If you want to play NCAA sports at a Division I or II school, you need to register for a Certification Account with the NCAA Eligibility Center. College-bound student-athletes in Division III can also create a Profile Page to receive important updates about being a student-athlete and preparing for college. Students who are not sure which division they want to compete in can create a Profile Page and transition to a Certification Account if they decide to play Division I or II sports.

GUIDE FOR THE COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENT-ATHLETE

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. Visit eligibilitycenter.org and read the two account descriptions.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Check your email inbox for an email containing a verification code and return to eligibilitycenter.org. Enter your verification code and continue registering.
5. Complete the Account, Basic Information and Contact pages.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. After completing the School section (Profile Pages) 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 nonrefundable registration fee is paid or waived. You must pay online by debit, credit card or e-check. The registration fee is $90 for students from the United States. Profile Pages do NOT need to pay unless they transition to a Certification Account.

You are eligible for a registration fee waiver if you have received a waiver of the SAT or ACT fee. This is not the same as a U.S. state voucher. You must have an authorized high school official submit your fee waiver documentation online after you complete your registration.

In order to be eligible for an ACT fee waiver, you must meet one of these indicators of economic need:

• Your family receives low-income public assistance
• Your family income is at or below the Bureau of Labor Statistics Low Standard Budget
• You are a ward of the state
• You live in a foster home
• You are homeless
• You participate in free or reduced-price lunch program at school
• You participate in federally funded TRIO Program such as Upward Bound

You are eligible for consideration for an SAT fee waiver if you are a United States citizen or a foreign national taking the SAT in the United States or its territories and you meet one of the following requirements:

• You are enrolled in a program for the economically disadvantaged such as AVID or TRIO
• Your family’s annual income falls within the levels listed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for free or reduced-price lunches
• Your family receives public assistance
• Your family lives in federally subsidized public housing
• You live in a foster home

If you are a home-schooled student in the United States or its territories who cannot afford to pay the test fees, you must provide proof of eligibility to your local high school or agency fee-waiver administrator. Only a school or agency administrator can provide you with the fee-waiver card for the appropriate test.