Athletic scholarships are much sought after amongst the students of today. They appear to be some sort of status symbol that marks them as more talented than their peers and can indeed pave the way for the individual to move on to bigger and better things in the future.
A good number of individuals receiving an athletic scholarship will probably go on to become professional sports stars one day, whether playing basketball, American football, soccer, or another sport such as wrestling or golf.
The options are endless but to get and keep an athletic scholarship an individual student must work extremely hard. After all, there can be no bigger heartache than getting there and then losing everything you have technically earned.
How to Get Athletic Scholarships?
Athletic scholarships are like gold dust, especially those that take the individual it was awarded to way to the next level. It is extremely important that a good athlete maintains a certain academic and personal level in order to maintain the gift that he or she has been given.
After all, it can be hard to earn an athletic scholarship in the first place. Not only does the individual have to be good at the sport of his or her choice, but he or she also be getting a decent grade point average throughout his or her high school career in order to be considered.
It is not that they will not be offered an athletic scholarship if their GPA is not up to scratch, they just will not be able to go to the better colleges unless it is elevated. This also applies when they are there!
Because they lack an understanding of how the recruiting process works, many athletes are unable to achieve their objective of competing at the collegiate level. The following are the five steps you need to take to keep your athletic scholarship application on track.
1. Gather all of the necessary information.
Create an athletic resume with the following information before contacting coaches at colleges and universities:
- Highlight or skills video (if one is required for your sport)
- The statistics of the game
- Academic transcripts
- Your ACT or SAT scores (or both! ), if you’ve taken either of those tests.
From there, you will need to conduct research and compile the phone numbers and email addresses of the head coaches, assistant coaches, and recruiting coordinators on your initial list of schools that are the best possible fits for your athlete.
During this stage of the hiring process, you should also check all of your social media accounts to ensure that none of them contain any content that could be considered inappropriate. Every one of your social media accounts will be scrutinized, and not just by coaches but also by admissions officers!
2. Understand what Division level best matches your skill set, then start researching colleges
Figuring out which division level is most suitable for oneself is one of the more challenging aspects of the recruiting process.
Not everyone can compete at the level of the NCAA’s Division I athletics; in fact, only a select few athletes even compete at D-I schools! You can get evaluated by a third party to get a better understanding of where you stand, or you can attend camps that attract other athletes who are planning to play college sports to see how you compare to athletic scholarships.
Once you have a better understanding of the division levels that are appropriate for you, you should then begin researching the schools that you are interested in attending.
It is common practice for organizations such as the Next College Student Athlete (NCSA) to advise prospective student-athletes to start by compiling a list of approximately fifty schools, which they then proceed to narrow down as they progress through the recruiting process. When compiling a list of potential colleges, it is important to take into account a school’s setting in addition to its academics, athletics, and overall culture.
3. Start a dialogue with the coaches of college teams.
The NSCA suggests starting your outreach by sending emails to coaches as a first step. Keep in mind that coaches receive hundreds of emails on a weekly basis, so in order to attract their attention, yours really needs to stand out:
- Ensure that your email has all of the material that is included on your athletic CV, with particular emphasis on a link to your highlight and/or skills video. The coach will be able to provide the first review of you by seeing your tape in this way.
- The subject line of your email should contain your name, your position, your current grade level, and a key statistic. For instance, “John Doe, High School Sophomore, Pitcher, 90 MPH fastball” would be an appropriate subject line.
- Refrain from sending out a group email that includes all of the coaches’ contact information in it. Instead, take the time to personally construct each email and, if at all feasible, be as explicit as you can about the reasons you are interested in the program in question.
Call the coach after around two weeks to indicate your interest in participating in their program: Try to avoid sending out a mass email with all of the coach’s contact information included in it.
Instead, take the time to personally construct each email and, if at all feasible, be as explicit as you can about why you are interested in the program in question.
Make sure you plan ahead so that you are prepared with a response either in the event that the coach picks up the phone or in the event that you are directed to their voicemail. Some student-athletes find it more helpful to write out a play and then follow it.
Do some research about the school, the team’s most recent season, and why you are interested in participating in that particular program while you are getting ready.
4. Take control of the college recruitment process.
You should be reaching out to coaches at a variety of colleges and creating relationships with them. At the same time, there are a few important things you should be performing to keep the process of recruiting moving forward:
- You should continue to check your eligibility. To be able to compete in collegiate athletics, you need to satisfy a number of highly precise conditions. You should go to the NCAA Eligibility Center to verify that you meet all of the standards and to make sure that you are headed in the correct direction to be able to compete at an NCAA college. In a similar manner, in order to determine whether or not you meet the academic requirements to compete at the NAIA level, you should follow the procedures that are explained by the NAIA Eligibility Center.
