What is the 40-60-80 Rule (NCAA)?
About NCAA’s Progress-Toward-Degree Standards and Why They Matter for Student-Athlete Eligibility
If you are a college athlete, or planning to be one, you have probably heard the word eligibility more than once. To be eligible means that you meet all the requirements the NCAA sets for students-athletes to compete in college sports. One of the main purposes of this is to integrate athletics with education. After all, as some coaches or academic advisors like to say, the word student does come before athlete!
But what is the 40-60-80 Rule (NCAA)? It’s part of the NCAA’s Progress-Toward-Degree (PTD) standards. The rule ensures that athletes aren’t just staying eligible to compete but they are also consistently moving toward graduation.
The rule applies to all Division I student-athletes, including freshmen, transfers, redshirts, and medical-hardship athletes.
In this article, we’ll break down what the 40-60-80 rule means, how it’s calculated and what happens if you fall behind. We’ll also give you tips to stay on track so you can keep competing, stay eligible, and ultimately earn your degree.
What Are the 40-60-80 Rule Milestones and How Are they Calculated?
The 40-60-80 rule requires student-athletes to complete a certain percentage of their degree-applicable credits before the start of each academic year. This ensures that by the time you finish competing, you’re also on track, or very close, to finishing your degree.
Degree-applicable credits are classes that count directly toward your major or graduation requirements. But don’t worry! Your academic advisors keep this in mind when helping you choose your courses.
The numbers on the 40-60-80 rule name aren’t random, those are the percentage milestones student-athletes must reach. Here’s what each milestone means:
40% requirement
By the time you start your third year of college (usually after your sophomore year), you must have completed 40% of your degree program. If your degree requires 120 credits, which is the most common number, 40% equals 48 credits. These credits must count toward your major or graduation requirements, not just any elective.
At this point, most student-athletes will have completed basic general education classes and a few introductory courses for their major. Because of this rule, it is also important to remember that student-athletes must declare a major at some point during their sophomore or second year. You can start your college experience undecided, but you cannot begin your third year without declaring a major, since credits must count toward your program to be eligible.
If you’re unsure about what major might suit you best, your academic advisors will be happy to help you with that as well.
60% requirement
Before starting your fourth year, usually the end of junior year, you must have completed 60% of your degree. For a 120-credit degree 60% would be 72 credits.
By this stage, you should be taking mostly major-specific classes. This is also the point where student-athletes need to be extra careful about switching majors. Changing your degree plan too late can delay your progress and jeopardize your eligibility if previously earned credits no longer count toward your new program.
80% requirement
Before entering your fifth year, you must have completed 80% of your degree program. For a 120-credit degree 80% would be 96 credits.
If your plan is to graduate in four years, you’ll naturally reach 100% of your credits by then, so this rule won’t be a concern. However, many student-athletes take a fifth year for a variety of reasons: redshirting, medical hardship, graduate school, completing their final season of competition…
This milestone ensures you are close to graduating, even if you redshirted or took a medical year. Many student-athletes in their fifth year are finishing their final classes while completing their last season of collegiate athletics.
Key Points for Maintaining Eligibility
The 40-60-80 rule is only one part of the NCAA’s standards. To stay eligible each year, student-athletes also need to meet a couple more academic requirements. Just like the 40-60-80 rule, these are meant to ensure that athletes are consistently earning credits, staying on track in their major, and maintaining a good academic standing overall.
Coaches and academic advisors will remind you of all of these through your college experience, and they will let you know if you ever fall behind for whatever reason. However, there is nothing wrong with being familiar with these rules. Here are the main ones you should know about:
- Full-Time Enrollment Requirement
To compete and practice, student-athletes must be enrolled in at least 12 credits per semester (full-time status). If you drop below 12 credits at any point, you will lose eligibility. This is why you should never drop a class without checking with their advisor first.
- The 6-Credit Rule
This can be thought of as term-by-term eligibility. To compete in the next semester, student-athletes must pass at least 6 degree-applicable credits in the current term. This means if you don’t pass 6 credits that count toward your major or graduation requirements in the fall, you won’t be eligible to compete in the spring. - Minimum GPA Requirement
The NCAA also requires student-athletes to maintain a GPA that is at least 90% of the school’s graduation requirement by the start of their third year. For example, if your university requires a 2.0 GPA to graduate, you must have at least a 1.8 GPA (90%) by your third year and then reach the full university requirement later on.
What Happens If I Don’t Meet the Requirements?
Falling behind academically can feel overwhelming, but it is important not to panic. Balancing sport, academics, training and travel can be challenging, and there is often a path back to good standing.
If you fail to meet NCAA academic requirements, including the 40–60–80 rule, you may become academically ineligible. This can result in the loss of competition eligibility, practice participation (in some cases), travel opportunities, and potentially athletic financial aid, depending on institutional policies.
Your compliance office will explain exactly which aspects of your eligibility are affected. Any loss of eligibility impacts both you and your team.
For example, your academic status contributes to your team’s Academic Progress Rate (APR), a metric used by the NCAA to measure academic success. Teams with low APR scores may face penalties, including reduced practice time or postseason restrictions.
How Can I Regain Eligibility?
Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to regain eligibility through:
Summer classes
Summer courses can help you make up missed credits or get ahead academically. Keep in mind that scholarships may not cover summer tuition, and additional funding may be required.
