The Q-School pathways.
8 official qualifying tournaments, men's and women's, U.S. and international. Who runs them, who qualifies for what, the stage structure, and the prize at the top.
Men's Qualifying Pathways
5 pathwaysKorn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament
KFT Q-SchoolThe primary U.S. men's pathway. Four stages: Pre-Qualifying, First Stage, Second Stage, and Final Stage. Top ~45 finishers at Final Stage earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for the following season. After 2026 reforms, the top 5 at Final Stage earn full PGA Tour cards directly.
Top 5 at Final Stage now earn direct PGA Tour cards (2026+).
PGA Tour Americas Q-School
PGA Tour Americas QQualifying for the combined Latin America + Canada developmental tour (the level below Korn Ferry). Two qualifying series each year: South Swing (Latin America) and North Swing (Canada). Top finishers earn full or conditional status on PGA Tour Americas; top 10 on the season points list move up to the Korn Ferry Tour.
Top 10 on points list → Korn Ferry Tour membership.
DP World Tour Qualifying School
DP World Q-SchoolEuropean pathway. Three stages culminating in a six-round Final Stage at venues in Spain. Top 20 + ties earn DP World Tour cards for the following season; finishers below that line typically get HotelPlanner Tour (Challenge Tour) status as a fallback.
Top 20 + ties at Final Stage earn DP World Tour membership.
Asian Tour Qualifying School
Asian Tour Q-SchoolTwo-stage qualifying tournament typically held in Thailand. Top finishers at Final Stage earn full Asian Tour cards for the following season. Strong field as it doubles as a backdoor route for Australian, European, and U.S. players seeking International Series purses.
Backdoor route to LIV and International Series purses.
LIV Golf Promotions
LIV PromotionsLIV Golf's qualifying tournament, launched 2023. Three-stage 54-hole format. The single winner of Final Stage earns a guaranteed LIV Golf League contract for the following season; runners-up are pooled for International Series and team draft eligibility.
Winner earns a guaranteed LIV League contract.
Women's Qualifying Pathways
3 pathwaysLPGA Q-Series
The LPGA's final qualifying event, an eight-round, two-week stroke play marathon following Stage I and Stage II. Top ~20 finishers earn full LPGA Tour membership for the following season; the remainder of the field earn Epson Tour status. Open to any female pro or amateur (handicap permitting) who advances through earlier stages.
Eight rounds over two weeks, the longest qualifier in pro golf.
Epson Tour Qualifying
Epson Q-SchoolThe pathway onto the LPGA's official developmental tour. Top finishers at LPGA Q-School Stage II (who don't advance to Q-Series) earn Epson Tour membership. Top 15 on the Epson season money list then earn LPGA Tour cards for the following year.
Top 15 on Epson money list → LPGA Tour cards.
Ladies European Tour Q-School
LET Q-SchoolPre-Qualifying and Final Stage played at venues in Spain. Top 25 + ties at Final Stage earn full LET membership for the following season; players ranked 26–45 receive conditional status. The European equivalent of LPGA Q-School and the primary pathway for non-American women onto a top women's tour.
Top 25 + ties earn full LET cards.
About Q-School
Q-School (Qualifying School) is the formal pathway from amateur or mini-tour status onto a professional tour. Every major tour runs one. The structure varies. Most are three- or four-stage tournaments where players pay an entry fee, advance through cuts, and either earn tour membership at the final stage or fall back to a lower tour as a fallback status. Entering as an amateur ends your amateur status the moment you accept professional terms; see our Rules of Amateur Status guide before you file.
On the men's side, PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry is the primary U.S. pathway. The name confuses people: Korn Ferry is the title sponsor of the qualifier, not the developmental tour. From 2013 to 2022, Final Stage only granted Korn Ferry Tour status; since 2023, the top five finishers and ties at Final Stage earn a direct PGA Tour card, with the next tier still earning Korn Ferry Tour or PGA Tour Americas status. The DP World Tour Q-School is the European equivalent, with Asian Tour Q-School acting as a backdoor route to LIV Golf and International Series purses. LIV Golf Promotions awards a single guaranteed League contract to the winner of its three-stage Final.
On the women's side, LPGA Q-Series is the longest qualifier in professional golf, eight rounds over two weeks, played after Stage I and Stage II of LPGA Q-School. The top ~20 earn full LPGA membership; the rest typically earn Epson Tour status. The Ladies European Tour Q-School is the European equivalent. For the tours these qualifiers feed, see the professional tour directory; for the level below, see the mini tour directory. Q-School isn't the only qualifying tournament in golf; the U.S. Open runs its own open qualifying process that any golfer with a sufficient handicap can enter, amateur or pro, no tour card required.
Frequently asked questions
Is 'Korn Ferry Q-School' the same as the Korn Ferry Tour?
No, and the naming trips up a lot of people. From 2013 to 2022, Q-School was branded the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament and only granted Korn Ferry Tour status; there was no direct route back to the PGA Tour from Final Stage. Since 2023, PGA Tour Q-School has been rebranded PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry, where Korn Ferry is now the title sponsor of the qualifier itself, not just the tour it used to feed exclusively. The top five finishers and ties at Final Stage now earn PGA Tour cards directly; the rest of the finishers who advance still earn Korn Ferry Tour or PGA Tour Americas status.
How many stages does PGA Tour Q-School have, and how long is Final Stage?
Four stages: Pre-Qualifying (54 holes, required for most entrants without status), First Stage (72 holes across multiple regional sites), Second Stage (72 holes at fewer sites), and Final Stage (72 holes at TPC Sawgrass). Final Stage used to run 108 holes; it was shortened to the current 72-hole, four-round format.
Do you have to turn pro before entering Q-School?
You have to accept professional status to accept the card or status you earn, but amateurs can enter Q-School itself. Doing so ends your amateur status under the Rules of Amateur Status the moment you tee it up as a professional entrant, so confirm you're ready to make that move before you file.