-Additional Information can be found in the AHSAA 2016-17 Handbook-

(SECTION 4. ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION REQUIREMENTS) Submitting eligibility information online and principal certification at least 48 hours before participation is mandatory for all students. The first time a school submits one of its students online, a copy of the student’s certified birth certificate shall be filed in the principal’s office and attached to the copy of the online Eligibility List on which that student’s name was submitted. Also, a STAR Sportsmanship certificate, a concussion form, and consent form must be kept on file.

Note: A certified birth certificate is one issued by the State Bureau of Vital Statistics in the state where the student was born. In Alabama, these may be obtained at each county health department.

Note: The passport of a foreign exchange student may be used in lieu of a certified birth certificate.

Change In Residence: In order for a student to establish residence with a new family, that student must reside in the home for one year. A foreign exchange student attending a member school located in the school zone where the host family resides is eligible to receive a waiver of the Transfer Rule for a period of one year provided this is the student’s first year as a foreign exchange student. The student must be assigned by a program on the current Advisory List of International Educational Travel and Exchange Programs published by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET).

This waiver is granted under the stipulation that the foreign exchange student meets all other eligibility requirements of the AHSAA and has not received a high school diploma or its equivalent.

Note: A Foreign Exchange Student Registration Form (No. 4) must be completed and filed with the State Office before eligibility can be determined on any foreign exchange student. After approval, the student must be submitted to the State Office via online reporting. When a student is forced into a new home due to an emergency caused by a disaster, the District Board or the Executive Director may reduce the required time for establishing the residence with the new family.

 

14. Foreign Student Transfer Rule:

-Additional Information can be found in the 2016-17 Handbook-

a. Foreign Exchange Student

1. A foreign exchange student is an international student who attends high school in Alaska. To be eligible for interscholastic competition, such a student must be under the auspices of, and be placed with a host family by an international student exchange program that has been accepted for listing by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET), or other programs approved by the Association; and be recognized by the U.S. State Department. The foreign exchange program must assign students to host families by a method that ensures that no student, or his/her parents, school or other interested party may influence the assignment for athletic or other purposes. The foreign exchange student may not be selected or placed on any basis related to his/her athletic interests or abilities.

2. A foreign student who has been granted an F-1 visa and who is “directly placed” into a high school in Alaska will be ineligible for interscholastic competition for Varsity, State Qualifying and State Championship interscholastic competition for one calendar year, from the date of first attendance in the new school. Students who live with coaches are ineligible (see Section 5, C). At schools with no sub-varsity teams, the student could ask for a waiver to participate on the varsity team during the regular season, but would not be able to participate at either conference or state tournaments from the date of enrollment. For the purpose of this bylaw, Direct Placements are those placements in which either the student or the sending organization in the foreign country is party to an arrangement with any other party, including school personnel and/or host parents, for the student to attend a particular school or live with a particular host family in Alaska.

3. A foreign exchange student is considered to be placed with a host family when written notice of placement is provided by the exchange organization to the student and his/her parents, and to the host family.

a. Neither the school the student attends nor any person associated with the school shall have input into selection of the student.

b. No member of the school’s coaching staff, paid or voluntary, shall serve as a host family for a foreign student athlete; nor may a coaching staff member arrange for housing.

c. Notwithstanding the provisions in parts 2 a. and b. above, a school may request a waiver of the transfer rule for a foreign exchange student whose host family includes a member of the school’s coaching staff when it can be verified that the student was not recruited by either the school, coach or host family.

4. The foreign exchange student must possess a current J-1 visa, issued by the U.S. State

Department.

5. In order to obtain a waiver, a foreign exchange student must meet all other eligibility rules required of other students in Alaska.

b. Other International Students

An international student who is not under the auspices of, and placed by, a CSIET listed exchange program must meet the following requirements in order to be considered for interscholastic eligibility in Alaska:

1. The student must possess a current F-1 visa issued by the U.S. Immigration and

Naturalization Service.

2. The student must provide to the principal of the school he/she attends, an official untranslated transcript and a transcript that is translated into English by an acceptable agent or agency. The transcripts must indicate course work taken in all grades in which the student was enrolled.

3. The international student must pay tuition to the high school he/she attends as prescribed in Section 625 of U.S. Public Law 104-208.

4. No member of the school’s coaching staff, paid or voluntary, shall serve as the resident family of the student; nor may a member of the coaching staff arrange for housing.

5. In order to obtain a waiver, an international student must meet all other eligibility rules required of other students in Alaska.

c. Additional requirements for Foreign Exchange / Other International Students: Foreign exchange and other international students must also:

1. attend the school for no less than a complete semester; and

2. not have participated in the same sport (for which eligibility is being sought) at another school earlier in the same school year; and

3. not have graduated from (the home country’s equivalent of) a secondary school; and

4. must affirm that there is no evidence of athletic recruitment resulting in the student’s attendance at the school either by the school or any other outside entity.

d. Non compliance with one or more of the foregoing provisions shall render the foreign exchange and the international student ineligible for interscholastic competition.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ELIGIBILITY – Prefatory Statement: In an effort to preserve and promote interscholastic competitive opportunities for Arizona students and further the goals of competitive fairness and equity, and recognizing the concerns of AIA member schools related to displacement of Arizona students by students from foreign countries, the following bylaw addresses the interscholastic eligibility status of international students attending an AIA member school:

15.15.1 Foreign Exchange Students: A foreign exchange student is a student that is in the U.S. under a J-1 Visa, and who is placed in a school by an educational exchange program approved by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET). A foreign exchange student is eligible at a school in the attendance zone of the home in which the student is placed. A foreign exchange student must meet all other eligibility requirements and is eligible for a maximum of one school year.

15.15.2 International Students: An international student is a student who is in the U.S. under any Visa or document other than a J-1 Visa and who is attending an AIA member school. Except as stated below with regard to domicile, an international student must meet all eligibility requirements of any regularly enrolled student. An international student is eligible only for non-varsity level competition, which may include only 9th through 11th grade, and is not at any time of enrollment eligible for varsity level competition. With regard to domicile, an international student’s non-varsity eligibility shall be at a school in the attendance zone of the home in which the student is placed. 

-Additional Information can be found in the 2016-17 Handbook-

Rule 2. ELIGIBILITY IN OTHER SITUATIONS

A. Foreign Student Eligibility. A foreign student attending an AAA member school may be eligible for competitive interscholastic participation for a maximum of one school year or two consecutive semesters under ONE, but not both, of the following circumstances.

1. J-1 Visa. A foreign student who holds a valid J-1 Visa and who is in a recognized exchange program must meet all eligibility rules except the domicile requirement, which shall be waived the first year of school attendance in the United States. Recognized exchange programs are those listed for the current year on the Council of Standards for International Education Travel (CSIET) Advisory List. Such students shall be eligible for only one school year beginning with their initial enrollment.

2. F-1 Visa. A foreign student who holds a valid F-1 Visa and who attends an AAA member school shall not be eligible for interscholastic competitive participation until he meets the domicile rule requirement established after attending said member school for one calendar year (365 days from initial enrollment). Such students shall be eligible for only the next two consecutive semesters. The student must also meet all other eligibility requirements.

 

NOTE 1: Additional periods of eligibility shall not be recognized when a student extends school attendance under a different visa or for any other reason. Eligibility requirements also include: bona fide student, dropout, semester, age, amateur, tryout, and scholarship (academic) rules.

NOTE 2: A foreign student who has graduated in his home country shall not be eligible.

NOTE 3: Foreign student eligibility applies to athletic competition.

NOTE 4: The AAA will only recognize the legal adoption of a foreign student that occurs in a U.S. court.

 

-Additional Information can be found in Handbook-

208. FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS

A foreign exchange student is a transfer student from one school to another without a valid change of residence (See Bylaw 206.C.) under the auspices of a foreign exchange program.

