NCAA Division I
All rules presented are directly from the NCAA Manual and Handbook for all student-athletes to follow to remain eligible to participate in athletics. Rules posted are pulled from the general handbook, not institution specific — please also reach out to your school's compliance office for clarification.
Financial Donations From Outside Organizations / Developmental Funds to NCAA
A professional sports organization may provide funds for intercollegiate athletics developmental purposes in a particular sport (e.g., officiating expenses, research and educational projects, the conduct of summer leagues, purchase of equipment). However, such funds shall be provided in an unrestricted manner and administered through the Association's national office. (Revised: 6/6/25 effective 7/1/25)
Contacts and Evaluations / July Evaluation Periods
During the July evaluation periods and subject to additional recruiting calendar restrictions (see Bylaw 13.17.2), a member of an institution's basketball coaching staff may attend institutional basketball camps per Bylaw 13.12.1.1, noninstitutional organized events (e.g., camps, leagues, tournaments and festivals) that are certified per Bylaw 13.18, noninstitutional organized events that are approved, sponsored or conducted by an applicable state, national or international governing body and are not organized and conducted primarily for a recruiting purpose (e.g., intrastate and interstate high school basketball games, state high school all-star games, international competitions and practices associated with such contests) and the NCAA College Basketball Academy. [D] (Revised: 6/16/15, 8/8/18 effective 4/1/19, 12/14/18)
Contacts and Evaluations / Practice in Preparation for a Certified Event
An institutional coaching staff member may attend organized team practices in preparation for a certified event, provided such practice time has been designated by the organizer as part of the event. [D] (Revised: 6/16/15)
Contacts and Evaluations / Events Organized and Conducted for Recruiting Purposes
A coaching staff member shall not attend events that are approved, sponsored or conducted by an applicable state, national or international governing body but are organized and conducted primarily for a recruiting purpose, unless such events are certified per Bylaw 13.18. [D] (Revised: 6/16/15)
Basketball Event Certification
In basketball, in order for an event (e.g., camp, league, tournament or festival) to be certified, it must be reviewed and conducted in accordance with certification policies and procedures established and maintained by the Men's and Women's Basketball Oversight Committees. The Enforcement Certification and Approvals Group shall administer the certification process in accordance with the certification policies and procedures. (Adopted: 11/1/01 effective 4/1/02, Revised: 1/13/03, 4/29/04, 1/8/07, 11/1/07, 10/30/08, 2/1/10, 7/30/10, 10/28/10 effective 5/1/11, 4/25/11, 10/27/11, 7/31/13, 6/12/14, 10/29/15, 6/29/16, 4/26/17 effective 8/1/17, 4/25/18, 8/8/18 effective 1/24/19, 1/24/19)
Chart of Initial Eligibility Affecting Initial Year of College Attendance
Athletes may participate in approved summer leagues after the initial year and before the initial year of college attendance.
Weekly Hour Limitations — Outside of the Playing Season / Sports Other Than Football
(Adopted: 1/10/91 effective 8/1/91, Revised: 1/10/95 effective 8/1/95, 1/14/97, 11/1/00, 10/31/02 effective 8/1/03, 3/10/04, 4/27/06 effective 8/1/06, 9/22/06, 12/15/06, 4/26/17, 4/25/18 effective 8/1/18, 6/12/19, 5/19/21, 1/15/25 effective 8/1/25): Outside of the playing season, from the institution's first day of classes of the academic year or September 15, whichever occurs earlier, to one week prior to the beginning of the institution's final examination period at the conclusion of the academic year, only a student-athlete's participation in required weight training, conditioning and skill-related instruction (including film review and team meetings related to technical and tactical instruction) shall be permitted. A student-athlete's participation in such activities per Bylaw 17.02.1 shall be limited to a maximum of eight hours per week with not more than four hours per week spent on skill-related workouts. All countable athletically related activities outside of the playing season are prohibited one week prior to the beginning of the institution's final examination period for the applicable academic term through the conclusion of the institution's academic term. In baseball, all countable athletically related activities are prohibited between the conclusion of the institution's winter vacation period and the first permissible date for preseason practice in the championship segment per Bylaw 17.4.2.
Out-of-Season Athletically Related Activities / Other Restrictions — Summer League Exception
The following exceptions to the basketball outside-competition regulations are permitted (see Bylaw 17.35 for additional exceptions): (Revised: 1/11/94, 1/14/97 effective 8/1/97, 10/28/99 effective 8/1/00, 2/24/03, 4/14/03, 4/24/03, 7/30/10, 1/19/13 effective 8/1/13, 6/26/24 effective 8/1/24, 1/15/25) (a) Summer League. A student-athlete may compete during the period between June 15 and August 31 or the institution's opening day of classes (see Bylaw 17.02.15.3), whichever comes earlier, on a team in a league certified per policies and procedures established and maintained by the Men's and Women's Basketball Oversight Committees. The student-athlete must receive written permission from the institution's athletics director (or the director's official representative) prior to participation in the league. If the student-athlete is transferring and has been officially accepted for enrollment in a second institution, and if the previous institution certifies that the student has withdrawn and does not intend to return to that institution for the next term, the written permission is to be obtained from the member institution to which the student-athlete is transferring. Under such circumstances, the student-athlete does not count on the summer-league roster as a representative of either institution unless the student-athlete has enrolled and attended classes during the certifying institution's summer term.
Maximum Number of Student-Athletes on Outside Team
Following is the maximum number of student-athletes from the same institution with eligibility remaining who may compete on an outside team: (Revised: 4/27/00, 1/22/20, 6/26/24 effective 8/1/24, 1/15/25) (a) State or national multisport events — 2. (b) Foreign tour (outside team) — 2. (c) Olympic, Paralympic and national team development programs and competition — No limitations. (d) Summer basketball team in certified league — 2.