Biola University Athletics

Full-time enrollment, 12 units

A student-athlete must be a full-time student to practice or compete. The only exception, for both competition and practice, is for graduating students who do not need 12 units to finish their final semester. They must have notification on file with the athletics department prior to that term, and it is verified by the Office of the Registrar before academic certification.

For graduate students, full-time enrollment is typically nine or more credits. Programs vary, so confirm with the compliance office.

Good academic standing

Students must be in good academic standing with the university to be eligible to compete, which the university defines as being eligible for continued enrollment. Academic standing is separate from academic status. Students on academic probation are not eligible to compete. This applies to both undergraduate and graduate students.

Cumulative GPA, 2.00 minimum

An undergraduate student-athlete must maintain a 2.00 cumulative GPA each semester under PacWest Conference and Biola University rules, based on the Biola GPA used for graduation.

GPA is evaluated at the end of each semester. Students below 2.00 may continue to practice as long as they are enrolled full-time, but they are not eligible to compete.

Major declaration, by the 5th semester

Students must declare a major by the start of their fifth full-time semester to remain eligible. If you plan to switch majors, consult the compliance office and the Registrar first, because it may affect your eligibility.

Annual competition requirement, the 24-unit rule

At the start of each academic year, continuing eligibility is determined by whether you successfully completed at least 24 semester units since the start of the previous year. Summer school units may count toward this total. If you are not on track to pass at least 24 units during the academic year, contact the compliance office to discuss alternatives.

Semester competition requirement, the 9-unit rule

Student-athletes must pass at least nine units each regular semester to remain eligible to compete the following semester. Summer school cannot be used to meet the nine-unit semester requirement.

Check before you enrollTo work out whether electives are necessary and will count toward your NCAA requirements, review your degree audit and discuss it with your assigned academic advisor.

Once you have reached your fifth full-time semester, a grade of D in a course where the minimum acceptable grade for your degree program is a C- will not earn you units toward your eligibility requirements for that course.

If you later repeat the course and earn an acceptable grade, those units are applied to your eligibility requirements at that point. You only earn eligibility units for a course once, when an acceptable grade is earned.

• If you have not met the 24-unit requirement at the start of fall semester, your record can be re-evaluated at the end of the term to see whether 24 units were earned during the previous two semesters.
• Junior year exception. If you are entering your fifth full-time term and did not earn 24 degree-applicable units during your sophomore year, your overall record can be evaluated. If you earned at least 48 degree-applicable units during the first two years, you are considered to have met the 24-unit requirement.
• AP credit may not be used to meet the minimum unit requirements at Biola.
• Correspondence, extension and credit-by-exam courses taken at a school other than Biola can only be used in determining academic standing or satisfactory progress if Biola accepts them.
• Units for a course that may be taken several times, such as independent study or research, are limited by institutional regulations.
• Units earned at another institution before your initial full-time enrollment at Biola may not be used to satisfy minimum academic progress requirements. Your total academic record after initial full-time enrollment at Biola, including work at other institutions attended later, can be considered.