COLLEGE COUNSELING/CRITICAL ACTIONS
ADVISING
COLLEGe
NCAA
Division I
Division II
Division III
NAIA
NCCAA
NJCAA
Eligibility
UTRs/Scoring Avg.
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a member-led organization dedicated to the well-being and lifelong
success of college athletes. NCAA schools award nearly $3.5 billion in athletics scholarships every year and provide
vast support to help student-athletes graduate at a rate higher than their general student peers.
More than 500,000 college athletes across all three divisions compete for about 1,100 member schools in all 50 states,
the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and even Canada.
Among the three NCAA divisions, Division I schools generally have the biggest student bodies, manage the largest
athletics budgets and offer the highest number of athletics scholarships. Division II provides growth opportunities
through academic achievement, learning in high-level athletics competition and a focus on service to the community.
The Division III experience offers participation in a competitive athletics environment that pushes college athletes to
excel on the field and build upon their potential by tackling new challenges across campus.
DIVISION I
Collectively, there are more than 350 Division I schools that field more than 6,000 athletics teams and provide
opportunities for more than 170,000 student-athletes to compete in NCAA sports each year.
Division I schools provide unmatched academic and athletic opportunities and support. This support includes full
scholarships, cost-of-attendance stipends, degree completion programs, and academic revenue distribution from the
NCAA for schools that meet certain criteria.
Division I is unique in that it’s subdivided based on football sponsorship. Schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision can
compete in bowl games. This includes the College Football Playoff, which is managed by the 10 FBS conferences and
Notre Dame outside the NCAA governance structure. Those that participate in the NCAA-run football championship
belong to the Football Championship Subdivision. A third Division I group doesn’t sponsor football at all. The
subdivisions apply only to football; all other sports are considered simply Division I and compete in NCAA-run
championships.
High-major programs generate the greatest amount of revenue and are normally able to fully fund their athletic
programs, including scholarships and facilities. The SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Big XII, and Pac-12 have negotiated the largest
television deals for their football programs and outpace every other conference by tens of millions of dollars in
revenue.
​
High-Majors
-
SEC
-
Big Ten
-
ACC
-
Big XII
-
Pac-12
-
AAC
-
Big East
DIVISION I CONFERENCES
Mid-Majors
-
Atlantic-10
-
CUSA
-
Sun Belt
-
MAC
-
Mountain West
-
Missouri Valley
-
Ohio Valley
-
Big West
-
WCC
Low-Majors
-
Atlantic Sun (A-SUN)
-
America East
-
Big Sky
-
Big South
-
Colonial
-
Horizon
-
Ivy League
-
MAAC
-
MEAC
-
NEC
-
Patriot
-
Southern
-
Southland
-
Summit
-
SWAC
-
WAC
NCAA Interactive Map
Click on the map to access the NCAA's Interactive Map feature and search for schools.
DIVISION II
Of the more than 1,100 NCAA member universities and colleges, about 300 classify their athletics programs in Division
II.
Division II is all about balance. Students participate in highly competitive athletics, have the best access ratio to NCAA
championships of any division and can earn athletics scholarships, but their college experience includes so much more
than sports participation. The balanced approach in athletics, academics and community engagement allows Division II
student-athletes to focus on their academic pursuits, internships, studies abroad and all that interests them.
Among the most distinguishing features in Division II is its athletics scholarship model, which awards partial
scholarships that students combine with academic or need-based grants to construct their financial aid package.
Division II believes it is important to acknowledge and financially reward students’ athletics abilities. This partial
scholarship model keeps athletics budgets more closely proportioned with the total institutional budget.
Division II schools are located in 47 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, as well as the District of Columbia. The division
also features the NCAA’s only international member university (Simon Fraser in British Columbia, Canada) and three
schools in Puerto Rico.
The Division II membership is split almost evenly among public and private schools. Division II has the greatest
proportion of historically black colleges and universities (about 10% of the Division II membership) and Hispanic-
serving institutions (almost 15%).
Most Division II member schools are organized among 23 conferences for the purposes of athletics competition,
though a handful of Division II schools are classified as independents.
​
DIVISION III
Division III is home to more than 440 institutions and 195,000 student-athletes — the most in any division — who can
earn the opportunity to compete in 28 national championships. The Division III philosophy ensures athletics are an
integral part of a well-rounded college experience. The athletic experience allows student-athletes to focus on their
academic programs and the ultimate goal of earning a degree. The four-year journey is designed to complement time
spent in the classroom and pursuing other activities — some related to coursework, others extracurricular. While
Division III doesn’t permit athletics scholarships, roughly 80% of Division III student-athletes receive some form of
academic grants or need-based scholarships.
