For any FCS football program hoping to follow former CAA member James Madison to the FBS level, be warned: 

It just got more expensive. Like a thousand times more expensive. 

On Oct. 4, the NCAA DI Council approved changes that could likely help lessen the deluge of college transfers when they reduced the transfer window in several sports as well as in both the FBS and FCS football divisions. 

But that's not all it changed. The council made modifications to the price of transitioning from an FCS program to an FBS program that could make potential programs think twice before making the leap. 

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How Much Does It Cost To Become An NCAA FBS Football Program?

The price for making the move can be immense for programs as a whole, as salaries for coaching staffs can increase at the next level and stadium changes are likely needed to maximize attendance. But at least before Oct. 4, schools didn't have to worry about the application fee. 

The previous application fee to transition from FCS to FBS was $5,000. 

It's now $5 million. 

The price change comes just a year after James Madison, who competed in the CAA from 2007-2021, joined the Sun Belt in 2022. Due to other transition rules, James Madison, which went 8-3 in 2022, was ineligible for the postseason.

One thing that may mitigate that cost increase is the elimination of attendance requirements. That could mean schools who decide to transition won't have to spend money on stadium changes. 

FBS Football Requirement Changes Effective In 2023

Here are the three changes made to FBS requirements that went into effect on Oct. 4, 2023: 

• Eliminate attendance requirements at FBS schools (effective immediately).
• Increase the application fee for transitioning from FCS to FBS from $5,000 to $5 million (effective immediately).
• Require all FBS programs to provide 90 percent of the total number of allowable scholarships over a two-year rolling period across 16 sports, including football. FBS schools will also be required to fund 210 scholarships each year, amounting to no less than $6 million annually (effective August 2027).
• For schools that begin transitioning to FBS in 2024-25 or later, requirements must be met by the conclusion of the transition process.

NCAA Transfer Portal changes 

The Transfer Portal window was changed on Oct. 4 as well. The move shifted the window in FBS and FCS football from 60 days to 45 days and the same for men's and women's basketball. 

"We are pleased the student-athlete voice was acknowledged and emphasized as part of the conversation about amending transfer windows," said Cody Shimp, chair of the Division I SAAC and former baseball student-athlete at St. Bonaventure, in a press release. 

"We are happy that the council was able to find common ground and push forward a 45-day window to continue to provide a reasonable period of time for student-athletes to make rational and informed decisions about their athletic and academic futures."

The transfer window begins for football teams at the FCS and FBS levels on the Monday following conference championship weekend for teams not in the College Football Playoff. A second transfer window of 15 days will open in the second half of April. 

The transfer window for basketball opens the Monday after Selection Sunday.

In all other sports, windows will be modified to the following:

• Fall sports: 30 days in the fall, beginning seven days after a sport's championship selection, and 15 days in the spring (May 1-15).
• Winter sports: 45 days, beginning seven days after championship selection.
• Spring sports: 30 days in the spring, beginning seven days after a sport's championship selection, and 15 days in the fall (Dec. 1-15).

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