- Participate in training camps and combined events. Attending a camp is a fantastic opportunity to compete in front of coaches from colleges that you are interested in attending if you play certain sports. Because many of them will be “pay to play” camps, the best option for you will be to attend camps hosted by institutions that are currently engaged in the process of recruiting you. Participate in combines in order to obtain sport-specific statistics that have been confirmed and can be included in your recruiting résumé.
- Pay a visit to the various campuses. The easiest method to determine whether or not a school might be a good fit for you is to visit the campus in person. Before you go to that institution, you should contact the coach there to set up a meeting and find out when they are available. During campus visits, it is essential to schedule a face-to-face meeting with the head coach, which may potentially result in a scholarship offer.
- Email the head coaches with your most recent video and numbers. Maintain constant communication with college coaches throughout this maintenance window. You should send an email to a coach if you have an updated highlight video as well as fresh statistics for either your athletic or academic performance.
5. Consider the athletic scholarship opportunity that you have.
When you are presented with the opportunity to acquire an athletic scholarship, you should carefully consider all of your choices before settling on one.
The expense of attending the school, the academic standards of the institution, and the level of competition that you would encounter as an athlete are some of the variables that you might want to take into consideration.
If you are unsure whether or not to accept a scholarship, discussing the matter with your parents or other trustworthy advisors can help you determine what is in your best interest. They will assist you in weighing the benefits of each offer against its drawbacks and arriving at a conclusion that is best for your future.
Who gives out athletic scholarships?
Are there scholarships that cover all costs for all four years? No, athletic scholarships are often short-term agreements between the college and the athlete that last only one academic year, but some scholarships cover multiple academic years.
They are available at Division 1 and Division 2 levels of the NCAA, as well as the NAIA and NJCAA levels; taken together, this amounts to thousands of colleges.
| Athletic Association | Number of Schools | Number of Athletes | Maximum Number of Scholarships |
| NCAA Division 1 | 350 | 139,063 | 74,243 |
| NCAA Division 2 | 310 | 85,385 | 36,343 |
| NCAA Division 3 | 438 | 144,062 | 0 |
| NAIA | 260 | 56,354 | 25,778 |
| NJCAA | 464 | 53,248 | 41,195 |
| Other | 276 | 39,737 | N/A |
| Total | 2,058 | 517,849 | 177,559 |
Acquaint yourself with the various degrees of division. Listen to what former fifth-round pick in the MLB Draft Kyle Winters has to say about athletic scholarships for more information: Scholarships for athletes are awarded on a yearly basis, or do the amounts change from year to year? Watch the video to get an idea of how the scholarship offers extended to prospective student-athletes might shift from one academic year to the next.
Things You Need to Know About Athletic Scholarships
The cost of a college education has never been higher. Many student-athletes would not be able to afford to go to the school of their choice if it weren’t for the financial assistance provided by athletic scholarships.
However, there is a lot of competition for these available scholarship slots. Check out these five important facts about the world of athletic scholarships if you want to reduce the amount of money you spend on things like tuition and other college expenses.
- Coaches usually offer scholarships during junior or senior year
- Most athletic scholarships are only guaranteed for one year
- Head count sports always offer full rides—equivalency sports usually offer partial scholarships
- Scholarships can be combined—if you qualify
- Ivy League schools and D3 colleges don’t give out athletic scholarships
Although college sports stars are just that, stars in their own right, they are not exempt from the rules of the university and have a strict code of conduct to adhere to.
They need to be able to maintain good grades and keep up with midterms and papers, as well as other assignments because they can actually be suspended from their sports duties if they are not maintaining a high standard.
There have been rumors in the past that the GPA of an athletics scholarship is somewhat lower than the GPAs set for other awards, but that is largely not the case at the more prestigious universities.
10 Athletic Scholarships for Student-Athletes
- Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Program
- The New York Ramblers Scholarship for Student Athletes
- Craig M. Epstein Memorial Scholarship Fund
- Triple-Impact Competitor Scholarship
- Lee Brennan Memorial Scholarship
- Norma and Rita Nussbickel Memorial Scholarship
- Challenge Scholarship
- Coach Wade Pittsford Scholarship
- Big Sun Scholarship
- Mike Frick Memorial Baseball Scholarship
An athletics scholarship covers just about every expense that the individual athlete would have. It includes housing, tuition, course materials and everything else that you could think of. In truth, it gives them the easiest financial ride out of every single student on every campus across the United States, because they bring glory for their college. It was also a practice some time ago to give them gifts such as cars to lure the star athletes away from other universities. This has since been outlawed because it is considered a bribe.
