Collegiate Athletics: Transfer Portal, NIL, NLI, & Athletic Divisions
When it comes to understanding college athletic recruitment, there are many terms and details to know. Learning the ins and outs of the recruitment process now can help you make informed decisions as you choose which college or university is the best fit for your future athletic career.
Whether you want to learn more about college divisions and athletic scholarships, wish to understand terms such as NIL and NLI better, or need insight into the transfer portal processes, read below to dive in!
Need a refresher on the basics of college athletic recruitment? Check out this article dedicated to helping you get recruited as a college athlete.
Athletic divisions & athletic scholarships
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has three divisions of schools – DI, DII and DIII. There are many differences to consider when exploring which division is best for you, including scholarship opportunities.
Additionally, if you are interested in playing at a Division I or II school, you need to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center to ensure you have met amateurism standards and are academically prepared.
Let’s talk more about each division now.
Division I
Many students enter the athletic recruitment process excited to play DI, or Division 1, sports because these programs are typically found at the largest schools with significant athletic budgets. DI schools such as Duke University, Ohio State University, and Penn State are large universities with big athletic crowds.
Students who play D1 sports can typically receive full or partial athletic scholarships. The NCAA website explains:
“Full scholarships cover tuition and fees, room, board, and course-related books. Most student-athletes who receive athletics scholarships receive an amount covering a portion of these costs. Many student-athletes also benefit from academic scholarships, NCAA financial aid programs such as the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Opportunity Fund, and need-based aid such as Federal Pell Grants.”
If you have the opportunity to attend a DI school, it’s important to know this is the most challenging college division to play in. Most of your schedule will be filled with athletic activity, whether that be training, practice, volunteer events for your sport or mandatory tutoring hours.
Division II
DII schools can also offer partial athletic scholarships and may provide more of “sport/school/life balance” during your time on campus. Of course, you will still be eligible for other institutional aid, such as merit aid based on your high school academics or federal aid based on your family’s income reported on the FAFSA application.
Most students do not receive full scholarships at DII schools. While you will still train and practice a significant amount, playing at a DI school will be less rigorous.
Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Kutztown University, and Southern New Hampshire University are examples of DII schools. These schools tend to be smaller in size than DI schools, but you will still be able to have the experience of a collegiate athlete while also focusing on academics and other components of your campus life.
Division III
DIII schools do not provide full or partial athletic scholarships and do not require athletes to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center.
“While Division III schools do not offer athletics scholarships, 75 percent of Division III student-athletes receive some form of merit or need-based financial aid,” the NCAA website explains.
DII schools typically have smaller campuses that support student-athletes who focus on academics while still providing the opportunity to play a sport they love. Many in-state and out-of-state DIII schools, such as Bates College in Maine, Emory University in Georgia, or the University of Redlands in California, could be the right fit for you.
Learn more about the college athletic divisions
Check out the following resources from NCSA College Recruiting:
Letter of intent: NLI or national letter of intent
During the athletic recruitment process, a coach may extend a verbal offer. However, your offer, including scholarships, is not official until you have signed an NLI, also known as a “National Letter of Intent.”
The NLI is a binding agreement between the student-athlete and the college. It states that:
- A student-athlete agrees to attend the particular college for one academic year.
- The college has agreed to provide athletic financial aid for one academic year.
Signing an NLI with a college means the recruiting process is over, and you can no longer be recruited by other colleges.
After signing the letter, if you do not want to attend the college you signed with, you need to request to be released by the institution. If you don’t, you may risk not being eligible to play your sport at another school for the next academic year.
Not every college uses NLIs, but many DI and DII schools do. The NCSA College Recruiting website explains that it’s not mandatory for all athletes to sign NLIs, but every year, more than 48,000 student-athletes do.
“The National Letter of Intent is not affiliated directly with the NCAA; it was created by the Collegiate Commissioners Association to protect both the college and student from either party backing out,” the website notes.