1. Students Transferring to a CIF Member School Under The Auspices of a CIF?Approved Foreign Exchange Program.

Foreign Exchange students transferring under the auspices of a CIF?approved foreign exchange program from a school located outside the United States, a U.S. Military Base, a U.S. Territory or Canada to a CIF member school may be granted unlimited residential eligibility for all CIF athletic competition if all of the following conditions apply:

1. Such student must be under the auspices of, and be placed with a host family in the United States by, a foreign exchange program that meets all the requirements listed below:  

The program has been accepted for listing by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET); AND The program has submitted a signed CIF Foreign Exchange Program Approval Request form:

1. Stating that their placement procedures for foreign exchange students are purely random with respect to athletic participation and school placement; AND
2. Stating that there shall be no school, coach, community, relative or friend contact related to athletics regarding the enrollment of any student in a particular school; AND
3. Has been approved by the CIF; AND
4. The program has been recognized by the U.S. State Department and the California Attorneys’ General Office, and the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET); AND
5. Any CIF?approved foreign exchange program that fails to fulfill the State CIF conditions for exempt status shall be subject to immediate suspension of its exempt status and subject to permanent loss of its exempt status after due process has been fulfilled. All approved programs will be posted on the State CIF Web Site (www.cifstate.org)

NOTE: Only foreign exchange programs registered with the California Attorneys General office and the U.S. State Department may place foreign exchange students in a California School (Government Code Section12620 et seq.). The CIF?approved list of programs posted on the CIF Web Site, reflects the programs approved by CIF that are also registered with the California Attorneys General office, the U.S. State Department and the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET). No other exchange programs will be recognized by the CIF as approved exchange programs for 2012?13.    

2. A foreign exchange student shall have been placed with a host family in compliance with this bylaw and Bylaw 510 (undue influence). Such student will have the choice of attending:

1. The public school in the host family’s public school attendance area; OR
2. A private school located in the host family’s public school attendance area; OR
3. To gain residential eligibility at any other school, the student must receive written approval from both the principal of the public school located in the host family’s attendance area and the principal of the other school; OR 102
4. In the event of a change of placement by the CIF?approved foreign exchange program, a different public school or private school with written approval from the principal of the new school.   

NOTE:   A foreign exchange student is considered to be placed with a host family when written notice of placement is provided by the exchange organization to the student and his/her parent(s)/guardian(s)/caregiver, and to the host family;

3. Neither the school the foreign exchange student attends, nor any person associated with the school, shall have input into the selection of the foreign exchange student; AND
4. No member of the school’s coaching staff, paid or voluntary, may serve as the host family for the foreign exchange student; AND
5. A foreign exchange student involved in an approved foreign exchange program where placement is not in accordance with State CIF conditions for exempt status is subject to loss of his/her residential eligibility (waiver of the transfer rule); AND
6. A foreign exchange student must possess a current J?1 visa, issued by the U.S. State Department; AND
7. A foreign exchange student must comply with all eligibility requirements set forth by the CIF and the Section having jurisdiction; AND
8. A foreign exchange student who graduated from high school is ineligible to participate in CIF competition, unless the educational program in the student’s country completes high school (graduation) after the student’s 10th or 11th year of regular schooling (not including pre?school or kindergarten classes), in which case the student may have CIF athletic eligibility through the 12th consecutive year of regular school attendance after initially enrolling in the first grade (not pre?school or kindergarten classes); AND
9. Foreign Exchange Students who change from a J?1 visa to any other type of visa that requires them to change schools, are subject to Bylaw 207.B.(5)a. and c. and cannot be made eligible for 207.B.(5)b. (Sit Out Period) since this would constitute their second transfer; AND
10. A foreign exchange student participating in a CIF?approved foreign exchange program must comply with the maximum of eight consecutive semesters bylaw. A foreign exchange student who is not in compliance with the eight consecutive semesters bylaw may apply for a waiver under the bylaws established by the State CIF and the respective Section of the student’s current CIF school; AND
11. A foreign exchange student must be eligible under all other State and Section bylaws; AND
12. All foreign exchange students in CIF?approved foreign exchange programs shall submit the appropriate waiver application(s) as required by their respective Section under Bylaw 208 with a CIF Pre?Enrollment Contact Affidavit (CIF Form 510) signed by the student and a host parent (part 1), and the enrolling school official(s) (part 3). Foreign students in CIF?approved foreign exchange programs need not obtain signatures of officials from their former school; AND  
13. A foreign exchange student who participates in an interscholastic athletic contest or is enrolled in and/or attends a school for 15 school days or more shall be considered to have been “enrolled” in that school and shall be classified as a transfer student if the student subsequently enrolls at another school.   

2. CIF Students Transferring Back to a CIF Member School From Enrollment in a Foreign Exchange Program. Foreign Exchange Student who, after being enrolled in a CIF member school (referred to as school A), transfers under the auspices of a foreign exchange program to a school located outside the United States, a  U.S. Territory, a U.S. Military Base or Canada (to be referred to as School B) and who, following completion of their foreign exchange program, transfers back to school A, may be granted unlimited residential eligibility for all CIF athletic competition when the following conditions are met:

1. The student is returning to the same CIF?member school in which they were enrolled immediately prior to their enrollment in the foreign school; AND
2. There is no evidence that the transfer to or from the foreign country was athletically motivated (see also Bylaw 510); AND
3. There is no evidence of the use of undue influence (recruiting) by anyone associated with either school or the foreign exchange program; AND 103
4. The CIF student is in compliance with all eligibility requirements set forth by the CIF and the Section having jurisdiction; AND
5. The CIF student who has participated in the foreign exchange program must comply with the maximum of eight consecutive semester bylaw. If a student has exceeded eight consecutive semesters of attendance upon return from the foreign exchange program, they may apply for a waiver under the bylaws established by the State CIF and the respective Section of the student’s CIF?member school. All CIF students returning from enrollment in a foreign exchange program shall submit the appropriate waiver application(s) for approval as required by their respective Section.

3. Appeals
   Appeals of eligibility involving foreign transfer students from a foreign country, must be in accordance with all relevant provisions of the CIF appeal process as set forth in Bylaw 1100.  

(Note:    A student who has graduated from the equivalent of high school and is now in the United States under a foreign exchange program would not be eligible.) SPECIAL NOTE:  THE CRITERIA USED FOR APPROVING FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS IS RANDOM HOME PLACEMENT OF THE STUDENT PRIOR TO THEIR LEAVING FROM THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.  ALL 510 RULES APPLY.

-Additional Information can be found in the 2015-16 Handbook-

1870.2 CONDITIONS OF VARSITY AND SUB-VARSITY ELIGIBILITY – He/She shall be eligible provided an International Student Waiver has been approved and filed in the CHSAA office when the following conditions have been met:

• Has not enrolled in a Colorado high school in order to participate in any scholastic athletic program.
• Has not been recruited to play interscholastic athletics in violation of Article 1900.2 by any high school or college representative.
• Is not a graduate in his/her own country, nor has attended the time equivalent of an American K-12 program.
• Has not attended high school in another state.
• Is in compliance with all other CHSAA eligibility rules.
• Has on file a completed physical examination in compliance with Bylaw 1780.1.
• Has not participated at your school or any other Colorado school or U.S. school.

1. For international students on a Council on Standards for International Educational Travel Program or other foreign exchange program: CHSAA approval.
2. For international students in NO program: league and CHSAA approval.

6.6. FOREIGN STUDENT ELIGIBILITY

A foreign exchange student who is placed in a CIAC member school by an exchange program approved by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) are eligible to participate in CIAC-sponsored sports providing:

• The student is not considered a high school graduate or its equivalent;
• The student meets CIAC age requirements.

The Council on Standards for International Educational Travel referred to in Eligibility Rule II.H. (CSIET) is a non-profit organization committed to establishing standards for international educational travel, monitoring compliance with those standards, and sharing information about organizations operating international educational travel and exchange programs at the high school level on behalf of schools, communities, and educational groups in the United States. The CIAC accepts all programs listed and accepted by CSIET as being bona-fide exchange programs for the purposes of establishing eligibility of athletes who are exchange students. A list of approved programs may be obtained from:

 

-Additional Information can be found in the 2015-16 Handbook-

2.8 Eligibility of Foreign Exchange Students and International Students

2.8.1 Notwithstanding 2.2 and 2.4, foreign exchange students and international students may be eligible to participate in interscholastic athletics upon arrival at their host school provided they meet the age requirements and are enrolled as participants in a recognized foreign exchange program, international student program or DIAA recognized international student academic program.

