ncaa-manual

14.3.5 Determination of Freshman Eligibility.14.3.5.1 Participation Prior to Certification. If a student-athlete reports for athletics participation beforehis or her qualification status has been certified, the student may practice, but not compete, during a 45-dayperiod, provided the student meets all other requirements to be eligible to practice. An institution shall not provideathletically related financial aid to the student during this period. After the 45-day period, the student shallhave established minimum requirements (as certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center) to continue practicingor to compete and receive athletically related financial aid. (Revised: 1/11/89, 10/7/05, 5/9/07, 9/18/07, 1/15/11effective 8/1/11, 1/19/13 effective 8/1/13)14.3.5.2 High School Graduate. In order to be considered a high school graduate, a prospective studentathleteshall meet all graduation requirements, including academic and nonacademic (e.g., state exit exams, communityservice, senior project) requirements, as defined for all students by his or her high school or secondaryschool. (Adopted: 4/23/08)14.3.5.3 GED Test/Equivalency Diploma. A prospective student-athlete who does not graduate from highschool but who subsequently completes the General Educational Development (GED) test and obtains a statehigh school equivalency diploma may satisfy the graduation requirement of Bylaw 14.3, but not the core-curriculumor test-score requirement, if the following conditions are met:(a) Only scores from a GED test taken by the prospective student-athlete on or after the date the prospectivestudent-athlete’s high school class would normally have graduated from high school (the last class of whichthe student was a member while enrolled in high school) shall be used; (Revised: 1/10/05 effective 8/1/05)(b) The prospective student-athlete must present the state high school equivalency diploma prior to initialenrollment as a full-time, regularly matriculated student in a collegiate institution; and(c) To qualify for financial aid, practice and competition, the prospective student-athlete must meet the corecurriculumgrade-point average and test-score requirements (see Bylaw 14.3.1.1) in addition to presentinga minimum average score of 450 on the five-part GED test. (Revised: 6/16/04)14.3.5.4 Advanced Placement. If the student-athlete is admitted with a minimum of 24-semester hours ora minimum of 36-quarter hours of advanced placement from a College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB)examination (or from a similar proficiency examination) and/or concurrent high school/college credit withoutprevious enrollment at a collegiate institution, the student-athlete shall be immediately eligible. Credits earnedfrom extension or summer-session courses may not be counted in satisfaction of this requirement. A “similarproficiency examination” must be an advanced or higher level, nationally administered proficiency exam with auniform grading scale that is taken after high school graduation. (Revised: 1/14/12 effective 8/1/12)14.3.5.4.1 International Certification. An institution shall use the NCAA Eligibility Center to determinewhether a “similar proficiency examination” taken by an international student-athlete is an advancedor higher level, nationally administered proficiency exam with a uniform grading scale that is taken afterhigh school graduation. In addition, the Eligibility Center shall certify the eligibility of an internationalstudent-athlete based on the number of advanced placement hours accepted by the certifying institution.(Adopted: 1/14/12 effective 8/1/12)14.3.5.5 International Academic Standards. A student from a foreign country shall satisfy both the requirementsoutlined in the NCAA Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility and thetest-score requirements set forth in Bylaw 14.3.1.1-(b).14.4 Progress-Toward-Degree Requirements.14.4.1 Progress-Toward-Degree Requirements. To be eligible to represent an institution in intercollegiateathletics competition, a student-athlete shall maintain progress toward a baccalaureate or equivalent degreeat that institution as determined by the regulations of that institution subject to controlling legislation of theconference(s) or similar association of which the institution is a member and applicable NCAA legislation. (SeeConstitution 3.2.4.13 regarding the obligations of members to publish their progress-toward-degree requirementsfor student-athletes.) (Revised: 5/29/08, 4/15/09)14.4.1.1 Bona Fide International Exchange Student. The eligibility for competition of a bona fide internationalexchange student, as defined in Bylaw 14.5.1.5.1, shall be based on satisfactory completion of at least:(Revised: 1/14/08 effective 8/1/08)(a) Six-semester or six-quarter hours of academic credit during the preceding regular academic term in whichthe student has enrolled full time at the certifying institution; (Revised: 4/14/09)(b) Eighteen-semester or 27-quarter hours of academic credit since the beginning of the previous fall term orsince the beginning of the certifying institution’s preceding regular two semesters or three quarters (hoursearned during the summer may not be used to fulfill this requirement) (see Bylaw 14.4.3.1.4); and (Revised:4/14/09)(c) A minimum grade-point average per academic term of enrollment as set forth in Bylaw 14.4.3.3.1.162