The NCAA Eligibility Center will certify a student-athlete's academic eligibility in order to compete as a freshman at a Division I or II institution.

If student-athletes intend to participate in Division I or II athletics as a freshman, they must register, and be certified, by the NCAA Eligibility Center. Refer to the Academic Eligibility section to determine the initial-eligibility standards that apply.

You can obtain registration materials, at no cost, by calling the NCAA Eligibility Center at (800) 638-3731 or the student-athlete may register online at https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/student/index_student.html.

To be registered with the Eligibility Center , the student-athlete must complete a Student Release Form. This form is available in the College-Bound Student-Athlete pamphlet, as well as on the Companion CD, and needs to be completed in triplicate. Student-athletes should mail or fax one copy of the form to the Eligibility Center along with the $50 registration fee. The additional copies should be given to their high school counselor. After completing the junior year, counselors will then submit one copy of the release form, an official junior transcript, and any SAT/ACT scores to the Eligibility Center. After graduation a final transcript must be sent to the Eligibility Center, containing final grades and confirmation of graduation.

If student-athletes register online, they should print two (2) copies of their completed registration form. These copies should be given to their counselor who will use them to complete the registration process as explained previously.

The NCAA Eligibility Center fee may be waived if the student-athlete has previously qualified for, and received, a waiver for the ACT or SAT fee. Fee-waiver information is specified on the student release form.

If a student-athlete registers online, an authorized high school official must log onto the Eligibility Center website and select the fee waiver confirmation option in order to certify that the student-athlete meets all of the criteria.

The Student Release Form is critical. By completing this form, the student-athlete is authorizing their high school(s) they attended to send their transcript, including test scores, and proof of graduation, to the NCAA Eligibility Center. This also authorizes the Eligibility Center to send this information to all colleges requesting their academic eligibility status. Each of the sections on the Student Release Form is explained below.

Print or type all the information requested in Section I. Be sure to include their Social Security number and a date of birth. Also, include their email address if they wish to be notified by the Eligibility Center regarding certification.

Enter the name, city, state, and code number of the High School where the student-athlete is currently enrolled. High School codes can be obtained either from the Counseling Department or at https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/common/. Also, list the expected date of high school graduation.

Complete this section only if the student-athlete has attended more than one school (including summer schools) during grades 9 through 12. If they attended ninth grade in a junior high school located in the same school system where they later attended high school, do NOT send the form to that school.

They may need to make photocopies of the release form and send them to the counselors at the other schools that they have attended. Each school they have attended must have both copies of the form in order to release their transcript directly to the Eligibility Center. The current school may provide a transcript from a previous school only if it is an official copy of the original transcript. The Eligibility Center must receive transcripts by mail directly from the school, not from the student-athlete or their parents. Please note that transcripts received with a student-athlete's return address on the envelope are not acceptable. Faxed transcripts and test scores cannot be accepted.

If they have more schools than the space provided, attach them on a separate sheet of paper.

Enter four numbers of their choice in the boxes provided in Section IV. Choose a PIN they can remember, and keep a copy of it written down. Don't choose a PIN that can be easily guessed (such as their birthday or street address).

After you submit your form, they can check the status of their file by calling (877)861-3003 (24-hour access) from a touch-tone phone. They will be able to find out whether any documents are missing and their certification status once it has been determined.

When they call, they will be asked to enter their Social Security number and their four-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN). If they do not enter a PIN on their Student Release form, they will not be able to access their status information by phone.

If they want to change their PIN, they need to submit their new PIN in writing (via fax or mail) along with their name, address, social security number, date of birth and signature.

Select which option they would like the NCAA Eligibility Center to communicate with them. By selecting the email option, they must provide a valid email address in Section I. They may change their option and update their email address at https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/common/ or by calling the NCAA Eligibility Center at (877)262-1492.

The Student Release form will not be eligible for processing without correct payment. If registration is done online or by facsimile, complete credit card information is required. If registration is mailed a personal check should accompany the form. (Do not send cash.) The fee is $50.00 unless they qualify for a fee waiver.

Read and sign the entire authorization statement. If the student-athlete is under 18, a parent or guardian must also sign the form. If they are submitting online they must check the box provided stating they have read the release statement, and a parent must also check the appropriate box and include their first and last name.

Student-athletes are ONLY eligible for a waiver of their initial-eligibility certification fee if they have already received a fee waiver (not a state voucher) for the ACT or SAT. If they have not been granted a fee waiver by ACT or SAT, they are NOT eligible for a waiver of the certification fee.

Student-athletes seeking a waiver of the Eligibility Center fee should confirm they are eligible before submitting this form by checking with their high school counselor.

This section of the Student Release Form must be completed by an authorized high school official and must include the school seal. If they have completed the Student Release Form online, and check that they are eligible for a fee waiver, a high school guidance counselor MUST submit an electronic fee waiver confirmation for them.