 22 2.8.1.1 Foreign Exchange (J-1) Students - For purposes of these regulations a foreign exchange student shall possess a J-1 Student visa. The J-1 student visa is for students participating in study-based exchange and visitor programs in the U.S. These programs are sponsored by an educational or other nonprofit institution, which must be accredited through the Exchange Visitor Program designated by the U.S. State Department. All foreign exchange programs which are included on the Advisory List of International Educational Travel and Exchange Programs of the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) and are two (2) semesters in length shall be considered as recognized. Students participating in a CSIET foreign exchange program are eligible to participate in interscholastic athletics for one school year provided they are otherwise eligible.

2.8.1.2 International (F-1) Students - For purposes of these regulations an international student shall possess an F-1 visa. An F-1 visa is issued to international non-resident alien students whose primary purpose for visiting the United States is to study fulltime at an approved institution in accordance with federal law.

2.8.1.2.1 CSIET Approved Programs - All international student programs which are included on the Advisory List of International Educational Travel and Exchange Programs of the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) shall be considered as recognized. Students participating in a CSIET approved international student program, are limited to the sub-varsity level and the student is not eligible for state tournament competition during the first year of attendance For purposes of these regulations the student’s first year shall be a period of 365 calendar days after the student’s first day of attendance at the receiving school. Beginning with their second year of attendance international students are eligible to participate at the varsity level and in state tournaments.

2.8.1.2.2 DIAA Recognized Academic Programs - International students participating in a DIAA recognized international student academic program who otherwise meet all other requirements may participate in interscholastic athletics to the extent specified in this section. During the international student’s first year of attendance at the member school, participation is limited to the sub-varsity level and the student is not eligible for state tournament competition. For purposes of these regulations the student’s first year shall be a period of 365 calendar days after the student’s first day of attendance at the receiving school.

2.8.1.2.2.1 In order to obtain approval as a DIAA recognized international student academic program, the Member 23 school must at a minimum specifically incorporate and formally adopt the following requirements, policies, participation limits, and notification requirements in their program:

2.8.1.2.2.1.1 A student may not be accepted in the school or program for athletic purposes, including recruiting by an outside party. The school must include a statement in their application and program material providing notice of the prohibitions on recruitment and athletic purposes and advising that based on their program requirements and DIAA regulations that recruitment based on athletics by anyone including an outside source will result in the student being permanently ineligible in interscholastic athletics at any DIAA member school. The school, student, and parent must all sign a statement verifying that the student was not athletically recruited in any way and attesting that the student did not enroll for athletic purposes and has enrolled in the school for educational purposes.

2.8.1.2.2.1.2 With the exception of the requirement in 2.2 that a student must be living with their custodial parent, legal guardian, or relative caregiver in the attendance zone of the school, the program must require that students meet all other eligibility requirements including a pre-participation evaluation or physical including a parent’s signature.

2.8.1.2.2.1.3 The program must specify that the international student’s participation is limited to the sub-varsity level for the first year of attendance at the school and that students will be ineligible for state tournament competition during the first year of attendance. If a school does not have a sub-varsity team, a student may practice at the varsity level during their first year of attendance. After one year of attendance at the school in an approved international student academic program, the international student may be eligible for 24 varsity participation and state tournament competition.

2.8.1.2.2.1.4 All of the specific requirements must be part of the school’s international student academic program and must be communicated to the students in advance of registration.

2.8.1.2.2.2 The Member school may obtain recognition of their school’s international student academic program by submitting their program for approval to the DIAA Executive Director with adequate documentation. The member school must provide a copy of their policies and enrollment applications and agreements to the DIAA Executive Director for recognition. The burden on the Member school to establish their program meets all the requirements.

2.8.1.2.2.3 At least annually and prior to athletic participation, the school shall provide to the DIAA Executive Director a list of the international students enrolled in their programs and include signed copies of the required forms.

2.8.2 International students who are not participating in a CSIET-recognized foreign exchange program, CSIET recognized international student program, or DIAA recognized international student academic program are considered to be transfer students and are ineligible to compete in interscholastic athletics unless they are in compliance with all DIAA eligibility requirements including

2.2. 2.8.3 Once enrolled, foreign exchange and other international students shall comply with all DIAA eligibility rules with the exception of

2.2. 2.8.4 Athletic recruitment of foreign exchange students or other international students by a member school or any other entity is prohibited, and any such students recruited shall be ineligible for the duration of their attendance at a DIAA member school.

-Additional Information can be found in the 2016 Handbook-

17.1 Students in Youth Exchange Programs

Youth exchange program participants, like all non-immigrant visitors to the United States, are subject to U.S. immigration laws. Educational institutions, including high schools, are subject to immigration regulations with regard to non-immigrant students who visit the United States as F-1 academic students and J-1 exchange visitors. The FHSAA will adhere to the standards adopted by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) and will permit a youth exchange student to participate in interscholastic athletic competition under the following conditions:

17.1.1 U.S. Nonimmigrant Registration. Youth exchange students must be registered through one of the following:

17.1.1.1 The F-1 youth exchange student must have a “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student StatusFor Academic and Language Students” (Form I-20A-B) for the high school at which the student is receiving instruction as required by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

17.1.1.2 The J-1 youth exchange student must have a “Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status” (Form DS-2019) and be sponsored and placed with a U.S. host family by a “bona fide” international student exchange program that has been accepted for listing by CSIET and recognized by the U.S. Department of State. P 17YOUTH EXHCHANGE, INTERNATIONAL, IMMIGRANT STUDENTS 78 2015-16 FHSAA Handbook

17.1.2 Placement with Host Family

1. the school that the student attends may assist with locating and screening potential host families (Note: member schools that participate in locating and screening potential families must develop a written process which may be reviewed by the Association upon request),
2. no member of the school’s coaching staff may serve as the host family, (c) no representative of the school’s athletic interest, as defined in Bylaw 1.4.18(c-f), who is associated with the same sport as the youth exchange student, may serve as the host family; and
3. the host family placement must be approved by the national headquarters of the sponsoring CSIET organization for J-1 youth exchange students.

This does not preclude a member school or its representatives from violations of the Association’s recruiting policy.

Note: certain CSIET agencies, including but not limited to the Rotary Youth Exchange Program, allow or require exchange students to change their host families mid-way through their stay, which will require the student to re-submit a portion of the EL4 Form. If this change requires a change of schools the student will be classified a transfer student (see 17.1.5 below).

17.1.2.1 Host Family Restriction. A host family that wishes to host more than one youth exchange student per school each year, for the same gender and sport, must have approval of the Executive Director.

17.1.2.1.1 Exception. Youth exchange students approved by this office during the 2012-13 school year may remain with their host family for the remainder of their stay.

17.1.3 Visa Requirements. The youth exchange student must possess either an F-1 or a J-1 visa issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or Department of State, respectively. The F-1 academic student program is a non-immigrant visa category intended for the use by nonresident students whose primary purpose for visiting the United States is to study full-time at an approved institution. The J-1 exchange visitor program is a non-immigrant visa category designed to promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries through bona fide educational and cultural exchange.

17.1.3.1 Exception: Citizens of Bermuda or Canada. In general, citizens of Bermuda and Canada do not need a visa to travel in the United States. However, these students must meet 17.1.1.1 and have a completed I-20 A-B Form as per the requirements of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).

17.1.4 Attendance. The student must be in attendance at the school within the first twenty (20) days of the school year and must be enrolled in a full-year program, rather than a program of shorter duration such as a six-week, three-month or six-month program, etc.

17.1.4.1 Exception. A student who arrives within ten (10) schools days after the start of the second semester of the FHSAAmember school, after having completed the full school year in their home country coinciding with the end of the first semester of the FHSAA member school and provided the student has not completed the terminal grade in the home country, may be eligible.

17.1.5 Transfer. Any subsequent transfer by the student to a different school during the school year must meet one of the provisions in Bylaw 9.3.2. 17.1.6 Eligibility for One Year Only. The J-1 youth exchange student may be eligible for a maximum of one year at any school or combination of schools in this or any other of the United States commencing with his/her initial date of enrollment in a U.S. school. The F-1 youth exchange student, pursuant to federal law, attending a public school is eligible to remain in the U.S. for a maximum of one year and must reimburse the public school for the cost of his/her U.S. education.

