Academic Based Revenue Distribution

Beginning in Spring 2020, a portion of Division I revenue is distributed to member schools based on the academic achievement of student-athletes. The model allows schools with higher graduation rates and academic success to qualify for more funds.

The Criteria

A school earns an academic unit by meeting any ONE of the three standards.

Graduation Success Rate for the most recently available year is equal to or greater than 90 percent based on the single-year rate of all student-athletes at the individual level.
Difference between student-athlete and student body percentages in the most recently published Federal Graduation Rate is equal to or greater than 13 percentage points.
Academic Progress Rate for previous year is equal to or greater than 985. The average of single-year scores for all teams is used to determine eligibility for this standard.

About the Initiative

The initiative was made possible through the NCAA’s multimedia rights contract with CBS/Turner.

Academic Benchmarks

The Goal

The goal of the academic unit is to provide an incentive for academic success and improve academic outcomes of student-athletes.

Timeline for Academic Unit Revenue Distribution

The funds are “unrestricted” meaning institutions/conferences may use funds from their academic distribution in the manner they deem most appropriate. Conferences are free to distribute the funds in accordance with their existing distribution policies.