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College Policies

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has a complete policy outlining transgender student-athlete participation in NCAA sports. Colleges not governed by the NCAA may have different policies. School-specific  procedures for working with trans athletes may differ at each institution. Use the links below to find the NCAA policies, as well as specific school listings.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which organizes competition in 23 sports at over 1,000 colleges and universities, updated its policy on transgender athletes on January 19, 2022 to move to a sport by sport approach. The new policy references the 2010 version and adds new requirements: 

2022 Updated Transgender Athlete Policy

From the NCAA news release: "The policy is effective starting with the 2022 winter championships. Transgender student-athletes will need to document sport-specific testosterone levels beginning four weeks before their sport's championship selections. Starting with the 2022-23 academic year, transgender student-athletes will need documented levels at the beginning of their season and a second documentation six months after the first. They will also need documented testosterone levels four weeks before championship selections. Full implementation would begin with the 2023-24 academic year."

"The updated NCAA policy calls for transgender participation for each sport to be determined by the policy for the national governing body of that sport, subject to ongoing review and recommendation by the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports to the Board of Governors. If there is no NGB policy for a sport, that sport's international federation policy would be followed. If there is no international federation policy, previously established IOC policy criteria (2015 Consensus Statement) would be followed."

2011 NCAA Policy on Transgender Student-Athlete Participation

The following policies clarify the participation of transgender student-athletes undergoing hormonal treatment for gender transition:

1.    A trans male (FTM) student-athlete who has received a medical exception for treatment with testosterone for diagnosed Gender Identity Disorder or gender dysphoria and/or Transsexualism, for purposes of NCAA competition may compete on a men’s team, but is no longer eligible to compete on a women’s team without changing that team status to a mixed team.

2.    A trans female (MTF) student-athlete being treated with testosterone suppression medication for Gender Identity Disorder or gender dysphoria and/or Transsexualism, for the purposes of NCAA competition may continue to compete on a men’s team but may not compete on a women’s team without changing it to a mixed team status until completing one calendar year of testosterone suppression treatment.

 

Any transgender student-athlete who is not taking hormone treatment related to gender transition may participate in sex-separated sports activities in accordance with his or her assigned birth gender.

• A trans male (FTM) student-athlete who is not taking testosterone related to gender transition may participate on a men’s or women’s team.

• A trans female (MTF) transgender student-athlete who is not taking hormone treatments related to gender transition may not compete on a women’s team.

 

DOWNLOAD: Transgender policy (2011)

 

DOWNLOAD: NCAA Inclusion of Transgender Athletes Handbook.

August 2011, NCAA Office of Inclusion.

DOWNLOADChampions of Respect. 2012, NCAA Office of Inclusion. 

Campus Pride 2012 LGBTQ National College Athlete Report

DOWNLOADCampus Pride 2012 LGBTQ National College Athlete Report Executive Summary 2012, Campus Pride. 

Campus Pride provides colleges with resources to create more inclusive athletics departments. This report is the most comprehensive national collegiate research report sharing the experiences of nearly 400 self-identified LGBT athletes and providing necessary resources for further progress on LGBT issues in college athletics. The download here is only the executive summary; for more, purchase the full version on the Campus Pride website.

Individual College Policies

Policies and procedures vary by institution. To view each of the listed college and university's transgender student-athlete policies, click the name of the institution. 

 

Allen Community College (KS) 

Augsburg College (MN) Augsburg College Transgender Inclusion Policy for Intercollegiate Athletics; Health, Physical Education and Exercise Science Classes; and Intramural Sports Activities

Bates College (ME) Bates Athletics Transgender Inclusion Policies

Brandeis University  (MA) Athletics Transgender Student Inclusion Policy

Clarion University (PA) Athletic Department Transgender Inclusion Policy

Coastal Carolina University (SC) Athletic Training Department Policy and Procedure Manual Transgender Student-Athletes

Grand Valley State University (MI) Athletic Department's Policy on Transgender Student-Athletes
Grinnell (IA) Transgender Athlete Non-Discrimination and Participation Policy

Haverford College (PA) Guidelines for Transgender Student-Athlete Participation

Lafayette College (PA) Transgender Policy

Lewis & Clark (OR) Inclusion of Transgender Student Athletes

Macalaster College (MN) Transgender Inclusion Policies for Intercollegiate Athletics, Club Sports and Intramural Sports Activities

Marietta College (OH) Athletic Department Policy on Transgender Student-Athletes

McDaniel College (MA) Transgender Student-Athlete Participation Guide

Mills College (CA) Report on Inclusion of Transgender and Gender Fluid Students Best Practices, Assessment and Recommendations​

Oberlin College (OH) Guidelines for Inclusion and Respectful Treatment of Intercollegiate Transgender Student-Athletes

Purchase College (NY) Transgender Student Athlete Inclusion Policies 

Sarah Lawrence College (NY) Inclusion Policy

The Sage Colleges (NY) Trans* and Gender Inclusion Campus Policy

The State University of New York at Buffalo (NY) Inclusion Policy of Transgender Student-Athletes

SUNY Oneonta (NY) Transgender Resource Guide (page 9)

SUNY Potsdam (NY) Athletics Transgender Policy 

UC Berkeley (CA) Transgender/Gender Non-Conforming (T/GNC) Student Athlete Participation in UC Berkeley Intercollegiate

