UTEP Miners

Initial Eligibility In order to compete in athletics at UTEP, a prospect must meet specific standards of eligibility, including the University of Texas at El Paso's requirements for admission and the NCAA initial eligibility requirements.

UTEP Admission Standards and Requirements:

Documents Required:

1. UTEP application
2. Official SAT, ACT, GED, TOEFL, or PAA scores, as appropriate
3. Final, official high school transcript indicating adequate high school preparation, rank, and graduation date.

Tests:

1. Graduates of U. S. High Schools: All first-time freshmen who graduated from high school within the past five years are required to take the SAT or ACT for admission.
2. Freshmen who graduated from U.S. high schools over five years ago are not required to take an admissions test.

Freshmen who rank in the top half of their class or who score a minimum of 920 on the SAT or a 20 composite on the ACT are automatically admitted to UTEP upon application and submission of the appropriate admission documents. This policy includes admission of graduates of an accredited Texas high school who graduated in the top 25% of their high school class, as described in Chapter 51 of the Texas Education Code.

To be eligible for admission as a Transfer Student, a prospect must have credit from another university or community college and must be in good academic standing and have completed a minimum of 12 semester hours of college level work with a 2.0 overall grade point average.

If a student-athlete has completed fewer than 12 hours of college level course work they are eligible for admission to UTEP if they have earned grades of "C" or better in all courses taken, maintained a cumulative 2.0 GPA and meet requirements for regular freshman admission. An official high school transcript and an SAT or ACT test score must be submitted if applicable.

NCAA Initial Eligibility Requirements

A prospective student-athlete must be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center to participate in intercollegiate athletics at an NCAA Division I or II institution as a freshman. The NCAA Eligibility Center ensures consistent interpretation of NCAA initial eligibility requirements for all student-athletes at all member institutions.

The Roadmap to Initial Eligibility (PDF) from the NCAA provides important information about initial eligibility, amateurism, and registering with the NCAA Eligibility Center.

If you enroll in a Division I college on or after August 1st, 2008, and want to participate in athletics or receive an athletic scholarship during your first year of enrollment you must:

• Graduate from high school;
• Successfully complete the required 16 core courses in high school as follows:
  • 4 years of English
  • 3 years of Math (Algebra I or higher)
  • 2 years of Natural/Physical Science (1 year of lab if offered)
  • 1 year of additional English, Math or Natural/Physical Science
  • 2 years of Social Science
  • 4 years of additional courses (from any area above, foreign language or nondoctrinal religion/philosophy)
• Earn a minimum required GPA in the 16 core courses;
• Earn a combined SAT or ACT sum score that matches the core course GPA and test score sliding scale below:

Freshmen must establish eligibility using the following index:
Core GPA	SAT	Sum ACT
3.550 and above	400	37
3.525	410	38
3.500	430	39
3.475	440	40
3.450	460	41
3.425	470	41
3.400	490	42
3.375	500	42
3.350	520	43
3.325	530	44
3.300	550	44
3.275	560	45
3.250	580	46
3.225	590	46
3.200	600	47
3.175	620	47
3.150	630	48
3.125	650	49
3.100	660	49
3.075	680	50
3.050	690	50
3.025	710	51
3.000	720	52
2.975	730	52
2.950	740	53
2.925	750	53
2.900	750	54
2.875	760	55
2.850	770	56
2.825	780	56
2.800	790	57
2.775	800	58
2.750	810	59
2.725	820	60
2.700	830	61
2.675	840	61
2.650	850	62
2.625	860	63
2.600	860	64
2.575	870	65
2.550	880	66
2.525	890	67
2.500	900	68
2.475	910	69
2.450	920	70
2.425	930	70
2.400	940	71
2.375	950	72
2.350	960	73
2.325	960	74
2.300	980	75
Academic Redshirt
2.299	990	76
2.275	990	76
2.250	1000	77
2.225	1010	78
2.200	1020	79
2.175	1030	80
2.150	1040	81
2.125	1050	82
2.100	1060	83
2.075	1070	84
2.050	1080	85
2.025	1090	86
2.000	1100	86

Qualifiers:

• Students who meet the academic requirements listed above are qualifiers. Qualifiers can:
  • Practice or compete during their first year of collegiate enrollment
  • Receive an athletics scholarship during their first year of collegiate enrollment
  • Play four seasons in their sport if they maintain their eligibility from year to year

Nonqualifiers:

• Students who do not meet the academic requirements listed above are nonqualifiers. Nonqualifiers:
  • Cannot practice or compete during their first year of enrollment
  • Canont travel with the team
  • Cannot receive an athletics scholarship during their first year of enrollment
  • Can play only three seasons if they maintain their eligibility from year to year (to earn a fourth season you must complete at least 80% of your degree requirements before beginning your 5th year of college)

Academic Redshirts:

• Student who meet only the academic redshirt requirements listed above are academic redshirts. Academic Redshirts:
  • Can practice with the team during their first term (and again in the second term if they successfully complete 9 semester hours in their first term)
  • Can receive an athletics scholarship during their first year of collegiate enrollment
  • Can play four season in their sport if they maintain their eligibility from year to year
  • Cannot compete during their first year of enrollment
  • Cannot travel with the team

For more information on Initial Eligibility requirements please visit the NCAA Eligibility Center.

Continuing Eligibility
Student-athletes must meet all UTEP and NCAA regulations in order to remain eligible to participate in intercollegiate athletics. Continuing eligibility is certified by the Compliance Office and the Miner Athlete Academic Center at the end of each semester.

UTEP Academic Eligibility

In order to practice or compete, each student-athlete MUST:

• Be enrolled in 12 credit hours (full time) at all times
• Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 to avoid academic probation and/or suspension
• Complete all registration and add/drop activity in person at the MAAC

NCAA Academic Eligibility

First Year Eligibility Requirements

• Student-athletes must pass 24 hours in the first year of enrollment (18 hours must be completed in the academic year-including 6 hours per semester to remain eligible for the following term)
• Summer session hours cannot be used to make up the 18 hour rule; however, a maximum of six hours in a summer session may be used toward the 24 hour rule
• A maximum 6 credit hours of developmental, prerequisite, and ESOL classes may be used in the 1st year toward the 24 hour rule

Continuing Eligibility Requirements

• Student-athletes must pass 18 hours every academic year-excluding summer
• Student-athletes must complete 6 hours per semester and maintain NCAA GPA standards (90/95/100% of 2.00 after the first, second, and third year) to remain eligible for the following term
• Developmental courses and prerequisites (not specifically listed on a degree plan) do not count for progress toward degree requirements after the first year of enrollment
• To remain eligible student-athletes must meet percentage of degree requirements. Percentage of degree is calculated based on the total number of hours required to graduate under a specific degree plan
  • Following completion of the 4th full-time semester, 40% of a degree must be met
  • Following completion of the 6th full-time semester, 60% of a degree must be met
  • Following completion of the 8th full-time semester, 80% of a degree must be met
• There is no limit on the number of summer session hours used to make up percentage of a degree

International Student Athletes
The NCAA Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility has been prepared to provide specific criteria to be used as a guide in reviewing the initial eligibility of students who have completed any portion of their secondary education in a non-United States educational system for intercollegiate athletics participation. To access this guide please click below:

2019-20 Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility (PDF)

If a student-athlete never previously enrolled as a full-time student in a university (the use of the word university is important because college/collegiate often implies secondary school) they must meet minimum academic standards in order to be eligible for practice, competition and athletics financial aid their first year. The minimum required standards will vary depending on the country

Transfers
NCAA regulations prohibit an Athletic Department staff member from making contact with a student-athlete enrolled at another NCAA or NAIA four-year institution without their previous institution first placing them in the transfer portal.

Transfers to UTEP
If a student-athlete enrolled at another institution contacts a UTEP coach or if a coach wishes to contact a student-athlete at another four-year institution, the staff member should confirm that they have been played in the transfer portal (if they are from a DI institution) on that their institution has provided permission to contact in the transfer portal. Once the coach has verified that they are in the transfer portal they can begin communicating with the student-athlete

If a student-athlete is currently enrolled (or has previously been enrolled) as a full-time student at a university in a foreign country, they will be considered a transfer student upon enrolling at an NCAA university.

Transfers from UTEP
If a student-athlete is interested in transferring from UTEP to another NCAA or NAIA institution, he/she must first provide the UTEP Athletics Compliance Office with written notification of transfer per Bylaw 13.1.1.3.1. Notification of Transfer process must be initiated by providing the UTEP Athletics Compliance Office with a completed Notification of Intent to Transfer Form (PDF).

For more information regarding NCAA Transfer guidelines, please visit the NCAA Transfer Guide (PDF).