What is a "National Letter of Intent"?

The National Letter of Intent (NLI) is specifically designed to formally commit a prospective student-athlete to an NCAA institution for one academic year. When a prospective student-athlete signs an NLI, they are making a binding commitment to attend a particular institution for at least one academic year, assuming that they meet the institution's admission requirements and continue to comply with NCAA eligibility standards. This commitment signifies that the student-athlete has chosen to forgo the recruitment process from other schools and will play for the institution that they have signed with.

This emphasis on commitment is integral to the purpose of the NLI, as it helps schools secure their recruits and provides prospective student-athletes with a clear path toward their collegiate athletics career. The document not only outlines the responsibilities of the student-athlete but also ensures that the institution agrees to provide them with financial aid for the duration of the year.

Other options, while related to recruitment and compliance, do not capture the essence or the specifics of what the National Letter of Intent represents within the NCAA framework. A contract between a coach and a prospective athlete does not reflect the binding nature of the commitment to the institution. A scholarship application form is unrelated to the formal commitment that the NLI entails, and guidelines for compliance do