UNC Charlotte (NC) Guidance for Transgender Student Athletes

University of Richmond (VA) Trans Policy

University of Southern California (CA) Inclusive Athletics for Transgender Students

Wellesley College (MA) Varsity & Club Sport Participation of Transgender Student-Athletes Guidelines

Westminster College (UT) 

Women's Colleges

Bryn Mawr College (PA) Varsity and Club Sport Participation of Transgender Student-Athletes Guidelines

Mills College (CA) Report on Inclusion of Transgender and Gender Fluid Students Best Practices, Assessment and Recommendations

Mount Holyoke College (MA)

Smith College (MA) Guide to Club Sports Appendices

Wellesley College (MA) Varsity & Club Sport Participation of Transgender Student-Athletes Guidelines

NAIA Schools

Ottawa College (KS) Transgender Guidelines

National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association 

The National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA), which governs collegiate recreational sports that participate in the NIRSA championship series, has a transgender inclusive policy which will begin in Spring 2015. The policy states:


"NIRSA recognizes and celebrates the transgender student population among their tournament participants. Through the guiding policies of the NIRSA Championship Series tournaments, NIRSA empowers students to participate in intramural sports and sport club divisions based on their expressed gender identity."
 

DOWNLOAD: NIRSA Updates to Policies and Tournament Materials around Transgender Athlete Participation in NIRSA Championship Series Events - January 2015.

Trans-Inclusive Intramural and Club Team Athletic Policies

Additionally, other colleges have written policies for inclusion in terms of restrooms and locker rooms, but handle disputes in the event of competitive/league tournament participation on a case by case basis, usually in accordance to the rules of the sport's governing body. The following schools allow athletes to participate based on their gender identity:

 

Creighton University (NE)

University of California Berkeley (CA)

University of Central Florida (FL)

University of Chicago (IL)

University of New Hampshire (NH)

Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TX)

 

College Conferences and Special Policies

logo_centennial conference.png

Centennial Conference

Centennial Conference (ECCC) announced on October 1, 2021 its inclusive practices for transgender and non-binary student-athletes within the conference and ensuring full support and participation for all athletes. Centennial Conference is a NCAA Division III conference.

 

LINK: Centennial Conference Student-Athlete Inclusion Policy

Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference

Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference (ECCC) announced on March 7, 2014 its policy for trans inclusion in cycling within the conference. ECCC is one of 11 conferences which make up USA Cycling Collegiate, and is the first to make a policy. ECCC also includes gender and perceived gender identity within its inclusivity statement.

 

LINK: ECCC policy on diversity

logo_NAC conference.png

North Atlantic Conference

North Atlantic Conference (NAC) policy "is based on current NCAA policy related to transgender student athlete participation and medical exceptions for the use of banned drugs. The NAC, through its governance structure, is committed to continually reviewing this information on an ongoing basis as the landscape is one of continual growth and development." NAC is a NCAA Division III conference.

 

LINK: NAC Trangender Student Athlete Participation Policy

New England Small College Athletic Conference

The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) policy for transgender athletes is based on the NCAA policy related to transgender student-athlete participation and medical exceptions for the use of banned drugs. The policies below clarify participation of transgender student-athletes undergoing hormonal treatment for gender transition:

 

  • A trans male (FTM) student-athlete who has received a medical exception for treatment with testosterone, for purposes of NCAA and NESCAC competition may compete on a men’s team, but is no longer eligible to compete on a women’s team without changing that team status to a mixed team.

  • A trans female (MTF) student-athlete being treated with testosterone suppression medication, for the purposes of NCAA and NESCAC competition may continue to compete on a men’s team but may not compete on a women’s team without changing it to a mixed team status until completing one calendar year of testosterone suppression treatment. 
     

Any transgender student-athlete who is not taking hormone treatment related to gender transition may participate in sex-separated sports activities in accordance with his or her assigned birth gender.

 

  • A trans male (FTM) student-athlete who is not taking testosterone related to gender transition may participate on a men’s or women’s team.

  • A trans female (MTF) transgender student-athlete who is not taking hormone treatments related to gender transition may not compete on a women’s team.

 

LINK: NESCAC Transgender Student-Athlete Participation Policy

Canada

Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) policy uses hormone status as the indicator for area of play. By comparison to other policies, this policy seems restrictive for trans men who do not wish to take hormones. 

 

"A trans male (FTM) student‐athlete being treated with testosterone for diagnosed Gender Identity Disorder or gender dysphoria may compete on a men’s team, but is no longer eligible to compete on a women’s team.  A trans female (MTF) student‐athlete being treated with testosterone suppression medication for Gender Identity Disorder or gender dysphoria may continue to compete on a men’s team but may not compete on a women’s team until completing one calendar year of testosterone suppression treatment.

 

Any transgender student‐athlete who is not taking hormone treatment related to gender transition may participate in sex‐separated sports activities in accordance with his or her assigned birth gender. A trans male (FTM) student‐athlete who is not taking testosterone related to gender transition may participate on a women’s team. A trans female (MTF) transgender student‐athlete who is not taking hormone treatments related to gender transition may participate on a men’s team."

 

DOWNLOAD: Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association policy on transgender athletes

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