Is college football transfer portal closed? Closer look at the 2025 schedule

The transfer portal is currently closed, with the December 2024 window having ended on Dec. 28. It will reopen in the Spring, from April 16 to April 25. However, there are some exceptions to these general guidelines.

When a head coach departs from a program, a 30-day window opens for players associated with that school to enter the transfer portal. Additionally, due to the expanded postseason for the 2024-25 season, which includes the new 12-team College Football Playoff, players who participated in the CFP or later bowl games were allowed a five-day extension to enter the transfer portal after the initial closure.

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How many players entered the transfer portal last season?

Some 2800 scholarship players entered the transfer portal in 2023-24. If we take out the players who declared for the NFL Draft or withdrew from the portal, that leaves us with 2707 players. According to On3, that's around 25% of scholarship players in the NCAA.

Also, an NCAA study found that around 73% of college basketball players tend to enter the transfer portal in the first four weeks of the portal. According to On3 that number has increased, with it being 82% for men and 86% for women in late 2024.

While those numbers point to one sport, it does seem to show an overall trend in college athletics.

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Are there any players prohibited from entering the transfer portal?

Following a preliminary injunction at the Northern District of West Virginia District Court, the NCAA agreed to terms and relaxed transfer policies for the upcoming spring. Now, any student-athlete can transfer and play immediately with their new school if they meet the academic requirements. Previously, players transferring for the second or further time had to ask the NCAA for a waiver to be allowed to play. If they didn't receive the waiver, they had to sit out the year.

However, athletes cannot transfer mid-season and play for a new school. There isn't any limit to the number of times players are allowed to transfer.