Eligibility in University Ultimate

The UKUA University regulations were drawn up inline with the eligibility rules of the British Universities Sports Association (BUSA) [see here].

UKUA University Eligibility Rules

1. Terminology

1.1. The Association: the UK Ultimate Association;
1.2. Co-ordinator: the Association University Co-ordinator;
1.3. Committee: the University Ultimate Committee;
1.4. University: University, University College or Institute of Higher Education;
1.5. Region: A group of universities, determined by the Committee on a geographical basis, which are placed together for the purpose of contesting a tournament, or to act as a playing group or representative area;
1.6. Athletic Union/Sports Office: The body within a University recognised by the Association as being responsible for the organisation of student sport within the institution.
1.7. Series: a progression of connected tournaments leading to the allocation of a Championship title [e.g. Indoor Regionals & Indoor Nationals constitude the Indoor Series]

2. Eligible Participants
For an athlete to be eligible to compete in official Association University tournaments, and to represent his/her University at such an event, he/she shall:

2.1. Be an internally registered student at an institute of Higher Education
2.2. Be a registered member of the Association.
2.3. Be registered on a credit rated course (e.g. Degree or HND); and
2.4. Be undertaking a study programme equivalent to at least 60 credits per year, or in the case of a postgraduate student be undertaking a study programme of no less than 50% of the full time student programme. In other words, the participant's primary occupation must be as a student; and
2.5. Be a player who is permitted by the Association to participate alongside amateur competition in the sport; and
2.6. Have paid the appropriate Union or Athletic Union subscription and have support of the Athletic Union or Sports Office.

3. Special Cases for Participation
The following persons are classified as eligible to participate in official Association University tournaments, and to represent his/her University at such an event:

3.1. A student who is fully registered as an internal student at more than one institution (and is by these regulations eligible to compete for each of those institutions) may choose, annually, from among the institutions which they are eligible, which of those member institutions to represent.
3.2. A sabbatical officer of either a Students' Union or an Athletic Union who has paid the appropriate Union or Athletic Union subscription.
3.3. A student satisfactorily finishing his/her course of study in December, March or later, until the end of the academic year, provided his/her Union or Athletic Union subscription has been paid;
3.4. A student embarking on a Sandwich Course and/or Year Abroad course provided all of the following:
3.4.1 The appropriate fee has been paid to their Athletic Union; and
3.4.2 The duration of the course in industry/abroad covers no more than one scholastic year.

3.5. Any cases in doubt should be referred to the Committee.

4. Ineligible Participants
The following athletes are ineligible to participate in official Association University tournaments:

4.1. Students at 'franchised' colleges unless recognised as fully registered internal students of the institutions they wish to represent;
4.2. Externally registered students, as determined by the University's registrar;
4.3. Association members not permitted by the Association to participate in the sport, for whatever reason.

5. Team Participation
A team is eligible to participate in official Association University tournaments provided all of the following:

5.1. The team consists solely of eligible participants as laid down in sections 2 and 3 above.

6. Ineligible Teams
A team shall be deemed ineligible to participate in Association University tournaments if any of the following apply:

6.1. A team fields a player who is deemed ineligible for participation as of section 4 above;

7. Unintentional Breach of Eligibility
Following an unintentional breach of eligibility, any of the following may apply, at the discretion of the Committee:

7.1. If a potential breach is discovered before the first game the ineligible team plays, any ineligible players will be banned from playing for any team during the tournament. If this leaves the team without enough players to field a full line:
7.1.1 The team may choose not to take part in the tournament, or;
7.1.2 The team may choose to play as an open team for the tournament and will not be eligible to finish in a qualification position.

7.2. If a breach is discovered after the start of the first game the ineligible team plays, one of the following shall apply:

7.2.1 The team may choose not take any further part in the tournament;
7.2.2 If the current games are still in group stages, the team may choose to continue playing as an open team (as above).

7.3. If, after any of 7.1 or 7.2 have been imposed, an ineligible team finishes in either a qualifying or trophy position, they shall not receive the award, and the next most eligible team shall instead receive the award.
7.4. If the breach is discovered after the tournament has finished, and the ineligible team has finished in either a qualifying or trophy position, they shall be stripped of the awards, and the next most eligible team shall instead receive the award.

8. Intentional Breach of Eligibility
Following an intentional breach of eligibility, any of the following may apply, at the discretion of the Committee:

8.1. If the breach is discovered during a tournament, the rules as set out in section 8 above shall be followed;
8.2. If a breach is suspected of being intentional, the matter shall be fully investigated by the Committee. No further action will be taken until the matter is resolved;
8.3. If a breach is discovered to be intentional, the Committee may impose any ruling felt necessary, including, but not limited to, the club fielding the ineligible team being:
8.3.1 Banned from attending the next Association University competition;
8.3.2 Banned from attending Association University competition for the remainder of the scholastic year;
8.3.3 Banned from attending Association University competition for the next scholastic year;

9. Movement of Players Between Teams
This rule is to be applied with respect to any set of Association University tournaments that allow clubs to enter multiple teams at a single stage [i.e. Regionals being one stage, Nationals/Not the Nationals being a second stage]. The following define what movement of players between teams within the same club during a Series is acceptable:

9.1. In each event, clubs entering more than one team shall declare which team is the first, which is the second, and so on, so as to facilitate the following rule;
9.2. Players may only play for one team at each stage of the Series, e.g. a player may not compete on the first team at Nationals Division 1, and on the second team at Nationals Division 2.

10. Breach of Movement Terms
A breach of the movement terms defined in section 9 above shall be classed as an intentional breach of eligibility and shall be dealt with using the terms defined in section 8 above.

11. Additional Queries
If a team's current situation is not clarified by this document, any additional queries, clarifications or questions based on the above must be addressed directly to the Co-ordinator.


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