Transfer Rules
Q: How do I contact another institution about transferring?
A student-athlete (or his or her parents) may not be contacted by another institution's athletics department staff member without first obtaining written permission from the student-athlete's current athletics director. This written permission usually is sent directly to the other institution, and is not given to the student-athlete. However, a student-athlete may write a letter to another institution expressing his or her interest in transferring. The original institution must provide the student-athlete with the opportunity for a hearing before a committee outside the athletics department (e.g., office of student affairs) if written permission to contact the second institution is not granted. The other institution shall not encourage the student-athlete to transfer, and may not provide the student- athlete with financial aid until he or she has attended the institution for one academic year if the release is not granted.
Q: If I transfer to another four-year institution, will I immediately be eligible?
The general rule for all student-athletes transferring from one four-year institution to another four-year institution is that they must spend one academic year in residence at the school to which they transfer before they may be eligible for competition. However, you may be eligible immediately upon transfer if you meet one of several transfer exceptions. [Note: During a student-athlete's initial year of collegiate enrollment, he or she only may use a transfer exception if they have been certified by the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse as a qualifier.]
The most common transfer exception is the One-Time Transfer Exception. To be eligible to use this exception:
a. A student-athlete must be transferring to another four-year institution to participate in sports other than Division I basketball, Division I men's ice hockey and Division I football (unless the student-athlete is transferring from Division I- A to Division I-AA);
b. The student-athlete's first transfer from one four-year college to another four-year college;
c. The student-athlete must have been eligible academically had he or she remained at their previous institution;
d. The student-athlete must obtain a written release from the current institution stating that they have no objection to the student-athlete's use of the exception. [Note: Student-athletes transferring from an NCAA Division III institution using this exception may not receive athletically related financial aid during their first academic year in residence on transfer.]
Q: Can I transfer midyear and compete at the next institution?
In NCAA Division I, a student-athlete who receives a transfer exception to the residence requirement and transfers midyear is not eligible to compete during the segment that concludes with the NCAA championship at the next institution if he or she competed during that same segment during the same academic year at the previous four-year institution.
Q: How do I contact another institution about transferring?
A student-athlete (or his or her parents) may not be contacted by another institution's athletics department staff member without first obtaining written permission from the student-athlete's current athletics director. This written permission usually is sent directly to the other institution, and is not given to the student-athlete. However, a student-athlete may write a letter to another institution expressing his or her interest in transferring. The original institution must provide the student-athlete with the opportunity for a hearing before a committee outside the athletics department (e.g., office of student affairs) if written permission to contact the second institution is not granted. The other institution shall not encourage the student-athlete to transfer, and may not provide the student- athlete with financial aid until he or she has attended the institution for one academic year if the release is not granted.
Q: If I transfer to another four-year institution, will I immediately be eligible?
The general rule for all student-athletes transferring from one four-year institution to another four-year institution is that they must spend one academic year in residence at the school to which they transfer before they may be eligible for competition. However, you may be eligible immediately upon transfer if you meet one of several transfer exceptions. [Note: During a student-athlete's initial year of collegiate enrollment, he or she only may use a transfer exception if they have been certified by the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse as a qualifier.]
The most common transfer exception is the One-Time Transfer Exception. To be eligible to use this exception:
a. A student-athlete must be transferring to another four-year institution to participate in sports other than Division I basketball, Division I men's ice hockey and Division I football (unless the student-athlete is transferring from Division I- A to Division I-AA);
b. The student-athlete's first transfer from one four-year college to another four-year college;
c. The student-athlete must have been eligible academically had he or she remained at their previous institution;
d. The student-athlete must obtain a written release from the current institution stating that they have no objection to the student-athlete's use of the exception. [Note: Student-athletes transferring from an NCAA Division III institution using this exception may not receive athletically related financial aid during their first academic year in residence on transfer.]
Q: Can I transfer midyear and compete at the next institution?
In NCAA Division I, a student-athlete who receives a transfer exception to the residence requirement and transfers midyear is not eligible to compete during the segment that concludes with the NCAA championship at the next institution if he or she competed during that same segment during the same academic year at the previous four-year institution.
