January 24, 2025

New NCAA Eligibility Rule: Temporary Waiver

An opportunity for athletes to extend their eligibility and keep competing in university sports

The NCAA has introduced a temporary waiver giving athletes who competed at junior colleges or NAIA schools another year of eligibility. The rule applies to athletes in NCAA Division I universities whose eligibility is supposed to expire in 2024-2025. Discover how this rule could impact your future.

Exciting news for student-athletes! The NCAA Division I Board of Directors has introduced a special waiver that could extend your playing time. If you’ve spent one or more years competing at non-NCAA schools, this temporary NCAA eligibility rule might allow you to stay eligible for the 2025-26 academic year.

This is a big win for athletes who thought their final season would end in 2024-25. As long as you meet the other requirements—like staying on track with your degree and sticking to the five-year eligibility rule—you could get another shot to compete!

Let’s dive into what this means and how it could shape your athletic future

What is the NCAA Temporary Waiver?

University athletes have a set amount of time, called an eligibility window, to compete. Normally, eligibility is for four seasons, which can be used over five academic years, regardless of the division (unless there are exceptional cases like COVID-19 or a redshirt year). For instance, if you play for two years at a Junior College (JUCO) and then transfer to an NCAA university, you’d usually have just two years left to compete.

However, new legislation approved on 23 December 2024 changes this paradigm. The NCAA has granted an additional year of eligibility those athletes who attended non-NCAA institutions and whose eligibility is set to end in the 2024-2025 academic year.

Not all student-athletes automatically receive the waiver, coaches must apply for it through their university’s compliance office. If a coach chooses not to submit the request, the athlete may need to find another university willing to support their eligibility application.

Although often referred to as a “Junior College rule,” this new legislation also includes athletes from NAIA universities.

Who is Included in the NCAA Temporary Waiver?

This new NCAA eligibility rule applies to senior athletes who participated in a JUCO or NAIA college and are currently competing in NCAA Division I.

But, it does not include:

Athletes who finished their eligibility in 2023-24.

Those whose eligibility extends beyond 2024-25.

Spring sport athletes who began their eligibility in the 2020-21 season.

Additionally, if you’ve already used up your six-year eligibility window (the total time allowed for playing university sports), you’ll need to apply for a special waiver from the NCAA to keep competing.

Wait… What About the Five-Year Rule?

University athletes usually have five years to play four seasons of their sport. This rule hasn’t changed. For example, if you’ve already played two seasons at a JUCO or NAIA university, those years still count towards your total eligibility. This new rule doesn’t reset the clock.

While there’s some speculation about potential changes to this rule in the future, for now, it remains the same.

How Does this Affect Me?

At Keystone Sports, we specialise in helping student-athletes pursue their dreams of playing university sports in the US. Whether it’s securing sports scholarships or understanding complicated eligibility rules like this, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

This new NCAA eligibility rule creates exciting opportunities for countless student-athletes to maximise their playing time at university. With our expert knowledge of the system, we’re ready to help if you’re unsure how this rule applies to your unique situation.

Ready to learn more about your options? Reach out to us today, and let’s explore how we can support your university sports journey!

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About the author

Lorena Montañés

Current student-athlete in the United States completing an MBA in Business Analytics. Born in Pamplona, Spain, she decided to continue her football career in the US. She played DI football at California State University, Fresno, while earning a double degree in Mass Communication and Journalism, and Psychology. She aims to empower other student-athletes to achieve their dreams and have a life-changing experience.