Athletics Veritas is a weekly series aimed at helping higher education executives, faculty, and other stakeholders stay tuned in on trending national issues impacting college athletics, especially NCAA Division I. Athletics Veritas is created by senior DI athletic administrators around the nation.
Term-in-Ology:Summer Aid Does Not Count Toward Team Scholarship Limits
Per Division I financial aid rules, institutional financial aid received by a student-athlete during a summer term is not countable against the team limitations and does not make a student-athlete a “counter.” Summer aid has become a bigger focal point for recruiting and for Olympic sport coaches playing “money ball” to try and maximize financial support for their student-athletes— including walk-ons— through alternative options like increasing summer school aid.
One primary exception to this rule is specific to FBS and FCS football which is governed as a “counter” sport. Specifically, an incoming football prospect who receives athletically related financial aid during a summer term prior to initial full-time enrollment at the certifying Division I institution shall be an initial and overall counter for the ensuing academic year. In other words, football programs cant “hide” student-athletes from their counter scholarship limits by solely awarding summer aid to them.
Athletics Veritas is presented for information purposes only and should not be considered advice or counsel on NCAA compliance matters. For guidance on NCAA rules and processes, always consult your university’s athletics compliance office, conference office, and/or the NCAA.
