Campus visits

Official & Unofficial Visits

What to know before you visit a college campus. Rules checked Oct 22, 2026. Rules change, so confirm details on the linked sources and with each school's compliance office. This is general guidance, not legal or eligibility advice.

Official vs. unofficial

  • Official visit: paid for in whole or in part by the college.
  • Unofficial visit: paid for by your family. ID camps are not visits, but you're on campus.

When D1 soccer visits can happen

  • Official visits and unofficial visits that involve the athletics department: from Aug. 1 before junior year.
  • Not during dead periods. For 2026-27, women's soccer has dead periods Aug. 1-11, Nov. 9-12, Dec. 16 - Jan. 6 and July 28-31; men's soccer has dead periods Nov. 9-12 and Dec. 11-14.

D1 official visits: how many, how long, who pays

  • How many: no limit on the number of schools since July 1, 2023, but only one official visit to each school while you're in high school. A second is allowed if that school changes head coaches after your visit.
  • How long: up to two nights of lodging. One extra night before the visit is allowed if you arrive too late to start it that day.
  • You + up to two family members: the school can pay round-trip transportation, plus meals and lodging while traveling to and from campus.
  • You + up to four family members on campus: meals and snacks, lodging, entertainment and tickets to home games, comparable to what student-athletes get and within 30 miles of campus.

D1 unofficial visits

  • Your family pays. Generally the school can't pay your expenses.
  • The school can give you and up to three family members tickets to a home game and drive you to practice and competition facilities; all unofficial-visit activities stay within one mile of campus.

D2, D3, NAIA and JUCO

  • D2: official visits from June 15 before junior year, outside dead periods and the signing-date dead period. One per school; a second can't happen until Sept. 1 after you finish high school, plus one more after a head-coach change. Unofficial visits are at your expense. Ask about length and family expenses.
  • D3: official visits from Jan. 1 of junior year, one paid visit per school. The school can pay only the actual round-trip cost by direct route between your home and campus, and can entertain only you and your parents, guardians or spouse, within 30 miles of campus. Unofficial visits are unlimited, at your expense; the school may provide a dining-hall meal, campus housing open to all visiting students and a staff-driven trip to see facilities.
  • NAIA: no grade-based visit limits. A school may pay travel, meals and lodging only if it does the same for other students with special talents under general school policy, not just for athletes.
  • JUCO (NJCAA): official visits from June 1 before junior year; one per recruiting year, up to 48 hours from arrival, for you plus two guests (transportation, meals and lodging under school policy). Unofficial visits: no expenses; up to two that include athletic participation with the team.

Before a D1 or D2 official visit

  • Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center (a Certification Account, not just a free Profile Page).
  • Send the school a copy of your high school transcript.

Proposal only, not adopted

On Oct. 7, 2026, the Division I Cabinet introduced a proposal to let schools arrange transportation and provide accommodations and entertainment for a recruit and four accompanying people on an official visit. It could be adopted as early as January 2027. Until then, the limits above apply.

Questions to ask on a visit

  • How many players at my position are you bringing in, including transfers?
  • Did your school opt into the House settlement, and what does aid look like for my class?
  • What does a typical in-season week look like for a freshman, and how much do freshmen play?
  • Can I talk with current players without coaches present?
  • Can I study my intended major and play?

Sources (checked Oct 22, 2026)

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