For young student-athletes with dreams of pursuing higher education while excelling in their sport, US sports scholarships offer a golden opportunity. These scholarships not only provide financial support for your education but also give you the chance to compete at a high level while earning a degree. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of US sports scholarships available and how you can secure one to further your academic and athletic aspirations.
Athletic Scholarships in the USA
Athletic scholarships are the most common form of sports scholarships in the United States. They are awarded to student-athletes based on their athletic abilities and performance. These scholarships can cover tuition, room, board, and sometimes even textbooks and health insurance. There are two main governing bodies for college sports at four year colleges or universities called the NCAA and the NAIA.
- NCAA: The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) consists of over 1000 colleges and offers athletic scholarships for student-athletes competing at the Division I and Division 2 levels. These scholarships are highly competitive and are offered in various sports, including football, basketball, soccer, and more. NCAA colleges consists of 3 divisions, with Division 3 handing academic scholarships only.
- NAIA: The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) consists of over 250 colleges and provides scholarships for student-athletes at typically smaller colleges and universities. Scholarships at an NAIA school can be a great alternative for athletes who want to compete at a high level and pursue their academics at an equally high level.
But what’s the difference between NCAA and NAIA I hear you ask?
Well, that’s a good question, so let me try and break it down!
The NCAA or National Collegiate Athletic Association as previously mentioned is split into 3 divisions. The NCAA is one of only two governing bodies that cover collegiate athletics in the United States, governing approximately 1200 schools and overseeing 23 sports. The NCAA carry the most financial funding, with over 1 billion dollars being handed out to colleges every year. Universities within D1 normally have the highest budget and are fully committed to maintaining high athletic and academic standards, they are also more inclined to recruit top U.S talent for their more popular sports and International Youth Athletes.
Division 2 college athletes are just as competitive and in many cases are just as skilled as their D1 counterparts, and if your skills on the field and you GPA shine through there is nothing stopping you being able to move up to a D1 college! Colleges in D2 provide their students athletes with the opportunity to compete in high level sport, whilst also getting the most out of their education and life on campus. Although these colleges don’t have the financial funding to match their D1 counterparts, they still provide both full and partial scholarships to their prospective students.
Both D1 and D2 colleges will recruit athletes across a wide range of sports. Recruitment to these colleges however is not always based on a sports popularity but also geographical location, available resources, institution goals and coaching preferences.
Finally, Division 3 is the largest and is mainly focused on more academic scholarships. D3 offers student athletes a college where they can excel in sport to a regional level, resulting in less time away from the classroom, and a more student first approach. However, to make D3 financially feasible for any student athletes you would have to have a strong academic profile behind you, in the view of receiving an academic scholarship to cover costs.
What About The The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
NAIA Colleges are slightly smaller but not to be knocked!
Unlike the NCAA, the NAIA also has more flexibility with regards to scholarship rules and academic eligibility. With this in mind, NAIA colleges can be the perfect place for international students who may not meet NCAA criteria, and still give them the opportunity to compete in high level sport, whilst getting a degree. Scholarships are also available at NAIA colleges, coaches inevitably seek out talented athletes to join their teams and will offer financial incentives, some students-athletes may find they receive more than one offer. Scholarships can range from partial funding to fully funded, although an all costs covered offer isn’t very common, but may be available for a highly sought after athlete.
The NAIA or National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics is the governing body for smaller athletic programs, with around 250 member institutions and sponsoring up to 14 sports. NAIA colleges are also split into 2 Divisions, with the D1 sporting level being somewhat equivalent to the NCAA D2 level, AND with up to 90% of NAIA colleges offering athletic scholarships, it’s not anything to sniff at!
More Options for Scholarships
You might only think that an NCAA or NAIA College is the only way to go. However, there does exist a third governing body known as the NJCAA or National Junior College Athletic Association. The NJCAA consists of 525 member schools over 24 states, and every year thousands of prospective student-athletes take this route.
The NCJAA is an alternative college route that gives the athletes the opportunity to achieve their sporting goals whilst getting a great education. NCJAA although smaller in size than their NCAA and NAIA counterparts, still offer a wide range of sporting opportunities and scholarships!
Each institution belonging to the NJCAA chooses to compete on the Division I, II or III level in designated sports. Division I colleges may offer full athletic scholarships (tuition, fees, room and board). Division II colleges are limited to awarding tuition, fees, course related books, and up to $250 in course required supplies. Division III institutions may provide no athletically related financial assistance. However, NJCAA colleges that do not offer athletic aid may choose to participate at the Division I or II level if they so desire.
If you attend a NJCAA school for two years you can then transfer to a four year institute (NCAA or NAIA) to complete your degree. This is a great route for players looking to get higher scholarship money, but who maybe could enhance their academic standing. It is essentially a great way of getting in the door and being seen.
Finally, if you are an International student coaches from NCAA D1, D2 and NAIA levels would rather take a player from NJCAA then from outside of the US. This is because they can see you in the college sports setting, but also see how you are performing academically against the US education system.
Who Makes The Decision On Whether Athletes Are Recruited?
The final decision ultimately, is left in the hands of the head coach, who has to budget and decide how much he/she wishes to make available to you; based on the amount of scholarship that they have available to them, on how much is being recycled back into the programme from recent graduates, and how much of an impact you would make to their team. These athletic scholarships are limited and will only last for so long, so athletes are recommended to start the application process early.
Most US coaches will start recruiting prospective students-athletes 1 -2 years before they join their squad, therefore student athletes are always encouraged to reach out to coaches who can provide them with information on eligibility requirements, sponsorship opportunities and how to apply for financial aid.
Final Thoughts US Sports Scholarships
US sports scholarships offer a fantastic opportunity for talented athletes to pursue their academic and athletic dreams simultaneously. Whether you’re a star player or simply passionate about your sport, there are various types of scholarships available to suit your needs and abilities. Remember that the path to securing a sports scholarship often involves hard work, dedication, and effective communication with college coaches. By exploring your options and taking proactive steps, you can increase your chances of earning a scholarship that will open doors to a bright future both in sports and academics.
Interested in knowing more?
If this article has sparked your interest in potentially heading to the United States to continue your sport and education, then why not reach out to our partner US Sports Scholarships.
Frequently Asked Questions About US Sports Scholarships
What grades do I need to get a Sports Scholarship?
The minimum requirements are different depending on what level you are going to be competing. The eligibility requirements do not mean you are guaranteed admission into college and often times you will need higher grades to get into college.
Is the American system as strong as that in the UK?
In the UK there are excellent universities, good universities, average universities and poor universities. The value of the degree from each will vary dramatically. The US is no different, however with the country being so big there are naturally many more ‘tier one’ academic institutions to choose from compared to anywhere else in the world. At present, the United States has 13 of its universities ranked in ‘The Times World Top 25 Universities’, including Harvard – holding the No.1 spot. This compares to the UK, having 5 universities ranked amongst the best, and Australia only having 1. Students will typically attend a university which matches their academic abilities and credentials to date.