Some students may sign their NLIs at signing day events, while others do not, Payton Batchelder, Connectedness Manager at EAB and former DIII lacrosse player at a DIII school in Virginia, shared:
“I verbally committed to my coach at the start of my junior year. I had visited campus two times, met with the team, and loved it. I told the coach I wanted to go, and she told me that she wanted me to be on the team. It was verbally "official" after that. I didn't sign an NLI until my senior year with all the other girls who committed for lacrosse, and that was in front of our parents and teammates.”
To learn more about the NLI process, check out the official National Letter of Intent website.
Name image likeness: or NIL
Not to be confused with NLI, NIL stands for “Name Image Likeness.” You may have recently heard about the question of whether college athletes should be paid, and that is where NIL becomes important.
While this idea is complicated, NIL generally means that student-athletes can make money from their personal brand. Examples of this include running sports camps, podcasting, signing autographs, or serving as ambassadors with companies.
NIL opportunities can vary depending on your talent level and sport. Ally Stanton, Sr. Director Partner Development at EAB, who played softball at the University of Kansas from 2007-2010 and has athletic department experience, explains further:
“Certainly all student athletes are eligible for NIL, but highly sought after recruits in major revenue generating sports will have a very different experience than the vast majority of athletes. Many power five schools [the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, Pac-12 Conference, and Southeastern Conference (SEC)] will have "collectives" to fundraise dollars from supporters to increase NIL opportunities for athletes. Many athletic departments will also have NIL advisor roles on staff to act as resources.”
Caitlin Clark and her many NIL deals are just one recent and well-known example of how college athletes can make money while playing a sport for their college campus. Clark became nationally famous when she led the Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball team to their first national title game.
ESPN noted that to launch the Gatorade deal, Clark appeared in a video titled "You Can Too," aiming to inspire the next generation of basketball players, and the company donated $22,000 (a reference to Clark's jersey number) to the Caitlin Clark Foundation. Clark’s other NIL deals include partnerships with State Farm and Nike.
Each state and athletic conference has different NIL rules, so it’s important to research what may or may not be allowed. You can delve deeper into the NIL system here.
Transfer portal
Another popular and perhaps somewhat complicated topic related to collegiate athletics is the transfer portal. The NCAA transfer portal, which started in 2018, allows players to formally transfer from one college to another to continue playing their sport.
Transferring schools should be weighed considerably. But if you are not happy with your campus, athletic coach, or other program features, the transfer portal may be a good opportunity for you to consider other options.
To start the process, you’ll need to notify your school's designated administrator. Within a few days, your name and information should be listed in the transfer portal, and coaches will be able to consider contacting you for transfer recruitment.
Make sure to consider when you enter the transfer portal. You can keep your athletic scholarship for the current academic term, but you could lose it for any following terms. Additionally, there may be restrictions on when DI athletes can enter the pool.
NCSA further explains:
“After you initiate the transfer process, your current scholarship should remain intact. Your scholarship for the following academic term, however, is not guaranteed. If you end up rescinding the transfer and decide to stay at your current school, your scholarship could be in jeopardy. Once your current school knows you intend to transfer, they can rescind any scholarship offers for the next semester, quarter, or trimester. They may even give it to another student-athlete. This won’t matter if you transfer.”
Don’t forget: if you are transferring from a DIII school to a DI or DII school, you must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center.
Additionally, most schools require a 2.0 GPA (or higher at some institutions), so it's key to continue focusing on your academic success while weighing your transfer options, especially if you want to be considered for additional academic scholarship opportunities at your new school.
You can learn more about the history, rules, and complications associated with the transfer portal through ESPN’s website.
Ready to research colleges?
As a student-athlete striving to play your sport in college, you have a lot to consider. Your college list will factor in more criteria than a non-athlete student's might, so it makes sense to start researching colleges now.
With a free Appily account, you can research colleges and discover schools you might not otherwise consider. Then, you can compare them on points like their athletic conference and association, tuition costs, average scholarship awards, application deadlines, and even acceptance rates.
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