NCAA age-based eligibility: FAQ
The questions athletes, parents and coaches are asking about the new five-year rule.
How many years of eligibility do NCAA athletes get now?
Up to five years of eligibility. The five-year clock starts at the earlier of your first full-time enrollment or the academic year following your 19th birthday, and runs continuously after that.
Does the new rule eliminate redshirts?
Yes. The age-based model removes the redshirt year, the four-seasons-in-five cap, sport-specific season rules, and the medical/injury waiver. A year you don't compete still counts against your five years.
When does the NCAA age-based eligibility rule take effect?
It was adopted June 23, 2026. Athletes first enrolling in fall 2027 or later are fully under the new model. Fall 2026 enrollees and current athletes get the old rules or the new model, whichever is more favorable.
I'm a current athlete — am I forced onto the new clock?
No. Current athletes with eligibility remaining after 2025-26 get whichever is more favorable: the old four-in-five rules or the new five-year age-based model. Your compliance office compares both.
Does an injury still get me an extra year?
No. Medical-redshirt and hardship extension waivers were eliminated. The only situations that pause the clock are active-duty military service, official religious missions, and pregnancy, and only while you are not competing.
I went to JUCO / on a mission / played juniors — do I lose eligibility?
Possibly. Because the clock can start at the academic year after your 19th birthday, athletes who enroll at a four-year school late may have fewer playing years. Religious missions and active-duty military can pause the clock; a general gap year does not. See the delayed-enrollment page.
Is this checker official?
No. Eligibility Decoder is an independent explainer. Only your school's compliance office can make the official eligibility determination, and the rule could be affected by pending legal challenges.
Answers reflect the NCAA's June 23, 2026 announcement; see Sources & Method.