Although they will miss having a car as a present, this demonstrates how much time has altered the way that athletes on scholarships are supposed to behave. Any scandal and they are out, low grades and they are out, and any hint of drugs in their systems and they are out. It may be tough to get to the top and earn athletics scholarship, but it could be even tougher to stay there if individuals do not stick to the rules!
List of Athletic Scholarships
Check out the list of athletic scholarships (total awards worth $4M) below:
All Sports Scholarships
This list combines all scholarships for student athletes. For most scholarships you can qualify if you participate in any sport at your school, while other awards may require you to play a specific sport. Start your search here to find an athletic scholarship today.
Archery Scholarships
An archery scholarship is financial aid that you don’t repay. If you plan to compete in college archery, you may be able to apply. Archery is one of the oldest arts but is not an official sport of the NCAA or NAIA. Back in the Stone Age, the archer’s bow and arrow was a tool for hunters and in combat.
Baseball Scholarships
You could use the money you earn from this classic American pastime to put toward your education. There are a variety of college baseball scholarships available, and if you played baseball in high school or for a local league, you could be eligible for some of these scholarships. It would be a shame to “strike out” on your chance at receiving free money to put toward your education. Check out our comprehensive list of available baseball scholarships and submit your application online.
Basketball Scholarships
Take your college funding to new heights with these basketball scholarships. Athletes who play basketball have hundreds of options available — from NCAA to privately-funded athletic scholarships. The competition is high, so apply to as many basketball scholarships as possible! Start your search in this directory and apply online.
Bowling Scholarships
Do you want to get lucky and become wealthy? Bowlers have the opportunity to earn “extra” money toward their college education through the use of these bowling scholarships. With the help of this directory of scholarships for bowlers, you will be able to learn about all of the different awards that are offered to students who take part in sanctioned bowling leagues.
Cheerleading Scholarships
Do you have spirit? Scholarships are available here! The prospect of winning a cheerleading scholarship to use toward your college education is one that is guaranteed to get you revved up for school. This one-of-a-kind sport is sometimes ignored, yet there are a great many educational institutions that value the abilities of its participants. Start your search for cheering scholarships in our list to ensure that the pride and heritage of your school are carried on for years to come.
Cross Country Scholarships
If you have experience running cross country, you are aware of the significance of endurance and setting long-term goals; the same thing is true for college. Athletes who participate in cross country and run on high school track teams are eligible for a wide variety of scholarships that can assist them in paying for college. Discover the free money for college that is waiting for you by looking through our list of scholarships for cross country runners.
Fencing Scholarships
Fencing is a specialized skill that can help add additional money to your savings for college. There are a variety of scholarship opportunities available from leagues and associations, despite the fact that most colleges do not offer participation in this sport. Check out our directory of awards and get an assault on scholarship opportunities in the sport of fencing.
Field Hockey Scholarships
Are you interested in playing field hockey at the collegiate level and continuing your athletic career? There are field hockey scholarships available to players of varying skill levels, and these scholarships can be used for either a varsity level team at a university, a recreational club, or an intramural group. Browse through our listing of available scholarships for field hockey players and submit your application online.
Football Scholarships
Some of the most prestigious and sought-after athletic scholarships are those that allow the recipient to participate in college football. They are also one of the more competitive ways to find funding for college, which makes them a less desirable option. Check out our list of football scholarships to see if you qualify for any financial aid to help pay for college. If you play football for your high school team, you may be eligible for some of these awards.
Golf Scholarships
If you are able to get on the green, there is a chance that you will receive some green! Golf scholarships are a fantastic opportunity to help keep your college funding at a satisfactory level. You just need to know where to look in order to find golf scholarships; it might even be easier than trying to put a tiny ball into a hole that’s 500 yards away. The best place to begin your search for free money for college is with our directory of golf scholarships, which can be found here.
Gymnastics Scholarships
This directory of scholarship opportunities is sure to be a hit with gymnasts! Gymnastics is a very difficult and demanding sport that calls for a high degree of talent in addition to a lot of hard practice. Gymnasts need to compete against one another not only for a seat on a school’s gymnastics team but also for scholarships. If you are a gymnast who wants to add more money to your college fund, you can start your search for gymnastic scholarships here and get the ball rolling on building up your college savings.
