"Since we've joined the NAIA...the members and quality of student-athletes have gone up, while raising our academic profile and level of competition. It's been a good fit for us." Dr. Margaret Huber, President Presentation College (Moved from NCAA DIii to NAIA)
"The NAIA is the perfect fit for colleges that value a balance of academics and athletics. And for the student-athlete, the NAIA offers a highly competitive experience for those who want to experience the joy of competing and learn life skills in the process." Dr. John Reynders President Morningside College (Moved from NCAA DII to NAIA)
Jim Carr
NAIA President and CEO
Dear NAIA members (current, former and future) It's no secret. The landscape of college athletics is evolving. And it's nearly impossible to predict where it's going. But a few things will never change the fundamental principles that make your commitment to the NAIA one you won't regret. First, we have an unwavering, character-driven dedication to enhancing the academic and athletic experiences of our students. Second, the NAIA offers high-caliber athletics at a reasonable cost. If you're looking to achieve a better return on your investment and to provide your campus with all the benefits of athletics, the facts are simple. It takes significantly fewer resources to administer competitive athletics programs in the NAIA. Third, we are dedicated to helping you advance enrollment through athletics. With an aggressive plan to attract members, student athletes and revenue, this organization is on your side and ready for the long haul. You'll always hear "grass is greener" stories when comparing associations. But the perception isn't reality. The NAIA stacks up quite favorably. Consider this: NAIA student-athlete participation is growing faster than in other associations. In the past five years, NAIA participation is up 30% compared with 16% in NCAA Division II and 11% in NCAA Division Ill. Coaches and student-athletes have more freedom to grow together in the NAIA. Coaches are encouraged to interact and mentor students every step of the way, from recruiting through four years of college life. The result? Higher rates of success - both on and off the field. When you factor in the NAIA's strong level of competition and the ability to align your athletics programs with your institution's overall mission, you'll soon realize... The NAIA just fits.
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletic Who we are:
We are a governing body of small college athletics programs, dedicated to enhancing the character-building aspects of sports and driving enrollment through athletics. Founded in 1937, we have a long and illustrious history of promoting opportunities to play while pursuing a college education.
What we believe:
Student-athletes are at the center of our association. Their needs and ambitions guide our decisions, and we respond with initiatives to assist them in becoming quality, character-driven adults.
What we offer:
As a member of the NAIA, you'll be a part of an organization dedicated to enhancing the student-athlete experience through quality competition, character-training and more opportunities to participate in national championships. We offer services and support as member institutions expand their sports offerings and attract quality student-athletes to their campuses.
• 250+ member schools • 65,000 student-athletes • 20+ conferences • 23+ championship sports • Growing athletic participation • Reasonable cost to administer athletics • Top programs spend half that of NCAA DH • Growth opportunities with emerging sports • Character emphasis drives decisions
How can the NAIA benefit your institution? You create an athletics program to fit your mission and your budget. The NAIA is a membership-driven association where the size and scope of your athletics programs are determined by YOU. This gives you the ability to carry out your mission and values without mandated requirements that significantly increase your costs.
A community committed to character. The Champions of Character program is an integral part of our members' collective commitment to positively influence young people in their athletic and personal lives. This emphasis on character sets the NAIA apart and is reinforced both on and off the field with ongoing training for coaches and student-athletes.
Rules that allow mentoring opportunities to foster recruitment and retention. In the NAIA, we believe in and support our coaches to positively influence the lives of young people. That's why our more reasonable rules allow contact and interaction that foster positive relationships so the student-athlete and the institution find the best fit for recruitment and retention success.
Initiatives to help advance enrollment through athletics. We know that athletics can play a key part in your enrollment strategy, and that's where the NAIA approach works. The option to offer junior varsity programs creates more opportunities for students to participate. We are expanding beyond our 23 national championships by targeting new sports that prospective students want to play. We're also engaged in initiatives to improve the national awareness of our institutions among young recruits to help your coaches find quality student-athletes who fit your programs.
