Welcome to the University of Tennessee. As a prospective student-athlete, you have certain responsibilities to attend to before you may join the UT family.

If you are interested in participating as a Tennessee Volunteer or Lady Vol, please check with your high school advisor or the NCAA Clearinghouse to find out the steps it takes to participate in collegiate athletics. Work with your high school counselor or college admissions office to find with college is right for you.

As a member institution, the University of Tennessee is committed to the integrity of its athletic programs and adherence of all regulations governed by the NCAA and the University. Please take time to read this website and familiarize yourself with all rules and regulations. We understand there are always questions that will arise as a result of specific situations. If you feel unclear about how to operate within the NCAA guidelines, please contact the Compliance Office at (865) 974-3871.

Prospective Student-Athlete
You become a "prospective student-athlete" when you start ninth-grade classes. Before the ninth grade, you become a prospective student-athlete if a college gives you (or your relatives or friends) any financial aid or other benefits that the college does not provide to prospective students generally.

Recruited Student-Athlete
You become a "recruited prospective student-athlete" at a particular college if any coach or representative of the college's athletics interests (booster or representative) approaches you (or any member of your family) about enrolling and participating in athletics at that college. Activities by coaches or boosters that cause you to become a recruited prospective student-athlete are:

• Providing you with an official visit
• Placing more than one telephone call to you or any other member of your family
• Visiting you or any other member of your family anywhere other than the college campus

UT Official Visit Policy

Unofficial Visit
A visit made to a college campus at the prospect's expense. The college may provide free tickets to an on-campus athletics event in which the college team competes. Transportation to view off-campus practice or competition sites within 30-mile radius are also allowable. There is no limit on the number of unofficial visits a prospect can make.

National Letter of Intent
Official documentation administered by the Collegiate Commissioners Association and used by universities to establish a prospect's commitment to attend a certain university.

Recruiting Contact
Any face-to-face, off-campus encounter between a prospect, prospect's parents (or legal guardian) or relative and a college staff employee or athletics representative; if the conversation goes beyond a greeting. Recruiting Evaluation
Any off-campus activity designed to assess a prospect's academic qualifications or athletic ability. (reviewing transcripts on the high school campus or watching practices / games).

Back to top

NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse Website

WARNING: If you are a student-athlete enrolled at another four-year institution or if you have been enrolled at another four-year institution in the last year (Division I, II, or III), NCAA rules and regulations strictly prohibit UT coaches (or athletics staff members) from having any communication* with you, directly or indirectly, until that first institution grants our institution permission to contact you. You may obtain this permission to contact from the athletics compliance office or the director of athletics at your current or previous institution.

Once you obtain this release, you may fax the release to the University of Tennessee Athletics Compliance Offices at (865) 974-9971 (men's) or (865) 974-8914 (women's). Once the release is obtained from your current or previous institution, then UT coaches will be able to contact you. In sports other than football and basketball, four-year college transfer students should request a release to be immediately eligible to compete before transferring to the University of Tennessee.

* Types of communication include via email, phone or written form.

SEC Two-year eligibility rule
A student-athlete, upon recruitment by the certifying institution, has less than two years of eligibility remaining, is not eligible for financial aid, practice or competition at the member institution. Any student-athlete who receives an athletics grant-in-aid during his/her first year in residence at the certifying institution shall be considered to be recruited. An SEC institution may request a waiver from the SEC office for academic reasons or for an individual transferring from an institution discontinuing a sport.

SEC Two-Year College Transfers Rule
A partial or non-qualifier, who initially enrolls at a two-year college (junior college) and transfers to an SEC member institution, shall not be eligible for financial aid, practice or competition unless the following requirements have been met:

• Graduated with an Associate of Arts Degree;
• Completed satisfactorily a minimum of 48 semester or 72 quarter hours with a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 of transferable degree credit accepted toward any baccalaureate degree program at the certifying institution;
• Attended the two-year college that granted the Associate of Arts degree as a full-time student for the last three semesters or four quarters (excluding summer terms);
• Earned at least six credit hours of transferable, English with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in these credit hours; and
• *Earned at least three credit hours of transferable math with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 in these credit hours.

Back to top

The University of Tennessee Athletics Departments actively recruit student-athletes from diverse backgrounds, including students from foreign countries. Our international ranks represent 6 continents and 17 countries.

Information for foreign students interested in applying to the University can be found here .

Once admitted, all international students are required to attend a special orientation program through the Center for International Education. Specific information about the orientation program and dates can be found here .

Information pertaining to international student-athletes and initial eligibility can be found here .

International Student-Athlete Questionnaire

Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility Additional links:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) general testing information and information on locating and scheduling the SAT overseas
• American College Testing Program (ACT) general testing information and information on locating and scheduling the ACT overseas .

Play by the Rules Guidebook

Back to top

• Guide for College-Bound Student-Athletes
• NCAA Guide to Transfers

Thornton Center Website

University of Tennessee Website

Back to top