Ice Hockey Scholarships
You may be aware that ice hockey is a sport that is known for its rough play and intense competition, but you may not be aware that there are a number of ice hockey scholarships available to players. That’s right, and if you play ice hockey for your high school or for a local club or league while you were in high school, there may be money set aside for you to use toward your college education. Have a look through this directory to find some cool scholarships for ice hockey.
Lacrosse Scholarships
Lacrosse is a sport that has been played for a long time and offers many opportunities for academic scholarships. Lacrosse is a challenging sport, but there is a chance that you could get some financial assistance for your college education if you play. Check out this directory for information on how to find athletic scholarships if you play lacrosse for your high school or in a league in your community.
Rifle Scholarships
Take advantage of these scholarship opportunities that are available to marksmen. If you have an interest in riflery and intend to continue the sport either at the collegiate level or as a hobby after graduation, you should look into the possibility of receiving financial assistance in the form of a rifle scholarship. Apply for one of these rifle scholarships today to get the funding you need for your target.
Rowing Scholarships
In the same way that each stroke brings you closer to the end of the race, each scholarship application brings you closer to having enough money to pay for college. There are a wide variety of athletic scholarship opportunities available to both male and female student-athletes who are members of a crew team. Check out these rowing scholarships and “sweep” up the free money if you’re a member of a rowing crew.
Sailing Scholarships
These scholarships are specifically for people who have worked in the maritime industry. Consider applying for one or more of these sailing scholarships if you are interested in competing in sailboat racing at the collegiate level and need financial assistance to cover your education expenses. With this list of scholarships available to sailors, you won’t have to worry about going “overboard” in debt.
Skiing and Snowboarding Scholarships
Do you need a helping hand to locate some excellent financial aid opportunities for skiers and snowboarders? It is possible to earn money for college by participating in winter sports such as skiing or snowboarding if you have a passion for these activities. However, some of the best scholarships can be discovered right here in our skiing and snowboarding scholarship database. The top ski universities can be found in the mountains, but the best scholarships can be found right here.
Soccer Scholarships
Due to the ever-increasing popularity of this sport, more and more options for prospective players to obtain soccer scholarships are becoming available. There are hundreds of athletic scholarships for college that are available to these athletes, and whether you name it “football” or “soccer,” it doesn’t matter. Check out this directory of available scholarships for soccer players if you’re hoping to use your skills on the field to help pay for school.
Softball Scholarships
In a manner comparable to that of baseball, players of softball also have a number of opportunities to win scholarships worth money toward their college education. Athletes who participate in softball on their high school teams or in local leagues have a better chance of being offered scholarships to play the sport in college. Browse through our directory of softball scholarships today and hit a home run when it comes to funding for your college education.
Swimming Scholarships
Take advantage of these swimming scholarships to increase your chances of receiving financial aid for college at no cost to you. Spending time in the pool can be very beneficial, especially if you enjoy being near or in the water. A great place to begin your search for swimming scholarships is with this directory. Your supplemental income might be able to assist you in more ways than simply maintaining your current financial status at the university.
Tennis Scholarships
If you have a passion for the sport, you should use it to your advantage in order to win college tennis scholarships. Tennis players, whether they compete in singles or doubles, have the opportunity to supplement their educational funding with the help of these sports scholarships. The following is a list of scholarships available to tennis players that you can use to give your college funding a boost.
Track And Field Scholarships
Athletes who compete in track and field also have access to a significant number of scholarship opportunities, just like runners who compete in cross country. You do not necessary need to be a runner in order to compete as an athlete in track & field. Aside from that, athletes that compete in competitions such as the javelin throw, shot put, and high jump can qualify for scholarships. Check out these track and field scholarships if you want to find free money for college, regardless of whether your favorite event is the long jump or the 100-meter dash.
Volleyball Scholarships
Are you looking for scholarships for volleyball? Imagine that we are your pointer, pointing you in the direction of the ideal opportunity to drive these scholarship dollars into your savings for college. There is a possibility that you could be eligible to apply for one of these volleyball scholarships, regardless of whether you intend to play on a college team or in an intramural competition. Get started on your search, and you will quickly discover the free money for school that is just waiting for you to claim it.
Wrestling Scholarships
There is no need to “grapple” with the costs of your education. Free money for college is available to wrestlers in a variety of different ways. If you are a member of the wrestling team at your high school and have aspirations of continuing the sport at the collegiate level, you may be eligible for wrestling scholarships that are made available by colleges and other organizations. Find some fantastic wrestling scholarships in this list of available funding opportunities.
Source Unigo