Important Notice:
✅ We ensure that you are eligible to play and are cleared by the NAIA**. Therefore, please always coordinate with us on all NAIA matters.**
💳️ The registration fees are included in the ALL AMERICAN and ELITE packages.
To participate in college sports in the USA, you need an official eligibility certification from one of the college sports associations - either the NCAA or the NAIA. This approval confirms that you meet the academic and athletic standards and that your amateur status meets the association's requirements.
The eligibility certification is your ticket to participate in college competitions in the USA. It allows coaches to review your academic and athletic performance and confirm that you meet the standards. Without this certification, it is not possible to officially participate in college sports or receive scholarship offers.
A NAIA eligibility certification is important to:
Confirm your athletic qualification for the NAIA teams.
Ensure your amateur status so that you can compete as a student-athlete.
Review academic requirements and demonstrate to colleges that you are ready for study.
Before you can apply for the eligibility certification, you need an account in the NAIA Eligibility Center. Follow these steps:
Open the NAIA Eligibility Center Website: Go to play.mynaia.org.
Enter your email address: Enter your email address twice in the "Get access today" section.
Confirm your email: Check your email inbox and click on the confirmation link.
Accept the Terms and Conditions: Agree to the terms and conditions.
Important Note: Use the Smarthlete Recruiting email address
To ensure we can support you best and track all important information, please use the Recruiting email address provided by us for your NAIA registration. This way, we can ensure that no communications are lost and you receive the necessary support at all times.
After confirming your email address, you will be asked to complete your profile in the NAIA Account. Make sure to fill in all information correctly and completely. This includes:
Personal Data: Fill out all fields (name, date of birth, nationality, contact information, etc.).
Academic Background: Indicate which schools you have attended and when you will graduate or have graduated.
Athletic Background: Enter the clubs and teams you have played for and at what level (league, competitions, etc.).
Payment of the Registration Fee
To complete your registration, you must pay a registration fee. You can do this conveniently by credit card. Make sure the payment is processed properly to avoid delays.
The profile cannot be changed after the registration fee has been paid. Therefore, please coordinate with us before taking this step.
After your profile is complete, various tasks will be displayed in the "Activity List" that you must complete to apply for your eligibility certification. These include:
Submitting transcripts: Your transcripts must be evaluated through InCred (the evaluation system used by NAIA). All documents must be submitted in German and English.
Sending test results: If you are registered as an "Incoming Freshman" (first-semester student without prior college attendance), you must also submit your SAT or ACT results. See the detailed instructions below.
Class Rank Letter: In some cases (e.g., with a low GPA), the NAIA requires a "Class Rank Letter" from your school that confirms your standing compared to your classmates.
To verify your amateur status and academic background, the NAIA requires all transcripts from 9th grade onwards. These must be submitted through InCred. Ensure that your German and English translations are available and correctly linked.
Important Note:
Be sure to enter your NAIA ID in your InCred account so that your transcripts are correctly linked to your profile in the NAIA Eligibility Center.
If you have received the requirement to submit SAT/ACT results, follow these steps to send your test scores:
Log in to your CollegeBoard account: Go to the CollegeBoard website.
Go to "My SAT" and select "Send Available Scores".
Select the recipient: Search for the "NAIA Eligibility Center" in the search field.
Choose your best result: Select your best results if you have taken the test multiple times.
Complete the submission: Confirm and select "Standard Shipping" to send your test results.
Note:
Within the first 9 days after your test, sending the results is free of charge. Also, send the results directly to the NAIA to avoid additional fees later on.
To ensure your eligibility certification is reviewed in time, you must be on the so-called Short List of a college. This list indicates that you are being actively recruited by a coach and that your status needs to be urgently reviewed.
Procedure:
Send your NAIA ID to your future coach: Share your NAIA ID with your future coach so that they can add you to the list.
Confirm the entry: Once the coach has added you, you will receive a task in your NAIA account that you must confirm.
In some cases, the NAIA asks additional questions about your eligibility status. These questions often relate to your amateur status and whether you have ever been paid to play or have participated in professional competitions.
Note:
Answer these questions carefully and contact us before answering them. An incorrect answer can jeopardize your eligibility certification.