Official vs. Unofficial D3 Campus Visits
Making sense of official and unofficial college visits at the D3 level
If you’re heading to a D3 college campus for a visit in the next few weeks, first of all congratulations.
You’re clearly doing something right in your college sports recruiting process, so keep it up!
While on campus, you undoubtedly want the full experience: Staying in the dorms with a current D3 athlete, working out or playing in an open gym with the team, maybe even a pregame meal in the dining hall.
But what you are allowed to do under NCAA rules depends on the answer a simple question and something we get asked by D3 recruits A LOT:
“Is my visit an official or unofficial visit?”
Let’s break down the difference…
Official vs. Unofficial Visits
Here are the rules for campus visits at the NCAA D3 level:
D3 Unofficial Visits
These are unlimited - there is no restriction from the NCAA on the timing or number of unofficial campus visits. Because they are self-funded, you can also take as long as you like with your visit.
❌ Transportation - You must travel on your own dime for an unofficial visit to a D3 college campus.
❌ Staying with Team - NCAA rules do not allow D3 schools to cover your lodging on an unofficial college visit. Unfortunately that means no overnight stay in the dorms with current D3 athletes.
✅ Food - Schools can cover one meal for a D3 recruit at the dining hall or something off campus if the on-campus dining facility is closed.1
✅ Ticket to a Game - Your hosts can get you into a game for free. For many D3’s this is not an issue because admission is free, but still good to know you don’t have to pay out of pocket for this.
D3 Official Visits
These are limited - the NCAA restricts official visits to after January 1st of a recruits' junior year of high school and each institution is only allowed to pay for one official visit per prospect.
Official visits are time limited to 48 hours. If a recruit wants to stack multiple official visits to different schools on one trip they can, provided neither individually lasts more than 48 hours.
Here’s what a D3 school can provide to a recruit on an official visit:
✅ Transportation - Your trip to and from campus can be covered during an official visit. This does not meant they can fly you out, but they can reimburse you for your gas mileage and provide transportation from the airport if you do fly to campus. Here’s the breakdown from the NCAA D3 Handbook:
“Provide automobile-mileage reimbursement to a prospective student-athlete on an official visit, even if relatives or friends accompany the prospective student-athlete; and provide transportation between its campus and the airport for the relatives, guardian(s) or individual of a comparable relationship of a prospective student-athlete making an official visit.” (NCAA D3 Handbook - updated 12/2025)
✅ Staying with Team - This means the D3 school can host you overnight — usually with a current D3 athlete. But schools only get a limited number of official visits, so they’ll be selective about who gets one. So before you assume you have the green light, double check with the coach to ensure you have the invite.
✅ Food - Schools can cover three meals a day for a recruit and those accompanying them, like a parent or guardian.
✅ $40/day + Game Tickets - In addition to tickets, schools can also give you “Up to $40 per person of reasonable entertainment expenses for you and those accompanying you.”2 If you’re unclear on what this means, check with the D3 coach that is inviting you.
Differences From D1 and D2
Unlike D1 & D2, prospective D3 Athletes do not need to register with the NCAA eligibility center before taking an official visit.
Admissions is the real hurdle for D3 recruits, whereas D1/D2 admissions clearance is often procedural once athletic support is secured.
A D1/D2 official visit implies an athletic scholarship will be offered (or already has been), whereas there are no D3 athletic scholarships
Takeaways & Next Steps
If you’re going on an unofficial visit, plan to book a hotel nearby.
You can still spend time with the team during the day, watch practice, and get a feel for the culture. Just don’t expect to stay in the dorms or eat every meal with them.
If you’re going on an official visit make the most of it, enjoy the time on campus, and know that not many get to have the experience.
After an official visit, we always recommend that recruits follow-up with the coach and the player that hosted them to say “thank you”. Remember that this is not an experience everyone gets to have and these people are taking time out of their day to host you - that is not something you should take for granted.
Email the thank you note to them at a minimum, and write a handwritten note if you really want to stand out.
Those are the rules for D3 official and unofficial campus visits…now you know.
NCAA D3 Resources
NCAA D3 Handbook - likely the most up-to-date resource if you want to stay informed on rule changes
There are a few other pdf guides online, but most have old rules that have since been changed.
Stick with the D3 handbook to make sure you’re following the latest guidelines - or just check-in with us and we’ll research it for you!