What It Means to Be a D1, D2, D3, or NAIA Athlete

In this guide, you'll learn everything you need to know about what it means to be a D1, D2, D3, or NAIA student-athlete.

What is a D1 athlete, and what is it like to play D1 sports?

NCAA Division 1 programs compete in 24 different sports, and any student on a D1 team’s roster is a D1 athlete. According to the NCAA, over 170,000 athletes play D1 sports. 

As the NCAA’s most competitive level, D1 sports typically come with the biggest crowds, the best facilities, and the most professional opportunities. The D1 scholarship landscape is changing and not all D1 athletes get full-ride scholarships, but D1 programs award the most scholarship money and by far the majority of full-rides.

D1 teams also hold the highest expectations for their players, and student-athletes at D1 schools are typically expected to commit to their training and practice schedule at the expense of other non-academic pursuits. 

That means D1 players usually don’t get the chance to pursue internships, spring-break vacations, campus extracurriculars, or part-time jobs. Balancing workouts, team meetings, practices, and travel often leaves little time beyond attending classes and completing assignments. 

What are the characteristics of a D1 athlete?

Even inside Division 1, there’s a range of competitive levels, so there’s no single model for what makes an NCAA D1 athlete. Generally speaking, though, D1 is for top performers at the high school or club levels. Only about 2% of U.S. high school athletes go on to play NCAA D1 sports, and getting recruited to D1 takes more than just strong performance. 

D1 athletes typically exhibit exceptional athletic skills, physical capabilities, and a strong commitment to continuous improvement.

D1 coaches might occasionally take chances on upside athletes they feel they can develop into contributors, or players with a specific skill they feel fits their team’s needs. But mostly, D1 coaches recruit the best of the best – dedicated student-athletes with rare levels of ability and potential.

What type of schools do D1 athletes play for?

In the 2024-25 academic year, 356 schools – including schools from every U.S. state besides Alaska – competed in NCAA Division 1 sports. They’re split up into different conferences, but in every sport but football, they all compete for one NCAA-run championship. 

Football is a bit different, in that D1 programs are sub-grouped as FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) and FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) teams. FBS teams compete for the national championship awarded by the College Football Playoff – a separate group. FCS teams compete in a separate postseason run by the NCAA. In the past, FCS teams were known as “1-AA.”

Inside D1, there’s a broad range of schools, and every individual school has its own set of resources and priorities. The eight Ivy League colleges compete in D1 sports but do not award any athletics scholarships. The D1 ranks include public and private schools, secular and non-secular schools, research universities and liberal arts colleges, historically Black colleges and universities, and service academies. 

What GPA an athlete needs to play D1, and how to know if you’re eligible

To become eligible – and stay eligible – for NCAA D1 sports, student-athletes must maintain good academic standing in high school and college. That means you must maintain at least a 2.3 GPA by the NCAA’s calculation, which includes only core courses. Prospective athletes should register, submit their information and check their eligibility through the NCAA Eligibility Center.  

D1 coaches must follow NCAA rules about when and how they can contact potential recruits – official contact periods vary by sport. But high-school athletes can legally reach out to D1 coaches and programs at any point in the recruiting process.

What it means to be an athlete at the D2, D3, and NAIA levels

While the big NCAA Division 1 programs get the most attention, most college student-athletes do not play D1. There are other options for four-year college athletics, and many recruits find better fits at NCAA Division 2 (D2) or Division 3 (D3) levels, or at National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) programs. 

D2 and NAIA schools both award athletics scholarships, and all three levels hold national championships. Generally, D2, D3 and NAIA sports programs demand less of their athletes’ time, but games and championships are still highly competitive.

Professional greats like Knicks legend Charles Oakley and longtime MLB slugger J.D. Martinez got their starts at the D2 level. The 2024 Olympics had seventeen D2 athletes and nine D3 athletes representing their countries in competition.

What is a D2 athlete, and what is the D2 experience like? 

The median D2 school has about 2,500 students, meaning D2 schools are typically smaller than their D1 counterparts (median 9,000 students). Over 300 colleges compete at the D2 level, including schools in Alaska, Puerto Rico and Canada.

Though D2 schools do not typically offer full-ride sports scholarships, 60% of D2 athletes get partial athletics scholarships, which vary greatly in size. In most sports, Division 2 uses a regional model that reduces travel time, and D2 programs are required to give athletes at least one day off from athletics activities in-season. 

That means D2 student-athletes have time to explore extracurricular activities off the field, including part-time work, additional academic Major(s) & Minor(s), Greek life, internships and student-lead organizations. 

D2 recruiting rules are a bit more relaxed, too. Unlike coaches at D1 programs, coaches from NCAA D2 schools can contact recruits directly as early as their freshman year of high school, though in-person meetings have to wait until after sophomore year. Just like those aiming for D1 programs, recruits targeting D2 must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center to ensure eligibility and can begin reaching out to coaches at any time.

