Is A National Letter Of Intent Legally Binding?
The most exciting day for a potential college student-athlete is probably National Signing Day. This day is when you finally commit to playing to a college by signing the National Letter of Intent. But what if you change your mind about the school you want to attend? And is the National Letter of Intent legally binding?
The National Letter of Intent is a legally binding document that signifies your intention to compete in athletics at a university for at least one year. You can change your mind after signing an NLI, but there are legal consequences to breaking this contract.
The National Letter of Intent marks an agreement between a university and a recruit. The student-athlete agrees to play sports at a college for one year, while the university promises to provide an athletic scholarship. If the student-athlete fails to fulfill their part of the agreement, the NLI program bans them from competing in college athletics for a year. For example, if a student-athlete attends a university that they signed a National Letter of Intent for but decides to quit the team, they still have to attend that school, and they lose a year of athletic eligibility.
Sometimes, a recruit will change their mind about which university they want to play at after signing a National Letter of Intent. In this situation, the player must request a release from the National Letter of Intent organization to contact another school about transferring. This request is known as a 4-4 transfer, or a transfer between two four-year universities. The National Letter of Intent organization can either reject the application, remove the recruiting ban or completely release the student-athlete from the agreement.
When Would A National Letter Of Intent Be Considered Null?
There are certain situations in which the legal provisions of a National Letter of Intent would be considered null and void. These usually will come up after the student-athlete signs the document, but before a university approves the document.
Signing Deadline: After receiving a National Letter of Intent, a player has seven days to sign it. There are specific signing periods for different sports, and student-athletes will sometimes receive the document at different times of the year. Usually, student-athletes sign in the spring of their senior year, on National Signing Day.
Admissions: Upon signing a National Letter of Intent, student-athletes won’t yet have been admitted into the university. If, for some reason, the university of your choice doesn’t accept your application, the National Letter of Intent will no longer apply. The school won’t have to provide you with an athletic scholarship.
NCAA Eligibility: Similarly, if you don’t qualify to play NCAA athletics because of failing to meet academic or amateurism requirements, the National Letter of Intent won’t apply. If you aren’t NCAA eligible, you can’t compete in NCAA athletics and won’t receive an athletic scholarship from a school. If you don’t complete the admissions or eligibility process, then the National Letter of Intent will be declared void.
Recruiting Rules Violation: If a recruiting rules violation is discovered after you sign a National Letter of Intent, you have two choices. You can either continue with your current National Letter of Intent or get a release from the agreement. The athletic department at your university will work closely with you throughout this process.
These situations are rare, and it's unlikely that you will have your National Letter of Intent declared void. To avoid these situations, make sure you know the potential reasons why a National Letter of Intent would be declared null. Following the recruiting rules and staying on top of recruiting deadlines can help ensure that you are prepared to sign a National Letter of Intent.
What Does A National Letter Of Intent Mean?
The National Letter of Intent is essentially a scholarship agreement. You have agreed to play at a school as long as they provide you with an athletic scholarship and vice versa. It is legally binding, so breaking this document will have serious consequences. But what else does the National Letter of Intent mean for you as a recruit besides providing a scholarship?
Recruiting: After signing a National Letter of Intent, you are agreeing not to contact any new schools, effectively ending the recruiting process. Other NCAA schools and coaches are not allowed to contact you either. You have officially chosen one school to attend.
NCAA: Only NCAA colleges participate in the National Letter of Intent program. Recruits sign this document if they are entering a four-year college that engages in NCAA athletics. Because all these schools are part of the NCAA, recruits are required to have an NCAA ID to sign a National Letter of Intent. This ID is granted after a player registers with the NCAA Eligibility Center.
Voluntary Program: The National Letter of Intent program is managed directly by the NCAA Eligibility Center, and is overseen by the College Commissioners Association. It’s a voluntary program for both student-athletes and institutions but provides legal protection for both parties.
College Coaches: The National Letter of Intent applies to the financial aid that you’ll receive from the university, and it’s not dependent on who coaches your sport. If the college coach that recruited you leaves the program, the National Letter of Intent you signed is still valid.
One Academic Year: The National Letter of Intent is only valid for one academic year. After this year, the university must inform players if their scholarship will be renewed or not.
The National Letter of Intent is a legally binding document, so it’s essential to understand what you’re committing to. Your parents will also sign, so there’s extra incentive to understand the provisions of a National Letter of Intent.
What Happens After Signing A National Letter Of Intent?
Most players will sign their National Letter of Intent on the Signing Day specific to their sport. After receiving a National Letter of Intent, players will have seven days to sign the document for it to be still valid. But what happens after you sign?
Document Filed: Directly after you sign a National Letter of Intent, the document needs to be sent back to the university that sent it to you by either fax or email. The school is required to send a copy to their conference office within 14 days. You should sign another copy for safe-keeping in your records.
Early Enrollment: This is an option for some high school seniors who are already academically eligible before their last semester of high school. Recruits who decide to enroll early attend their chosen university for the spring semester, practicing with the team and adjusting to the college environment. Being comfortable in college before adding the pressure of competing in athletics can give some student-athletes an edge. But it also means that these students will miss out on significant moments in their last semester of high school.
Playing On The Team: Signing a National Letter of Intent doesn’t guarantee you playing time on the team. The document only legally protects your scholarship offer. If you quit the team after enrolling, the NLI is still valid and needs to be fulfilled. Similarly, you’ll have to attend a school for the rest of the year if you decide you don’t want to attend for another year, even after you’ve played on the team for a full season.
Signing a National Letter of Intent means you made it through the recruiting process and secured a coveted athletic scholarship offer. Don’t forget to take some time to appreciate the results of your hard work!
Things To Keep In Mind
Division III: Potential Division III student-athletes don’t need to sign a National Letter of Intent. Division III schools don’t offer athletic scholarships, so an NLI doesn’t serve any legally binding purpose for Division III student-athletes.
Walk-On Players: Walk-on players are student-athletes who aren’t receiving an athletic scholarship to play on the team. For this reason, walk-on players do not sign an NLI.
Football Players: If you are a football player being recruited for another sport, you can’t sign a National Letter of Intent during the early signing period for that sport. If you do, you will lose eligibility to play football for one year.