What's on the horizon? The NAIA is dedicated to being your partner today- and long into the future. That's why the NAIA is assisting our members with initiatives that increase the awareness of the NAIA to help them attract quality young people for your athletics programs and admissions office. It starts with our NAIA Sports Showcases where prospective student-athletes show their skills in front of NAIA coaches to earn scholarships. The NAIA is the only college athletics association that offers official events with skills assessments and coaches on site, where student-athletes and their parents can connect with NAIA schools. In addition, these events emphasize collaboration between athletics and admissions, so students and coaches can find the right fit. In the next two years, NAIA members will add nearly 200 sports teams in both traditional and emerging sports such as bowling and competitive cheer and dance. Whenever new generations want the competi tive experience, the NAIA will be there with opportunities to play. The result? • Freedom to construct athletic programs within your mission and budget. • Improved recruitment and retention. • Stronger bottom lines.
"The life lessons I learned while competing in the NAIA are embedded in who I am. I learned to lead through that experience." Mike McCarthy- Head Coach Super Bowl™ Champion Green Bay Packers Former student-athlete at Baker University
"I really feel that the NAIA provides needed opportunities for smaller universities that want to compete in intercollegiate athletics without getting lost in the shuffle of larger organizations. I valued the opportunities that the NAIA gave me as a student-athlete and continue to value the opportunities that the NAIA provides to today's student-athletes." Jim Abbott Assistant V.P. for Intercollegiate Athletics Oklahoma City University
WHY CHOOSE THE NAIA? Factor in the NAIA’s strong level of competition and the ability to align your athletics programs with your institution’s mission, and you’ll soon realize: the NAIA just fits. WHO WE ARE We are a governing body of small college athletics programs, dedicated to enhancing the character-building aspects of sports and driving enrollment through athletics. Founded in 1937, we have a long and illustrious history of promoting opportunities to play while pursuing a college education.
WHAT WE BELIEVE Student-athletes are at the center of our association. Their needs and ambitions guide our decisions, and we respond with initiatives to assist them in becoming quality, character-driven adults.
WHAT WE ARE As a member of the NAIA, you’ll be a part of an organization dedicated to enhancing the student-athlete experience through quality competition, character-training and more opportunities to participate in national championships. We offer services and support as member institutions expand their sports offerings and attract quality student-athletes to their campuses.
250 Member Schools 65,000 Student Athletes 21 Conferences 25 National Championships Growing Athletic Participation Reasonable Cost to Administer Top Programs Spend Half of NCAA Dll Emerging Sports Growth Opportunities Character Emphasis Drives Decisions
YOU CREATE AN ATHLETICS PROGRAM TO FIT YOUR MISSION AND BUDGET The NAIA is a membership-driven association where the size and scope of your athletics programs are determined by YOU. This gives you the ability to carry out your mission and values without mandated requirements that significantly increase your costs.
A COMMUNITY COMMITTED TO CHARACTER The Champions of Character program is an integral part of our members’ collective commitment to positively influence young people in their athletic and personal lives. This emphasis on character sets the NAIA apart and is reinforced both on and off the field with ongoing training for coaches and student-athletes.
RULES THAT ALLOW MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES TO FOSTER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION In the NAIA, we believe in and support our coaches to positively influence the lives of young people. That’s why our more reasonable rules allow contact and interaction that foster positive relationships, so the student-athlete and the institution find the best fit for recruitment and retention success.
INITIATIVES TO HELP ADVANCE ENROLLMENT THROUGH ATHLETICS We know that athletics can play a key part in your enrollment strategy, and that’s where the NAIA approach works. The option to offer junior varsity programs creates more opportunities for students to participate. We are expanding beyond our 25 national championships by targeting new sports that prospective students want to play. We’re also engaged in initiatives to improve the national awareness of our institutions among young recruits to help your coaches find quality student-athletes who fit your programs.
YOUR PARTNER FOR GROWTH Dedicated to being your partner today and into the future. NAIA OFFERS
A cost-effective approach to athletics — our average
athletics expenditures are roughly half those of NCAA Division II. High-caliber, character-driven competition that enhances the collegiate experience for student-athletes Financial aid rules that balance academics and athletics Autonomy with much less bureaucracy, and A partnership in driving enrollment and growth that is unique in intercollegiate athletics.
