When you start exploring the opportunity to study and compete in the United States, four-year universities are often the first option that comes to mind. However, many American and international student-athletes deliberately start their college career at a two-year community college, commonly referred to as a JUCO. Many of these athletic programs compete within the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association). Other two-year college athletic programs compete in organizations such as the CCCAA in California and the NWAC in the northwestern United States. At a community college, you can combine college sports with a two-year academic program, often leading to an Associate Degree. After one or two years, you may be able to transfer to an NCAA or NAIA university to continue working toward your bachelor's degree. In this article, we explain what the NJCAA is, what JUCO means, how NJCAA divisions and athletic scholarships work, and when starting at a community college can be an interesting option for your college career.
What is the NJCAA?
The NJCAA stands for National Junior College Athletic Association and is one of the main governing bodies for two-year college athletics in the United States. More than 500 colleges are affiliated with the organization, which organizes competitions and national championships across a wide range of sports. Unlike the NCAA and NAIA, which primarily consist of four-year colleges and universities, the NJCAA mainly consists of two-year colleges. Students can complete an Associate Degree and may later transfer to a four-year university. The NJCAA has three divisions: Division 1, Division 2 and Division 3. The athletic scholarship rules differ between these divisions.
What is a community college and what does JUCO mean?
A community college is usually a two-year American educational institution where students can complete an Associate Degree (AD). The term JUCO comes from Junior College and is still widely used in American college sports. Many schools that were traditionally known as junior colleges are now called community colleges. That does not mean that every community college athletic program belongs to the NJCAA. California, for example, has the CCCAA, while the Northwest also has the NWAC.
Academically, a community college program often includes a significant number of general education courses. These are general academic courses that are also part of many four-year bachelor’s programs. Some of the credits you earn may transfer when you move to a four-year college or university. Exactly which credits are accepted depends on the university and degree program you transfer to.
Although these are two-year colleges, the athletic level can be high. Some NJCAA programs have excellent facilities and regularly see student-athletes transfer to strong NCAA or NAIA programs.
Which organizations offer community college sports?
In the United States, community college athletic programs can compete within different organizations. The three organizations that are most relevant for international student-athletes are the NJCAA, CCCAA and NWAC. Each has its own rules regarding competition, eligibility and financial aid.
The NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association)
The NJCAA is the largest organization for two-year college athletics in the United States, with more than 500 member colleges. The NJCAA has three divisions, with different rules for athletic scholarships:
- NJCAA Division 1: Athletic scholarships may cover tuition, eligible college fees, room and board, course-related books and certain other permitted expenses. A full athletic scholarship is therefore possible, but not every NJCAA Division 1 student-athlete receives a full ride.
- NJCAA Division 2: Athletic scholarships may cover tuition, eligible fees and course-related books, but not room and board.
- NJCAA Division 3: Athletic scholarships are not permitted. Students may still receive other forms of financial aid for which they qualify.
An important detail is that an NJCAA college does not necessarily compete in the same division in every sport. A school can, for example, compete in NJCAA Division 1 in one sport and Division 2 in another.
The CCCAA (California Community College Athletic Association)
If you choose a community college in California, the athletic program may compete in the CCCAA rather than the NJCAA. More than 100 colleges participate in the California Community College Athletic Association. CCCAA schools do not award athletic scholarships based on athletic ability. Student-athletes may still qualify for academic or other forms of financial aid that are also available to non-athletes. Community colleges in California can be financially attractive compared with some four-year universities, but international students normally pay nonresident tuition. It is therefore important to compare the total cost of attendance rather than tuition alone.
The NWAC (Northwest Athletic Conference)
The NWAC consists of 37 two-year colleges in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. The conference has its own rules regarding competition, eligibility and financial support. Just like student-athletes at NJCAA and CCCAA schools, athletes competing in the NWAC may later transfer to a four-year university to continue their academic and athletic careers.
