A NCAA transfer waiver is a request made by a college athlete to the NCAA for permission to transfer to a new college or university without being required to sit out for one year. The waiver is typically granted when there are extenuating circumstances such as a family illness or coaching changes.
And now, in greater depth
A NCAA transfer waiver is a request made by a student-athlete to the NCAA for permission to transfer to a new college or university without being required to sit out for one year. In other words, it allows a student-athlete to immediately become eligible to compete for their new school. The NCAA transfer waiver process is a complicated one, with multiple factors influencing whether or not a student-athlete will be granted a waiver.
According to the NCAA, the waiver is typically granted when there are extenuating circumstances such as a family illness or coaching changes. Additionally, if a student-athlete is transferring from a school that has been hit with sanctions or if their head coach has been fired or has resigned, they may also be eligible for a waiver.
However, the NCAA emphasizes that a waiver is not a guaranteed thing. Each case is reviewed on its own merits, and there is no universal standard for approving or denying transfer waivers. In fact, in 2019 the NCAA updated its guidelines and implemented a “more individualized” approach to the waiver process, meaning that student-athletes must provide more documentation and evidence to support their request for a waiver.
One of the most high-profile cases involving a transfer waiver in recent years was that of quarterback Justin Fields. In 2018, Fields was a freshman at the University of Georgia, but he announced he was transferring to Ohio State for the 2019 season. Fields submitted a waiver request to the NCAA citing “mitigating circumstances” at Georgia, and his request was ultimately granted, allowing him to immediately become eligible to play at Ohio State.
Here are some interesting facts about NCAA transfer waivers:
- The number of transfer waivers granted by the NCAA has increased sharply in recent years. In the 2018-19 academic year, the NCAA approved 79% of waivers submitted by student-athletes.
- The NCAA’s change in guidelines for the waiver process has been criticized by some coaches and administrators, who argue that it has made the process even more confusing and opaque.
- The transfer waiver process is only for student-athletes who have not yet used up their eligibility. In other words, if a student-athlete has already played four years of college sports, they cannot transfer to another school and expect to be granted a waiver.
- The NCAA transfer portal, where student-athletes can enter their names to indicate their intent to transfer, has become increasingly important in the transfer process. As of 2020, over 1,000 student-athletes were listed in the portal.
- Former college football player and current ESPN analyst Desmond Howard has been a vocal critic of the NCAA’s transfer rules. In a 2019 interview with the Detroit Free Press, Howard said, “I don’t agree with the NCAA that these kids should sit out a year if they transfer. I think they should be granted immediate eligibility.”
Here is a table summarizing some of the extenuating circumstances that might lead to a transfer waiver being granted:
| Circumstance | Example |
|---|---|
| Family illness | Student-athlete needs to be closer to home to care for a sick relative |
| Coaching change | Head coach leaves the school or is fired |
| Sanctions | The school the student-athlete is leaving is hit with NCAA sanctions |
| Personal trauma | Student-athlete experiences a traumatic event, such as the death of a family member |
| Academics | Student-athlete’s academic program is not offered at their current institution |
| Financial hardship | Student-athlete’s family experiences a financial crisis that makes it difficult to pay for college |
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Rick Allen, founder of Informed Athletes discusses in a YouTube video how his company assists parents and students with the transfer process including requests, waivers and appeals. Informed Athletes helps individuals understand their rights while providing expert insight during the process. The company can be contacted for assistance via phone or email.
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“An undergraduate transfer waiver will only be considered for student-athletes who transfer for reasons related to the student-athlete’s physical or mental health and well-being; due to exigent circumstances outside the student-athlete’s control (e.g., physical or sexual assault or discrimination based on a protected
The NCAA transfer waiver has specific guidelines for undergraduate players who transfer. The guidelines include transferring for reasons related to the student-athlete’s physical or mental health and well-being, exigent circumstances outside the student-athlete’s control, or diagnosed education impacting disabilities. Starting with the 2023-24 season, undergraduate players who transfer will have to meet specific guidelines to be eligible for immediate playing time or risk sitting out a year in between transfers. The Division I Council granted a blanket waiver allowing all transfer student-athletes to compete immediately this season if specific criteria are met. Four-year undergraduate student-athletes who decide to transfer to a new NCAA school can generally be eligible to compete for the new school provided they have not previously transferred and notify their current school by entering the NCAA Transfer Portal during their sport-specific transfer window.
