Academic Policy for Participation in Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Pennsylvania
Download Penn's Academic Policy
To be certified academically eligible to participate (practice and/or compete) in intercollegiate athletics at the University of Pennsylvania, a student:
· Shall not have been awarded a baccalaureate degree, and
· Shall be in a specific baccalaureate degree program by beginning of the fifth term of full-time enrollment (at Penn or anywhere), and
· Shall be enrolled for a full-time course load of academic study for the current semester, and
· Shall have been awarded a minimum of 1.5 course units for each semester of full-time enrollment (beginning with the first semester of participation in intercollegiate athletics (anywhere)), and
· Shall satisfy requirements in the following areas:
1) NCAA Initial Eligibility (Freshman Only)
2) Completion of academic course work (course units awarded)
2) Grade-point-average
3) NCAA percentage of degree requirement
Note: The calculation of the percentage of degree, which is be based upon the information found in a student-athlete’s official academic worksheet has been automated effective with the 2005-06 academic year. A percentage cannot be calculated when a worksheet does not exist or is not official. It is the responsibility of the student-athlete to ensure that academic worksheet is official and current as to the student-athlete’s major and/or concentration and that all courses have been correctly slotted under the applicable requirement field. Student-athletes are to have academic worksheets made official by end of the fourth semester.
Transfer student-athletes and student-athletes participating in study abroad programs are not exempted from the percentage of degree requirement.
Provisional eligibility may be granted onetime only to a student-athlete who does not satisfy the prescribed norms for progress – being awarded an average of four (4) course units of academic credit per full-time semester or the good standing – a cumulative GPA of 2.00 provided all other applicable requirements are satisfied. Provisional eligibility, when granted, shall terminate at the conclusion of the academic year in which it is granted or at the start of the spring semester should the student-athlete’s academic performance for the fall semester not meet the NCAA term progress and/or GPA requirement.
In observance of NCAA legislation, certification of satisfaction of academic requirements is required prior to competition in each semester. Additionally, senior student-athletes or student-athletes who are exhausting their athletic eligibility must be recertified prior to participation in postseason competition occurring between semesters – fall to spring as well as spring to fall.
Incoming Freshmen (or students who are enrolling as full-time college students for first time)
Rising Sophomores (including transfer student-athletes)
Rising Juniors (including transfer student-athletes)
Rising Seniors (including transfer student-athletes)
Fifth Year Students (including transfer student-athletes)