Why can the NJCAA route be interesting for international student-athletes?
For some international student-athletes, an NJCAA program is not the final destination but the first step in their American college career. You can continue developing academically and athletically before trying to transfer to a four-year university.
You still need time to develop as an athlete
Perhaps you do not yet have the athletic level or recruiting profile for the universities you ultimately want to attend. At a strong NJCAA program, you can compete at the college level, become physically stronger and build a college track record that four-year university coaches can evaluate.
You need an academic stepping stone
A community college can also be an option when direct admission or eligibility at an NCAA or NAIA university is difficult. You can earn college credits and later explore opportunities to transfer to a four-year university.
The total cost can be lower
Community colleges often have lower tuition rates than four-year universities. At NJCAA Division 1 and Division 2 schools, athletic scholarships may reduce those costs further. However, always look at the complete financial package, including tuition, housing, meals, health insurance and other expenses.
What if you have already studied at a university or university of applied sciences?
If you have already completed one or more years at a university or university of applied sciences in Europe, you need to be more careful when considering the community college route. Your previous enrollment can affect how many credits transfer and which eligibility and transfer rules apply later. For example, moving from a four-year institution to a two-year college and then to an NCAA four-year university may be treated as a 4-2-4 transfer under NCAA rules. Before choosing this route, it is therefore important to determine whether a community college actually gives you an advantage in your specific situation.
How much eligibility do you have in the NJCAA?
How much eligibility you have remaining after one or two years at an NJCAA school depends on the organization you want to compete in next and on your individual situation. The NCAA and NAIA use different eligibility systems.
Under the new NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 rules, student-athletes have an eligibility period of up to five years. Full-time enrollment at a community college counts toward this period. For example, if you enroll full-time at an NJCAA school directly after high school and spend two years there, you would normally still have approximately three years remaining within your NCAA eligibility period. This does not automatically mean that you will be eligible to compete during all of those years, as you must also meet the NCAA’s other eligibility requirements.
The NAIA uses a different system. A student-athlete can compete in a maximum of four seasons of competition during their first 10 semesters (or equivalent) of college. Previous college enrollment and athletic participation can therefore affect how much NAIA eligibility you have remaining after competing in the NJCAA.
Eligibility should therefore always be reviewed individually. Your previous college enrollment, full-time semesters and athletic participation can all affect the opportunities available to you after community college.
What happens to your eligibility when you transfer?
This is just as important as your eligibility while competing in the NJCAA. The NJCAA, NCAA and NAIA each have their own eligibility and transfer rules.
If you want to transfer to an NCAA or NAIA university after one or two years at a community college, your eligibility will be evaluated again. Factors such as previous full-time college enrollment, completed credits, GPA and athletic history can all play a role.
Starting at a community college therefore does not automatically “save” your NCAA eligibility. Under the current NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 rules, full-time enrollment at a two-year college can also count when determining your eligibility period.
That is why, when we consider a JUCO route, we do not only look at where you can compete now. We also look at what comes next. If your goal is eventually to transfer to an NCAA or NAIA university, you should understand in advance how starting at a community college may affect your eligibility.
How does transferring from the NJCAA to the NCAA or NAIA work?
A common route is the 2+2 model:
- Years 1 and 2: You study and compete at a community college while working toward your Associate Degree and earning transferable college credits.
- After: If you meet the academic and athletic requirements, you can transfer to a four-year NCAA or NAIA university and continue working toward your bachelor’s degree.
How many credits transfer and how much athletic eligibility you have remaining varies by student. This should always be checked before making a transfer. Many NJCAA coaches have experience with student-athletes who transfer to four-year universities after one or two years. A good coach can therefore also play an important role in helping you find the right next step.
Find out whether the JUCO route fits your profile
Are you unsure whether starting at a two-year community college or going directly to a four-year university is the better option for you? Made Scholarships looks at your athletic level, academic record and budget to determine which route best fits your situation.