As the national leader in student-athlete participation, at 15% of overall enrollment of member schools, the NAIA is now the expert in the business of collegiate athletics at small and midsized institutions.
MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER The NAIA is dedicated to being your partner today – and long into the future. That’s why the NAIA is assisting our members with initiatives that increase the awareness of the NAIA to help
them attract quality young people for your athletics programs and admissions office. It starts with our NAIA Sports Showcases where prospective student-athletes show their skills in front of NAIA coaches to earn scholarships. The NAIA is the only college athletics association that offers official events with skills assessments and coaches on-site, where student-athletes and their parents can connect with NAIA schools. In addition, these events emphasize collaboration between athletics and admissions, so students and coaches can find the right fit. In the next two years, NAIA members will add nearly 200 sports teams in both championship and emerging sports such as bowling. Whenever new generations want the competitive experience, the NAIA will be there with opportunities to play.
THE RESULT?
Freedom to construct athletic programs within your mission and budget.
The NAIA was the first to
Improved recruitment and retention. Stronger bottom lines.
hold a national championship basketball tournament that continues today as the longest running of its kind.
LEADER IN CHARACTER EDUCATION
We’re the leader in what’s best about sports — building
include historically African-American institutions
offer national championships for both men
and women
emphasize character as a way to improve
the culture of sport
host events where prospective student-
athletes show their skills in front of NAIA coaches with the potential to earn scholarships.
character on and off the field. Character education and professional development for coaches, staff and studentathletes are priorities. Our innovative Champions of Character Live5 program is the only online character training specifically for studentathletes. 18,000+ college, high school and youth coaches have taken our Character-Driven Coaching course. 32,000+ NAIA student-athletes complete the online Learn to Live 5 course each year. Our commitment to hospitality and game management on the field and in the stands has made the NAIA a leader in the education and development of outstanding community leaders throughout the United States and the world.
*As per The Equity in Athletics Data Analysis Report (EADA)
NAIA VALUE PROPOSITION High-caliber athletics at a reasonable cost Freedom to construct athletic programs that align with your mission and budget Fewer staffing requirements, which significantly reduces your costs Rules that foster recruitment and retention Initiatives that help advance enrollment through athletics Competitive athletics operating in a collegial and respectful environment
NAIA ATHLETICS EXPERIENCE Opportunity to play and earn scholarships Increased opportunities for junior varsity and dual sport athletes Character-driven commitment to academic and athletic experiences Coach-student mentorship opportunities Student-centered rules Student-athletes are an integral part of the campus community Extensive opportunities for high quality conference and national postseason experiences
CHAMPIONSHIPS & SPORT SPONSORSHIP 17% of NAIA student-athletes have the opportunity to participate in postseason. CHAMPIONSHIP SPORTS The NAIA sponsors 25 national championship sports for men and women. Championship sports require 40 sponsoring institutions. National Championships are administered by the NAIA National Office. FALL Men’s Cross Country Women’s Cross Country Football Men’s Soccer Women’s Soccer Women’s Volleyball WINTER Men’s Basketball Women’s Basketball Competitive Cheer & Dance Men’s Swimming & Diving Women’s Swimming & Diving Men’s Indoor Track & Field Women’s Indoor Track & Field Wrestling
SPRING Baseball Men’s Golf Women’s Golf Softball Men’s Tennis Women’s Tennis Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Women’s Outdoor Track & Field INVITATIONAL Men’s Lacrosse Women’s Lacrosse Men’s Volleyball EMERGING Men’s Bowling Women’s Bowling
SPORTS SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES For NAIA member schools, adding new varsity and junior varsity sports means opportunities to attract more students to campus. In addition to offering 25 national championship sports, the NAIA works to identify new sports for their potential to become widely adopted by membership and to establish a national championship in that sport. Men’s and women’s lacrosse, and men’s volleyball are invitational sports in preparation for becoming championship sports. Men’s and women’s bowling has emerging sport status. At the campus level, the NAIA National Office provides customized resources for members to investigate the potential for adding sports not currently sponsored by the institution. The program includes support from a network of peer experts within membership.
