The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a member-led organization dedicated to the well-being and lifelong success of college athletes. 

How to Register

Which Eligibility Center account is right for you?

• If you want to play NCAA sports at a Division I or II school, you need to register for an Academic and Amateurism Certification Account with the NCAA Eligibility Center.

• College-bound international student-athletes planning to initially enroll at a Division III school in the 2023-24 academic year should create an Amateurism-Only Certification account.

• College-bound domestic student-athletes planning to compete at a Division III school can create a Profile Page to receive important updates about being a student-athlete and preparing for college.

• For student-athletes unsure in which division they want to compete; students registering to play at NCAA-certified basketball events; students younger than ninth grade; or domestic student-athletes who plan to compete at a Division III school, our free Profile Page account is the right choice. The Profile Page account is best practice as the place to start for most student-athletes, and can be transitioned to either Certification account when needed.

Unsure which Eligibility Center account is right for you? Click here.

The NCAA Eligibility Center works with you and your high school to help you prepare for life as a student-athlete. If you have questions about your eligibility or the registration process, please review our resources and frequently asked questions or call us toll free at 1-877-262-1492. International students should use our International Contact Form to reach out to staff.

The following resources can assist with questions you may have about registering with the Eligibility Center.

• Which Eligibility Center account should I create?

• Registration Checklist

• How to add your school information to your Eligibility Center account

• How to add sports information to your Eligibility Center account

• How do I review my tasks?

• How to transition from a Profile Page to either Certification account

• How to change your graduation or enrollment date

What You Need Before You Register

Below is a list of items that we recommend you have prepared prior to beginning your registration with the NCAA Eligibility Center. Or download our Registration Checklist to have on hand.  

• Valid email address the student checks frequently and will have access to after high school.

• Basic education history, including a list of all high schools or secondary schools you have attended and the dates during which you attended them.

• Sports participation history (Certification accounts only), including details about any teams with which you have practiced or played or events in which you participated, as well as information about any individuals that have advised you or marketed your skills.

• Payment (Certification accounts only). Effective 9/1/2022, the registration fee for an Academic and Amateurism Certification account is $100 for students from the United States and its territories and Canada, and $160 for students from all other countries. The registration fee for an Amateurism-Only Certification account is $70 for all students. You must pay online by debit, credit card or e-check. Some students may be eligible for a fee waiver (see below for additional information).

Online Registration

On the NCAA Eligibility Center website, you will find the tools and information to guide you toward your goal of becoming an NCAA student-athlete. Allow at least 30 to 45 minutes to register completely for a Certification Account, and 15 to 30 minutes to create a Profile Page. If you need to exit and come back at a later time, you can save and exit once your account has been created.

Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center by following these steps:

1. Determine the right Eligibility Center account for your circumstances.

2. Visit eligibilitycenter.org and locate the correct account option type for you.

3. If you are unsure in which division you want to compete, registering to play at NCAA-certified basketball events, younger than ninth grade, or a domestic student-athlete who plans to compete at a Division III school, select Option 1: Free Profile Page account. If you are a college-bound international student-athlete and you place to compete at a Division III school, select Option 2: Amateurism-Only Certification Account. If you plan to compete at an NCAA Division I or II school, select Option 3: Academic and Amateurism Certification Account. Transfer students: Talk to the compliance office as your new school to determine which account is right for you.

4. Decide if you would like to sign up with a Certification Account or Profile Page. If you plan to compete at an NCAA Division I or II school, select the “Create an Account” button. If you plan to compete at an NCAA Division III school or are currently unsure where you want to compete, select the “Create a Profile Page” button. Reminder: you may transition from a Profile Page to a Certification Account, but may not move from a Certification Account to a Profile Page.

5. On the next page, provide a valid email address to create either account and begin the registration process. Be sure you provide an email address that you check frequently and will be active even after you complete high school.

6. Check your email inbox for an email containing a verification code and return to eligibilitycenter.org. Enter your verification code and continue registering.

7. Complete the account, Basic Information and Contact pages.

8. Certification accounts will be prompted to pay the nonrefundable registration fee. Students have 30 days after receiving a verification code to pay before their account is dropped out of the system. After submitting payment, return to your Dashboard to complete registration.

9. Both accounts types will be prompted to enter their most recent Schools information. Please include all schools, even if you did not receive grades or credits. If you have completed coursework at home, you may or may not be a home school student for the purposes of NCAA initial-eligibility.

10. After entering School information, Certification accounts will be taken to the Sports page. Please select the sport(s) you plan to compete in and continue to answer the Sports questions.

11. After completing the School section (Profile Page account) and Sports section (Certification accounts) you will be taken back to your Dashboard.

Registration Fee and Waiver

Your Certification account will be eligible for processing once the registration fee is paid or waived. (Effective 9/1/2022, fees are nonrefundable 30 days after the account is created.) You must pay online by debit, credit card or e-check. Effective 9/1/2022, the registration fee for an Academic and Amateurism Certification account is $100 for students from the United States and its territories and Canada, and $160 for students from all other countries. The registration fee for an Amateurism-Only Certification account is $70 for all students. Profile Page accounts are free and do not include a registration fee until they are transitioned to either Certification account.

If you are unable to pay the registration fee for the NCAA Eligibility Center due to financial considerations, there is an option in the Payment section to indicate you are eligible to receive a fee waiver. You are eligible for an Eligibility Center fee waiver if you meet any of the following criteria:

• You are enrolled in or eligible to participate in the Federal Free or Reduced Price Lunch program (FRPL).

• You have received or are eligible to receive an SAT or ACT fee waiver.

• Your annual family income falls within the income eligibility guidelines set by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.

• Your family receives public assistance (e.g., SSI, SNAP).

• You are enrolled in a government program that aids students from low-income families (e.g., GEAR UP, TRIO, Upward Bound).

• You live in government-subsidized public housing, a foster home or are homeless.

• You are a ward of the state or an orphan.

• You have applied to FAFSA and have received or are eligible for a Pell Grant.

• A school or government official can attest to your economic need.

If you meet the above criteria and have attended a U.S. high school, please ask your high school counselor to confirm your fee waiver eligibility through the NCAA Eligibility Center's High School Portal after you have completed your Certification account registration.

If you meet the above criteria and have not attended a U.S. high school (e.g., international students, home-school students), a task will be assigned to the your Eligibility Center account with additional instructions for completing the fee waiver requirement.

All fees are nonrefundable 30 days after you successfully register with a Certification account. If you completed a duplicate registration and paid your registration fee twice, you may be eligible for a refund of the duplicate registration fees. To receive a refund, you need to complete and submit a refund form. Once you create a Certification account, you cannot transition back to a Profile Page.

Download a refund form