17.1.6.1 A youth exchange student (J-1 or F-1) is not permitted to return for any additional years using a different youth exchange Visa (i.e. J-1 or F-1) and participate in interscholastic athletics.

17.1.7 Placed in Academic Track. The student must be placed in a traditional academic track that leads to a high school diploma by the member school.

17.1.8 Must Not Have Been Recruited. The student must not have been recruited to attend the member school for athletic reasons by any individual or agency, whether or not associated with the school’s athletic interest, or selected or placed in the school on any basis related to his/her athletic interests or abilities. The student must complete and submit a GA4 Form with the school, in addition to the requirements in Policy 17.3, before the student added to a roster and allowed to participate in an interscholastic contest.

17.1.9 Financial Assistance. No individual or agency associated with the school’s athletic interest may provide financial assistance to the international student in gaining necessary visas, assist in the payment of the student’s transportation to the U.S., or contribute to the student’s living expenses while in the U.S.

17.1.10 Student Must be an Undergraduate. The youth exchange student must not have completed the terminal grade in either the U.S. or his/her home country. Youth exchange students will not be eligible once they have completed the terminal grade in either the U.S. or their home country. The terminal grade of the student is based on the graduation requirements of the country the student last attended school, including the completion of the GED or its equivalent.

17.1.11 FHSAA Eligibility. The student must meet all other eligibility standards of the FHSAA Bylaws while a student at a member school. Limit of eligibility (Bylaw 9.5) is based on the compulsory education requirements of the student’s former country.

 

-Additional Information can be found in the 2015-16 Handbook-

1.60 - SCHOOL SERVICE AREAS / TRANSFER / MIGRANT STUDENTS / MIGRATORY WAIVER

1.61 School service areas for member public schools are those attendance boundaries established by local boards of education from which a school normally draws its students. The school service area for a member private school is the county in which the private school is located. The school service area for a startup or converted charter school will be the same as the school from which the charter school draws its students.

1.62 A transfer student who has established eligibility at a former school in grades 9-12 shall be immediately eligible at the new school if:

1. The student moved simultaneously with the entire parental unit or persons he/she resided with at the former school, and the student and parent(s) or persons residing with the student live in the service area of the new school. This is known as a “bona fide move.”

1. The student may choose the public or private school serving that area.
2. It must be apparent that the parent(s) or the persons residing with the student and the student have relinquished the residence in the former service area and have occupied a residence in the new service area.
3. Relinquishment of the former residence may be met by one of the following procedures: selling the residence; having the residence listed with a real estate agent for sale at a fair market value; having a contract with a buyer; having a lease agreement at a fair market value; or abandoning the house and shutting off unnecessary utilities. When a family claims multiple residences, the residence for which they apply for a homestead exemption will be declared the primary residence.
4. The bona fide move is validated when the student’s family maintains the new residence for at least one calendar year. A return to the previous residence within that year renders the student to be a migrant student. All hardship appeal processes are available.

2. The student was enrolled in a private school or a magnet school and has a bona fide move from one public school service area to another public school service area. A student in this situation may attend either the public school or a private school serving his area of residence. NOTE: Students who have a bona fide move within a service area that has multiple private schools must file a hardship to seek eligibility if they wish to enroll in a different private school.
3. The student was enrolled in a non-member private school in Georgia or was boarded at a school out of state and, without a bona fide move, transferred to a GHSA member school that serves his area of residence as long as:

1. The student was enrolled at the high school serving his/her area of residence in grades 9-12 before attending the non-member school, OR
2. The student has not yet established eligibility at grades 9-12 at a member school serving his area of residence, OR
3. the student has previously established his attendance at a school other than the school serving his area of residence, and chooses to return to that school, AND
4. it is the initial move of the student from a non-member school to a member school serving his area of residence. (NOTE: Rules about joint custody transfers overrule the one-time transfer restriction in this by-law.)
5. A student who transfers from a GHSA member school to an independent school entering the GHSA in the next school year must be enrolled at the entering independent school by January 31 of the year preceding their becoming a GHSA member in order to be eligible.

4. The student transfers from a non-member home school and the receiving school grants credit so that the student has accumulated sufficient units. At the time such credit is given, the student must also have passed a minimum of at least 2.5 units the previous semester. The student becomes eligible when credit is awarded officially.
5. The student is involved in a foreign exchange program that is approved and published on the “Advisory List of International Educational Travel and Exchange Programs” published by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET). This list is found on the GHSA web site.

1. The student shall be considered eligible for a maximum period of one calendar year.
2. The student shall not be a graduate of a secondary school in his home country.
3. The student must maintain eligibility requirements at the member school.
4. The foreign exchange program must assign students to schools by a method that insures that no student, school, or other interested party may influence the assignment for athletic purposes.
5. All eligibility forms (Form B) for foreign exchange students must be accompanied by documentation from the CSIET-approved foreign exchange program showing that the student has been placed according to the normal procedures for that agency.

6. If one of his/her parents or the custodial parent is a certified teacher or administrator teaching at the receiving school. This opportunity is available one time only at any given school. (NOTE: Rules about joint custody transfers overrule the one-time transfer restriction in this by-law.)
7. The student has one of the following family-related situations that produces a waiver of the bona fide move rule:

1. There is a Superior Court or Juvenile Court awarded change of permanent custody and the student moves to the residence of the parent receiving custody.

1. The student must attend the member school serving that area of residence.
2. A copy of the court order must accompany the eligibility forms.
3. NOTE: Temporary guardianship papers issued by a Probate Court are not valid for eligibility.

2. There is a Superior Court or Juvenile Court final order awarding permanent joint custody to the parents and the student moves to a residence of his or her parent outside the service area of the previous school.

1. This waiver may be made one time during a calendar year.
2. A copy of the court order must accompany the eligibility forms.

3. There is a death of a custodial parent and the student moves to live with the other natural parent in a new school service area. NOTE: A copy of the death certificate shall be submitted with the eligibility papers.
4. There is a military transfer of one or both custodial parents that creates a change of residence that is not a bona fide move. NOTE: A copy of the deployment order shall be submitted with the eligibility form.

(h) Students who are U.S. citizens and who have been enrolled and attended a high school in a foreign country, upon return to the U.S., shall be eligible to participate at a GHSA member school provided the student lives in the new school’s service area and is otherwise eligible under GHSA age, eight-semester, academic and other eligibility rules.

(i) Students who are transferred from one school attendance area to another school attendance area by a mandate of the local board of education maintain their eligibility.

(j) Married students setting up a household (domicile) shall be eligible in the school of their residence provided they meet all other requirements of eligibility.

(k) Students at the Atlanta School for the Deaf will be eligible at the school serving their area of residence provided they meet all other eligibility requirements.

(l) The migratory rule (See 1.63) will be waived one time for students entering the following boarding schools: Ben Franklin Academy; Rabun Gap; Riverside Military Academy; Tallulah Falls. Exception: Students from foreign countries not on an approved foreign exchange program are not eligible.

(m) Students entering a school as an “unaccompanied youth” under the conditions of the McKinney-Vento Act must go through the hardship appeal process to become eligible.

 

-Additional Information can be found in the 2015-16 Handbook-

-Pending-

FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT TRANSFER

Foreign exchange students participating in a foreign exchange program approved by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel. may participate in interscholastic athletic competition provided (1) all other rules and regulations regarding eligibility have been met, (2) the Foreign Exchange Student Transfer form has been filed by the administrator with the IHSAA, and (3) written permission to compete has been received from the IHSAA.

