The ACHA's primary mission is to support the growth of two year and four year collegiate hockey programs nationwide. The ACHA identifies standards, which serve to unite and regulate teams at the collegiate level.

• A student-athlete shall not be eligible for participation in the ACHA if the individual received pay for participation in the sport.
• Student athletes shall utilize a year of ACHA eligibility for each year of competition at a junior college.
• Any player that is an NCAA or CIS ice hockey rostered player may not participate in the ACHA Women’s Division during the same season.
• Student athletes must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 by the beginning of a student athlete’s second year of eligibility.
• Student athletes shall be enrolled as a student in a program of study leading to an associate, baccalaureate, masters, doctoral, professional, or equivalent degree, as determined by the regulations of the university or college.
• Student athletes shall be limited to six (6) years of eligibility. If, however, the student athlete was on an NCAA or CIS ice hockey roster at any level, at any time, the student athlete is restricted to four (4) years of ACHA Women’s Division play, minus her time with the prior NCAA or CIS program.
• Student athletes must enroll in a minimum of twelve (12) credit hours for Freshmen and Sophomores and nine (9) credit hours for Juniors and Seniors for associate and baccalaureate degree students, or a minimum of six (6) hours for masters, doctoral, or professional degree students.
• Student athletes must successfully complete a minimum of nine (9) credits each semester for associate and baccalaureate degree students, or six (6) credits each semester for masters, doctoral or professional degree students, to be eligible for play in the following semester.
• Student athletes in the last semester or quarter prior to completing their degree are required to enroll in a minimum of three (3) credit hours.
• Student-athletes may receive only financial aid, which has been properly channeled through the college/university financial aid office or other college/university office. Financial aid shall be awarded on a need basis only as determined by the United States Department of Education Standards for Financial Assistance Program formula as applied to each institution.
• Student athletes may not receive financial aid or monetary disbursement of any kind from the ACHA program he/she represents nor from any booster club or sponsor affiliated with the ACHA hockey program.

* Any team using an ineligible player in an ACHA game shall forfeit all games in which the player participated, and may be subject to suspension of membership benefits. (i.e. national rankings and tournament)