Over the years, many families have asked us if Veritas Scholars Academy is NCAA certified. The answer is yes! We have NCAA-approved courses, so your student can qualify for NCAA sports when they graduate.

Wondering how your students can get into the NCAA while taking live online courses from Veritas? Read on!

What is the NCAA?

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) was founded more than 100 years ago to protect student-athletes. The NCAA is made up of three membership classifications that are known as Divisions I, II, and III. Each division creates rules governing personnel, amateurism, recruiting, eligibility, benefits, financial aid, and playing and practice. More than 400,000 student-athletes are competing in three divisions at over 1,000 colleges and universities within the NCAA.

The NCAA Eligibility Center was created to bring academic and amateurism certifications together under one roof. Its purpose is to ensure that college-bound student-athletes, coaches, and administrators understand the requirements to participate in NCAA Divisions I and II athletics.

All incoming freshman students who plan on attending any NCAA Division I or II University MUST register with the NCAA Eligibility Center, meet all academic and amateur requirements, and be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center.

Steps for Applying

1. If you’re a full-time Veritas Diploma student, at your yearly consultation, inform your Academic Advisor that your student is interested in applying for NCAA status (If you are not a Diploma student, check for instructions further down!). This should be done as soon as possible before freshman year so that the Advisor can give you the necessary information.

2. Develop an academic plan with your Advisor that meets NCAA requirements.

1. The NCAA Eligibility Center approved courses in four categories: English, Math, Natural/Physical Science, and Social Science. Some Foreign Language, Philosophy, and Non-Doctrinal Religion classes may also be approved as core courses. Please note that classes like Art, Band, Choir, Computers, Economics, Yearbook, and Physical Education are not approved as core courses.

2. You must complete a minimum number of core courses in each category as part of the NCAA Eligibility Center certification process.

3. A core course is any course at your high school that has been reviewed and approved by the NCAA Eligibility Center as a course that meets its academic standards. In other words, core courses are courses "approved" by the Eligibility Center.

4. The NCAA Eligibility Center maintains a list of approved core courses for every high school in the country that has registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center. There are two ways for you to get the list for your high school:

   1. You may obtain a list from your Advisor.

   2. Go to: NCAA List Approved Courses. Enter “Veritas Press Scholars Academy” in the High School Name or 392122 in the NCAA High School Code.

1. At the beginning of your student’s 9th-grade year, register at www.eligibilitycenter.org.

   1. For Diploma students, please register your student as a student of VSA and NOT as a homeschool student. VSA is approved by the NCAA.

   2. For non-Diploma students, please register your students' primary school of attendance with VSA as an additional school.

2. After 11th grade, request that a transcript (for Diploma students) or grade report (for non-Diploma students) be sent to the NCAA.

3. Take the SAT/ACT and use the code 9999 to have scores sent to the NCAA.

4. By April 1st of the student’s senior year, have the student request final Amateurism Certification from the NCAA.

5. After graduation, request that a final transcript be submitted to the NCAA.

How VSA Can Assist You

VSA can only assist you with the eligibility process if you list your child as a student of VSA. For Diploma Premium families, you may contact your Academic Advisor directly, and for Diploma Classic families, you may contact diploma@veritaspress.com for assistance in the following areas:

• Requesting documentation such as transcripts, letters of enrollment or graduation, etc.

• Creating an academic plan that meets NCAA requirements

• Specific questions regarding your child’s NCAA application

For non-Diploma students, you may contact info@veritaspress.com for assistance in the following areas:

• Requesting documentation such as official grade reports

What Athletes Have to Do:

1. Register at www.eligibilitycenter.org before the start of the 9th-grade year.

2. Request transcript (Diploma students) or grade report (non-Diploma students) be sent after junior year to the NCAA.

3. Take the SAT/ACT and use code “9999” to have scores sent to the NCAA.

4. For Diploma students, work with your Academic Advisor on a course plan to stay on track to graduate on time and with the required number of core courses.

5. Request final Amateurism Certification from the NCAA in the senior year beginning April 1.

6. Finally, request a final transcript (Diploma students) or grade report (non-Diploma students) be submitted after graduation to the NCAA.

What Parents Have to Do:

1. Ensure that the student registers before the beginning of the 9th-grade year at www.eligibilitycenter.org.

2. Ensure that the student takes the SAT/ACT and uses code 9999 to have scores sent to the NCAA.

3. Assist the student in requesting final Amateurism Certification from the NCAA beginning April 1.

QUESTIONS? Contact the NCAA Customer Service Department at 877-622-2321.

OVERVIEW: Access the NCAA Educational Resources

2023-2024 School Year Signing Dates: http://www.nationalletter.org/signingDates/future.html