Students have the opportunity to play, learn and lead.
Teams directly qualify for the national championship through their conference. The number of automatic berths from a specific conference is determined by the total number of conference schools participating in the sport. Direct qualification gives every conference an opportunity to have representation at the national championship. The remainder of the championship field is made up of at-large selections, typically the top-ranked teams that did not qualify through automatic qualification.
Coaches value a culture that allows mentoring relationships. Leaders see the benefits of athletics at a reasonable cost.
Soccer, Volleyball, Baseball and Softball all have “opening rounds” as part of the national championship. These events are usually held at campus sites. Any NAIA institution can bid to host an opening round, with preference given to the top-ranked teams.
RECRUITING & NAIA SHOWCASE NAIA rules allow contact and mentoring that foster recruitment and retention. RECRUITING
NAIA SHOWCASE
In the NAIA, the rules for recruiting are very different from other associations. Being able to develop personal relationships is a hallmark of the NAIA and part of the philosophy behind NAIA recruiting rules. NAIA recruiting rules don’t restrict when or how often the student and college coaches can communicate. This way, students can fully explore what NAIA schools have to offer them both athletically and academically.
The NAIA is the only college athletics association that offers official events for prospective student-athletes to showcase their skills on the field in front of NAIA coaches. Showcases are important vehicles for building awareness of the NAIA, its institutions and their athletics and academic programs.
The NAIA has no recruiting calendar. Students and coaches can communicate year-round. There is also no limit to the number of communications or how the communication takes place. The student’s family and the coach set the terms for communicating – not the NAIA.
An individual sport showcase is a one-day event where high school and junior college student-athletes can not only perform but learn about the NAIA, its recruiting and eligibility rules and meet with NAIA coaches.
Students are permitted two days of try-outs at each NAIA member school. The two days do not have to be consecutive, and the student may be provided lodging, meals, etc. if the same would be provided to non-athletes trying out for other programs at the school.
Now in its third year, the NAIA Showcases have directly connected more than 2,000 prospective students and their parents with NAIA coaches. Presentations on NAIA character initiatives and opportunities to visit with admissions representatives from NAIA schools are included at every Showcase.
Students have the opportunity to play, learn and lead. Coaches value a culture that allows mentoring relationships.
In 2016, 306 coaches representing 109 NAIA schools met with participants during the seven events. Those coaches reported having positive interactions with student-athletes that resulted in follow-up visits and on-site offers to participants during the Showcase events in football, baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, and men’s and women’s soccer. Learn more at NAIAShowcase.com
Leaders see the benefits of athletics at a reasonable cost.
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics • 1200 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106 • 816.595.8000 • NAIA.org
CHAMPIONS OF CHARACTER For NAIA colleges and universities, ongoing character education for student-athletes and coaches is a priority. COMMITMENT TO CHARACTER
LIVE 5 ONLINE TRAINING
Since Champions of Character was launched in 2000, NAIAmember colleges and universities have made ongoing character education and professional development for coaches, athletics administrative staff and student-athletes a priority.
The NAIA, the leader in character-driven intercollegiate athletics, offers the only four-year online character curriculum for student-athletes. The introductory course, Learn to Live 5, launched in 2013, was followed in 2014 with Master the Fundamentals for sophomores, Live 5 and Lead for juniors and Live 5 for Life for seniors. The programs focus on modeling, leading and building values-based skills for life after college.
The NAIA’s successful Character-Driven Coaching course was launched in 2009. All NAIA coaches, including graduate assistants, are required to take the online course within the first two months on the job. More than 18,000 college, high school and youth coaches have also taken the course. In 2009, NAIA member colleges and universities committed to putting Champions of Character values into play on both the field and in the stands. Hospitality and game management of NAIA athletics events and conduct in competition are guided by Champions of Character principles. Today, every school’s progress in pursuing character education is tracked and recognized for achievements in training, promotion and conduct in competition.
The Champions of Character program provides values-based training, so student-athletes know, do and value the right thing, on and off the field.