​
In Division III, 80% of active members are private schools, while the remaining 20% are public. Division III sponsors 28
championships annually, and member schools sponsor an average of 19 sports.
Enrollments at Division III schools range from more than 25,000 to less than 300, giving the entire division an average
of 2,615 students per member. On average, student-athletes make up 26% of the student body on Division III
campuses.
​
In Division III, athletes must meet the admissions standards set by the school as opposed to divisional standards as in
Divisions I and II.
​
NAIA
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of
small athletics programs that are dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics. Since 1937, the NAIA has
administered programs dedicated to championships in balance with the overall college educational experience. Each
year more than 77,000 NAIA student-athletes have the opportunity to play college sports, earn over $800 million in
scholarships, and compete for a chance to participate in 28 national championships.
In 2010, the association opened the doors to the NAIA Eligibility Center, where prospective student-athletes are
evaluated for academic and athletic eligibility. It delivers on the NAIA’s promise of integrity by leveling the playing
field, guiding student-athlete success, and ensuring fair competition.
In the NAIA, a student-athlete can compete during four “seasons of competition” within the first 10 semesters (or
equivalent) in college. A season of competition is charged when you participate in one or more intercollegiate contests
whether at the varsity, junior varsity, or freshman level or in professional-level, non-collegiate competition. To compete,
student-athletes must be enrolled in at least 12 hours every semester or quarter and be making normal progress
toward a bachelor’s degree. They must also meet freshman and/or continuing eligibility rules.
Naia Interactive Map
Click on the map to access the NAIA's Interactive Map feature and search for schools.
NCCAA
The NCCAA was incorporated to provide a Christian-based organization that functions uniquely as a national and
international agency for the promotion of outreach and ministry and for the maintenance, enhancement and
promotion of intercollegiate athletic competition with a Christian perspective.
The membership has grown to approximately 90 Christ-centered colleges and universities and the mission has gone
far beyond just winning a tournament.
Today, each of the 22 national championships and 4 invitationals are required to hold a Christian Service Project (CSP)
during the championship event. CSP's are opportunities in which NCCAA student-athletes and coaches go out into a
championship host’s community and serve others. Some CSPs have included visiting children’s hospitals, serving the
Salvation Army, Boy’s and Girl’s Clubs, Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Samaritan’s Feet, Operation
Christmas Child, women ministry centers, hunger projects, reading to children in public schools, doing yard work
around the community, writing soldiers overseas, working in food projects, visiting the elderly in nursing homes, and
much more. Tens of thousands of hours have been given to communities across the nation through the NCCAA.
NJCAA
The NJCAA has played a vital role in collegiate athletics for the past eight decades and continues to be the leader in
championing academic and athletic opportunities for student-athletes. This section of the association's website is
dedicated to celebrating the NJCAA's rich history and tradition as the national governing body of two-year college
athletics.
Competing within a specific division of an NJCAA sponsored sport comes with specific policies and guidelines
published in the NJCAA Bylaws. Member colleges are responsible for following and abiding by these guidelines.
Division Scholarship Guidelines
Division I Colleges may grant full athletic scholarships (tuition, books, fees, room & board), up to $250 in course required supplies, and transportation costs one time per academic year to and from the college by direct route. Each sport has limits on the number of scholarships that can be granted.
Division II Colleges may grant athletic scholarships, but scholarships are limited to tuition, books, fees, and up to $250 in course required supplies. Each sport has limits on the number of scholarships that can be granted.
Division III Colleges are not permitted to offer any athletic scholarships.
NOTE: If a sport does not have the numbers to break into separate divisions, it operates under the Division I
scholarship guidelines.
Member colleges of the NJCAA are allotted to a specific NJCAA Region upon membership to the association. Unlike
other collegiate organizations that defer to conference affiliation, the NJCAA guarantees each member college's
membership within the regional structure of the association. In most cases, region assignment is based upon
geographic location of the college.
NJCAa regions Map
Click on the map to access the NJCAA's Regional Map feature and search for schools.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
NCAA
Division I
16 credits in NCAA-approved core courses
2.3 minimum GPA
As of 2023, the NCAA has discontinued the use of the sliding scale and no longer requires the submission of standardized test scores to determine initial eligibility.
Division II
16 credits in NCAA-approved core courses
2.2 minimum GPA
As of 2023, the NCAA has discontinued the use of the sliding scale and no longer requires the submission of standardized test scores to determine initial eligibility.
Division III
All admissions are handled through individual schools.
NAIA
For initial eligibility in the NAIA, high school graduates must meet 2 of the following 3 criteria:
2.0 minimum GPA
Minimum score of 18 on the ACT or 970 on the SAT
Graduate in the top half of their class
--or--
Graduate with a minimum 2.3 GPA without a qualifying test score
UTRs AND SCORING AVERAGES
