College Recruiting: The National Letter of Intent

The National Letter of Intent (NLI) signing period is a thrilling moment in the college journey for prospective student-athletes. Years of organizing and managing a diligent college recruiting plan finally conclude and a new chapter begins.

The National Letter of Intent is a legal document a prospect signs to signify an athletic scholarship award to an NCAA Division 1 or Division 2 college. Where a verbal commitment is non-binding, a National Letter of Intent is an obligatory agreement.

Prospective student-athletes signing the National Letter of Intent in 2021-2022 for 2022-2023 enrollment officially sign between November 10, 2021, and August 1, 2022.

The Basics

Prospective student-athletes who are committing to a college or university and plan to sign the NLI must sign within seven days of the issue date. Below are some important points to remember when committing to sign:

The student-athletes parent or legal guardian must also sign the document.
College coaches cannot be present during the signing.
The prospect agrees to attend the institution for one academic year. The granting institution agrees to provide an athletics financial aid award for one academic year.
Walk-on prospects are prohibited from signing the National Letter of Intent.
Copy and file the signed NLI and send the other copy back to the granting institution.

The National Letter of Intent signing period has recently gone through some changes. Except for football and men’s and women’s D1 basketball, prospects can begin signing the NLI as of November 10, 2021. The current signing period continues through August 1, 2022.

Division 3 and certain D-1AA colleges (The Ivy League for example), that do not offer athletic scholarships are not bound by NLI timelines. The recruiting calendar for these institutions is tied closely with specific admission application deadlines. Therefore, clear knowledge of specific recruiting procedures and deadlines is vital to creating a seamless path in closing out the college search.

The Agreement

The prospective student-athlete must understand his obligation to the offering institution. When signing the NLI, a prospect agrees to attend the offering institution for one academic year. Subsequently, the institution agrees to provide the prospect with an athletics scholarship for one academic year. (Note: scholarships may be awarded for more than one academic year in Division I per NCAA rules).

A prospective student-athlete satisfies the terms of the National Letter of Intent by attending the offering institution for at least one academic year (i.e., two semesters or three quarters) as a full-time student or by graduating from a two-year college.

The Signing

The prospect who will be entering the offering four-year institution as full-time students is permitted to sign the NLI. In addition, he must be qualified to enroll at the offering institution for the upcoming fall term.

The NLI can be sent by regular mail, or by electronic correspondence (email, fax, mobile app, etc.). Beginning the first day that the NLI is issued, a student-athlete and their legal guardian have seven days to sign and return the contract. While athletes may receive their NLI before the initial signing date, they are not permitted to sign until the start of National Signing Day.

After year one, the offering institution is required to inform student-athletes if their scholarship is being renewed and the terms of the award.

The National Letter of Intent signing period represents an endpoint to the college recruiting process. With the help of their parents, coaches, and teammates, prospective student-athletes have navigated a personal roadmap to their college choice.

Identifying and committing to your college of choice is an important life decision. Reaching that decision involves a clear plan of action and a dedicated commitment to executing every recruiting assignment from start to finish.

Tom Kovic is the Founder and Principal Advisor at Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for prospects and families on college recruiting. For further information, visit https://victoryrecruiting.com.