivision III school.

You are not eligible
to compete for a
Division III school
until you have served
an academic year ofresidence at theDivision III school.

A 4-2-4 transfer can become
eligible after a term(s) in residence
at the certifying Division III
school provided the student has
enrolled full time for at least
two semesters or three quarters
between the two-year school andthe certifying Division III school,
AND the student has earned atotal of 24 semester or 36 quarter
hours while enrolled at the twoyear school and Division III school.
Hours at the two-year school mustbe transferable-degree credits.

Disclaimer: Your academics and athletics eligibility must be certified by the compliance office at the NCAA school you are transferring to.

172023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDETransfer Exceptions
There are a number of transfer exceptions that could allow you to practice, compete or receive an athletics scholarship during
your first year at your new school. Remember, other school or conference rules also may affect your timeline. Talk to thecompliance office at your new school about whether you qualify for a transfer exception. Your new school will decide if you
qualify. If you don't meet a transfer exception, you will need to meet all transfer criteria listed within the 2-4 or 4-2-4 sections
outlined previously in this guide.

Basic Restrictions for Transfer Exceptions
There are several basic restrictions for transfer exceptions:» An individual who was not a qualifier for Division I shall not be permitted to use the following exceptions as a 2-4 transfer.
» An individual who was not a qualifier for Division II shall not be permitted to use the following transfer exceptions.
» If you signed a National Letter of Intent and transfer during your first year as a full-time college student, you may not be able
to compete at your new school for a certain period of time. Learn more about the NLI program on page 23.
» You may not use an exception if you are completing a year of residence at your current school.
» If you are a baseball, softball or basketball student-athlete and transfer to a Division I school at the start of winter or spring
term, you will not be eligible to compete until the next fall term.

182023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDEIf You Have Never Attended a Four-Year School
1.	Your sport is dropped or not sponsored at your two-year school but you plan to attend
a Division I or II school.
	If your current school drops your sport, or if it did not sponsor your sport while you were astudent, you may use an exception to compete immediately after transferring to a
Division I or II school.
»	You may use this exception only if you transfer after your current school publicly
announces it will drop your sport.
»	To qualify for this exception, you must have a GPA of at least 2.5 for Division I
or 2.2 for Division II.
2.	You plan to attend a Division II school but have not been recruited by that school.
	If you have never been recruited by the Division II school you plan to attend, you may use an
exception to compete immediately after transferring to a Division II school. To qualify for thisexception, you must meet all the following conditions:»	You have not received an athletics scholarship.
»	You have not competed for any previous school, and you have not participated in any
countable athletically related activities beyond a 14-consecutive-calendar period at any
previous school.
3.	You have not participated in your sport for two years and plan to attend
a Division I or II school.
	If you have not participated in your sport for two years, you may use an exception to compete
immediately if you meet one of the following conditions:»	You have not competed with an intercollegiate sports team for two years before
practicing or competing with your new school.
»	You have not practiced for more than a 14 consecutive calendar day periodwith an intercollegiate sports team for two years before practicing or competingwith your new school.
»	You did not practice or compete in noncollegiate amateur competition for two years while
you were a full-time student.
4.	You plan to attend a Division III school.
	If you plan to attend a Division III school, you may be eligible to compete immediately if you
meet an exception. To qualify, you must meet any of the following conditions:»	You have never practiced nor competed in intercollegiate athletics.
»	You would have been academically and athletically eligible at the time of transfer.
»	You have not practiced or competed with an intercollegiate sports team for two
consecutive years.

192023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDEIf You Have Attended a Four-Year School
and Now Attend a Two-Year School

If you have attended a four-year school but now attend a two-year school and want
to transfer to an NCAA school, you may use an exception to compete immediately if
you meet one of the following conditions:
1.	You want to return to your original school.
2.	Your sport was not sponsored at your first four-year school.
3.	You have not participated in your sport for two years.
4.	You plan to attend a Division II school but have not been
recruited by that school.
5.	You plan to attend a Division III school.
1.	You want to return to your original school.
	If you attend a two-year school but want to transfer back to the Division I or II
school you previously attended, you may use an exception to compete
immediately, provided you were eligible at the time you transferredfrom your Division I or II school.
2.	Your sport was not sponsored at your first four-year school.
	
