The program selects an honorary sports team composed of the most outstanding student-athletes of a specific season for positions in various sports—who in turn are given the honorific "Academic All-American".
[1] The award honors student-athletes who have performed well academically and athletically while regularly competing for their institution.
In 2011–12, the program was expanded to include four sets of honorary teams: one for each of NCAA Divisions I, II and III as well as a "College Division" for NAIA, four-year U.S. schools that are not NCAA or NAIA members, two-year colleges and Canadian schools.
[3] In each program, Academic All-District honors are given to all student-athletes with a minimum GPA of 3.5 who also are key starters or reserves.
The prestigious Academic All-America teams are voted on by College Sports Communicators members.
[4] College Sports Communicators has registered a trademark for the name, "Academic All-America" which it uses for its student-athlete recognition program.
[17] Nominations must be made on the College Sports Communicators website by a current dues-paying member with a CSC-issued user name and password for the academic year at issue.
The nominees must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at his/her current institution.
Nominees must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's games at the position listed on the nomination form (where applicable).
Nominees are ineligible until the completion of one full calendar year at his/her current institution and attainment of sophomore athletic eligibility.
The national ballot is cast by all College Sports Communicators members plus the Academic All-America Committee and the CSC Board of Directors.