12.6 Five-Year Period of Eligibility. An individual’s period of eligibility for practice and competition shall be limited to five academic years. An individual’s five-year period of eligibility begins with the earlier of the following:

(a) The regular academic term (semester or quarter) of an academic year in which the individual enrolls in a collegiate institution (domestic or foreign; see Bylaw 14.02.4) in a minimum full-time program of studies and attends a class in that term while enrolled full time; or

(b) The beginning of the regular academic year immediately after the individual’s 19th birthday.

12.6.1 Timing of 19th Birthday. For an individual who turns 19 years old on or after September 1 but before January 1, the period of eligibility begins at the start of the subsequent academic year (the fall term that begins in the calendar year following the individual's 19th birthday), unless the individual enrolls full time in a collegiate institution earlier.

12.6.2 Determination of the Start of the Five-Year Period. For purposes of determining the start of a student-athlete’s five-year period of eligibility based on initial full-time enrollment in a regular academic term [Bylaw 12.6-(a)], the following shall apply:

(a) The period of eligibility of an individual whose initial full-time enrollment occurs on or after May 1 but before November 1 shall begin with the fall term of that year.

(b) The period of eligibility of an individual whose initial full-time enrollment occurs on or after November 1 but before May 1 shall begin with the first regular academic term (e.g., spring semester, winter quarter) that begins on or after January 1.

12.6.3 Eligibility Following Final Fall Term. If a student-athlete’s period of eligibility ends with a fall term, the student-athlete’s period of eligibility shall extend through the day before the first day of classes of the following regular semester or quarter.

12.6.3.1 Exception -- Eligibility for Postseason Competition. If an NCAA championship or football postseason bowl period begins during a student-athlete’s period of eligibility, the student-athlete’s period of eligibility is extended through the institution or student-athlete's final competition in the championship or postseason bowl period.

12.6.24 Athletics Competition. Even though an individual is enrolled in less than a minimum full-time program of studies at a collegiate institution, the individual's five-year period of eligibility begins if the individual represents the institution in intercollegiate athletics competition.

12.6.35 Nonrecognized College. Enrollment in a postsecondary, noncollegiate institution (e.g., technical school, seminary or business college) in the United States that is not accredited at the college level by an agency or association recognized by the secretary of the Department of Education and legally authorized to offer at least a one-year program of study creditable toward a degree, constitutes enrollment in the application of the five-year period only if:

(a) The student is enrolled in a minimum full-time program of studies at such an institution that conducts an intercollegiate athletics program; or

(b) The student, whether enrolled for a minimum full-time program of studies or not, represents the institution in intercollegiate athletics.

12.6.46 Joint College/High School Program. An individual's five-year period of eligibility does not begin while the individual is enrolled in a collegiate institution in a joint high school/college academic program for high school students in which the courses count as both high school graduation credit and college credit, provided the individual has not officially graduated from high school and does not participate in intercollegiate athletics while enrolled in the joint program.

12.6.57 Vocational Program. A student-athlete's five-year period of eligibility does not begin while the student is enrolled in a minimum full-time program of studies as a part of a special vocational program that combines enrollment in regular college courses and participation in vocational training courses, provided the student is not considered to be regularly matriculated by the institution, does not go through the customary registration and testing procedures required of all regular entering students and is not eligible for the institution's extracurricular activities, including athletics.

12.6.68 Service Exceptions. Time A regular academic term that occurs during time spent in active duty in the armed services, on an official religious mission or with recognized foreign aid services of the U.S. government is excepted from the application of the five-year period of eligibility. Among foreign aid services that qualify for an exception are:

(a) Military Sea Transport Service;

(b) Peace Corps; or

(c) Service as a conscientious objector ordered by the Selective Service Commission (or the equivalent authority in a foreign nation) in lieu of active military duty.

12.6.8.1 Circumstances in Which a Service Exception Does Not Apply. A service exception does not apply to a regular academic term in which a student-athlete attends class as a full-time student, participates in preseason practice preceding a regular academic term or participates in practice on or after the first day of classes.

12.6.68.12 Elapsed Time/Service to Enrollment. If a student-athlete enrolls in a regular term of a collegiate institution at the first opportunity following completion of one of the service exceptions, the elapsed time (the exact number of calendar days) between completion of the service and the first opportunity for enrollment may be added to the exact number of days served on active duty in the armed services, with foreign aid services or on official religious missions and will not count toward the student-athlete's five years of eligibility. It is not permissible to extend the five-year period by any additional time beyond the first opportunity to enroll (the opening day of classes of the first regular term at the institution in which the student-athlete enrolls as a regular student immediately following the termination of the active-duty service commitment).

12.6.68.23 Collegiate Enrollment Concurrent With Service Assignment. Any time in which a student-athlete is enrolled for a minimum full-time load as a regular student in a collegiate institution while simultaneously on active duty in the U.S. military, on an official religious mission or with a recognized foreign aid service of the U.S. government shall count against the student-athlete's period of eligibility.

12.6.68.34 Organized Competition During Service Assignment. If an individual participates in organized competition (see Bylaw 12.02.6) at any time during a service assignment, none of the time spent in the service assignment shall be excepted from the individual’s five-year period of eligibility.

12.6.68.34.1 Low-level and Minimally Organized Competition. A student-athlete may be granted relief from the application of Bylaw 12.6.6.3 in the athletics eligibility certification process for participation that meets the definition of organized competition but is determined to be low-level or minimally organized competition.

12.6.79 Pregnancy Exception. A female student-athlete’s five-year period of eligibility may be extended for reasons of pregnancy based on the period regular academic terms in which the student-athlete is unable to participate (practice or compete) in intercollegiate athletics, as supported by contemporaneous medical documentation.

12.6.79.1 Application. The pregnancy exception applies to any condition related to pregnancy (e.g., miscarriage, postpartum depression).

12.6.79.2 Medical Documentation. Contemporaneous or other appropriate medical documentation, from a physician (medical doctor) who administered care at the time of the pregnancy or related condition shall be submitted to establish the application of the pregnancy exception. For a case involving a psychological or mental illness, the required contemporaneous or other appropriate medical documentation may be provided by an individual (e.g., psychiatrist, psychologist) who is qualified and licensed to diagnose and treat the particular illness.

12.6.810 Waivers. There shall be no waivers of the application of the five-year period of eligibility legislation.