The Division I Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted a new NCAA transfer rule that will allow all undergraduate athletes to transfer and play immediately if they meet specific academic requirements, regardless of whether they transferred previously.

The rule will provide immediately eligibility to any athletes who have transferred during the 2023-24 academic year, including the football players who entered the transfer portal Tuesday and during the window, as long as they are academically eligible and meeting progress-towards-degree requirements at their new school.

The council’s action is not final until the meeting concludes Thursday and is subject to ratification by the Division I Board of Directors at its meeting later this month.

If ratified, the rules would be effective immediately.

To be immediately eligible after a transfer, undergraduate student-athletes would have to have left their previous school while academically eligible and in good standing and meet progress-toward-degree requirements at their new school before competing.

For graduate transfer student-athletes to be eligible, they would have to earn a degree from their previous school, leave while academically eligible and be enrolled as a full-time postgraduate student while continuing to satisfy minimum academic standards.

The legislation will not limit the number of times an athlete can transfer. There will still be two transfer windows, but student athletes won’t be able to transfer midyear and play for a second school in the same season.

“With these rule changes, NCAA members continue to prioritize long-term academic success for college athletes who transfer, while supporting their opportunity to compete immediately,” Lynda Tealer, deputy athletics director at Florida and chair of the council, said, per NCAA.org. “We hope that this practical approach to transfer eligibility requirements will encourage student-athletes to make well-informed decisions about transferring and the impacts such a move could have on their ability to graduate on time in their degree of choice, particularly as it relates to transferable credits.”

There will continue to be exceptions to the legislated transfer windows, including for the departure of a head coach or a discontinued sport.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.