Amend Article V, Section C, Item 3 Exception as follows:

3. The student must be identified and enrolled in a minimum of 12 institutional credit hours at the time of participation.

EXCEPTION: A student who will complete requirements for graduation for a baccalaureate degree within 10 semesters, 15 quarters, 12 trimesters or less may retain eligibility during the last term of attendance of the senior year by enrolling in fewer than 12 institutional credit hours. By signing the Official Eligibility Certificate, the registrar verifies that the student has completed all other academic requirements for graduation except for the currently enrolled credits.

A student invoking the above exception who completes all academic requirements for graduation and who subsequently enrolls in and seeks a second baccalaureate or equivalent degree at the same institution, who enrolls in and pursues a second major area of study at the same institution, who enrolls in a graduate or professional school, or who is enrolled in a fifth-year, post-baccalaureate degree teacher education program or post-baccalaureate certificate program is eligible to participate provided the student has athletic eligibility remaining and meets the criteria of the exception to Article V, Section D, Item 5.

The term in which the student invokes this exception shall be counted as a term of attendance. However, this term will not count in the calculation of the 24/36-Hour Rule. For a semester school to calculate the 24 credit hours, the institution should consider the two terms immediately preceding the term the student completes the requirements for graduation.

A student who invokes the above exception and does not graduate forfeits any remaining eligibility in all sports sponsored by the NAIA.

AND

Amend Article V, Section D, Item 5 Exception 2 as follows:

5. A student who has completed all academic requirements for graduation from a four-year institution as defined by that institution shall no longer be eligible to compete in intercollegiate athletics.

EXCEPTION 1: A student who has completed all academic requirements for graduation and who is enrolled and seeking a second baccalaureate or equivalent degree at the same institution, or who is enrolled and pursuing a second major area of study at the same institution may participate in intercollegiate athletics provided the student has athletic eligibility remaining.

EXCEPTION 2: A student who has completed all academic requirements for graduation and who is enrolled in a graduate program, professional school or fifth-year, post-baccalaureate degree teacher education program or post-baccalaureate certificate program may participate in intercollegiate athletics provided the student has athletic eligibility remaining and the following conditions are satisfied:

1. The graduate must be enrolled in a full-time class load as defined by the school in lieu of 12 institutional credits at the time of participation.

2. To maintain eligibility status, the student must successfully complete the full-time class load as defined by the institution.

3. The registrar must verify that the above conditions have been met prior to participation of the student.

AND

Amend Article V, Section G, Item 1 Exception 2 as follows:

1. A student who has participated in an intercollegiate contest at the immediately previous four-year institution and then transfers to an NAIA member institution shall be required to be in residence for a period of 16 calendar weeks before being eligible for the sport(s) previously participated in at the four-year institution.

A student shall have the 16 calendar weeks residency requirement waived for participation in that same sport provided the student has a cumulative minimum overall GPA of 2.000 (on a 4.000 scale) from all previously attended institutions of higher learning and receives a written release from the athletics director, assistant or associate athletics director, or compliance officer at the immediately previous four-year institution.

EXCEPTION 1: If a student’s NAIA school requests a written release from the student’s previous four-year institution and the previous institution does not respond to the request within 30 days, the written release will be deemed automatically approved, provided the NAIA institution can produce the prescribed written documentation showing a transfer release was requested. To satisfy this requirement, the NAIA institution’s request must be made via email and directed to the previous four-year institution’s athletics director, associate athletics director and/or compliance officer, including as many of these individuals as possible.

EXCEPTION 2: A student who has completed all academic requirements for graduation and who has transferred to an NAIA institution and enrolled in a graduate program, professional school or fifth-year, post baccalaureate degree teacher education program or post-baccalaureate certificate program will not be subject to the residency requirement. A graduate transfer student can compete immediately at the new institution, and there is not a release or minimum GPA required, pursuant to any applicable conference rules.

__________________________________________________

Intent: To expand the opportunity for a student to be eligible following the completion of their undergraduate degree to also include students pursuing a post-baccalaureate certificate program.

Effective date: May 27, 2021 as applied to eligibility decisions for competition in August 2021 or beyond

Submitted by: National Eligibility Committee