NCAA Approves Five-Year, Age-Based Eligibility Rule

The NCAA has unanimously approved a new age-based eligibity rule, giving Division 1 athletes five years of eligibility.

Jun 23, 2026 by Jon Kozak

NCAA Approves Five-Year, Age-Based Eligibility Rule

In a historic decision, the NCAA Division 1 cabinet unanimously approved a new five-year, age-based eligibility model on Tuesday, June 23.

This decision replaces "...eligibility rules in Division I, instead allowing student-athletes up to five years of competition within their chosen sport during a five-year window that begins the academic year following their high school graduation or their 19th birthday, whichever occurs first." See the below information from the NCAA that defines the new eligibility rules in further detail.

Implementation

The rule change will be effective for all prospects initially enrolling full time in college in fall 2027 or later.

For students enrolling full time in college for the first time in fall 2026 and current student-athletes with eligibility remaining after the 2025-26 academic year, Division I schools will apply the previous rules (allowing four seasons of competition within five years) or the age-based model, whichever results in the most favorable outcome for each individual.

Student-athletes	Which eligibility rules apply
Student-athletes who used their final season of competition (under previous rules) during 2025-26.	No additional eligibility.
Current student-athletes with eligibility remaining (under previous rules) after the 2025-26 academic year.	Either the previous rules OR the new age-based model, whichever is most beneficial to the student-athlete.
Prospects who initially enroll full time at any college or university during 2026-27.	Either the previous rules OR the new age-based model, whichever is most beneficial to the student-athlete.
Prospects who initially enroll full time at any college or university in fall 2027 or later.	The age-based model only.

Exceptions

The Cabinet defined the exceptions that could delay or pause an individual's period of eligibility under the age-based rules, which include pregnancy, active-duty military service and official religious missions. These exceptions will only be available if the student-athlete does not participate in organized competition for the duration of the exception.

For consistency throughout Division I, the NCAA Eligibility Center will administer the use of the exceptions.

Waivers Under Previous Rules

Under the age-based eligibility model, waivers will not be available — including clock extensions and waivers previously granted for hardships, seasons of competition and delayed enrollment.

For current student-athletes with eligibility remaining under the previous rules, schools must submit any season-of-competition or eligibility clock extension waiver requests based on circumstances that occurred during or before the 2025-26 academic year — and all supporting documentation — to the national office no later than July 31, 2026. After that date, waivers of the previous rules will no longer be available.

The above information and more details from the NCAA can be found here.