Description
This resource provides general advising information for staff working with student-athletes.

What academic requirements do student-athletes have to meet?
Student-athletes at the University of Minnesota must be registered as full-time students and meet the same GPA and graduation requirements as all other students. They must also meet requirements established by the Big Ten Conference and the National Collegiate Athletic Conference (NCAA) in order to be eligible to compete. Those requirements include full-time enrollment; quantitative (credit total) and qualitative (GPA) progress requirements for each academic year; and an academic plan that keeps them on-track to graduate within five years. (A more complete review of NCAA, Big Ten, and U of MN eligibility requirements is available on 8.11.1 Athletic Progress Review Process)

What happens if an athlete does not meet GPA requirements?
If a student-athlete meets the Big Ten’s eligibility requirements but not the University’s, the student may appeal to the U of MN’s Faculty Academic Oversight Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics (FAOCIA) to become eligible. (View CLA Probation and Suspend Information for Athletic Counselors for more information)

What do student-athletes have to consider when they are arranging their class schedules?
Student-athletes must schedule their classes around their teams’ practice times, which vary depending on the sport and the season. They must consider the hours devoted to competition and travel during their sport’s competition season when planning their courses for a given academic year. (For this reason, student-athletes are eligible to register on the third day of the registration queue). First-year student-athletes must register for and attend a First Year Seminar for Student-Athletes (2 semester hours), during the fall semester. All student-athletes must register for and remain enrolled as full-time students during the regular academic year (fall and spring semester).

Who advises student-athletes?
All student-athletes are advised both by collegiate advisers and by academic counselors in Academic Counseling and Student Services (ACSS). ACSS counselors work with student-athletes and collegiate advisers to help student-athletes meet Big Ten and NCAA requirements. Eligibility is determined by the collegiate advisers, ACSS counselors, and by the Office of the Registrar during the annual Athletic Progress Review.

What other resources are available to assist student-athletes?
Other ACSS programs and services include a career center; on-staff learning specialists; computer facilities; a tutoring program; connections to internship, community service and post-graduate opportunities; and an annual Scholar-Athlete banquet.

Who oversees U of M Athletics?
Several offices oversee the U of MN Athletics programs. The Director of Atheletics reports to the Vice-President and Chief of Staff. The Office of Athletic Compliance helps the University and its athletic departments interpret the rules and regulations of the Big Ten Conference and the NCAA; serves as a liaison between the University and the Big Ten and NCAA; and reports to the Office of the General Counsel. Academic Counseling and Student Services (ACSS) reports to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education. Two faculty committees in the University Senate also oversee intercollegiate athletics: The Faculty Academic Oversight Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics (FAOCIA) has academic oversight on intercollegiate athletics, and the Advisory Committee on Athletics (ACA) is responsible for student welfare, legislation, budgets, and the physical plant. (To view University Senate policies on intercollegiate athletics (FAOCIA and ACA), visit

The FAOCIA reviews and approves the schedules for every team each semester. At the beginning of each semester, student-athletes are provided a letter to give each of their instructors, advising the instructors of the FAOCIA’s policy. Attached to the letter is the student’s approved competition schedule. Student-athletes are allowed to miss up to nine class days per semester, not counting any post-season competition that may occur. University policy allows for missed classes due to competition or travel associated with competition; missed classes for practices, team meetings, or individual meetings with coaches are not allowed. Student-athletes are allowed to make arrangements for make-up work for missed class; however, no extra academic benefits are granted to athletes that are not available to all students.

Contact Information
The Office of Athletic Compliance: 612-626-2070
Intercollegiate Athletics: 612-624-4497
Academic Counseling and Student Services (ACSS): 612-625-6888