SEE PAGE 13 IN LINK BELOW

-Additional Information can be found in the 2016-17 Handbook-

3.034.3

International and Foreign Exchange Students: Students attending school in Illinois under the auspices of approved student exchange programs shall be considered eligible regarding residence and transfer for a maximum period of one calendar year, commencing with the date of their enrollment and beginning attendance at an IHSA member school. To be considered for approval, a foreign exchange program must be approved by the IHSA and the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET). It must also assign students to schools by a method which insures that no student, school, or other interested party may influence the assignment for athletic or other purposes. The Board of Directors shall establish additional criteria by which it shall approve foreign exchange student programs. International students attending school in Illinois who are not participating in an approved student exchange program will not be eligible with respect to residence or transfer for the duration of their high school attendance unless they meet the requirements of the applicable provisions of the residency and transfer By-Laws as determined in an official ruling from the Executive Director or they are in a program which has been approved by the IHSA Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall establish the criteria by which it shall approve such programs. For purposes of this By-Law, the residential school exception set forth in By-Law 3.034.1 shall not apply to establish a student’s residency

-Additional Information can be found in the IHSA Handbook-

19-7 Foreign Exchange Student Eligibility

19-7.1 Requirements to be a Qualified Foreign Exchange Student

A foreign student is a qualified foreign exchange student if he/she meets the following criteria:

1. The student has not completed his/her home Secondary School program;
2. The student meets all IHSAA eligibility rules including the scholarship rule (rule 18) and the age rule (rule 4);
3. The student has been randomly assigned to his/her host parents and school and neither the school the student attends nor any person associated with the school shall have input into the selection of the student;
4. No member of the school’s coaching staff, paid or voluntary, shall serve as the host family;
5. The student, in writing, (i) agrees that full eligibility under the foreign exchange exception is for a maximum of One (1) year at One (1) school and is conditioned upon the student’s commitment to attend the member school for no more than One (1) year, and (ii) agrees that any continued attendance at any school beyond the initial year will be treated by the IHSAA as attendance following a transfer without a change of residence by the parent(s)/ Guardian(s) but the highest level of eligibility for which the student will qualify, during the year following the initial year, is Limited Eligibility.
6. The student possesses a current J-1 visa, issued by the U.S. State Department;
7. The student’s placement arrangements are completed in advance of the student’s departure from his/her home country.
8. The student is attending School under a foreign exchange program approved by both the Association and the Council of Standards for International Education Travel (CSIET). A foreign exchange program, to be approved by the Association:

1. shall be under the auspices of an established national corporation, a not-for-profit corporation or organization or a national civic organization;
2. must assign students to schools by a method which insures that no student, school or other interested party may influence the assignment;
3. must consult with the member school principal prior to placement of a student in a school;
4. must be able to certify the student’s participation in interschool athletics in his/her home country;
5. must not select or place the student based on his/her athletic interest or abilities. A list of approved CSIET and Association programs will be provided annually.

19-7.2 Direct Placements by Exchange Program

 If a foreign exchange program, approved by the CSIET and the Association, makes a direct Rule 19 - Eligibility and Transfer 85 placement of a student in a member School, the IHSAA must be notified in writing. A placement is considered a “direct placement” when a foreign exchange program places a student in a specific home or school, or in One (1) of several homes or schools, at the request of the student, parent, host, coach, booster, school, etc. A student receiving a direct placement may be granted Limited Eligibility. If a school fails to notify the Association of a direct placement, t

FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT ELIGIBILITY

The Executive Officer or Executive Board is empowered to consider and apply the following exception, formally or informally, in ruling the eligibility of a transfer student. In ruling upon eligibility of foreign exchange students, the Executive Board is authorized to make any ruling regarding the student’s eligibility deemed to be fair and reasonable. In accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Iowa High School Athletic Association, the Board of Control has established three (3) guidelines which they feel are fair and reasonable in helping to determine the eligibility of a foreign exchange student. The following three guidelines will aid the administrative staff and Board of Control in determining the eligibility status of the foreign exchange student.

GUIDELINES

1. A student who has not reached 20 years of age.
2. There is no evidence of recruiting or other improper conduct on the part of the school officials, employees, or community persons attempting to get this student in your school.
3. Athletic participation is not a major F in the student’s decision in becoming a foreign exchange student. 

-Additional Information can be found in the IAHSAA 2016-2017 Handbook-

Art. 12: FOREIGN STUDENTS—

1. A student from a foreign country who attends a member school as the result of participation in a foreign exchange academic program which has been approved by the Executive Board and which student meets all other eligibility requirements shall not be considered a transfer student during his or her first academic year of attendance. Such a student is eligible for participation during the first year of academic attendance if Form FES found online at www.kshsaa.org is completed, filed with the Executive Director and approved before participation.
2. Should a student from a foreign country attend a member school, but not as the result of participation in a foreign exchange academic program approved by the Executive Board, or attend a second academic year, regardless of the length of attendance in the first academic year, that student shall, for purposes of this rule, be treated as all other students who change schools. If there is not an accompanying move on the part of the students’ parents, the student will be ineligible for interschool extracurricular activities for eighteen weeks, beginning with the first day of his or her attendance.

-Additional Information can be found in the kshsaa 2016-2017 Handbook-

BYLAW 7. TRANSFER RULE- FOREIGN EXCHANGE YLAW 7. TRANSFER RULE- FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS TUDENTS

Sec. 1) FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS (NONDOMESTIC)

1. Foreign exchange students desiring to participate in high school athletics (grades 9-12) at any level in Kentucky shall be considered ineligible for the fi rst calendar year following enrollment.
2. Foreign exchange students who have been ineligible for an entire calendar year after being enrolled in a high school in Kentucky become eligible to represent that school immediately following the conclusion of the one-year period, and remain eligible through graduation if compliant with all other KHSAA Bylaws
3. A student awaiting a ruling regarding eligibility shall not be eligible to compete, including practice, during the periods defined by Bylaw 23.

Sec. 2) EXCEPTION FOR PLACEMENT THROUGH APPROVED EXCHANGE PROGRAMS UTILIZING A J-1 EDUCATION VISA

1. Approved Programs Foreign Exchange Students in possession of a J-1 education Visa attending KHSAA member schools may have the period of ineligibility waived in the event that the student is placed in a KHSAA member school under the auspices of approved student exchange programs. Member student exchange programs (agencies) of the Council on Standards for International Education Travel (CSIET) who are members in good standing with CSIET shall be considered approved agencies. An individual placed by an agency approved by CSIET may be denied eligibility in the event that it is documented that the agency has failed to assign students to schools by a method that ensures that no student, school or interested party has influenced the assignment for athletic or other purposes.
2. Waiver of Period of Ineligibility In order to be considered for a waiver, the following conditions shall exist:

1. The student shall be in compliance with all U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service regulations and placed through an approved program as in Sec. 2(a) above;
2. The student shall be in the first year as an exchange student in the United States and placed through an approved program as in Sec. 2(a) above;
3. The student shall not be a graduate of the 12th or terminating grade or its equivalent in either the U.S. or his or her home country;
4. The student shall be in possession of a complete transcript of records that has been translated into English prior to the request for eligibility;
5. The student shall be in possession of a J-1 student education visa issued by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service;
6. Placement in the KHSAA member school is random, and the student has not been a “direct placement” into a KHSAA member school. For the purposes of the J-1 visa, a “direct placement” is one in which either the student or the sending organization in the foreign country is party to an arrangement with any other party, including school personnel, for the student to attend a particular school or live with a particular host family;
7. The student’s host family shall not pay any tuition or fee normal to the attendance at the KHSAA member school, all fees shall be paid by the student’s family;
8. All travel fees shall be paid by the student’s family;
9. The student’s host family from the initial date of entry into the United States through the end of the time period as an exchange student shall not include members of the coaching or athletic staff at the KHSAA member school at which participation is desired and shall not include exchange agency representatives; and
10. The student, the principal or designated representative of the member school, and a representative of the placement agency shall sign and attest to certifi cation that the athlete complies with the eligibility rules of the KHSAA and shall not be eligible under any circumstances for more than one year of athletic participation if the fi rst year period of ineligibility is waived.
11. Any payments to the host family by the placing agency shall be made solely by the exchange agency, and in compliance with the regulations and requirements of CSIET;
12. The facts supporting a waiver pursuant to this rule shall be based on the circumstances existing as of the date of enrollment at the new school.