The Champions of Character Live 5 series was developed with specific learning outcomes and research-based curriculum intended to have a measurable impact on student attitudes over time. The 20-minute interactive programs are centered on the Champions of Character Five Core Values — Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Sportsmanship and Servant Leadership —and how they’re applied on and off the field. A key milestone for Champions of Character Live 5 is the research-driven surveying of student-athletes to gauge the impact of deliberately teaching character over time. The NAIA is partnering with sports ethics and psychology professionals from TrueCompetition.org in conducting the research.
COUNCIL FOR STUDENT-ATHLETES
Champions of Character also reaches high school and youth sports through its outreach activities conducted by member schools and participants at NAIA national championship events.
CHARACTER SCORECARD The Champions of Character Scorecard measures each institution’s commitment to Champions of Character. Institutions are recognized for a demonstrated commitment to Champions of Character and earn points in character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition and character promotion and few to no ejections during competition throughout the course of the academic year.
The Council for Student-Athletes is charged with initiating operational policies for the Champions of Character program and conducting research and education that will benefit the health, safety and development of NAIA student-athletes. The council includes representatives from each governing council including the Association of Student-Athletes. Through incorporation of the ideals of Champions of Character, the Council is committed to ensuring NAIA student-athletes train and compete in a safe and healthy environment.
NAIA ELIGIBILITY CENTER More than 30,000 students register each year to gain exposure and an opportunity to play. EXPOSURE & NATIONAL VISIBILITY
Since opening in 2010, the NAIA Eligibility Center has had hundreds of thousands students register online providing unprecedented visibility and awareness of the opportunities to play intercollegiate sports at NAIA institutions. The exposure gained from partnerships with major testing services and the nation’s more than 20,000 high schools has allowed the center to become a platform for reaching high school student-athletes, their families and coaches on a national scale.
Registering with the NAIA Eligibility
LEVEL PLAYING FIELD
NAIA rules help ensure that NAIA student-athletes compete against students with similar levels of training and competitive experience. The NAIA Eligibility Center reviews the experiences of athletes who have competed outside the traditional college setting to maintain a level playing field throughout NAIA competition. Coaches know that the rules are applied consistently to every student, every time.
FOCUS ON THE STUDENT-ATHLETE & CUSTOMER SERVICE
With NAIA rules, prospective students don’t have to worry
about navigating a complex web of eligibility and recruiting contact rules. High school students have three academic eligibility criteria to focus on. If a student meets two of the criteria, then the student is eligible upon high school graduation: o Cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale o Class rank in the top 50% of graduating class o ACT of 16 or SAT of 860 Critical Reading and Math*
The NAIA Eligibility Center provides initial eligibility determinations, working with integrity to apply NAIA rules and provide quality customer service for students, parents and NAIA membership.
Center is straight forward. It takes only a few minutes for first-time NAIA students to register. High academic performers in high school can even receive a final eligibility determination before high school graduation, if they meet a higher GPA standard and have qualifying test scores. The fee to register is $80 for students coming directly from high school, $125 for transfer students, and $135 for international students. For students with demonstrated need, a fee waiver system is in place. The PlayNAIA.org website is a one-stop shop for all work related to the NAIA Eligibility Center for students, NAIA members, and high school counselors. Students can track their progress online or through their mobile phones. NAIA coaches can easily monitor their recruits through the registration process through their school’s PlayNAIA Manager web access.
INCRED: STREAMLINING FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
With its extensive experience in conducting credential evaluations of international student academic records, the NAIA Eligibility Center now offers InCred, a service for international students that combines the reviews for both admissions and athletic eligibility into a consolidated, cost-effective process. InCred is a one-stop for international students to consolidate the admissions, transfer credit evaluation and eligibility process, saving students time and money through the submission of electronic international records. International student-athletes receive a quality credential evaluation on par with AACRAO and industry standards. InCred is the only international credential evaluation that provides consistency between the athlete’s NAIA Eligibility Center review and a credential evaluation. InCred is helping pave the way for international students. ___________________________________________________
*Unreliable concordance scores on the redesigned SAT led the NAIA to adjust its eligibility requirements through 2018-19. These minimum scores will increase when new concordance data is available in 2019.
