Student-athletes signing a National Letter of Intent must plan on enrolling at a four-year institution as a full-time student. Prospective attendees must be enrolling as first-time college students or as transfer students from a two-year college program from which they have graduated.
When a National Letter of Intent is signed, it must include a financial aid statement for the first year of attendance from the student-athlete's chosen university. The financial aid statement must detail the athletics-associated scholarships offered to the student athlete and be signed by the student-athlete and his parents if applicable.
A student-athlete can satisfy a National Letter of Intent in one of two ways. The first option applies to first-time college students attending a four-year institution. These student-athletes are required to attend their chosen institution full time for one academic year.
The second compliance option applies to student-athletes that attend a two-year institution prior to transferring to a four-year institution. Student-athletes that attend a two-year institution must graduate from that program to satisfy the National Letter of Intent.
If a student-athlete fails to satisfy the rules of the National Letter of Intent, particularly the attendance requirement, they will be unable to play intercollegiate athletics for one year. This penalty applies to all athletic programs at all colleges, regardless of the intended institution of attendance or the intended sport.