To maintain eligibility for competition and athletic financial aid, each student-athlete must meet several institutional, conference, and NCAA requirements. In general, student athletes must:
- Be enrolled and attending as a full-time student each semester (12+ credits for undergraduate; 9 credits + for graduate)
- Each semester, you must earn 6 credits of coursework that apply to graduation in your designated academic program (Football Only: nine hours completed during the Fall term)
- Earn a minimum of 24 hours of coursework in your academic program during the first year in order to be eligible to compete the next year
- Earn at least 18 hours in your major every academic year, (fall and spring semesters)
- Declare a major before the third year or 5th semester of your enrollment in college
- Make sure all of your courses are applicable toward your academic degree program in order to be used for eligibility purposes
- Beginning with your 3rd semester of enrollment, you must meet GPA requirements as indicated below. Your GPA will be checked at the beginning of each term. Beginning with your 5th semester of enrollment, you must meet percentage-of-degree requirements as noted in the chart below as well.
Percentage-of-Degree Requirements
| Entering | Percentage | Cumulative GPA |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd Year | N/A | 1.8* |
| 3rd Year | 40% | 1.9* |
| 4th Year | 60% | 2.0 |
| 5th Year | 80% | 2.0 |
*If a student-athlete drops below a cumulative GPA of 2.0, a corrective action plan and agreement will be put into place for the student.
The information above is not in place as a caveat of the NCAA, Mountain West or institutional rules and regulations regarding academic eligibility, rather, it lists the general standards of eligibility maintained by each party. There may be opportunity for an academic eligibility waiver if certain qualifying criteria is not met. For specific requirements (based on where you are during your academic career) and information regarding academic eligibility rules and regulations, please contact your respective academic eligibility specialist within Student-Athlete Academic Services.
Academic Integrity
As a Division I student-athlete, you are responsible for representing yourself, your team, this university and the conference in the best possible manner. Your academic conduct is monitored by not only the Student- Athlete Academic Services staff, but also various on campus entities. It is critical to complete work within the athletic department, university, and NCAA guidelines to ensure your eligibility is never at risk.
Under current NCAA legislation, institutions are responsible for the conduct of its employees and any academic misconduct by those individuals is subject to NCAA investigation if they are associated with providing impermissible assistance to student-athletes. It should be understood by these employees, and student-athletes alike, that the NCAA constitutes Unethical Conduct and Academic Misconduct as very serious matters and individuals are expected to act with honesty and integrity in all academic matters. Please find time to review these educational links below:
- What is Academic Misconduct? (NCAA video)
- Understanding NCAA Academic Misconduct Rules Booklet
- Academic Do's and Don'ts for Student-Athletes
To access further information regarding academic integrity and university policy, refer to the Office of Student Conduct webpage or contact the Compliance Office.