If the first four-year school you attended did not sponsor your sport while youwere a student, you may be able to use this exception to compete immediately
after transferring to a Division I or II school if you meet all the following conditions:»	You have not attended another four-year school that offered your sport.
»	You completed an average of 12 transferable credit hours at yourtwo-year school.
»	You earned a GPA of at least 2.5 for Division I or 2.2 for Division II in thosetransferable credit hours.
»	If you are transferring to a Division I school, this exception only applies if you
were a Division I qualifier.
»	If you are transferring to a Division II school, this exception only applies if
you were a Division II qualifier and your current two-year school also neversponsored your sport at the intercollegiate level.
3.	You have not participated in your sport for two years.
	If you have not participated in your sport for two years, you may use an exception
to compete immediately if you meet one of the following conditions:» You have not competed with an intercollegiate sports team during the twoyears prior to practicing or competing with your new school.
» You have not practiced for more than a 14 consecutive calendar day periodwith an intercollegiate sports team during the two years prior to practicing orcompeting with your new school.
» You did not practice or compete in noncollegiate amateur competition for two
years while you were a full-time student.

202023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDECASE STUDY
Ryan enrolled at a Division I
school, was a qualifier andwas on the swimming anddiving team.
He then transferred to a twoyear school and was on theswimming and diving team there
as well. He did not receive an
Associate of Arts (AA) degree.
Now, Ryan wants to return to his
original Division I school.
Must Ryan serve an academic
year of residence at theDivision I school?
No. Even though he does notmeet the requirements because
he did not earn his AA degreefrom the two-year school,
Ryan does not have to serve an
academic year of residence atthe Division I school because
he is returning to his original
school and was not sitting out anacademic year of residence when
he transferred.

4.	You plan to attend a Division II school but have not been recruited by that school.
	If you have never been recruited by the Division II school you plan to attend, you may use an exception tocompete immediately after transferring to a Division II school. To qualify for this exception, you must meet all
the following conditions:»	You have not received an athletics scholarship.
»	You have not competed for any previous school nor participated in any practice activities beyond a 14
consecutive calendar day period at any previous school.
5.	You plan to attend a Division III school.
	If you plan to attend a Division III school, you may be eligible to compete immediately if you meet an exception.
To qualify, you must meet any of the following conditions:»	You have never practiced nor competed in intercollegiate athletics.
»	You would have been academically and athletically eligible at the time of transfer if you stayed at your originalfour-year school.
»	If you were not academically and athletically eligible at your original four-year school, then you must havebeen enrolled full time for at least two semesters (three quarters) at your current two-year college andhave successfully completed at least 24-semester or 36-quarter transferable-degree credit hours.
»	You have not practiced or competed with an intercollegiate sports team for two consecutive years.

21
2023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDEEligibility Clock
Each division has different academic standards for maintaining academic eligibility. All the standards are designed tomove the student-athlete toward graduation in a timely manner. As a transfer student, certification of your academic
eligibility will happen once you are enrolled at your new school and includes an evaluation of your transfer credits. The
compliance office at your new school can assist with this.
If you compete at a Division I school, you have five calendar years to play four seasons of competition. Your fiveyear clock starts when you enroll as a full-time student at any two- or four-year school. Your clock continues to tickdown, even if you spend an academic year of residence as a result of transferring, redshirting, not attending schoolor enrolling part time during your college career.
If you compete at a Division II or III school, you have 10 full-time semesters or 15 full-time quarters to play four
seasons of competition. You use a semester or quarter when you attend classes at a two- or four-year school asa full-time student or when you enroll part time and compete for your school. You do not use a term if you are notenrolled or if you attend part time without competing.

222023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDEImportant NCAA Terms
NCAA Eligibility Center: The NCAA Eligibility Center evaluates
your high school academic record and/or amateurism history to
determine if you are eligible to participate during your first year
at a Division I, II or III school.

Academic year of residence (commonly referred to as “sittingout”): You may need to spend an academic year of residence
without competing at your new school unless you qualify fora transfer exception. For an academic year of residence tocount, you must complete a full-time program of studies fortwo semesters or three quarters. Summer school and part-timeenrollment do not count toward an academic year of residence.

National Letter of Intent: NCAA schools that are partof the NLI program may send an NLI to a college-boundstudent-athlete they have recruited to participate in theirintercollegiate sports program.

Certifying school: The new school you want to attend
determines whether you are eligible to play.

