NCAA Adopts Changes to Transfer Rules

The NCAA adopted changes to the transfer rules for Division-I college athletes yesterday.

In a nutshell, the primary change is that the school that a player transfers to will be responsible for covering the scholarship for the remainder of their 5-year eligibility or complete a bachelors degree.

NCAA rules now will require any school that considers athletics when awarding scholarships to transfer student-athletes to provide that scholarship for the rest of a student’s five-year eligibility or until they complete the requirements for their bachelor’s degree, unless the student transfers again or engages in professional athletics opportunities. (NCAA)

Student athletes will be immediately eligible when they transfer as long as they notify the school in writing during the following time windows:

• Fall sports: a 45-day window beginning the day after championships selections are made in their sport, or May 1-15.
  • Reasonable accommodations will be made for participants in the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision championship games. 
• Winter sports: a 60-day window beginning the day after championships selections are made in the sport.
• Spring sports: Dec. 1-15, or a 45-day window beginning the day after selections are made in the sport. (NCAA)

Maybe the most significant note, is that the NCAA didn’t give players the ability to transfer multiple times and be immediately eligible. In my opinion, this is huge.

The board opted not to enact a new exception to the transfer rules that would allow student-athletes to transfer multiple times and be immediately eligible if they meet progress-toward-degree requirements at their new school. However, the board remains committed to continuing to study the impact of the new transfer rules in both the short and long term. (NCAA)