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You're looking at the recruitment checklist for a made-up athlete, so you can see how the tool works before signing up. The universities and their details are real; the coaches, conversations, offers and ratings are fictional.

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Recruitment Checklist

Every step from eligibility paperwork to signing, in the order it has to happen

36 of 49 steps done
73%

Your own checklist is built around your graduation year and your route in. This sample is the high-school list, and the sample athlete is a senior - so the earlier years are ticked off and what's left is applications, aid, official visits and signing. A sophomore would see film, testing and eligibility registration still ahead of them; transfer and junior-college athletes get a different list again.

The boxes are locked on this sample - nothing here can be ticked off. Sign in to track your own
  • Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center
    Create your account at eligibilitycenter.org. Registration costs $170 for international students and $110 domestically. Do it now rather than in junior year: transcript review takes time, and a coach cannot make you an official offer until you are in the system.
    Done Dec 25, 2025
  • Finalise NCAA Eligibility Center certification
    Complete every outstanding document and get your final certification. A coach cannot bring you in without it.
    Done Aug 22, 2026
  • Understand the five-year eligibility clock
    NCAA D1 and D2 now give five years of eligibility, and the clock starts at the EARLIER of two things: your first full-time enrolment at any college anywhere in the world (including junior college), or the start of the academic year after your 19th birthday. It runs whether you play or not. Learn this now, because it shapes every decision below.
    Done Aug 27, 2025
  • Know when coaches in your sport may contact you
    Coach-initiated contact opens on a fixed date that depends on your sport and division. For men's and women's basketball it is June 15 after your sophomore year; across D1 the other common date is September 1 of junior year. Check the NCAA Recruiting Calendar in Play2College for your sport before assuming silence means disinterest.
    Done Apr 24, 2026
  • Learn the NCAA academic requirements
    D1 needs a 2.3 core-course GPA, D2 needs 2.2, both across 16 approved core courses. No SAT or ACT is required for NCAA eligibility. Check which of your school's courses count as core, because a class that does not count is a year you cannot get back.
    Done Aug 27, 2025
  • Check when official visits open for your sport
    Official visits open in the summer or autumn before junior year for most sports, but the exact date differs by sport and the rules have moved in recent years. Confirm your sport's date and the current visit limits before planning travel, and remember an unofficial visit can happen at any time at your own cost.
    Done Apr 24, 2026
  • Check your own eligibility clock before any gap or post-graduate year
    The five-year clock starts at the earlier of enrolling full time at any college anywhere or the academic year after you turn 19. A post-graduate year, a season at a home-country university, or arriving at 20 can spend eligibility before you play a single US minute. If you are enrolling in autumn 2027 or later the new model is the only one that applies to you. Work out your own start date before you agree to a plan that delays enrolment.
    Done Aug 22, 2026
  • Submit college applications
    Apply to your target schools, including any supplemental essays and international requirements. Being recruited is not the same as being admitted.
  • Research the US college sports system
    Learn how D1, D2 and D3 differ, what a conference is, and how athletic aid actually works. Since July 2025 most schools operate roster limits rather than scholarship caps, so a place on the roster and a scholarship are no longer the same conversation.
    Done Aug 27, 2025
  • Take your official visits
    Use them on programmes that have made their interest concrete. If you cannot travel, ask for an extended video call with the coaching staff, academic support and a current international athlete.
  • Understand F-1 student visa basics
    If you will need a visa, learn how F-1 and SEVIS work early. Budget for the whole thing, not just the visa fee: SEVIS is $350, the visa MRV is $185, and a Visa Integrity Fee of roughly $250 was added in 2025.
    Done Aug 27, 2025
  • Research potential US colleges
    Build a real list: academics, division, location, cost, and how the programme uses its roster. Track it in Play2College so the shortlist has one home.
    Done Dec 25, 2025
  • Attend college fairs and information sessions
    In person or virtual. Ask about roster spots and aid, not just facilities.
    Done Dec 25, 2025
  • Send your transcripts to the NCAA Eligibility Center
    Submit academic records for review. International transcripts take longer, so send them as soon as your school can issue them rather than waiting for senior year.
    Done Apr 24, 2026
  • Plan campus visits
    Unofficial visits can happen any time at your own expense. Official visits are paid by the school and are limited, so spend them on programmes that have shown real interest. Track both in Play2College.
    Done Apr 24, 2026
  • Get involved beyond your sport
    Clubs, volunteering, leadership. It strengthens applications and it is what you fall back on if an injury changes the plan.
    Done Dec 25, 2025
  • Apply for your F-1 student visa
    Once your school issues the I-20: complete the DS-160, pay the SEVIS fee, and book the interview. Budget for SEVIS $350, the MRV fee $185, and the 2025 Visa Integrity Fee of roughly $250, which is charged at issuance and is being rolled out unevenly between consulates.
  • Attend your visa interview
    Take the I-20, the DS-160 confirmation, proof of funding and your admission and aid documents. Be able to explain your programme and how you are paying for it.
  • Complete housing and enrolment paperwork
    Housing preferences, roommate requests, orientation and any athlete-specific enrolment steps. Deadlines here are earlier than most families expect.
  • Prepare for the cultural transition
    Read about US college life, and plan for homesickness rather than being surprised by it. Agree with your family how and when you will speak.
This checklist belongs to a made-up athlete

Get your own - dated to your graduation year, ticked off as you go, and visible to the parents and coaches you choose to share it with.

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