31.2.1 Institutional Eligibility. To be eligible to enter a team or an individual in NCAA championship competition, an institution shall recognize the sport involved as a varsity intercollegiate sport (see Bylaw 17.02.13) and shall: (Revised: 4/13/10)

(a) Be an active member in the appropriate division, or have its sport so classified, and be eligible under the rules of the member conference of which it is a member and is not otherwise ineligible to participate in championships per the Association's enforcement or membership process;

(b) Complete the following by:

(1) September 15 for fall championships;

(2) December 1 for winter championships; and

(3) March 1 for spring championships:

(i) Pay its membership dues for the current year;

(ii) Designate (in accordance with Bylaw 20) its athletics program as Division I, Division II or Division III for competition and possible eligibility for championships in those intercollegiate sports recognized by the NCAA;

(iii) Confirm its sponsorship of a varsity intercollegiate team in the sport by so reporting on the NCAA official information form; and

(iv) Submit its race and demographic information to the NCAA through the official information form.

(c) Satisfy the Bylaw 20 minimum contests and participant requirements in the year of the championship for a team to be entered in an NCAA championship. An institution may enter individuals in a championship without satisfying the Bylaw 20 minimum contests and participant requirements but those individuals may not register a team score (see Bylaw 20.11.4.8); (Revised: 7/24/12 effective 8/1/13)

(d) The institution's director of athletics shall certify annually the institution's compliance with Bylaw 32.2.1.7; (Revised: 8/16/18 effective 8/1/19, 5/11/23 effective 8/1/23)

(e) Complete and submit a copy of the Integrated Postsecondary-Education Data System Graduation-Rate Survey (IPEDS GRS-1) to the NCAA national office on or before the applicable deadline established by federal regulations;

(f) Refrain from entering a student-athlete as an individual or as a member of a team in an NCAA championship if it is acknowledged by the institution or established through the Association's enforcement procedures that the institution or representative(s) of its athletics interests violated NCAA regulations in the recruiting of the student-athlete. The institution may appeal to the Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement for restoration of the student-athlete's eligibility (see Bylaw 14.12);

(g) Satisfy any additional requirements set forth in the applicable prechampionships handbooks; and

(h) Satisfy in-region opponent competition requirements (see Bylaw 33.3.2). (Revised: 1/16/13 effective 8/1/13, 4/15/14 effective 8/1/14)