The letter is a legally binding contract. It explains what athletics
financial aid the school agrees to provide the student-athlete
for one full academic year, only if the student is admitted to theschool and eligible for financial aid under NCAA rules. If you signan NLI, you agree to attend that school for one academic year
and other schools that are part of the NLI program can no longer
recruit you. For more information, visit nationalletter.org. The
NLI program is not administered by the NCAA.

Continuing-eligibility rules (rules affecting how long you may
compete in a certain sport):»	Division I: If you play at a Division I school, you have
five calendar years to play four seasons of competition.
Your five-year clock starts when you enroll as a full-timestudent at any college. Your clock continues to tick down,even if you spend an academic year of residence as aresult of transferring, redshirting, not attending school orenrolling part time during your college career.

Nonqualifier: A student-athlete planning to attend a Division I
school who has not met academic requirements to be a Division I
qualifier will be deemed a nonqualifier. If you are a nonqualifier, you
may not practice, compete or receive an athletics scholarship froma Division I school during your first year of full-time enrollment.
(Division II does not have nonqualifiers.)»	Divisions II and III: If you play at a Division II or III school,
you have the first 10 semesters or 15 quarters in which
you attend as a full-time student to complete your four
seasons of participation. You use a semester or quarter
any time you attend class as a full-time student or enroll
part time and compete for the school. You do not use aterm if you only attend part time with no competition or
are not enrolled for a term.

Partial qualifier: Any Division II student has not met therequirements necessary to be a qualifier. If you are a partial
qualifier, you can practice on campus and receive financial
aid from a Division II school, but you cannot compete for one
academic year. Division I does not have partial qualifiers.

Financial aid (commonly referred to as “scholarship”): Anymoney for school you receive from a college or another source.
Financial aid may be based on athletics, financial need oracademic achievement.

Qualifier: A student who, for purposes of determining eligibility
for financial aid, practice and competition, has:
» Graduated from high school.

Full time: Each school determines what “full-time” statusmeans. Typically, you are a full-time student if you are enrolled
for at least 12 credit hours in a term. Some schools define a fulltime student as someone who takes fewer than 12 credit hours
in a term.

» 	Earned the required number of core-course credits in therequired subject areas.
» Earned a minimum GPA in the required subject areas.
» For information on Division I and II initial-eligibility
requirements, visit on.ncaa.com/IE_Flyer.

Initial-eligibility rules: Initial-eligibility rules determine
whether you may practice, compete and receive an athletics
scholarship during your first year at a Division I or II school.

Recruited: If a college coach contacts you off campus, pays
your expenses to visit the campus, or (in Divisions I and II)
issues you an NLI or a written offer of financial aid, you areconsidered recruited. Prospective student-athletes will also
be considered as recruited if a school initiates or arranges atelephone contact on more than one occasion for the purposesof recruitment.

International students: An international student is any
student who attends a two- or four-year school outside theUnited States.
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA):The national governing body for over 1,100 colleges, universities,
conferences and organizations.

Transfer exception: A transfer exception allows you topractice, compete or receive an athletics scholarship during yourfirst year at your new school. Your new school decides if you
qualify for a transfer exception.

23
2023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDETransferable credit hours: Credit hours earned at yourprevious school that your new school will accept toward yourdegree. Each school determines how many and which credit
hours are acceptable for transferring.

Transfer trigger: A condition that can affect your transfer
status. A student who triggers transfer status isa student who:»	Has been a full-time student at a two- or four-year school
during a regular academic term. Classes taken during
summer terms do not count.

Two-year college: A school where students can earn an
Associate of Arts, Associate of Science or Associate ofApplied Science degree within two years. Also referred to as“community” or “junior” colleges.

»	Practiced with a college team.
»	Practiced or competed while enrolled as apart-time student.

Waiver: An action that sets aside an NCAA rule because a
specific, extraordinary circumstance prevents you from meeting
the rule. Only an NCAA school may file a waiver on your behalf;
you cannot file a waiver for yourself. The school does not
administer the waiver; the conference office or NCAA does.

»	Received athletics aid from a college while attending
summer school.
Note: This is not a complete list for Divisions I, II or III.
Please consult with your NCAA school's compliance office
for a complete review.

Walk-on: Someone who is not typically recruited by a school
to participate in sports and does not receive an athletics
scholarship from the school, but who becomes a member of oneof the school’s athletics teams.

242023-24 TWO-YEAR TRANSFER GUIDENCAA is a trademark of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. November 2023.