COLLEGE DIVISIONS

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COLLEGE DIVISIONS

This information is meant to serve as a brief reference and not a full exposition or legal advice. For complete and direct information you can check out the NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA and 3C2A on their respective websites.

NCAA D1

Division 1 Examples
University of Florida, USF, Stetson University, FAMU

365 Division 1 schools
Can offer both academic & athletic scholarships.
For college football only, D-I schools are further divided into the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
High school students must complete 16 NCAA-approved core-course credits

NCAA D2

Division 2 Examples
University of West Florida, Edward Waters University

302 Division 2 schools
Can offer both academic & athletic scholarships.
High school students must complete 16 NCAA-approved core-course credits

NCAA D3

Division 3 Examples
University of Mount Union, North Central College, LaGrange College, Monmouth College

425 Division 3 schools
DO NOT offer athletic scholarships. Can provide academic scholarships/grants.
Does not have specific core course requirements or a minimum GPA set by the NCAA. Each Division III college or university sets its own admissions standards, which student-athletes must meet to be eligible to compete.

NAIA

NAIA Examples
Keiser University, SEU, St. Thomas University, Warner University, Webber International University

237 NAIA schools
Can offer both academic & athletic scholarships.
Incoming college freshmen can now become NAIA eligible without a test score or class rank provided they meet the following minimum GPA (on a 4.0 scale):

- 2.3 GPA for recent graduates
- 2.8 GPA for students who have completed their 7th semester
- 3.3 GPA for students who have completed their junior year
Students who do not meet the 2.3 minimum GPA upon graduation may still gain eligibility by meeting two of the following three criteria:

- 2.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale)
- Rank in top 50% of graduating class
- Qualifying test score: ACT: 18 SAT: 970 (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math)

JUCO-NJCAA

NJCAA Examples
Hutchinson Community College, Iowa Western Community College, Blinn College, East Mississippi Community College

436 NJCAA schools
There are three divisions of play in the NJCAA, each with different athletic scholarship opportunities:

Division 1 – These schools may offer full ride athletic scholarships.

Division 2 – They are limited to awarding the cost of tuition, fees, and books.

Division 3 – No athletic scholarships.

A student-athlete must be a graduate of a high school with an academic diploma, general education diploma (GED) or a state department of education approved high school equivalency test.

JUCO-3C2A

3C2A Examples
College of the Canyons, Butte College, Laney College, College of the Siskiyous

112 3C2A schools
DO NOT offer athletic scholarships. Can provide academic scholarships/grants.
A student-athlete must be a graduate of a high school with an academic diploma, general education diploma (GED) or a state department of education approved high school equivalency test.