Are grad students allowed to participate in college sports?

[Flyback]

I've never played any college sport, but I noticed that many of the people playing/running/wrestling/fencing/whatever were younger. Are grad students just as eligible to play? Even older ones? I figured that they weren't allowed or were just too busy (which seems likely).

Also, would being a top athlete in a sport during undergrad help get into grad school that lacks athletes in that particular sport? Say you had the minimum requirements for GPA, good recommendation letters, a couple research projects you did grunt work for a prof during undergrad etc. Could it be the deciding factor?

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

yes, as long as they have not used up their eliibility as an undergrad

 

[animalia]

There were grad students on my rugby team but it was a club sport. I am unsure about ncaa.

 

[Coquito]

As far as I know, one of the recent bowl game teams had something like 16 eligible 4th year guys, as long as they make it into grad school.

 

[Flyback]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
yes, as long as they have not used up their eliibility as an undergrad

How is eligibility defined? Can you only play a certain number of times?

 

[homercles337]

There is a four year eligibility for undergrads. Grad students can not play at all, save for club teams.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Originally posted by: Flyback

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
yes, as long as they have not used up their eliibility as an undergrad

How is eligibility defined? Can you only play a certain number of times?

You can only play 4-seasons. Hence the term red-shirt freshman. Those are students who practiced on the team but did not play until there sophomore year. They would then have 4-seasons of eligibility left.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: Flyback

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
yes, as long as they have not used up their eliibility as an undergrad

How is eligibility defined? Can you only play a certain number of times?

Four years, unless you are granted an additional year for medical reasons

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: homercles337
There is a four year eligibility for undergrads. Grad students can not play at all, save for club teams.

Grad students can play. Last year a college football player requested permission to attend grad school at a different college than his undergrad and play football at that school. There was uncertainty if he would be required to sit out a year as if he transferred, and it was decided that he didn't transfer and did not have to sit out.

 

[homercles337]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: homercles337
There is a four year eligibility for undergrads. Grad students can not play at all, save for club teams.

Grad students can play. Last year a college football player requested permission to attend grad school at a different college than his undergrad and play football at that school. There was uncertainty if he would be required to sit out a year as if he transferred, and it was decided that he didn't transfer and did not have to sit out.

Yea, i guess youre right. BUt it only applies if there is eligibility left at the school that the student played at.

To summarize:
iff UG plays, & eligibility remains, & student continues studies AT THE SAME school, then student can play,
else nope.

Pretty strict set of rules, no wonder i have never heard of it happening.

edit: here are a couple notes:

NOTE: This exception does not apply to a student-athlete who attends a Division III institution for graduate school, unless the student-athlete is attending the same institution at which he/she was an undergraduate.

NOTE: If the student-athlete transfers to the certifying institution from a Division III member institution and meets the above-mentioned conditions, he or she may be eligible to compete but may not receive athletically related financial aid during that year.

 

[gocubs2k5]

i remember a football player from boston college a few years ago who was a redshirt freshman, and he got his MBA in his 5th year while he was playing his last year of eligibility for football

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Coquito
As far as I know, one of the recent bowl game teams had something like 16 eligible 4th year guys, as long as they make it into grad school.

They said that about Notre Dame players during the Sugar Bowl

 

[herkulease]

I thought you only have a five year eligibility from the moment you enroll full time.

 

[oboeguy]

I think the ECCC (cycling) which is not part of the NCAA has something like 10 years of eligibility, grad students included (duh).

 

[Flyback]

I was thinking along the lines of wrestling (instead of football). Not sure if its the same. Not sure how hard it is to get on a team, either.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: herkulease
I thought you only have a five year eligibility from the moment you enroll full time.

You get 5 years to play 4 seasons. Sometimes that is extended if you meet the qualifications for medical redshirt (didn't play in a certain amount of games).

Sometimes, players graduate early. They have to stay in school to play so they enroll in grad school.