Like any player with a goal of playing US college basketball, Australians must meet specific academic requirements. Each of the three governing bodies (NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA) has different rules, and some require registration well before you're recruited.
NCAA eligibility (Divisions I and II)
To be eligible for NCAA D1 or D2 basketball, you must:
- Complete a specific number of core courses
- Graduate from high school
- Be accepted to a D1 or D2 school
As part of academic certification, all prospective student-athletes must submit:
- Academic records for years 9 and up
- Graduation credentials (state-specific, see the Australian International Guide)
Useful resources
- International Initial-Eligibility Flyer (PDF)
- Play Division I Sports, see the Division I Academic Eligibility section
- Play Division II Sports, see the Division II Academic Eligibility section
- Australian International Guide, state-specific academic conversions
NAIA eligibility
If you're considering an NAIA college, you'll need to register with the NAIA Eligibility Centre. NAIA and NCAA are separate organisations, you must register with each.
Australian students should register immediately after graduating, or at the end of the academic term/year. If you plan to enrol at the start of the year (August), submit all required academic records to the NAIA Eligibility Center at least two months prior. Don't leave it late, delays can affect your scholarship opportunities.
If you've never gone to university, NAIA "Freshman" eligibility requires you to meet two of the following:
- Achieve a minimum of 18 on the ACT or 970 on the SAT
- Achieve a minimum overall high school GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Graduate in the top half of your high school class
If you've attended university in any capacity, the requirements are different, see page 5 of the NAIA International Guide.
As of 15 January 2021, international students are required to purchase an InCred evaluation for eligibility decisions.
NJCAA eligibility
For players who are concerned they might not meet NCAA or NAIA academic requirements, Junior College (JUCO) is worth considering. Junior colleges simply require that a player be a high school graduate (HSC, VCE, etc.) or have completed an approved high school equivalency test like the GED.
Many athletes who can't meet NCAA or NAIA eligibility gain it by competing at a junior college for two years. Athletes who are unsure of their major sometimes attend a junior college while they decide on a four-year course.
Why you should consider Junior College
Already graduated? Grades a little low? Not confident in getting a scholarship for NCAA?
Most attention in college sport goes to NCAA and NAIA, but JUCOs are the largest group of men's basketball programs in the country, and increasingly, players interested in college basketball are turning to junior colleges before moving on to four-year colleges.
Some of the benefits:
- Get a sense of college athletics before committing to a four-year program
- Develop athletically or academically for a year or two
- Lower cost for prerequisite courses, especially if you're undecided on a major
According to an NCAA study, 14.8% of all JUCO basketball players transferred to a four-year NCAA Division 1 college program in 2018, compared to just 1% of high-school basketball players who go straight to D1.
Some elite JUCO programs (especially NJCAA D1 and D2) are scouted by college coaches recruiting for NCAA D1. College coaches often turn to junior colleges first, because JUCO recruits have already proven they can balance academics and athletics at the college level, and are usually more developed athletically than their high-school peers.
One common misconception: many junior colleges do offer athletic scholarships.
Players who came through JUCO include Jimmy Butler, Jae Crowder, and Carl Landry.
Glossary
Grade Point Average (GPA), a statistic representing a student's performance over a stated period. Calculated by adding all numbered grades and dividing by the number of credits taken. In high school, divide grades by number of classes. Usually given on a scale from 0 (F) to 4.0 (A), sometimes higher for A+.
Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), a standardised test widely used for college admissions in the USA. Debuted by the College Board in 1926.
American College Testing (ACT), a standardised test used for college admission in the USA. Covers four academic skills areas (English, mathematics, reading and science reasoning) with an optional writing test. Accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the USA, plus more than 225 universities outside.