Information for Prospective Student-Athletes & Parents
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is Considered a Prospective Student-Athlete?
You become a prospective student-athlete when:
- You begin ninth-grade classes; or
- Before your ninth-grade year, a college gives you, your parents or friends any financial aid or other benefits that the college does not provide generally.
- For camp purposes in men's basketball, softball, and volleyball: a prospective student has started classes in the 7th grade.
2. What is Considered an Official Visit?
An official visit is a visit to an institution financed in whole or in part by the institution. The institution may pay the following expenses:
- Your transportation to and from the college;
- Room and meals (three per day) while you visit the college; and
- Reasonable entertainment expenses, including five complimentary admissions into a home athletics contest.
3. What is Needed to Take an Official Visit?
Before a college may invite you for an official visit, you must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center and provide the college with a copy of your high-school transcript. Prospective student-athlete must be placed on the institution's institutional request list (IRL) with the NCAA Eligibility Center.
4. What is Considered an Unofficial Visit?
Any visit to a college that is not paid for by the college and is made at the prospective student-athlete's own expense.
5. What is Considered a Recruiting Contact?
A recruiting contact occurs any time a coach has face-to-face contact with you or your parents (or legal guardians) off the college campus and says more than hello. A contact also occurs if a coach has any contact with you or your parents (or legal guardians) at your high school or any location where you are competing or practicing
6. What is Considered a Recruiting Evaluation?
An evaluation is any off-campus activity designed to assess your academic or athletic ability. This includes visiting your high school and watching you practice or compete in a competition at any site.
7. When is the First Opportunity a UVA Coach May Initiate Communication with a Prospective Student-Athlete?
For many of UVA's sport programs, communication with a prospect may not occur before June 15 at the conclusion of the prospect's sophomore year in high school. Below, are the permissible dates for recruiting activities that may occur between UVA coaches and staff and future Hoos
First Opportunity for Recruiting Activity (Effective, May 1, 2019)
| Sport | Correspondence / Private Messages | Incoming Telephone Calls | Outgoing Telephone Calls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Basketball | 6/15 after sophomore year | Anytime | 6/15 after sophomore year |
| Women's Basketball | 6/1 of junior year | Anytime | 6/1 of junior year |
| Football | 9/1 of junior year | Anytime | 4/15 of junior year |
| Lacrosse and Softball | 9/1 of junior year | 9/1 of junior year | 9/1 of junior year |
| Baseball | 9/1 of junior year | Anytime | 9/1 of junior year |
| All Other Sports | 6/15 after sophomore year | 6/15 after sophomore year | 6/15 after sophomore year |
| Sport | Unofficial Visits | Official Visits | Off-Grounds Contact | Verbal Offer of Athletics Aid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Basketball | 8/1 before sophomore year | 8/1 before junior year | Opening day junior year | Not legislated |
| Women's Basketball | Anytime | 1/1 of junior year | 9/1 beginning of Senior Year | Not legislated |
| Football | Anytime | 4/1 of junior year | 7/1 after junior year | Not legislated |
| Lacrosse and Softball | 9/1 of junior year | 9/1 of junior year | 9/1 of junior year | 9/1 of junior year |
| Baseball | 9/1 of junior year | 9/1 of junior year | 7/1 after junior year | Not legislated |
| All Other Sports | 8/1 before junior year | 8/1 before junior year | 8/1 before junior year | 6/15 after sophomore year |
Additional restrictions for women's basketball - In women's basketball, during the July evaluation periods, all communication with a prospective student-athlete, the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians, the prospective student-athlete's coach or any individual associated with the prospective student-athlete as a result of the prospective student-athlete's participation in basketball, directly or indirectly, is prohibited.
8. When May a Prospective Student-Athlete or Their Parent Call a UVA Coach?
See above for permissible dates you may initiate a call with a UVA coach.