Sec. 3) EXCEPTION FOR PLACEMENT THROUGH APPROVED EXCHANGE PROGRAMS UTILIZING AN F-1 EDUCATION VISA

1. Approved Programs
   Foreign Exchange Students in possession of an F-1 education Visa attending KHSAA member schools may have the period of ineligibility waived in the event that the student is placed in a KHSAA member school under the auspices of approved student exchange programs or a valid F-1 exchange agreement under the auspices of the Department of Homeland Security. Member student exchange programs (agencies) and schools of the Council on Standards for International Education Travel (CSIET) who are members in good standing with CSIET shall be considered approved agencies/schools. An individual placed by an agency/school approved by CSIET may be denied eligibility in the event that it is documented that the agency has failed to assign students to schools by a method that ensures that no student, school or interested party has influenced the assignment for athletic or other purposes. Other entities may be approved by the Board of Control, but such approval must be granted prior to the placement of any student in a KHSAA member school. To be otherwise considered for approval by the Board of Control, a foreign exchange program (agency) shall assign students to schools by a method that ensures that no student, school or interested party may influence the assignment for athletic or other purposes and shall formally request approval of the Board of Control through the Commissioner’s office.
2. Waiver of Period of Ineligibility In order to be considered for a waiver, the following conditions shall exist:

1. The student shall be in compliance with all U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service regulations and placed through an approved program or school as in Sec. 3(a) above;
2. The student shall be in the fi rst and only year as an exchange student in the United States and placed through an approved program as in Sec. 2(a) above;
3. The student shall not be a graduate of the 12th or terminating grade or its equivalent in either the U.S. or his or her home country;
4. The student shall be in possession of a complete transcript of records that has been translated into English prior to the request for eligibility;
5. The student shall be in possession of an F-1 student education visa issued by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and a properly completed I-20;
6. When enrolled in a public (A1, D1, F1) school, the student shall be required to pay the public school district the full unsubsidized, per capita cost of providing the education, as reported to the Kentucky Department of Education. The full, unsubsidized per capita cost of education (for each student) is the district cost of providing education to each student in the school district where the public school is located. When enrolled in a nonpublic (J1, M1, R1) school, the student shall be required to pay the nonpublic school the full amount of the highest listed tuition for attendance at that member school, and shall not be eligible for any merit or need based aid as defined in Bylaw 13 or any otherwise permitted tuition reduction within the guidelines of the member school;
7. The full, unsubsidized, per capita cost of education shall be listed under “tuition” on the student’s Form I-20. If the Form I-20 does not include the cost of tuition, the student must have a notarized statement, signed by the designated school official (DSO) who signed the Form I-20, stating the full cost of tuition (unsubsidized per capita cost of education) and that the student paid the tuition (unsubsidized per capita cost of education) in full. The unsubsidized cost payment is mandatory and school systems cannot waive the requirement. Federal law does not allow a student in F-1 status to attend public secondary school without paying this cost, which must be paid in all cases. Any payments to the local school district for this unsubsidized cost payment shall be made by the student and may not be made by any individual with any direct or indirect connection to the member school;
8. Placement in the KHSAA member school is random, and the student has not been a “direct placement” into a KHSAA member school. For the purposes of the F-1 visa, a “direct placement” is one who is known to be trying out for/to play an interscholastic varsity sport, or for whom participation in athletics was a known motivating factor at the time of application;
9. The student’s host family shall not pay any tuition or fee normal to the attendance at the KHSAA member school, all fees shall be paid by the student’s family;
10. All travel fees shall be paid by the student’s family;
11. The student’s host family from the initial date of entry into the United States through the end of the time period as an exchange student shall not include members of the coaching or athletic staff at the KHSAA member school at which participation is desired and shall not include exchange agency representatives; and
12. The student, the principal or designated representative of the member school, and a representative of the placement agency shall sign and attest to certification that the athlete complies with the eligibility rules of the KHSAA and shall not be eligible under any circumstances for more than one year of athletic participation if the first year period of ineligibility is waived.
13. The facts supporting a waiver pursuant to this rule shall be based on the circumstances existing as of the date of enrollment at the new school.

Sec. 4) EXTENSION OF ELIGIBILITY BEYOND ONE YEAR IF WAIVER GRANTED

Any student having made election to apply for the waiver of the first year of ineligibility and having been granted a waiver of the normal period of ineligibility under Section 1 above shall not be eligible, under any circumstances, for more than one (1) school year while enrolled in grades 9 -12 in Kentucky.

Sec. 5) SPECIFIC RESTRICTIONS RESULTING IN DENIAL OF WAIVER

Satisfying of one of the exceptions in this Bylaw shall not be considered valid and a waiver of the period of ineligibility shall not be granted if:

1. The change in schools is to nullify or circumvent implementation of Board of Education, School Based Decision Making or school imposed policy which would have resulted in the student’s ineligibility at the sending school;
2. The satisfying of one of the exceptions occurs after the enrollment at the new school;
3. The change in schools is motivated in whole or part by a desire to participate in athletics at the new school;
4. The satisfying of one of the exceptions is used or manipulated for the purpose of gaining athletic eligibility; or
5. The satisfying of one of the exceptions by the student and the parent(s) does not reasonably precipitate a transfer to the new school.

Sec. 6) ELIGIBILITY OF OTHER FOREIGN STUDENTS

This Bylaw covers only foreign exchange students entering the United States with a J-1 or F-1 Visa. Regulations relating to all other foreign students are contained in Bylaw 8.

-Additional Information can be found in the KHSAA 2015-2016 Handbook-

h. Foreign Exchange Students: A foreign exchange student attending an LHSAA school through an approved program of student cultural exchange (as provided below) shall become eligible immediately for a period of one calendar year under the Residence and School Transfers Rule when he/she meets the requirements in the following rules. These rules shall not apply to a foreign student who has been attending a high school in any state prior to becoming a foreign exchange student.

1. The foreign exchange student is attending the LHSAA high school through and by a program of foreign student educational and cultural exchange for Private Sector Programs and/or Rotary International Exchange Programs approved by the Academic and Government Programs Division of the Office of Exchange Coordination and Designation of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The organizations designated to administer such high school foreign student cultural exchange visitor programs shall be posted on the LHSAA Members’ Only website.
2. The foreign exchange student is living with a host family to which student was assigned by the approved foreign student cultural exchange program.
3. The host family for the foreign exchange student maintains its sole residence in the athletic attendance zone of the LHSAA school to which the student is assigned and attends.
4. Neither the husband nor wife of the host family or any other adult member of the family shall be a head coach, assistant coach (faculty or non-faculty), administrator, faculty member, or other employee of the school to which the foreign exchange student is assigned and attends.
5. The foreign exchange student shall not be attending the LHSAA school for the primary purpose of participating in high school sports.
6. The foreign exchange student shall not have been recruited for athletic reasons by anyone connected with the LHSAA school.
7. The foreign exchange student shall not have attended another high school in this state or any other state of the United States prior to becoming a foreign exchange student.
8. The school shall be limited to only one foreign exchange student at the varsity level in each sport during a season and shall be the same student initially registered with the LHSAA in that sport.

i. A first-time 9th grade student who attended an unattached/stand-alone elementary/junior high school, i.e., K-8, 5-8, 6-8, 7-8, etc., that does not naturally matriculate into a 9-12 member school, who starts the first day of school at a member school located outside the attendance zone in which the student resides and who has not made a school of choice by participating in interscholastic athletic competition on the high school level as a 7th and/or 8th grader at a member school shall be immediately eligible to participate at any level of play other than varsity. If the member school the student makes a choice to attend only has a varsity level of play, the student shall not be eligible to participate and this shall not be a condition for a hardship appeal.

4. Once a student has established athletic eligibility at a school outside his/her athletic attendance zone, that school shall become the student’s school of eligibility and a subsequent transfer to another member school without a corresponding bona-fide move shall cause the student to become ineligible for a period of one (1) calendar year from the date of his/her attendance/enrollment in the school. The school shall have on file a written statement signed by one or both parents that the above rule has been read and explained to them.

-Additional Information can be found in the LHSAA 2016-2017 Handbook-

FOREIGN EXCHANGE AND FOREIGN STUDENTS:

Foreign Exchange Students do not pay tuition, must have a J-1 visa limited to one academic year, and should be placed by a Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) listed foreign exchange program. CSIET annually develops an advisory list of programs which have met a rigorous evaluation process. The CSIET Advisory List handbook is sent to every MPA member high school each summer through the coordinated efforts of the MPA, CSIET, NFHS, and NASSP. An ongoing updated list can be found at www.csiet.org. Please note that membership in CSIET is not the same as a program achieving the advisory list. Any program can be a member—only those meeting the standards are part of the advisory list. Any student not placed by a CSIET listed program should be viewed under higher scrutiny in order to determine that all aspects of eligibility as well as the student’s safety and well-being are met. All foreign exchange students must meet all MPA and local eligibility rules.

