by Liz Fineske
Visiting a college campus can be one of the most exciting parts of the college recruiting process. A campus visit gives you the opportunity to experience a school beyond its website or social media, meet coaches and athletes, see the facilities, and decide whether you can picture yourself there. But not all college visits are the same. There are two main types of visits prospective student-athletes should know about: official visits and unofficial visits.
An official visit is a visit to a college campus that is paid for by the NCAA school hosting you. Depending on the NCAA division, an official visit may include expenses such as transportation, lodging, meals, and certain entertainment expenses for you and (in some cases) family members or other individuals accompanying you. Before taking an official visit to a Division I or Division II school, you must meet certain NCAA requirements including registering with the NCAA Eligibility Center, being on the school's institutional request list, and providing the school with a copy of your high school transcript.
The expenses a school may cover during an official visit depend on the NCAA division. Generally, official visits may include:
The specific limits and who may receive these benefits vary by division, so athletes should always confirm the current rules with the NCAA school they are visiting.
You can take official visits to an unlimited number of NCAA schools after the first permissible date for your sport and division. However, each school generally may provide you with only one official visit. There are some exceptions. For example, in Divisions I and II, a second official visit may be permitted if there has been a head coaching change since your original official visit.
Remember: An official visit is a significant opportunity! Don't feel like you need to accept every invitation. Prioritize visits to schools that you are seriously considering and where you want to learn more about the fit.
An unofficial visit is a visit to a college campus that is paid for by you or your family. Unlike official visits, you may take an unlimited number of unofficial visits to any NCAA school. However, in Divisions I and II, unofficial visits must take place after the first permissible date for your sport. Because you are covering the cost of the trip, unofficial visits can be a great way to explore schools earlier in your recruiting process or visit multiple campuses without using an official visit opportunity.
Yes, but the benefits are more limited than with an official visit. Depending on the division and current NCAA rules, a school may be able to provide certain benefits such as:
The exact benefits vary by division, so check with the school before your visit to understand what they are permitted to provide.
Important: NCAA recruiting rules can vary by division, sport, and recruiting calendar. The information above is intended as a general guide. Always confirm the current rules and permissible dates with the NCAA school you are visiting and the NCAA Eligibility Center.
It can be easy to leave a campus visit excited about everything you saw and forget the details a few weeks later, especially if you visit several schools. That's why we created our own USATF College Visit Guides. Use the USATF College Wishlist & Recruitment Tracker to keep track of the schools you have contacted and organize important recruiting information. While you're on campus, you can use the USATF College Visit Reflection Sheet to take notes, rate different areas of the school and program, and record your overall impression.
The information in this article was gathered from the NCAA Guide for the College Bound Student-Athlete and is intended to provide a general overview of official and unofficial college visits. NCAA rules can vary by division, sport, and recruiting period, so student-athletes should always refer to the most current NCAA resources and confirm specific visit details with the college or university they are considering.