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics 1200 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106 816.595.8000 NAIA.org
FINANCIAL AID You create an athletics program to fit your mission and budget. FINANCIAL AID In the NAIA each sport has an upper limit for the amount of institutional aid allowed per school. The school may choose to divide the scholarships among student-athletes*, so long as the total does not exceed the limit for the sport. Limits for each sport are as follows:
Baseball ........................................................12 Basketball DI ................................................11
Institutional aid is considered anything funded, controlled or allocated by the institution, regardless of its original source (e.g., private scholarships, athletic scholarships, academic scholarships and work study count toward team aid limits). However, academically gifted students can be exempted from these limits if they meet GPA or test score criteria established by the NAIA. Those criteria include:
Continuing students with a 3.6 cumulative GPA or who are
Basketball DII ................................................ 6
in the top 10% of their class (100% of aid exempt)
Competitive Cheer & Dance — Cheer .......12
Continuing students with a 3.3 – 3.59 cumulative GPA or
Competitive Cheer & Dance — Dance ........10 Cross Country ................................................ 5
Football .........................................................24 Golf ................................................................. 5 Lacrosse………………………………………… ......12 Indoor & Outdoor Track & Field .................12 Soccer ...........................................................12 Softball .........................................................10 Swimming and Diving ................................... 8 Tennis ............................................................. 5 Volleyball........................................................ 8 * The total amount of scholarship money a team has available to it is equal to (the average cost of attendance at the school) multiplied by (the above limit for scholarships). The team/athletic department may then divide that total amount of money amongst varsity team members however it chooses. For example, if the average cost of attendance per year is $10,000 at an NAIA school, then the tennis team would have $50,000 total to distribute to varsity tennis players. One player may be taking an overload of classes, and the total cost of attendance for that player is $12,000. If the team wanted to give that player a full ride, the player would cost the team the equivalent of 1.2 of total tennis scholarships. Or, the team could decide to provide 10 varsity players with flat scholarships of $5,000 each.
who are in the upper 11% - 25% of their class (50% of aid exempt) Aid to entering freshmen exempt if the student achieves one of the following: o 1130 SAT or 23 ACT = 50% of aid exempt; 1270 SAT or 27 ACT = 100% of aid exempt; or o Cumulative high school GPA of 3.50 – 3.74 = 50% of aid exempt; 3.75 – 4.0 = 100% of aid exempt; or o High school class rank in the top 11% - 25% = 50% of aid exempt
Multi-sport athletes will automatically have their aid equally divided by the number of sports in which they compete. An NAIA school is able to divide the student’s aid if the student participates in varsity sports sponsored by either the NAIA or the NCAA. Case examples:
Student participates in football and outdoor track = aid is equally divided
Student participates in swimming/diving and varsity water polo (NCAA sport) = aid is equally divided
Student participates in cross country and varsity curling
(not NAIA or NCAA sport) = all aid counted toward cross country limits Aid to students who play at the junior varsity level does not count in the overall limits.
MEMBERSHIP BASICS MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY
ATHLETIC GRANTS
Active membership in the NAIA is open to four-year colleges and universities and upper-level, two-year institutions in the United States and Canada that award the bachelor’s (baccalaureate) degree, or its equivalent.
The NAIA has maximum institutional aid limits for each varsity sport. Some or all institutional aid awarded to individual student-athletes may be exempted based on their academic performance. Limits do not apply to junior varsity teams.
Institutions in the U.S. must be fully accredited by one of the six regional accrediting bodies; Canadian institutions must have accreditation from the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. Associate membership is accorded to institutions that meet the criteria but do not hold full membership in one of the accrediting bodies or to institutions that hold full accreditation but are classified as developing athletic programs.
SPORTS SPONSORSHIP NAIA institutions must sponsor a minimum of six NAIA championship sports no later than the beginning of the fourth full academic year of active NAIA membership. Single-gender institutions must sponsor a minimum of three NAIA championship sports no later than the beginning of the fourth full academic year of active NAIA membership. Affiliated NAIA conferences often have more strict sponsorship requirements. Institutions in the process of building sports programs have the option of sponsoring an intercollegiate sport and opting out of NAIA championships on a year-by-year basis. This affords the institution scheduling advantages and requires application of NAIA rules for participating student-athletes in that sport.