Foreign students are a separate category from foreign exchange students. They pay tuition, must have an F-1 visa and must also meet all aspects of MPA and local eligibility rules. Additional areas of review should include who is paying the tuition, who is the student living with, under what circumstances, and if any of these issues involve athletic purposes. F-1 visas are limited to a maximum of one year at public schools. By federal law, no similar time restriction applies to private schools. Both foreign exchange students and foreign students must meet all eligibility requirements. Schools should pay particular attention to age requirements (under 20), the eight semester rule, the four seasons of competition rule, and the undergraduate rule which is often the most difficult to ascertain. Schools must ensure that a student has not graduated from the home country’s equivalent of high school. Key questions to ask include: How long have you attended your previous school? (can impact eight semesters of competition rule); If you still lived in your home country, would you be attending that school or would you have moved on to a higher level of schooling?

Finally, the transfer waiver request form is required for all foreign exchange students as well as all foreign students. (Note: Appendix N may be helpful in establishing the eligibility of all students and Appendix X refers specifically to foreign students).

All initial contact by the student or foreign exchange program must be through the principal. Any variance must be highly scrutinized to ensure that high school athletics was not part of the placement process.

-Additional Information can be found in the 2015-2016 Handbook-

.02 Eligibility

Student eligibility for participation in interscholastic athletics at the high school level shall be based on the following criteria:

1. Students shall be officially registered and attending the member MPSSAA school they are authorized to attend under regulations of the local school system. They may represent only the school in which they are registered and at which it is anticipated they will complete their graduation requirements.
2. Each local school system shall establish standards of participation which assure that students involved in interscholastic athletics are making satisfactory progress toward graduation.
3. Students who are 19 years old or older as of August 31 are ineligible to participate in interscholastic athletics.
4. Students in grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 may participate in interscholastic athletic contests for a maximum of four seasons in any one sport.
5. Middle, intermediate, or junior high school students are not eligible to compete or practice with high school teams. However, ninth grade public school students who reside in the attendance area of a high school organized grades 10—12 may participate in the interscholastic athletic program of that high school.
6. Students shall maintain amateur status as defined by Regulation .10 of this chapter.
7. Students, while participating on a school team, are permitted to participate on sports teams outside of school during the high school sport’s season. This participation shall meet the following criteria:

1. The outside participation may not conflict with the practice or contests schedule of the school including district, regional, and State championship play unless prior written approval has been obtained from the school principal and coach;
2. Students who elect to participate on an outside team and do not participate and practice with the school team throughout the designated sport’s season are ineligible to represent the school in all contests that determine a county, district, regional, or State championship during that sport season.

8. Students shall present to their high school principal a certificate of permission to participate signed by their parent(s) or guardian(s).
9. Students shall be examined and certified to the high school principal as being physically fit to participate in any try-out, practice, or contest of a school team. The examination shall be performed by a licensed physician, certified physician assistant under the supervision of a licensed physician, or certified nurse practitioner.

-Additional Information can be found in the 2016-2017 Handbook-

57.6 Foreign Students

57.6.1 A student who transfers from a foreign country without parental change of residence accompanying the transfer will be ineligible unless such transfer is sponsored by a CSIET (Council on Standards for International Education Travel) approved foreign exchange program. Students who enter a member school under a CSIET approved program may be declared immediately eligible for athletic participation by the building principal as long as all other MIAA eligibility standards are met and it is not a direct placement. If a direct placement, according to CSIET Standard 6b, a waiver is necessary. A CSIET student who has graduated from a secondary school in his/her own country will be exempt from the MIAA graduation rule (#61) if that student has not completed thirteen (13) years (including kindergarten) – or twelve (12) years (not including kindergarten) – of formal education.

 

57.6.2 Foreign athletes who are not in this country under the auspices of a CSIET approved program or attending a MIAA member school as the direct result of the change in residence of the parents, shall not be eligible for interscholastic athletics regardless of the length of stay in this Country.

 

-Additional Information can be found in the 2015-2017 Handbook-

CLASSIFICATION OF MHSAA MEMBER HIGH SCHOOLS

Classification of member high schools for MHSAA tournaments is the responsibility of the Representative Council and is based on enrollment as reported by member schools on their Enrollment Declaration forms. Classification is necessary before any school is permitted to compete in MHSAA Meets or Tournaments. Schools may choose to play at any higher classification in a sport for a minimum of two years. Applications for fall sports must be submitted by April 15. Applications for winter sports must be submitted by Aug. 15. Applications for spring sports must be submitted by Oct. 15. The determination of enrollment is based on the following:

1. Students shall be counted for MHSAA purposes on the State of Michigan February pupil accounting date or, if the State of Michigan does not require a count date in February, then on the first Wednesday of February. The form should be mailed to the MHSAA within ten days of the count date.
2. Private and Parochial schools not required to prepare an official count for State Department of Education purposes are to use the same date as public schools (see No. 1) MHSAA enrollment day.
3. Students who are 19 years of age prior to Sept. 1 and in grades 9, 10 or 11 of the current school year, are subtracted from the count for classification purposes on the Enrollment Declaration Form.
4. All students enrolled in school on the official count date and substantiated by either their presence in school on that date, or through knowledge of their whereabouts with intention of at tending on a daily basis, are to be included in the count. (This includes international students, including foreign exchange students, and students receiving credit for online courses)
5. Each student shall be counted as one (1), regardless of the percentage of hours enrolled. (This includes students receiving credit for online courses)
6. Students who are certified by Individual Educational Planning Team (IEPT) and assigned to another school for more than 50 percent of the school day shall not be counted for athletic eligibility purposes by either the sending or receiving school. Any IEPT student who remains in his or her home (original) school must be counted for athletic classification purposes.
7. Students enrolled on a "Shared Time" basis shall be counted by the school where the permanent records are on file.
8. The determination of which school, if any, must count students in non-traditional programs (sponsors no interscholastic athletic program in any sport) is controlled by Interpretation 48. a. For a student to be considered eligible in the interscholastic athletic program of a traditional MHSAA member school, the student must meet at least the minimum requirements of MHSAA Handbook Regulation I. In addition, the governing board of the traditional school must have determined that the students of this non-traditional school may participate on its interscholastic sports teams.

1. The administration of that traditional school must have named the actual program(s) and counted on the MHSAA Enrollment Declaration Form of the previous February all the students who are enrolled in the non-traditional program(s) who reside in the attendance area of the traditional program.
2. Non-traditional or alternative school programs may or may not be housed in the same building as the traditional high school, may or may not have school administration separate from the base (original) school and may or may not grant credit toward graduation or a certificate of completion at the base (original) school.
3. In a school which sponsors a non-traditional program for its students only or one which is open to students of any school district without connection to any other school district, all students enrolled in the non-traditional program regardless of residence, must be counted and the actual program(s) named on the Enrollment Declaration Form if any of those students are permitted to participate on that school's interscholastic teams.
4. If a school is involved in a non-traditional school or program through a consortium of more than one school district, only those students who reside in that district, or attendance area of a multi high school district, must be counted and the actual program(s) named on the Enrollment Declaration Form if any of those students are permitted to participate on that school’s interscholastic teams.
5. Traditional schools without attendance boundaries must name the non-traditional program on the form and count all former students who were enrolled in that traditional school immediately before they began to take their course work in the non-traditional program.

-Additional Information can be found in the 2015-2017 Handbook-

200.00 BYLAWS: STUDENT ELIGIBILITY BYLAW 201.00

Cross Reference: Bylaw 204 (Awards)

1. A student may not participate in League-sponsored activities unless the student is an amateur in that activity.
2. A student loses their amateur status in that sport and becomes a professional if the student accepts any of the following for participation in school or non-school athletics: A. a salary, cash or merchandise. (i) Actual and reasonable reimbursement for transportation, food and lodging when paid in connection with travel to and playing in a contest or participating in a camp or clinic are not violations. Golf is governed by the United States Golf Association amateur rule. (ii) A student may receive payment for officiating, instructing, teaching or coaching a sport without losing their amateur status in that sport. B. a share in the season’s profit. C. an expense allowance for athletic tryouts.
3. A student loses their amateur status and becomes a professional if the student participates with a professional team or any team deemed by the MSHSL to be a professional team in a contest, or signs a contract with a professional team (i.e. Canadian Major Junior Hockey teams in the WHL, OHL and QMJHL are considered professional teams).
4. A student does not lose their amateur status if they participate in a tryout with a professional team as long as the student can document that the student has paid all fees and expenses and as long as the student does not participate in a contest.
5. A student can receive one expense paid tryout with a professional team as long as the tryout period does not exceed 48 consecutive hours.
6. It is recommended that awards and prizes for non-school participation should be of a symbolic nature. However, the acceptance of an award valued at less than $100 retail when received for non-school participation will not constitute a violation.
7. A student cannot use athletic skills to promote or advertise products.

