Athletics Department Frequently Asked Questions

No, because they must be a high school graduate or equivalent as stated in the rule above. But, great question!

No, participation in the NJCAA is in no way reliant on or restricted in any manner based on where a recruit attended and graduated high school. Student-athletes in the NJCAA must be high school graduates or equivalent but where they received their credentials does not play a factor in their ability to participate on any of the NJCAA’s certified sports.

The NJCAA does not have an “eligibility clock” as other intercollegiate organizations do nor does the NJCAA have an age limit. An individual has eligibility in the NJCAA provided they have not previously competed in their first two or more years of intercollegiate competition in a sport and have maintained their amateur status.

Students are allowed two (2) seasons of competition in any sport at an NJCAA college, if they have not participated at any intercollegiate level (including varsity, JV, and/or club) during two (2) seasons previously. Participation in any fraction of any regularly scheduled contest during the academic year shall constitute one (1) season of participation in that sport. Participation includes entry into an athletic contest and does not include dressing for such an event.

The following is permitted under NJCAA recruitment rules:

1. No institution shall permit an athlete to be solicited to attend by the promise of a gift or inducement other than an athletic grant-in-aid.
2. An institution may pay for one visit to its campus by direct route, for a stay not to exceed two days and two nights. The paid visit must be limited to the campus and local community where the college is located. A student-athlete must have completed his/her junior year in high school in order to receive an official recruiting visit by a member NJCAA college.
3. While recruiting a potential athlete on campus, a college representative may purchase meals for the athlete. The value of the meals may not exceed the amount provided to a college employee while traveling on college business.
4. A college official must authorize all funds utilized for recruitment purposes.

Participation on a designated collegiate club team in an NJCAA certified sport will constitute one (1) season of participation.

Students must be enrolled full-time (twelve or more credits) at the college where they have chosen to participate when the regular season schedule of a sport begins. Students not enrolled during the term when the season begins remain ineligible throughout the season schedule unless they enroll on the first possible enrollment date following:

1. Their release from Active Armed Services of the United States with a discharge other than dishonorable.
2. Their return from a religious mission.
3. Their graduation from a high school or receipt of an equivalency diploma.
4. Their transfer from an NJCAA member college, which has dropped a sport after the school year, begins. Students that satisfy one of the four exceptions become eligible after the previous term has ended upon registration as a fulltime student for the new term. (Students must be added to the eligibility form before participating.)

Students must maintain full-time status during the season of the sport(s) in which they have chosen to participate (full-time status being 12 credit hours or more). Soccer season is in the fall so each student-athlete must be full-time during the fall term.

Yes, a student-athlete must be a graduate of a high school with an academic diploma, general education diploma or a state department of education approved high school equivalency test.

Students who have not been enrolled in college in twelve (12) or more credit hours (full-time) for a period of eighteen calendar months or longer shall be exempt from previous term and/or accumulation requirements as set forth in First Season Academic Requirements of the NJCAA bylaws. Second season student-athletes are not exempt from the Second Season Academic Requirements of the NJCAA bylaws. Students who have served eighteen calendar months in the Armed Forces of the United States, church mission or with a recognized foreign aid service shall be exempt from the First Season Academic Requirements and Second Season Academic Requirements. This must be approved by the NJCAA National Office. Note: this is a one-time exemption, available only for the first full-time term after the period of non-attendance.

Eligibility is determined at the institutional level and all previous college work is taken into consideration when determining NJCAA athletic eligibility. The basis for NJCAA academic eligibility is primarily based on the number of full-time terms a student has previously attempted.

First Season Academic Requirement: A first season participant must satisfy the academic progress eligibility requirement by meeting all of the requirements or at least one of the following rules or exceptions, which apply to the student’s situation: (Reference Appendix A)

• Zero (0) Previous Terms of Full-Time College Enrollment: A student-athlete who is in his/her first full-time college term is deemed to have satisfied the academic progress eligibility requirement for their initial term of full-time enrollment or participation, or
• One Previous Term of Full-Time College Enrollment: On or before the 15th calendar day of the student-athletes second full-time college term must have accumulated 12 credit hours with a GPA of 1.75 or higher, or
• Two or More Previous Terms of Full-Time College Enrollment: On or before the 15th calendar day of the third full-time, and all subsequent terms of full-time enrollment, A student-athlete must have passed 12 credit hours with a GPA of 2.00 or higher in the previous term of full-time enrollment, or
• Best Hours Accumulation Rule: On or before the 15th calendar day of the term the student-athlete wishes to participle in, a student-athlete must have accumulated passing credit hours with an associated GPA of 2.00 or higher in a number equal or greater than the student-athlete’s terms of full-time enrollment multiplied by twelve, or
• Total Hours Accumulation Rule:On or before the 15th calendar day of the term the student-athlete wishes to participle in, a student athlete-must have accumulated passing credit hours with a GPA of 2.00 or higher in a number equal or greater than:
  • 36 total semester hours for a fall season or 48 total semester hours for a spring season or
  • 54 quarter hours for a fall sport, 63 quarter hours for a winter sport, or 72 quarter hours for a spring sport.
  • A student-athlete may only use this rule once per sport within the same term. Once this rule is exhausted, the student-athlete must meet the requirements of Two or More Previous Terms of Full-Time College Enrollment or Best Hours Accumulation Rule to maintain eligibility.
• First Participating Term Accumulation Exception for Student Athletes with Prior Enrollment in Multiple Full-time Semesters:A student-athlete entering his/her first season of participation in a sport must have accumulated passing credit hours at a minimum of 24 semester hours or 36 quarter hours with a GPA of 2.00 or higher, on or before the 15th calendar day of the term.
  • The First Participating Term Accumulation Exception may only be used once to establish a student-athlete’s eligibility in the initial term of participation. This exception may not be used to establish eligibility in subsequent terms
• Second Season Academic Requirements: Prior to a student-athlete’s participation in a second season of a sport he/she must meet the appropriate Academic requirements of a first season participant and.
  • Have accumulated 24 earned/passing semester hours with a GPA of 2.00 or or
  • Have accumulated 36 quarter hours with a GPA of 2.00 or higher.
  • If the student-athlete has been enrolled in two quarter terms or less, the second season requirement becomes 28 quarter hours with a 2.00 GPA or higher.

The following withdrawal policy applies to students that are attending any college.

1. Students are allowed fifteen (15) calendar days from the beginning date of classes to withdraw completely or to withdraw to less than twelve credits (part-time) and not have that term affect their future eligibility, provided they have not participated in any athletic competition.
2. Students that have participated and withdraw within the first fifteen (15) calendar days of a particular term are not eligible for athletic participation and must re-establish their eligibility in accordance with the provisions of academic progress eligibility. The term in which the student participates must be considered the same as a term of full-time attendance.