NCAA Sports, Scholarship & Eligibility for Canadian Student Athletes

NCAA Eligibility Center & Prepskills resources below help support Canadian Student Athletes.

If you are a student athlete looking to play College sports, what are your options?

NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association)
NCAA Division I
NCAA Division II
NCAA Division III

NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)

NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association)

Prepskills NCAA Student Athlete Academic Success Tips:

Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center (Don’t wait until your final year – register early – Grade 9 or 10)
Review the academic requirements for 1) College Admissions requirements of the College 2) NCAA Eligibility requirements
Review the International Guide for credit values per course to assure you are on track towards the 16 core course credits needed to be NCAA eligible
Review the approved NCAA core course list for your province as each province in Canada has a list of core courses approved for use towards NCAA eligibility

NCAA Initial Eligibility vs. University Admission

It’s important to understand that this is a separate process. Each university will have its own admissions process and it’s important to check the websites of the Colleges you are considering. You must send your transcript and SAT or ACT test scores to BOTH the NCAA Eligibility Center AND the Admissions office of the universities. Be sure to contact the Admissions office early and don’t forget to join us at US College Expo Canada. For further questions, feel free to contact the Prepskills office info@prepskills.com or call (416) 200-7728.

What’s the difference between NCAA DI, DII, DIII?

Main factors include number of men’s and women’s sports offered, size of the student body, athletics budget and fans in attendance. Read more about NCAA’s three divisions.

What are the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Academic Requirements?

To play Division I or II sports you need to meet the following academic requirements:

Present an acceptable form of proof of secondary school graduation
Complete 16 NCAA-approved core courses in the correct subjects
Earn a minimum core-course GPA: 2.300 for DI / 2.200 for DII
Earn an SAT/ACT score that matches your core-course GPA on the Division I or II sliding scale

What’s a NCAA core course?

Division I Core Course Eligibility
To compete at an NCAA Division I university, 16 core-course credits must be completed in the following areas:

English/Native Language – 4 credits
Natural/Physical Science – 2 credits
Math (Algebra I or higher) – 3 credits
Social Science – 2 credits
Additional (English, or native language, math or natural/physical science) – 1 credit
Additional (English, or native language, math or natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy) – 4 credits

Division II Core Course Eligibility
To compete at an NCAA Division II university, 16 core-course credits must be completed in the following areas:

English/Native Language – 3 credits
Natural/Physical Science – 2 credits
Math (Algebra I or higher) – 2 credits
Social Science – 2 credits
Additional (English, or native language, math or natural/physical science) – 3 credit
Additional (English, or native language, math or natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy) – 4 credits

Division III Initial-Eligibility Requirements
Each Division III college or university determines its own eligibility for:

Admission
Financial Aid
Practice and Competition

The NCAA Eligibility Center does not perform certifications for Division III college-bound student-athletes.
Division III student-athletes may register for a free Profile Page, but it is not required.

College-bound Student Athletes from Canada – What Canadian high school credits will count for NCAA Eligibility?

Each province in Canada has a list of core courses approved for use towards NCAA eligibility. Ensure you carefully review the approved core course list for your province.

NCAA Core Courses for Canadians
List of NCAA Canadian Core Courses for Eligibility
NCAA Core Courses for Ontario (Use Code 998003)
NCAA Core Courses for British Columbia (Use Code 998005)
NCAA Core Courses for Alberta (Use Code 998004)
NCAA Core Courses for Saskatchewan (Use Code 998002)
NCAA Core Courses for Manitoba (Use Code 998006)
NCAA Core Courses for Quebec (Use Code 998001)
NCAA Core Courses for New Brunswick (Use Code 998010)
NCAA Core Courses for Nova Scotia (Use Code 998009)
NCAA Core Courses for Prince Edward Island (Use Code 998008)
NCAA Core Courses for Newfoundland & Labrador (Use Code 998007)
NCAA Core Courses for Yukon Territory (Use Code 998011)
NCAA Core Courses for Northwest Territories (Use Code 998012)
NCAA Core Courses for Nunavut (Use Code 998013)

NCAA Eligibility Amateurism Certification Process

Required for all prospective student-athletes who are enrolling at a Division I or II institution for the first time, including:
- Domestic and International students
- Transfers from a junior college or foreign institution
Must receive a final amateurism certification to complete
May practice for no more than 45 days without a certification
Amateurism certification does not affect eligibility for athletically-related financial aid

Canada and The NCAA Quick Facts:

Almost 1700 Canadian student athletes were certified for NCAA Division I and II sports (both Men’s and Women’s).
In 2018, roughly 4130 Canadian Student-Athletes were participating in sports at NCAA schools.
Roughly 28% of all international registrants with the NCAA are Canadian.
Simon Fraser University (British Columbia) is NCAA’s first international Member School (Division II)

Canadian Student Athlete Recruitment Information

Coaches can ONLY make recruiting contacts when students are a certain academic year in high school and during certain times of the year.

The following guides are written according to the American high school year terms:

9^th Grade – Freshman year
10^th Grade – Sophomore year
11^th Grade – Junior year
12^th Grade – Senior year

For a list of recruiting calendars and further information, review the Guide for College Bound Student Athlete

NCAA Student Athlete Self-Promotion or Recruiting services?

Most student-athletes will promote themselves to be recruited.
Only a few elite athletes in high profile sports will be contacted directly by coaches.
You should send emails/videos/letters to coaches directly.
Some student athletes use recruitment services. For recommendations, please contact the Prepskills office.
There are thousands of schools offering sports in the United States. Do your research to find the RIGHT FIT!
- Academics – Will you fit in academically? Does the school offer the program you are interested in?
- Athletics – Time commitment? Coaching styles? Travel?
- Affordability – Tuition? Scholarship? Large College? Small College?
NCAA Student Athletes Questions to consider when choosing a College

What Student Athletes should send to a College:

Cover letter/email expressing interest in the College
Academic information: Transcript, SAT/ACT score (check College websites for requirements)
Showcase your athletic ability – resume with stats/results, videos, tournament results, athletic rank among peers in your sport (name who you can beat)

Possible offers from NCAA Colleges:

Athletic Scholarship – get the facts and discuss opportunities with Colleges and Coaches
Recruited Walk-on means that you are taking the coach’s word. A spot on the team is promised, but no scholarship.
Unrecruited Walk-on/Tryout means you will need to earn your spot on the team once you arrive on campus.