For every Hawk and every family

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Plan for college, explore opportunities to compete, and find help paying for your education. Start early, ask questions, and build your plan with your school counselor.

NCAA eligibility FAFSA & financial aid Scholarships

Prepare to compete in college

NCAA eligibility.

College admission, NCAA certification, and recruiting each have their own steps. Work with your counselor and the college’s athletics compliance office.

Your eligibility checklist

Choose the right account. Review the NCAA account options. Prospective Division I and II athletes need an Academic and Athletics Certification account; a Profile Page is a starting point for students still exploring.
Plan your classes. Review your school’s NCAA-approved core courses with your counselor. Core-course GPA can differ from your overall high school GPA.
Keep records current. Update your education and sports history, complete account tasks, and arrange official transcripts from each high school you attended.
Finish certification. Follow the NCAA’s instructions for graduation documents and final athletics certification before college enrollment.

Choose an NCAA account

Official NCAA resources

Division I and II require NCAA academic and athletics certification. Division III schools set their own academic standards; international Division III athletes have an NCAA athletics certification process.

Make a financial aid plan

Start with FAFSA.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid helps you apply for federal aid. States and colleges may also use it to award financial assistance.

Create your account. The student and each required contributor, such as a parent, need their own StudentAid.gov account.
Choose the correct aid year. Complete the FAFSA for the academic year you plan to attend college, and follow the official instructions for the information you need.
Review and submit. Add the schools you are considering, complete required contributor sections, and check your submission for missing information or corrections.
Check every deadline. Federal, state, and school deadlines can differ. Ask each college about its priority date and additional financial aid forms.

Complete the FAFSA Official application guide Current FAFSA deadlines

Explore more ways to pay

Scholarship opportunities.

Look at school, state, community, academic, and athletic opportunities. Keep a list of deadlines, required materials, and follow-up tasks.

Start at school

VVHS & APS

Find current scholarship listings and connect with school counseling resources for applications, recommendations, and college planning.

New Mexico opportunities

State scholarships

Explore the Opportunity Scholarship, Legislative Lottery Scholarship, and other New Mexico aid programs. Your college’s financial aid office can help determine eligibility.

College-specific support

Athletic & academic aid

Ask each college about its scholarships, application requirements, and financial aid offer. Discuss athletic aid with the college’s coaching and financial aid staff.

NCAA scholarships & financial aid

Build your plan with support.

Talk with your VVHS counselor about academics and applications, your coaches about athletic goals, and each college’s financial aid office about paying for school.

Connect with our coaching staff

Official resources reviewed October 8, 2026. Use the linked organizations for current rules, eligibility decisions, application dates, and award information.

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