Transferring from a two-year school to a four-year school
NCAA Transferring Rules can be complicated depending on the division and conference. Transferring between conferences could have more restrictive rules than the basic NCAA rules. For example, conferences can differ on how long you have to attend a school before you able to compete. (Bylaw 14.5)General Guidelines

• Get your high school academic records
• Check with NCAA Eligibility Center on your status
• Get written permission if needed
• Find out if you are a qualifier, partial qualifier, or non-qualifier. This determines which transfer rules apply to you and how many playing seasons you have left.

When can you talk to another school?

• NCAA or NAIA student-athlete must have their current school athletic director contact the new coach or a member of the athletic staff before the athlete or their parents talk with the new institution.
• Athletes may contact a new coach but the coach cannot discuss transferring until they have received written permission from the athlete’s current school.

What happens if you do not receive written permission?

• Another school cannot contact an athlete to encourage them to transfer
• If the new school is Division I or II, the athlete cannot receive athletic scholarship until they have attended the new school for one academic year.
• An athlete can appeal the decision - a panel of staff members not involved in athletes from the athlete's current will conduct a hearing.

When do you not need written permission?

• If transferring from a school that is not a member of the NCAA or the NAIA.
• Division III athletes may issue a self-release to another Division III school.

Requirements for qualifier status athletes who wants to transfer to Division I:

• Must complete at least one semester/quarter as a full time student (Summer school does not count)
• Earn 12 semester/quarter transferable degree credit hours for each term
• Have a GPA of 2.0 in transferable credit hours

If an athlete has completed all of the transfer requirements, they may:

• Practice
• Receive athletic related financial aid
• Can compete the first day of transfer

If an athlete has not completed one or more of the requirements, they can:

• Practice
• Receive athletic related financial aid
• Cannot compete until they have complete one full academic year

Requirements for non qualifier status athletes who wants to transfer to Division I

• Complete at least 3 semesters or 4 quarters as a full time student
• Graduate from a two-year school and must have earned 25% of credit hours towards degree
• Earn 48 semester or 72 quarter transferable degree credit hours at the two-year school
• Transfer credits must be 6 semester or 8 quarter hours of English and 3 semesters or 4 quarter hours of Math
• Earn a 2.00 GPA transferable credit hours

If an athlete has completed all of the transfer requirements, they may:

• Practice
• Receive athletically related financial aid
• Compete right away

If an athlete has not completed one or more of the requirements, they can: 

• Cannot practice
• Cannot receive athletically related financial aid
• Cannot play until you complete one full academic year of residence