Academic recovery plans
Student-athlete academic advisers can develop tailored recovery plans, which may include tutoring, structured study sessions, adjusted course loads, or mandatory adviser check-ins.
NCAA academic waivers
In exceptional circumstances, institutions may apply for an NCAA waiver on your behalf. These are typically considered for serious illness or injury, bereavement, administrative errors, or other factors beyond your control. Waivers are not guaranteed, but they are an option when reasonable effort was made.
Losing eligibility is stressful, but it does not mean the end of your academic or athletic career. Many student-athletes successfully regain eligibility and return to full participation.
Tips for Staying on Track
The best advice for staying on track is that, if you ever fear you might become academically ineligible, let your academic advisors and coaches know. It’s a lot easier to bring a grade up early on in the semester than on finals week!
Here are some other ideas that might help you stay on track or simply get the most out of your academic experience as a student-athlete:
Meet with your academic advisor every semester (or more often!)
Your academic advisor is one of your biggest resources. They can help you choose classes that count toward your degree, make sure you’re meeting NCAA requirements each term, help you plan ahead, and even warn you about classes that might be too difficult. Some academic advisors will even sit down with you and help you create a personalized study plan if you ask for it. Most athletic departments require regular check-ins, make the most of them!
Declare your major early
Since only degree-applicable credits count toward the 40-60-80 rule, waiting too long to declare your major can put you behind. The earlier you decide, the easier it is to stay on track academically.
Use summer school strategically if you can
Summer courses are one of the best ways to catch up on credits, get ahead before a difficult semester, or even lighten your fall or spring schedule during championship season.
Take advantage of academic support
Most athletic departments offer free tutoring, writing centers (these are great if English isn’t your first language!), study hall hours or academic mentors or learning specialists. These resources exist specifically for student-athletes. Don’t wait until you’re struggling to use them.
What about Division II Student-Athletes?
The 40-60-80 rule does not apply to DII student-athletes, however, there are still some similar rules related to academic progress. Here are the main NCAA rules that apply to Division II student-athletes:
The 24-credit rule (annual credit requirement)
To stay eligible for the next academic year as D II student-athlete you must complete 24 semester hours (or 36 quarter hours) of degree credit each academic year. This means the credits must count toward your degree, not just any elective. There is also a specific timing rule: between the start of fall classes and spring commencement you must complete at least 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours). To reach the required 24 for the year you can use up to 6 semester hours (or 9 quarter hours) earned in the summer.
The 9-credit rule (term-by-term eligibility)
To be eligible to compete in your next term, you must pass at least 9 semester hours (or 8 quarter hours) in your current full-time semester.
Minimum GPA Requirement
All Division II student-athletes must maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA. This GPA is the same standard most universities require for graduation, and it ensures that athletes stay in good academic standing each year. If your GPA drops below 2.0, you risk becoming academically ineligible.
10-Semester/15-quarter rule
DII athletes have a limited amount of time to use their four seasons of competition. You must complete your four seasons within 10 semesters or 15 quarters of full-time enrollment. This is often called the “eligibility clock.” Once you’ve used 10 full-time semesters (even if you didn’t compete every year), your clock expires and you cannot compete anymore.
Division II rules can be more flexible than Division I’s 40-60-80 model, but staying eligible still requires planning, good communication, and steady academic progress. If you’re unsure whether your credits or major changes affect your status, your academic advisor and compliance office are the best people to ask.
This overview is meant to explain the basic academic eligibility rules, including the 40–60–80 rule, but it may not address every individual situation. If you are unsure how these rules apply to you, or if you have concerns about staying on track, don’t wait to ask for help. Reach out to your academic advisor, compliance office, or Keystone Sports consultant.
Keystone Sports has extensive experience in NCAA compliance and a dedicated placement department of more than 30 professionals. Our team is focused on supporting you throughout your eligibility process and providing guidance in academic planning for college student-athletes. We are here to help you understand your academic plan, maintain your eligibility, and make the most of your college experience, both in the classroom and in your sport.
This makes us market leaders, not only in placing student-athletes in the United States, but also in providing comprehensive support to our athletes. We’re by the athletes’ side before, during, and their time in the United States or Canada.
Final Advice and Why Kestone Sports
This overview is meant to explain the basic academic eligibility rules, including the 40–60–80 rule, but it may not address every individual situation. If you are unsure how these rules apply to you, or if you have concerns about staying on track, don’t wait to ask for help. Reach out to your academic advisor, compliance office, or Keystone Sports consultant.
Keystone Sports has extensive experience in NCAA compliance and a dedicated placement department of more than 30 professionals. Our team is focused on supporting you throughout your eligibility process and providing guidance in academic planning for college student-athletes. We are here to help you understand your academic plan, maintain your eligibility, and make the most of your college experience, both in the classroom and in your sport.
This makes us market leaders, not only in placing student-athletes in the United States, but also in providing comprehensive support to our athletes. We’re by the athletes’ side before, during, and their time in the United States or Canada.
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About the author
Paulina Romo
Paulina Romo, Communications Manager at Keystone Sports, holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and has a background in equestrian sports, specializing in dressage. Shaped by international experience gained from work and studies in Sweden, South Korea, Germany, and Spain, Paulina brings a diverse blend of marketing skills and perspectives to her role.
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