MEMBERSHIP COSTS The NAIA has a one-time membership application fee. Annual costs for NAIA membership include membership dues, conference membership or independent dues, statistical software fees, student-athlete drug education fees and required catastrophic injury insurance. (The NAIA’s catastrophic injury insurance program is administered by Ascension Benefits and Insurance Solutions; premiums vary annually and by sport.)
ATHLETIC FACILITIES Playing rules for each sport may stipulate facility or playing field dimensions or standards. The membership evaluation process may take into consideration the quality of current athletics facilities and feasibility of planned improvements.
CONFERENCES The NAIA has 21 conferences including the Association of Independent Institutions. Conference membership offers scheduling benefits, cost-effective post season opportunities and an environment to build relationships and rivalries with other institutions. It is recommended that prospective members engage in a discussion with potential conferences.
NAIA ELIGIBILITY CENTER All first-time NAIA student-athletes must register with the NAIA Eligibility Center to have their academic and athletic eligibility determined. Ongoing eligibility is managed at the institution.
MEMBERSHIP PROCESS Applications are considered once a year and must be received in the NAIA National Office by October 1. If a campus visit is approved by the NAIA membership committee, the final evaluation and recommendation is presented to the Council of Presidents at its annual meeting the following April. If accepted, membership begins July 1; however, a one-year waiting period is required before new members are eligible for championships selection.
MEMBERSHIP COSTS 2017-2018 APPLICATION FEE One-time application fee .................................................................................................................................... $10,000
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEES Annual membership dues (estimated for 2017-18) .............................................................................................................$7,800 Average dues for affiliated conference membership ...........................................................................................................$11,600 Average dues for independent ...............................................................................................................$3,500 plus $300 per sport Statistical software fees ............................................................................................................................... range from $125 to $2,000 Drug education fees .......................................................................................................................$200 plus $2.50 per student-athlete Required participation in the NAIA's catastrophic injury insurance ......................................................... ranges from $3,425 to $19,049 The NAIA's catastrophic injury insurance program is administered by Ascension Benefits and Insurance Solutions; premiums vary annually and by sport.
Paving the way for international student-athletes InCred is a streamlined credential evaluation process through the NAIA making it easier for admissions, registrars, recruiters and athletic staff to evaluate international student-athletes.
Benefits of InCred:
ǿǿ EXPERTS InCred has a team of experienced and dedicated evaluators who specialize in assessing the unique educational paths of student-athletes from nearly 200 countries ǿǿ Evaluations provide CLEAR breakdowns and are in an easy-to-follow format ǿǿ RAPID electronic submission of international records ǿǿ TIMELY and accurate credential evaluations
InCred credential evaluations provide consistency between NAIA eligibility and admissions. ǿǿ INCRED IS A ONE-STOP-SHOP Records sent for InCred can also be used for eligibility by using our streamlined electronic document submission process ǿǿ InCred uniquely provides an eligibility addendum for an advanced look at factors that could impact the student’s eligibility in the NAIA
InCred Evaluations Include:
ǿǿ Accreditation / recognition of institution ǿǿ Verification of the record’s authenticity ǿǿ Evaluation of the international credential as it compares to U.S. degrees or diplomas ǿǿ Grade conversions to 4-point scale ǿǿ Course and credit conversions ǿǿ Eligibility addendum
Cost-effective and thorough evaluations: • Basic Evaluation
ǿǿ Description of international credentials as it compares to U.S. education levels ǿǿ Most often used by students who have never attended a university
• Course by Course Evaluation
ǿǿ The Basic Evaluation plus ǿǿ list of each course completed by term ǿǿ suggested equivalent U.S. grades and credits ǿǿ Most often used for university transfer credit TESTIMONIALS: “It’s easy to read; easy to follow.” “It was so much faster for my athletes, which made my job easier.” “…this is a Win Win!”
MEMBERSHIPS - AACRAO, TAICEP and NAFSA InCred · 1200 Grand Boulevard · Kansas City, MO 64106 · 1.816.595.8000 · www.InCredEvals.org