Link to NAIA Bylaws
An entering freshman is defined as a student who, upon becoming identified with an NAIA institution, has not been previously identified with any institution(s) of higher learning for any two semesters or three quarters (or the equivalent).
Entering Freshman Requirements
An entering freshman student must be a graduate of an accredited high school or be accepted as a regular student in good standing as defined by the enrolling institution. An entering freshman may become eligible immediately upon earning a final high school GPA of at least a 2.30 CGPA or meet the “traditional” 2/3 options described below:
- Final HS GPA of a 2.0 CGPA
- Finish in top half of the student’s graduating class.
- Minimum standardized test scores of 18 on the ACT or 970 on the SAT.
Did You Know? International Student – Multiple Graduation Dates
Standardized Tests: ACT & SAT
- “Super Scores” not accepted.
- SAT: Critical Reading and Math section only; Writing section not applicable
- Must be taken prior to the start of academic term in which the student wishes to compete.
Vacated Scores:
- No longer count toward eligibility requirement
- If student has already participated, does not constitute ineligible participation
- Students can still meet the requirement by taking the ACT/SAT and receiving the passing score in the term (semester or quarter) before the term they wish to compete.
Multiple GPAs on the High School Transcript
- If multiple GPAs exist on the transcript, then use the GPA used to determine class rank.
- If multiple ranks exist, then use the rank for determining the valedictorian.
- If the selection for a valedictorian does not exist, then use weighted over unweighted rank.
- If the school does not rank their students but offer academic and overall GPA, then use the overall GPA.
Class Rank & Exceptions
The class rank that is accepted is the rank as it appears on the final high school transcript after the student’s date of graduation.
An exception to the class rank requirement may be granted if:
- Completion of nine institutional credit hours prior to identification at any institution of higher education can be used if NO class rank appears on the final official high school transcript.
- Note that if a student does have a class rank on their transcript, but not in the upper 50% of the graduating class, then they cannot use this exception.
- Credits must be earned prior to identification at the NAIA institution.Credit must be accepted by the NAIA institution on their official transcript.
- All courses must be passed with a C or better.
- For CLEP or AP credit not applied to the transcript within a term, official documentation issued by the testing service, noting the date the exam was taken, will suffice.
Mid-Year Eligibility Option
Link to NAIA Bylaws
An entering freshman who satisfies one of the initial eligibility requirements can gain eligibility in a subsequent term if the student passed 12 institutional credit hours with a grade of “C” or better during the first term of attendance at the certifying NAIA institution.
While the term for this bylaw is often referred to as “mid-year” eligibility, this eligibility component may be used at any point after the student has been charged their first term of attendance. The first term must be earned at the certifying NAIA institution in which the student wishes to compete.
- A grade of a “P” may be used in lieu of a C to gain mid-year eligibility if the official transcript or academic catalogue specifically states that a grade of a P equates to a grade of a C in the grading rubric.
For further information on this bylaw, see: Mid-Year Eligibility for Freshmen
FAQ’s for Establishing Eligibility Mid-Year
Q: Does the student have to meet the initial eligibility criteria (i.e. 1-of-3) prior to identification? What happens if a student takes the ACT/SAT during the fall term?
A: No, there is no requirement that the 1-of-3 criterion (found in Bylaws Article V, Section C, Item 2) be met prior to the student’s initial identification. A student could take the ACT or SAT test in the first term, and use this test score to satisfy the 1-of-3 piece of the proposal. In addition, the student would also have to earn 12 hours in that fall term.
Q: Does a student need a specific GPA to utilize the exception?
A: No. The requirement is that the student must earn 12 hours with a grade of “C” or better. There is no GPA requirement because a student’s performance in any additional hours the student decides to take should not impact his or her ability to satisfy the exception.
Q: What if a freshman student gets a C in three courses (nine institutional credit hours) at my NAIA school, and a C in one course (three institutional credit hours) at another institution during his first term of attendance. Can he use this exception?
A: Yes. Per NAIA rules, a student who takes nine institutional credit hours at an NAIA school and three institutional credit hours elsewhere in the same term will be considered a term of attendance at the NAIA institution. The legislation simply requires 12 hours need to be earned with a C, but does not require all 12 hours be earned from the NAIA institution.
Q: Does a student have to maintain continuous identification to use the exception?
A: No. However, a student does have to have earned all 12 institutional credit hours during their first term of attendance. Non-term hours cannot be included to satisfy the 12 hours needed.
Q: How does this work if a student initially identifies after the fall term (i.e., a student’s first term is the spring semester)? Can the student use this exception?
A: Yes. If a student’s first term of attendance is the spring semester, the student could gain eligibility to compete the subsequent fall semester by earning 12 institutional credit hours with a grade of C during the spring semester, and also satisfying one of the initial eligibility criteria.
Q: For quarter schools, if a student wishes to compete in a spring sport, do the 12 hours have to be earned in the fall quarter, or in the winter quarter, or a combination of the two?
A: The bylaw requires that the hours must be earned in the student’s first term of attendance. If the student identifies in the fall, that means the 12 hours must have been earned in the fall, regardless of whether the student will compete in the winter quarter or in the spring quarter. The rule turns on the student’s first term of attendance, not the term prior to competition.
Q: If I transfer after the fall term, can I use this exception at a different NAIA institution from where I went in the fall?
A: No. The bylaw requires that the hours must have been earned at the certifying NAIA institution.
