College-bound student-athletes enrolling for the first time at a Division I or II school must receive a final amateurism certification before being eligible to compete. This includes transfers from junior colleges, NAIA, international or Division III schools.

College-bound international student-athletes (first year attendees and transfers) initially enrolling in a Division III school during the 2023-24 academic year should register with an Amateurism-Only Certification account with the NCAA Eligibility Center. This account includes a $70 registration fee for all student-athletes. Please note: International prospective student-athletes who have registered with an Academic and Amateurism Certification account (previously titled "Certification account") do not need to create a new account and should maintain their original account.

To receive an amateurism certification, prospective student-athletes should:

• Determine the right NCAA Eligibility Center account for your circumstances
• Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center;
• Completely and accurately fill out the “Sports Participation” section during registration;
• Request final amateurism certification promptly; and
• Monitor tasks assigned to their account.

Below are some situations that may impact a prospective student-athlete’s amateur status. Click on each topic to learn more about the NCAA Eligibility Center’s requirement in each of these examples.

• Taking a break between high school/secondary school and full-time collegiate enrollment and continuing to participate in your sport(s).
• Using a recruiting agency, scholarship agent or a scouting service.
• Receiving funds or money to offset training expenses.
• Being represented or marketed by a professional sports agent.

Need more information? Click here for additional amateurism-related resources.

Click here for Division III amateurism requirements for international student-athletes

For information about the Eligibility Center’s amateurism response to COVID-19, click here.
For questions about name, image and likeness, click here.