Traditionally-schooled student-athletes must be certified by the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse as having met the initial-eligibility requirements in order to be eligible in their first year. In the past, student-athletes who had been home-schooled for some or their entire high school career, grades 9 -12, had to go through a waiver process to get their student records evaluated by the Initial Eligibility Waiver Subcommittee. However, beginning immediately, the Clearinghouse will perform preliminary and final certifications for all home-schooled students, thereby providing those students the same benefits as traditionally-schooled students. Therefore, now all student-athletes, including those who attended home school for any part of high school, must register at the Clearinghouse and be evaluated for NCAA initial-eligibility purposes.
Home-schooled students should register with the Clearinghouse and complete the Domestic Student Release Form. After registering, the home-schooled student must send the following information to the Clearinghouse:
- Transcript (or transcripts if the student took any coursework outside the home school), including:
- Court titles
- Course grades
- Units of credit for courses
- Grading scale (if other than A-F)
- Standardized test score (ACT and/or SAT) presented in one of two ways:
- On the official transcript from a standard high school or approved nontraditional program indicated by official testing agency label, or
- As reported directly from the testing agency to the Clearinghouse
- Note that Student Score Reports and scores taken directly from a Student Score Report are not usable
- Proof of high school graduation, including specific graduation date
- Evidence that home schooling was conducted in accordance with the laws of the student's state, and
- List of tests used throughout home schooling (text titles, publishers and in which courses used)
Note that home school coursework will not be evaluated until the Clearinghouse has received all of the required information, including a final graduation transcript.
Q: What if I was home-schooled for all or part of high school?
A: Students who were home-schooled for any part of high school (grades 9 through 12) must now register with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. The clearinghouse will process all home-school certifications. There will no longer be the need for institutions to file initial-eligibility waivers for students who have been home-schooled.
Q: When does this change take place?
A: Home-schooled students who plan to enroll in a Division I or Division II institution in fall 2004 or after must register with the clearinghouse.
Q: How does a home-schooled student register with the clearinghouse? What documents are required? A: Home-schooled students should register with the clearinghouse by visiting the clearinghouse website at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net. Click on "Domestic Student Release Form" and follow the prompts. After registering, the home-schooled student must send the following information to the clearinghouse:
- Standardized test score (must be on official transcript OR sent directly from the testing agency);
- Transcript (home school transcript and any other transcript from other high schools, community colleges, etc.);
- Proof of high school graduation;
- Evidence that home-schooling was conducted in accordance with state laws;
- Lists of texts used throughout home-schooling (text titles, publisher, in which courses texts were used).
A: Because home-schooled students will not receive a preliminary evaluation from the clearinghouse, it is best to register after completion of high school (usually in late spring) when all above listed documents are available.
Q: Some coaches who are recruiting me are afraid that I won't get approved as a qualifier. What can I do to assure them I am taking all the right courses?
A: You will want to work with your parents or home-school instructor to ensure that you are indeed taking the required number of core courses in the appropriate subject matters. You may want to consider providing the coach a copy of your home-school transcript and ACT/SAT test score. Ultimately, there is not a way for you as a home-schooled student-athlete to receive a "preliminary" certification of your high-school credentials.
Q: What courses may be used to meet the core-course requirements?
A: In Division I, generally only courses completed in grades nine through 12 may be considered core courses. Courses taken in summer school after the eighth semester of high school may not be used to meet the core-course requirements. In Division II, a student may use all core courses completed prior to initial, full-time collegiate enrollment to meet the core-curriculum requirements (including a core course completed during summer school after grade 12). A college course taken during high school by a home-schooled student may be used to meet the core course requirements, provided the course is placed on the home-school transcript, would be accepted for any other student and meets all requirements to be considered a core course. [Note: Courses completed during eighth grade and credits awarded through credit-by-exam may not be used to meet the core-course requirements.]
