Compliance > Prospective Student-Athlete > Online Resources > NCAA Clearinghouse
- Link to Initial Eligibility Center-NCAA Clearinghouse
- Student Athletes should register with the NCAA Clearinghouse if they are considering competing in colligate athletics. A student athlete must be registered before he/she makes an official visit to a NCAA institution.
General Information and Q & A – NCAA Clearinghouse
What is the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse?
The NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse (the clearinghouse) is an organization that works with the NCAA to determine a student’s eligibility for athletics participation in his or her first year of college enrollment. Students who want to participate in college sports during their first year of enrollment in college must register with the clearinghouse.
Located in Iowa City, Iowa, the clearinghouse staff follows NCAA bylaws and regulations in analyzing and processing a student’s high school academic records, ACT or SAT scores, and key information about amateurism participation, to determine the student’s initial eligibility.
When to call the clearinghouse
Please contact the clearinghouse when you have questions like these:
• How do I register?
• I have forgotten my PIN. Can I get a new one?
• Some of my classes are not on my high school’s list. How can I get a class added?
• My clearinghouse report shows I am missing some material. What is missing?
• Where do I send my transcripts?
• What do the codes on my clearinghouse report mean?
• I have been home schooled. What do I have to do to register?
• I am a high school counselor and I do not know my high school’s PIN. Can I find out what it is?
• I am a high school administrator and want to add some core courses to our high school list. How do I do that?
NCAA Eligibility Center
Starting November 1, 2007, the NCAA Eligibility Center will begin processing academic and amateurism certifications and taking over all operations previously handled by the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, the eligibility center works closely with the NCAA national office, ensuring all academic and amateurism regulations are met. You may continue to access your initial-eligibility file by visiting www.ncaaclearinghouse.ne
Here is some important information that will assist you.
Certification
If you intend to participate in Division I or II athletics as a freshman, you must register and be certified by the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse.
Clearinghouse Registration Materials
Your counselors can obtain registration materials, at no cost, by calling the Clearinghouse (NCAA Eligibility Center) at the numbers listed above.
Registration Process
To register with the Clearinghouse (NCAA Eligibility Center), you must complete the Student Release Form (SRF), after your junior year, online, and send the clearinghouse the registration fee ($50 for domestic and $75 for international students). This SRF does two things:
• It authorizes each high school you have attended to send the clearinghouse your transcript, test scores, proof of graduation and other necessary academic information.
• It authorizes the clearinghouse to send your academic information to all colleges that request your eligibility status.
Online registration:
- The only method is to register online.
- Go online to www.ncaaclearinghouse.net.
- Select Prospective Student-Athletes and click on Domestic Student Release Form or Foreign Student Release Form.
- Complete the SRF form online, and include your credit or debit card information to pay the fee.
- Then follow instructions to complete the transaction. Print a copy of your completed registration form and both Copy 1 and Copy 2 of the transcript release form.
- Sign the transcript release forms, and give both to your high school counselor.
Fee Waivers
High-school counselors may waive the Clearinghouse (NCAA Eligibility Center) fee if you have previously qualified for and received a waiver of the ACT or SAT fee. Fee-waiver information is specified on the student-release form.
List of NCAA Approved Core Courses
The list of NCAA approved core courses identifies courses that may be used in meeting NCAA core-course requirements. Be sure that all courses you are taking for core-course purposes are listed on your high school's confirmation list of NCAA approved core courses
Clearinghouse (NCAA Eligibility Center) Questions
Here are some questions you may still have after reviewing the previous section:
Q: Do I have to register with the clearinghouse?
A: Yes. If you want to participate in Division I or II athletics as a freshman, you must register with the Clearinghouse (NCAA Eligibility Center).
Q: Is Clearinghouse (NCAA Eligibility Center) certification the same as college admission?
A: No. Initial-eligibility certification from the Clearinghouse (NCAA Eligibility Center) does not guarantee your admission to any Division I or II college. You must apply for college admission separately. The clearinghouse only determines whether you meet NCAA requirements as a freshman student-athlete in a Division I or II college to be able to compete, practice and receive an athletics scholarship.
Q: May I send my academic information directly to the Clearinghouse (NCAA Eligibility Center)?
A: No. Transcripts must come to the Clearinghouse (NCAA Eligibility Center) by mail directly from the high school—not from you. Give Copies 1 and 2 of the transcript release form to the counselors at the high school you have attended. Note: The Clearinghouse (NCAA Eligibility Center) will not accept faxed transcripts.
Q: Who may see my academic information?
A: The Clearinghouse (NCAA Eligibility Center) will provide eligibility information only to colleges that request your academic information. If no NCAA colleges requests your eligibility status, the Clearinghouse (NCAA Eligibility Center) may not process an eligibility-status certification.
Q: When is the best time for me to register with the Clearinghouse (NCAA Eligibility Center)?
A: Register after your junior year in high school. If you do not submit all required documents, your file will be incomplete and will be discarded after three years. After that time, you will need to re-register and pay your fee again.
Q: Is there a registration deadline?
A: No. However, you must be certified as a qualifier before you can receive an athletics scholarship or practice or compete at a Division I or II college during your first year of enrollment.
Q: What if I have attended more than one high school?
A: If you have attended multiple high schools since ninth grade, the Clearinghouse (NCAA Eligibility Center) must receive an official transcript for each school. Transcripts can come directly from each school or from the high school from which you are graduating. Check with your high school counselor.
Q: How may I arrange for the testing agency to send my scores directly to the Clearinghouse (NCAA Eligibility Center)?
A: When you register to take the ACT or the SAT, mark code “9999” so that the testing agency will send your scores to the Clearinghouse (NCAA Eligibility Center). Test scores must be reported to the Clearinghouse (NCAA Eligibility Center) directly from SAT or ACT. The Clearinghouse (NCAA Eligibility Center) will not accept test scores reported on high school transcripts.
