In an attempt to further evolve, the NCAA announced it is adding new transfer rules for college athletes.
For fall sports, including college football, the NCAA added a window to transfer from May 1-15 or a 45-day window “the day after championships selections are made in their sport.” The same goes for spring sports, except instead of the May dates they are Dec. 1-15.
For winter sports, like college basketball, the NCAA added a 60-day window after championships are selected.
Additionally, the NCAA added new rules for players on teams that experience head coach changes and for student athletes who want to be eligible immediately but don’t fall under the one-time waiver exception rule. Students will also get to keep their financial aid through graduation if they decide to transfer schools, regardless of where they go.
One area that the NCAA didn’t address is athletes transferring multiple times and becoming instantly eligible each time.
“Like their peers in the general student population, college athletes choose to transfer for any number of reasons,” University of Georgia president and chair of the Board of Directors Joe Morehead said in a statement. “We believe the changes enacted today enable member schools to adapt to students’ needs, while also positioning students for long-term academic success. These changes to NCAA rules recognize further study is needed on graduation rates before we consider authorizing multiple transfer opportunities with immediate eligibility. We will continue to review potential modifications to transfer rules as the landscape evolves over time.”
These transfer rules should give college athletes even more flexibility if they are considering transferring from their current schools. As for the NCAA, the organization is hoping these windows can make life easier for students who want to transfer.
