Student Athlete Academic Eligibility

The Office of the University Registrar serves as the academic eligibility certification authority for student-athletes at the University of South Carolina. Each student-athlete must meet NCAA, Southeastern Conference, and institutional academic standards in order to represent the University in competition.

Initial Eligibility

The NCAA Eligibility Center certifies the initial eligibility of each prospective first-time freshman student-athlete. For additional information, please contact the Office of Compliance Services.

Continuing Eligibility

The Office of the University Registrar works directly with USC athletics compliance officers, athletics academic advisors, and University academic advisors to verify the continuing eligibility of student-athletes.

To be eligible for competition, a student-athlete must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 (twelve) credit hours during each semester.

Exception: A student-athlete may compete while enrolled in less than 12 (twelve) credit hours during a semester, provided the student is enrolled in the final semester of the baccalaureate program and that USC certifies that the student is carrying (for credit) the courses necessary to complete degree requirements.

In order to maintain eligibility at the University of South Carolina, you must meet the following continuing eligibility requirements:

Credit Hour Requirements

Student-athletes must complete a minimum of 6 credit hours each semester (fall and spring);
Student-athletes must complete a minimum of 18 credit hours for the fall and spring semesters combined; and
Student-athletes entering their 2nd year of collegiate enrollment must have completed 24 semester hours (during the initial fall, spring and summer terms)

Grade Point Average

Student-athletes entering their 2nd year of collegiate enrollment must maintain an accumulative GPA of 1.800;
Student-athletes entering their 3rd year of collegiate enrollment must maintain an accumulative GPA of 1.900; and
Student-athletes entering their 4th year of collegiate enrollment and beyond must maintain an accumulative GPA of 2.000.

Progress-Toward-Degree

Student-athletes must declare a major by the beginning of their 3rd year of collegiate enrollment.
Student-athletes entering the 3rd year of collegiate enrollment must have completed 40% of the specific degree requirements;
Student-athletes entering the 4th year of collegiate enrollment must have completed 60% of the specific degree requirements; and
Student-athletes entering the 5th year of collegiate enrollment must have completed 80% of the specific degree requirements.

Transfer Students

Incoming and outgoing transfer student-athletes must comply with NCAA, conference, and institutional transfer rules. The Office of the University Registrar verifies the academic record of outgoing transfer students, and works in conjunction with compliance officers and academic advisors to determine the application of transfer credits for incoming students.