-
Effective May 1, 2026 | Removal of Repeat Courses for Fall 2026 and Beyond
At the 2025 NAIA National Convention, the membership approved Bylaw Amendment 25-B-08, which removes the NAIA’s definition of repeat coursework and eliminates corresponding restrictions on eligibility. This shift will change how repeat courses are treated when determining a student-athlete’s academic eligibility. 🚨 What’s Changing? Previously, the NAIA defined what qualified as a “repeat course” and…
-
Mid-Year Transfer Student Eligibility and Key Scenarios: A Comprehensive Guide
This article consolidates common scenarios related to mid-year transfer student-athletes and their eligibility to compete, as well as clarifying important eligibility rules for those participating between academic terms. Mid-Year Transfer Scenarios 1. Transfer – No Season Charged in Previous Term Scenario: A student-athlete currently attends an NAIA school for the fall term and participated in…
-
How to Certify After Post-Bacc Degree
After the bylaw amendment for Post-Baccalaureate eligibility, students now have the ability to seek either a graduate degree or a second undergraduate degree. The following informations provides guidance on how to certify student-athletes, specifically for the 24/36-Hour Rule, after the student has earned their first baccalaureate degree. Scenario 1: Student completed one term in graduate…
-
2023 Bylaw Update: Graduate Student Eligibility
Key Takeaways for Graduate Students’ Eligibility Frequently Asked Questions: Q: What is the reasoning behind distinguishing undergraduate eligibility and graduate eligibility like this? A: Early eligibility standards in the NAIA started with the philosophy that a student exhausted their eligibility when they earned their baccalaureate degree (in addition to the limits of 10 semesters/15 quarters…
-
Repeat Courses
Article V, Section C, Item 12 A repeat course is defined as a course term, summer or nonpreviously passed with a grade of “D” or better in any term, and subsequently retaken. For the purposes of this rule, the NAIA does not recognize a +/- attached to a letter grade. Consequently, a B+ or B-…
-
Mid-Year Certification
Article V, Section C, Item 14 A student who is eligible the last day of a term (as reported on the institution’s official academic calendar) may retain eligibility until midnight of the 30th calendar day following the close of a term to allow an institution time to recertify eligibility through the official Eligibility Certification Process.…
-
Mid-Year Eligibility for Freshmen
Article V, Section C, Item 5: Mid-Year Eligibility & 9-Hour Rule Definition of an Entering Freshman, V.B.5 : 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). V.C.5.a (Nine-Hour Rule) An entering freshman who…
-
Use of Non-Term Credits – Reliance on Transcript
For the 2021 Convention, the membership passed a bylaw on how to apply inter-term credit earned for eligibility purposes. While this bylaw application is listed under Article V, Section B, Item 10: Definition for Inter-Term, the guidance on how to evaluate inter-term credits covers all non-term credits such as summer courses or online, non-traditional courses.…
-
24/36-Hour Rule Exception Junior College Transfers
Article V, Section C, Item 6, Exception 2 states: EXCEPTION 2: A transfer student who has met the graduation requirements for an associate degree from a junior college in the previous two semester or three quarter terms of attendance will be exempt from meeting the 24/36-Hour Rule for the first two terms of attendance upon…
-
Progress Rule vs. 24/36-Hour Rule
The two core NAIA continuing eligibility requirements, the 24/36-Hour Rule and the Progress Rule, are often mistaken for one another. However, they represent separate concepts and are to be applied independently. Previous installments of this series explored only the 24/36-Hour Rule. This article explains the Progress Rule and its relationship to the 24/36-Hour Rule. Progress Rule (Bylaws Article…