24/36 Hour Rule - NAIA

Continuing Eligibility
24/36 Exceptions
• Student participation and withdrawal from institution prior to start of
academic term. (Note: Progress Rule still applies)
• Junior College transfer who needed less than 24 hours during last two
semesters to get associate’s degree:
– Identified in no more than five semesters
– Passed all hours during term in which degree was earned
• First term of collegiate competition:
– If in first four semesters - Must meet freshman eligibility rules
– If in semesters five and above – 2.0 GPA in all courses
attempted at all institutions.
24/36 HOUR RULE
There are three exceptions to the 24/36 hour rule. The first two are not used as often as the third exception, but let’s review all three.
The first exception occurs when a student participates prior to the start of a term, but then withdraws from the institution prior to the start of
the term. In this case, you do not have to use the term in determining whether the student meets the 24/36 hour rule. Please note that this
still counts as a season of competition for the student and this participation will affect the student’s requirements in regards to the progress
rule.
The second exception is for students transferring to your institution from a two-year college. If the student needed less than 24 hours during
the last two terms to get an associate’s degree, the student may be eligible for this exception. There are a few conditions. First, the student
must not have identified in more than five semesters prior to the term in which you wish to certify the student. Second, the student must have
passed all hours during the term in which the degree was awarded. If the student meets all of these requirements, the student does not have
to meet the 24/36 hour rule. In order for this student to use the exception after the first term at your institution, the student pass at least 12
hours in his/her first term at your institution.
Finally, the most common exception to this rule is available to students who have not competed previously in any sport at any collegiate
institution. The student is exempted from the 24/36 hour rule if she or he meets the following conditions. A student who is in his/her first four
semesters or six quarters can use the exception provided the student met NAIA freshman eligibility standards. If the student is in semester
five or quarter seven or above, the student must have a collegiate GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. The GPA must be calculated on the basis of all
transcripts from all institutions the student has attended.
Again, the 24-hour rule is a simple rule, but one that prevents many students from participating. If a student has a poor academic term, it is
important that you advise the student to make up any deficiency before the next certification period.
NAIA National Office • 1200 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106 • 816.595.8000 • Resources at www.naia.org/member-services 6