One group of college basketball players still (mostly) can’t make NIL money

With the NCAA transfer portal officially opened up for the season, many players have announced they are moving schools. Obviously for many of them, a big reason to play at a different school is because of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) money. Not only do bigger market schools have more endorsement opportunities, but bigger schools also often have more collective NIL money to offer players as well.

Yet, if you see an international college basketball player decide to enter the transfer portal, just know it is not because of the money. In fact, international students are not allowed to participate in NIL deals while they are in college in the U.S.

When a student comes from another country to attend college in the United States, they end up on a Student Visa (it’s called an F Visa). Under the rules of this visa, people are allowed to come to the United States, enroll in school and even receive scholarships.

Maybe the biggest rule on this kind of visa is that anyone on it is not allowed to make an income in the United States. Scholarships do not count because there is no money being handed over — the student just gets to attend the college at a low or reduced fee. They cannot have a part time or full time job, work contract gigs or even make money from endorsement deals or NIL deals.

This means that every single international student to plays NCAA basketball, no matter how successful their team is, cannot make NIL money while they’re in the United States, either. No endorsements, no collective money, nothing.

Like most rules though, there are loopholes. For example, if an international player is able to travel back to their home country and sign an endorsement deal, they are allowed to make that money. Since you just can’t make an income in the US, leaving and making income is fine.

For example, Canadian athletes are able to do this easily. Aaliyah Edwards, who graduated from UConn in 2024, signed with Adidas before she graduated. She was able to come home to Canada, sign a contract, and do the work she needed to in Canada before re-joining UConn in the US. That way all the work she did was in Canada, no problem.

Toby Fournier of Duke recently did the same. She is now a brand ambassador for Roots — a clothing and apparel brand based in Canada. She came back home, signed with the company, and filmed content here.

It’s one small way international athletes can make NIL money while in school like their American teammates.

Since the F Visa is strictly a student visa, what happens after these athletes graduate college and move into the WNBA/NBA? They have to get a new visa. These are called O or P Visas in the United States. They mean pretty much the same thing, but most WNBA/NBA players will be on a P-1 Visa, which is for people who are coming to compete in a sports league. You need to show proof that you are contracted to the league in order to qualify for this type of visa.

Once you’re on this new visa, you can start making an income in the USA. Which means you can continue with your previous endorsements, but still do work in the USA. You can also sign new agreements within the United States. It’s basically the same as any other athlete, except that you have to continue to be on contract to be able to keep the visa.