Academic Terms Conversion (Semesters/Quarters/Trimesters)
Article V, Section F, Item 1: A student terminates athletic eligibility at the end of a term upon completing 10 semesters, 12 trimesters or 15 quarters in which the student is identified (See Article V, Section B, Item 8 of the NAIA Bylaws).
Note that all terms (not hours) are converted to the type of term used by the institution currently being attended. The following conversion refers only to terms of attendance. Credit hours earned at an institution are not converted but rather applied at face value.
The terms are converted as follows:
1 semester = 1 1/2 quarters = 1 1/5 trimesters
1 quarter = 2/3 semester
1 trimester = 5/6 semester
Student’s Eligibility with Fractions of Terms
A student with both semester and quarter terms in their academic history may have partial terms upon converting the two types of terms together under one academic system. See example below.
The example above shows a student who has completed one quarter term and nine semester terms. Upon being certified for the term, the student will be entering their 9.67 semester term of attendance. The student would be eligible to compete as the student is under the 10 semester or 15 quarter term of attendance. However, if the student came back the next term and is certified at either 10.67 semesters (equivalent to 16 quarters), then the student would not be eligible to compete having exhausted their terms of attendance.
A student may play out a term if they have two-thirds of a term left. If a student has less than one-half a term remaining at the beginning of a term, their eligibility is terminated.
This equates to a student may participate in their last term of attendance if the current term is less than or equal to the following:
| Semester Schools | 10.33 |
| Quarter Schools | 15.50 |
| Trimester Schools | 12.40 |
