How many official visits can a soccer player take?

One official visit per school, and as many schools as you like, after the first permissible date for the division.

When can you take an official visit for Division I soccer?

From August 1 of junior year (Bylaw 13.6.2.1.1).

Who pays for an unofficial visit?

The family. The school may give limited extras, such as a meal on campus or tickets to a home game, depending on the division.

Can a sophomore visit a college?

Yes, as a member of the public: an admissions tour and a game from the stands. In Division I soccer, a visit that involves the coaching staff has to wait until August 1 before junior year.

Can parents come on an official visit?

Yes. In Division I the school may pay travel for the player and up to two family members, and meals for the player and up to four family members.

Guides

Campus visits

Official vs unofficial visits: what is the difference?

The short answer

An official visit is one the college pays for; an unofficial visit is one the family pays for. In Division I soccer, both kinds open on August 1 of junior year. A player may take one official visit per school, and as many schools as you like. Unofficial visits are unlimited, paid for by the family.

Sources last checked October 5, 2026

Pictured: Baldwin Wallace v Wooster, men’s, 2023

Erik Drost · CC BY 2.0

Visits, by division
Official visit, Division I	from August 1 of junior year (Bylaw 13.6.2.1.1)
Unofficial visit with the athletics staff, Division I	from August 1 before junior year (Bylaw 13.7.1.1)
Official visit, Division II	from June 15 before junior year (Bylaw 13.3.1.2)
Official visit, Division III	from January 1 of junior year (Bylaw 13.6.1.1.1)
How many official visits	one official visit per school, and as many schools as you like
Unofficial visits	unlimited, paid for by the family

What is an official visit?

Any visit to a campus that the college pays for. A school may give a player only one, so an invitation is a sign of real interest.

What a school may pay for on an official visit (NCAA guide for families)

	Division I	Division II	Division III
Travel	Division IFor the player and up to two family members	Division IIFor the player	Division IIIFor the player
Lodging and meals	Division IYes	Division IIYes	Division IIIYes
Entertainment, per person	Division IUp to $60	Division IIUp to $50	Division IIIUp to $40
Earliest	Division IAugust 1 of junior year	Division IIJune 15 before junior year	Division IIIJanuary 1 of junior year

Before a Division I or II official visit, the NCAA’s guide says the player must be registered with the Eligibility Center and the school must have their transcript. A school may give a player one official visit; a second is possible in Divisions I and II only after a change of head coach.

What is an unofficial visit?

Any visit the family pays for. You can make as many as you like. The limit is on when the athletics department may be part of it: in Division I soccer, an unofficial visit that involves the coaching staff, an athletics tour or free tickets may not happen before August 1 before junior year (Bylaw 13.7.1.1).

Before that date a family can still walk the campus, take the admissions tour and watch a game from the stands as members of the public. In Division II and III, unofficial visits are unlimited, at the family’s own expense (Bylaw 13.4.1; Bylaw 13.7.1).

When are visits not allowed?

During a Division I dead period: no in-person recruiting contact or evaluation, on or off campus, and no official or unofficial visits; calls and messages are still allowed (Bylaw 13.02.5.5). The dates for this year are in the NCAA soccer recruiting calendar.

What should a player do on a visit?

Watch training, not only a game. It shows how the staff coach and how the squad treats each other.
Talk to players at your position, without a coach in the room if you can.
Sit in a class and see where you would live. Most of college is not soccer.
Meet admissions and financial aid. Leave with the real cost in writing.
Ask the hard questions. They are listed in questions to ask college soccer coaches.

Before you go, read the program’s roster: each program page shows how many players it carries in each class.

Does an official visit mean an offer is coming?

It means real interest, because the school is spending money and may give you only one. It is not an offer: a program can host more players than it has places for. Ask the coach on the visit where you stand and what happens next.

Q&AQuick answers

How many official visits can a soccer player take?: One official visit per school, and as many schools as you like, after the first permissible date for the division.
When can you take an official visit for Division I soccer?: From August 1 of junior year (Bylaw 13.6.2.1.1).
Who pays for an unofficial visit?: The family. The school may give limited extras, such as a meal on campus or tickets to a home game, depending on the division.
Can a sophomore visit a college?: Yes, as a member of the public: an admissions tour and a game from the stands. In Division I soccer, a visit that involves the coaching staff has to wait until August 1 before junior year.
Can parents come on an official visit?: Yes. In Division I the school may pay travel for the player and up to two family members, and meals for the player and up to four family members.

Sources

Last checked against these sources onOctober 5, 2026. Figures marked Startline are counted from the data we hold and move when it does. Rules change: check anything dated against the governing body itself.

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