What is a D3 athlete, and what is the difference between a D1, D2, and D3 athlete?

With over 200,000 student-athletes competing at 431 schools, D3 offers more high-school recruits the chance to play college sports than any other level. And since D3 schools have a median size of 1,751, that means 1 in 4 students at D3 schools compete in college athletics. 

Unlike at D1 and D2 schools, D3 programs are not allowed to offer athletic scholarships, and athletes must meet the same academic admissions standards as the general student body. Roughly 80% of D3 athletes receive some form of financial aid, and coaches hoping an athlete will join their roster can often help find appropriate grants and loans to help with the cost of tuition. 

While D3 sports remain highly competitive, they typically demand the least time commitment among college sports levels. That means D3 sports allow student-athletes to focus on academics, career development, and other pursuits while still competing in the sport they love. According to the NCAA, 25% of D3 athletes study abroad at some point in their undergraduate studies, and 75% have internships or externships. 

Prospective D3 athletes do not need to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center, but they can and should contact coaches at targeted programs. D3 coaches can reach out to recruits at any time, and while they cannot offer scholarships, coaches can advocate for athletes in the admissions process.

What is a NAIA athlete, and why do recruits choose NAIA over NCAA?

Nearly 14% of four-year college athletes choose NAIA programs, which typically offer a small-college experience like D3 with a partial scholarship model like D2. There are 250 colleges competing in NAIA sports, with an average undergrad enrollment of 1,846. Student-athletes make up more than ⅓ of the student body at the average NAIA institution. 

NAIA schools are 83% private and 65% faith-based. The association hosts championships in 29 sports, including some – like competitive cheer and dance – that are not sponsored by the NCAA. 

NAIA programs offer athletics scholarships in conjunction with other forms of tuition assistance, and athletes receive over $1.3 billion in aid annually from NAIA schools. 

Like the NCAA, NAIA sports require athletes to establish academic eligibility before they compete. Recruits considering NAIA schools should register with the NAIA eligibility center.

Conclusion

Playing Division 1 isn’t the only way to play at a high level in college - or the right fit for everyone. If you’re looking for a high level of play and a balanced student-athlete lifestyle, D2 might be right for you. If you want to focus on your academics while playing at a small school, check out D3. If you’re considering small private colleges or faith-based schools but are still hoping for an athletics scholarship, a NAIA program might be your best option. 

Getting recruited to play at any level starts the same way. Create an NCSA profile today to get started!  

Frequently Asked Questions

 Do all D1 athletes get full-ride athletic scholarships? 

No, not all D1 athletes get full-ride scholarships. All Division 1 sports are now what’s called equivalency sports, meaning that coaches can distribute scholarships per their discretion. Many athletes are on partial scholarships and some receive no tuition reimbursement at all for athletics (these are called walk-ons). 

 Are Ivy League schools considered D1 in sports?

Yes. Though Ivy League schools are often more associated with their academics than their athletics and do not provide athletic scholarships, their sports teams are very competitive. Professional athletes like Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jeremy Lin and even Lou Gehrig got their starts in the Ivy League. 

Is playing D1 the only way to get an athletic scholarship?

No. Though D1 schools have the most scholarship money to work with, D2, NAIA and NJCAA (JUCO) schools can and do grant athletics scholarships. D3 schools do not offer athletic scholarships. 

Do all college levels offer athletics scholarships?

No. D3 schools do not offer athletics scholarships, but they do offer other forms of aid, and recruits often find a D3 school’s overall aid package more compelling than athletic scholarship offers from programs at other levels. NCAA D1, D2 and NAIA schools all offer athletics scholarships. 

Can anyone who played in high school play D3 sports?

Not by a long shot! Many high-level athletes find D3 schools appealing for their academics and their small-college feel, and the on-field play in D3 sports is still very competitive. Less than 10% of high-school athletes go on to play college sports, so every level of college play is a big step up.

Are D1 sports better than D2 sports? Are D2 sports better than D3 sports? Are NAIA sports better than D3?

If you’re a student-athlete, the best college-sports level is the one that’s the right fit for you. While D1 programs typically have the most scholarship money to offer, both D2 and NAIA teams also offer scholarships, and D3 student-athletes often find their financial aid packages more compelling than ones that include sports scholarships. While the level of competition is generally highest at the D1 level, there are D2 programs good enough to regularly beat D1 programs in every sport, D3 programs good enough to beat D2 programs, and so on. NAIA is usually considered about the equivalent of the NCAA D2 level. 

Do only D1 athletes go pro? 

Of course not. While the majority of U.S. pro athletes come from D1 programs, D2, D3 and NAIA all produce household name professionals.