“An undergraduate transfer waiver will only be considered for student-athletes who transfer for reasons related to the student-athlete’s physical or mental health and well-being; due to exigent circumstances outside the student-athlete’s control (e.g., physical or sexual assault or discrimination based on a protected class); or assertions involving diagnosed education impacting disabilities.”
The NCAA Division I Council approved legislation on Wednesday to limit waivers for second-time transfers. Now, undergraduate players who transfer will have specific guidelines they must meet in order to be eligible for immediate playing time starting with the 2023-24 season or risk sitting out a year in between transfers.
The Division I Council granted a blanket waiver allowing all transfer student-athletes to compete immediately this season if specific criteria are met. In order to be eligible for the waiver, the transfer student-athletes must meet the following conditions: They must be enrolled full time at the school for the fall 2020 term.
“In all sports, four-year undergraduate student-athletes who decide to transfer to a new NCAA school can generally be eligible to compete for the new school provided they have not previously transferred and notify their current school by entering the NCAA Transfer Portal during their sport-specific transfer window,” wrote the NCAA.
You will most likely be intrigued
What is transfer waiver?
A waiver is needed when a student-athlete wants to transfer from one four-year school to another and does not satisfy a transfer exception.
What is a NCAA eligibility waiver?
Answer: If you are unable to pay the registration fee for the NCAA Eligibility Center due to financial considerations, there is an option in the Payment section of your Eligibility Center account to indicate you are eligible to receive a fee waiver.
What is the NCAA rule on transferring?
Answer to this: "In all sports, four-year undergraduate student athletes who decide to transfer to a new NCAA school can generally be eligible to compete for the new school provided that they have not previously transferred and notify their current school by entering the NCAA Transfer Portal during their sport-specific transfer window
Can you transfer from d2 to d1 without sitting out?
Response: The right answer according to the NCAA is no. Many schools don’t like when their athletes transfer within the conference, but the school is not able to withhold you from going there. Recent rules have changed, and undergraduate athletes are now able to transfer once and not have to sit out a year.
What is an NCAA waiver?
Answer: Waiver: An action that sets aside an NCAA rule because a specific, extraordinary circumstance prevents you from meeting the rule. An NCAA school may file a waiver on your behalf; you cannot file a waiver for yourself. The school does not administer the waiver, the conference office or NCAA does.
Does college athletics have a waiver process for two-time transfers?
The NCAA issued an updated memo to college athletics programs regarding the waiver process for undergraduates who are two-time transfers. CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein obtained the memo, and tweeted out a copy on Wednesday.
What’s new in student-athlete eligibility waivers?
The board also adopted new, more specific standards for immediate eligibility waivers for student-athletes who do not otherwise meet the one-time transfer exception, focusing on student-athlete well-being or circumstances outside the student-athlete’s control.
Can I transfer from a 4 year college to an NCAA school?
In reply to that: If you transfer from a four-year college to an NCAA school, you must complete one academic year in residence at the new school before you can play for or receive travel expenses from the new school, unless you qualify for a transfer exception or waiver.
What is an NCAA waiver?
The answer is: Waiver: An action that sets aside an NCAA rule because a specific, extraordinary circumstance prevents you from meeting the rule. An NCAA school may file a waiver on your behalf; you cannot file a waiver for yourself. The school does not administer the waiver, the conference office or NCAA does.
Does college athletics have a waiver process for two-time transfers?
The NCAA issued an updated memo to college athletics programs regarding the waiver process for undergraduates who are two-time transfers. CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein obtained the memo, and tweeted out a copy on Wednesday.
How can NCSA help with the NCAA transfer process?
At NCSA, our expert staff can help answer questions you might have about the transfer process and provide further clarity on the NCAA transfer rules. NCSA is experienced with NCAA transfer eligibility rules, as well as all steps of the recruiting process. If you’re looking to get recruited, NCSA can help.
Can a student-athlete get a waiver if he doesn’t qualify?
Response: “AA waiver process remains available for undergraduate student-athletes who do not qualify for the one-time transfer exception; however there have been changes made to the types of requests that will be considered.