8. Penalty:
   A student who becomes a professional will be disqualified from further high school participation in that sport

 

-Additional Information can be found in the 2016-2017 Handbook-

 

2.14 FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT REQUIREMENTS

2.14.1 A foreign exchange student participating in an established program accepted by the Council of Standards for International Education Travel (CSIET) shall be immediately eligible to participate in MHSAA sanctioned sports/activities in the school district in which the host family is a bona fide resident. Eligibility is granted for one year provided there is no evidence of recruitment of the student by the school or another entity.

2.14.2 A student who has established eligibility at a Mississippi school and participates in a Foreign Exchange Program sponsored by a CSIET approved program will be eligible for participation immediately upon his/her return to the same Mississippi school. The student shall meet all other requirements for eligibility of the MHSAA.

 

-Additional Information can be found in the 2016-2017 Handbook-

3.3 STUDENT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ATHLETICS

3.3.1 Student Eligibility Requirements: All students participating in an interscholastic athletic activity representing a MSHSAA member school must meet the student essential by-laws in Section 2, the common athletic activity by-laws in Section 3, as well as all applicable activity-specific requirements.

3.4 CERTIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY

3.4.1 Certification on the MSHSAA Online Membership System:

1. Each student, prior to participating in an interscholastic athletics contest, must be certified as eligible through the MSHSAA Online Membership System by an administrator of the junior high or high school the student attends, for each sport in which the student participates. Changes in eligibility at the beginning of second semester shall be made on the system by an administrator.
2.  The schedule for the required submittal of this information will be set by the Board of Directors and appear in the Board of Director’s Policy Section of the MSHSAA Official Handbook and will be accessible on the website.
3. New additions to teams shall be certified as eligible as described above prior to allowing the student to participate in an interscholastic contest.
4. Any student who is certified as eligible as described above and is designated for a specific sport will be considered as having competed in that sport during that season, unless his/her name is removed upon the request and proper verification by the school administrator before the twentieth day of the season and before the player enters a game.
5. If a participant is omitted from the eligibility certification process in error and is certified in writing by the principal to have been eligible at the time of the contest, the Board of Directors shall have discretionary authority to determine whether a penalty is appropriate and the nature and duration of such penalty. The principal shall submit a report to the executive director explaining the circumstances of the omission error.

3.4.2 Because no student can be eligible before he or she enrolls and attends classes in a school, no enrolled transfer student can become eligible until the fifth day of attendance. Exception: If an interscholastic contest is played either before the formal opening of school or before the fifth day of the fall semester, a transfer student who is eligible in all other respects may be eligible to participate under this provision provided the student is properly enrolled in the school.

3.4.3 Competing against another school before participating students are certified as eligible as described above, or before the eligibility roster is exchanged with an opposing school that has requested such, shall be considered a violation.

Editor’s Note: If a participant whose name was omitted from the eligibility roster due to a clerical error is certified in writing by the principal to have been eligible at the time the eligibility list was posted, the Board of Directors shall have discretionary

 

-Additional Information can be found in the 2016-2017 Handbook-

Section (10) TRANSFER RULE 10.1

Any student who transfers from one member high school, home school, or non-member school to a member high school is ineligible to participate in a varsity Association Contest for 90 P.I. days or its equivalent in districts with extended school days/four day weeks from the date of enrollment in the school to which he/she transfers. A student and his/her parents or legal guardians must reside in the attendance area of the school in which he/she is enrolled except for a student enrolling in ninth grade for the first time (see Section (12) Record of Transfer.) This rule applies to a student who transfers after twenty (20) days of enrollment or after he/she participates in an athletic contest while enrolled in grades 9, 10, 11 and 12, the following students may be declared eligible:

1. A student who moves into a new district or school attendance area upon a corresponding change of residence by the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) with whom the student was living during his/her previous school enrollment. The legal guardianship must have been established at least one calendar year before the transfer. If the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) move to a new location a student must follow within a calendar year of the move to be eligible for varsity competition after proper certification by his/her principal.
2. Students transferring from one high school to another under any bona fide foreign exchange program will be eligible for two (2) consecutive semesters of eligibility for participation in activities under the administration of any NFHS member association, after the principal properly certifies that they meet all eligibility requirements. The exchange student will not be eligible beyond these two semesters even if he/she chooses to stay at that school, transfer to a different high school or remain under a bona fide program.” The student would be ineligible for 90 P.I. days following the two consecutive semesters of eligibility. A student who returns to the school at which he/she was enrolled directly before attending a bona fide foreign exchange program will be eligible immediately upon re-enrollment. (A student who has graduated from a high school in his/her own country and is now in the United States under a foreign exchange program would not be eligible.) Refer to Article II, Section (4).

1. A foreign exchange student is an international student who attends high school in the U.S. To be eligible for interscholastic athletics in the U.S., such student must be under the auspices of and be placed with a U.S. host family by an international student exchange program that has been accepted for listing by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) and be recognized by the U.S. Department of State. The foreign exchange program must assign students to host families by a method that ensures that no student, or his/her parents, school or other interested party may influence the assignment for athletic purposes. The foreign exchange student may not be selected or placed on any basis related to his/her athletic interests or abilities.
2. A foreign exchange student is considered to be placed with a host family when written notice of placement is provided by the exchange organization to the student and his/her parents, and to the host family. Neither the school the student attends nor any person associated with the school shall have input into the selection of the student.
3. The foreign exchange student must possess a current J-1 or F-1 visa, issued by the U.S. State Department.
4. The foreign exchange student must comply with all eligibility requirements set forth by the state high school association of which the school he/she attends is a member. When a foreign exchange student changes his/her attendance from one high school to another, eligibility for MHSA activities will be determined by the Executive Director after receiving a petition for Waiver of the Transfer Rule (Hardship).

-Additional Information can be found in the 2016-2017 Handbook-

2.7.5.2 International Transfer Eligibility.

International transfer students who are participants of a CSIET-listed J-1 or F-1 non-immigrant visa program and are determined to be eligible under NSAA regulations shall be eligible immediately for varsity participation for a maximum period of 180 consecutive school days regardless of a subsequent change in visa, residency, or guardianship. The 180 consecutive school day period begins with enrollment in any NSAA high school.

2.7.5.3 International transfer students not meeting the requirements of 2.7.5.2 will be ineligible for varsity participation for 180 consecutive school days.

2.7.5.4 International transfer students whose place of residence changes to a different school district during their varsity eligibility period must have the new school file a hardship waiver with the NSAA executive director to remain eligible for varsity participation through the end of the original 180 consecutive school day period.
 

-Additional Information can be found in the 2016-2017 Handbook-

NAC 386.795  Foreign exchange students and international students; penalty. (NRS 386.430)

1. 1.  The provisions of this section govern the eligibility of:

1. A foreign exchange student; and
2. An international student who enrolls in a school and is not a foreign exchange student.

2. The Association will allow a foreign exchange student to participate in a sanctioned sport if the foreign exchange student:

1. Is sponsored by and placed with a host family in the United States by an international student exchange program that:

1. Is approved for listing by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel or its successor organization;
2. Is recognized by the United States Department of State; and
3. Assigns students to host families in a manner which ensures that a student, school or other interested party is unable to influence the assignment of the student to a host family for athletic or other purposes or in any other manner which ensures that the student is not chosen or placed because of his or her athletic interests or abilities;

2. Possesses a J-1 Visa issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services of the Department of Homeland Security;
3. Attends the school on the first day of the school year and enrolls in a foreign exchange prog