Guide

What are the NCAA's academic eligibility requirements for high school basketball players?

To compete at an NCAA Division I or II school, your player must complete a set number of core courses in specific subjects and earn a qualifying core-course GPA; standardized test scores are no longer required by the NCAA for either division.

Updated Aug 31, 2026

Division I core courses

Division I requires 16 NCAA-approved core courses in total. English requires 4 years. Math requires 3 years, starting at Algebra I or higher. Science requires 2 years. Social science requires 2 years. One additional year in English, math, or science is required. Four years of other academic courses are required. Ten of the 16 credits must be completed before the start of your player's seventh semester, and seven of those ten must be in English, math, or science.

Division II core courses

Division II also requires 16 NCAA-approved core courses. English requires 3 years. Math requires 2 years. Science requires 2 years. Social science requires 2 years. Three additional years in English, math, or science are required. Four years of other academic courses are required. The sources do not state a specific lock-in deadline for Division II core courses the way they do for Division I.

How the core-course GPA is calculated

The NCAA Eligibility Center calculates the GPA using only grades from NCAA-approved core courses — not your player's full transcript GPA. Only the best grades from approved courses in each required subject area count. The scale is: A = 4 quality points, B = 3 quality points, C = 2 quality points, D = 1 quality point. Plus and minus grades are not used — a B+, B, and B- are each worth 3 quality points. To find quality points for a course, multiply the quality-point value of the grade by the credit earned for that course. Weighted courses may improve the core-course GPA, but the sources do not specify by how much.

Test scores

In January 2023, NCAA Divisions I and II removed standardized test scores from initial-eligibility requirements. The NCAA no longer uses SAT or ACT scores to certify eligibility. However, individual schools may still require test scores for their own admissions or scholarship decisions. Check directly with each school your player is considering.

Division III

Division III schools set their own academic standards on campus. The NCAA Eligibility Center does not certify academic eligibility for domestic Division III student-athletes. Your player's eligibility at a Division III school is determined by that school, not by the Eligibility Center.

What to do now

Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center — students may register at any age. Students who want to compete at Division I or II need an Academic and Athletics Certification account. Ask your high school counselor to confirm which courses on your player's schedule appear on your school's NCAA-approved core course list. The Eligibility Center will make the final eligibility determination after graduation.

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