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University of Toronto Athletics

Eligibility

Registration of Participation
Academic Eligibility Rules for OUA & U SPORTS Athletes
Years of Eligibility
Transfers

In order to compete in OUA/U SPORTS & alternate university leagues, each student-athlete must comply with eligibility requirements. It is the responsibility of the student-athlete to be aware of all eligibility rules. Below is a summary of the eligibility rules:

All student-athletes must be cleared by the intercollegiate program office prior to starting any competitive season.

ELIGIBILITY IS AS EASY AS 3+3
  • If you are an undergraduate student, you must be registered in a minimum of three classes in the term of competition.
  • In order to participate in the next academic year, you must pass a minimum of 3.0 credits *
*In some sports, this does not apply. When in doubt, ask your coach or contact Alberto Bustamante.


Contact Information & Next Steps
Complete versions can be found on the U SPORTS website and the OUA website. 
For further questions, clarifications or for a complete list of eligibility requirements, contact Vadim Levin.

A) Registration of Participation
All student-athletes must register for intercollegiate participation through the Varsity Blues Registration System (VBRS). This must be completed prior to the start of any tryout/training with the program. If you are intending to tryout/compete on multiple teams, you must register for each program.

This is a legal document! All forms must be completed in their entirety, and honestly. Failure to provide accurate information could be grounds for removal from the program.

Upon completion of the VBRS registration, student-athletes will be e-mailed a link to the Athlete Health Questionnaire. In order to participate, all student-athletes must be cleared by the therapist overseeing the program.

B) Academic Eligibility Rules for OUA & U SPORTS Athletes
U SPORTS sports are those which are offered by both the OUA & U SPORTS and lead to both OUA & U SPORTS championships.

In order to participate as a Varsity Blue, each student-athlete must:
Be a full-time student and/or registered in 3 full courses, 6 half courses or 18 semester hours. A student-athlete must be enrolled in a minimum of 3 courses (9 credit hours or equivalent) in the same term in which they are competing.

If there are circumstances within a student's academic program which would warrant an exception to the above and in which the University continues to declare the student a full-time student (e.g. graduate student), the student can be declared in good standing and therefore eligible to compete.

Academic records are checked on a daily basis. A student-athlete will not be permitted to compete if he/she reduces his or her course load below the eligibility requirement.

Penalties for non-compliance with any eligibility rule, but are not limited to team and/or individual disqualification.

C) Years of Eligibility

In U SPORTS programs, all student-athletes are limited to 5 years of eligibility.
For TORONTO and non-U SPORTS BLUE & WHITE programs, there is unlimited number of eligibility years.
U of T Sport Model

U SPORTS Sports:
basketball, curling, cross country, football, field hockey, ice hockey, women's rugby, soccer, swimming, track & field, volleyball and wrestling.
 
TORONTO division sports:
baseball, women's lacrosse, rowing, men's rugby.
 
BLUE & WHITE division sports:
badminton, fencing, figure skating, men's lacrosse; mountain biking, softball, squash, tennis, water polo.
 
In the sport of men's rugby, there is an age-cap rule.

How do I consume eligibility?
In U SPORTS program, a year of eligibility is consumed when:
•    Participation in three or more non-conference competitions/ tournaments/invitationals
•    In the sports of basketball, field hockey, hockey, soccer, and volleyball, participation in any conference competition if there is a non-conference schedule
•    In the sports of football and rugby, and where a team has a one-game exhibition schedule, a student-athlete may participate in one regular season game without consuming a year of eligibility.
•    In the sports of basketball, field hockey, football, hockey, rugby, soccer, and volleyball, participation in two or more conference competitions if there is no non-conference schedule
•    Any participation in a conference playoff or qualifier (i.e. OUA playoffs & championship)
•    Any participation in a U SPORTS Championship

IMPORTANT
A name appearing on a game sheet or entry form constitutes your participation in that game/event, even if you don't step onto the court/field/ice.

For TORONTO and non-U SPORTS BLUE & WHITE programs, a year of eligibility is consumed if the student-athlete is registered on the eligibility certificate.

D) Transfers
A U SPORTS student-athlete who transfers to another academic institution is not eligible to compete for one calendar year of competition prior to competing in interuniversity athletics.

Exceptions:
A U SPORTS student-athlete who has completed a degree at a U SPORTS institution may transfer to another U SPORTS institution and will not be required to sit out for a year if they enroll in a graduate or first professional degree program at a school different from the one they attended the previous year. All eligibility of transfers must be confirmed with the intercollegiate program office prior to competing.
  1. In the sports of track and cross country, a student-athlete may transfer after having competed one year at a previous institution, without a penalty.
  2. In the sport of swimming, a student-athlete may apply to transfer to a U SPORTS institution from any degree granting institution without a penalty.
  3. A Canadian student-athlete who transfers to a U SPORTS institution from a non-Canadian degree granting institution (e.g. NCAA or NAIA) shall be eligible to participate immediately if certain conditions are met. 
  4. In OUA sports only, student-athletes may transfer from one institution to another without penalty, provided all other eligibility requirements are met.