15 Financial Aid

15.01 General Principles.

15.01.1 Financial Aid Permitted. A student-athlete may receive scholarships or educational grants-in-aid administered by (see Bylaw 15.02.1) an educational institution that do not conflict with the governing legislation of this Association financial aid up to the recipient’s educational expenses while attending a member institution (see Bylaws 15.02.1, 15.02.4 and 15.1). A student-athlete who receives financial aid other than that administered by the student-athlete's institution shall not be eligible for intercollegiate athletics competition, unless it is:

(a) Financial aid received from anyone upon whom the student-athlete is naturally or legally dependent;

(b) Financial aid awarded solely on bases having no relationship to athletics ability; or

(c) Financial aid from an established and continuing scholarship program.; or

(d) Educational expenses awarded by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee or a U.S. national governing body (or, for international student-athletes, expenses awarded by the equivalent organization of a foreign country) disbursed through the member institution.

[15.01.1.1 unchanged.]

[15.01.2 through 15.01.5 unchanged.]

15.02 Definitions and Applications.

[15.02.1 through 15.02.3 unchanged.]

15.02.4 Financial Aid. "Financial aid" is funds provided to student-athletes from various sources to pay or assist in paying their cost of education at the institution.

[15.02.4.1 unchanged.]

15.02.4.2 Institutional Financial Aid. The following sources of financial aid are considered to be institutional financial aid:

[15.02.4.2-(a) unchanged.]

[15.02.4.2-(a)-(1) through 15.02.4.2-(a)-(3) unchanged.]

(4) Employee dependent tuition benefits, unless the employee has been employed as a full-time faculty/staff member for a minimum of five years; and

[15.02.4.2-(a)-(5) unchanged.]

[15.02.4.2-(b) unchanged.]

[15.02.5 through 15.02.7 unchanged.]

[15.1 unchanged.]

15.2 Elements of Financial Aid.

[15.2.1 through 15.2.5 unchanged.]

15.2.6 Financial Aid From Outside Sources.

15.2.6.1 Athletically Related Financial Aid From an Established and Continuing Program -- Up to $1,000. A student-athlete may receive up to a total of $1,000 of athletically related outside financial aid per academic year, without restrictions, through one or more established and continuing programs to aid students.

15.2.6.2 Athletically Related Financial Aid From an Established and Continuing Program -- Aid Exceeding $1,000. Each academic year, after a student-athlete has received $1,000 of athletically related outside financial aid, the student-athlete may receive additional athletically related outside financial aid through an established and continuing program to aid students, provided:

(a) The recipient's choice of institutions is not restricted by the donor of the aid;

(b) There is no direct connection between the donor and the student-athlete's institution; and

(c) The financial aid is not provided by an outside sports team or organization that conducts a competitive sports program to an individual who is or has been a member of that team or organization.

If any of the conditions are not satisfied and the student-athlete receives the additional athletically related outside financial aid, the aid shall count toward the $2.5 million in incremental athletics scholarships per Bylaw 16.13.1.5.

15.2.6.3 Educational Expenses -- Olympic Committee or National Governing Body. A student-athlete may receive educational expenses awarded by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee or a U.S. national governing body (or, for international student-athletes, expenses awarded by the equivalent organization of a foreign country). The amount of the financial assistance shall be subject to the following limitations:

(a) Disbursement of the aid shall be through the member institution for the recipient's educational expenses while attending that institution;

(b) The recipient's choice of institutions shall not be restricted by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee or a U.S. national governing body (or, for international student-athletes, expenses awarded by the equivalent organization of a foreign country);

(c) The value of the award alone or in combination with other aid per Bylaw 15.1.2 shall not exceed the value of the individual's maximum limit on financial aid; and

(d) The aid shall count toward the $2.5 million in incremental athletics scholarships per Bylaw 16.13.1.5.

[15.2.7 unchanged.]

[15.3 unchanged.]

16.13.1.5 Incremental Athletics Scholarships. The full cost of attendance value of up to $2.5 million in incremental athletics scholarships provided by the institution (or from an outside source as specified in Bylaws 15.2.6.2 and 15.2.6.3) in excess of the 2024-25 academic year team scholarship limit for a particular sport must be counted against the benefits cap; however, there is no limit on the number of new athletics scholarships that may be awarded consistent with the roster limit for a particular sport (see Bylaw 17.2).