An athletic scholarships is a kind of merit award for students who excel at their sport. From 2020 to 2021, U.S. colleges with varsity athletic programs awarded almost $4.1 billion in athletic scholarships.
The aim of an athletic scholarship is to offset the costs of a college degree. They also help schools recruit talent for their sports teams. Because each division sets rules about athletic department funding, award amounts vary. Some are full-tuition awards while others may provide partial financial aid.
Over one thousand U.S. colleges and universities offer opportunities for talented students to play for the college team as a means of paying for their education.
What is an Athletic Scholarship?
The first thing you need to know about getting recruited and being awarded a college athletic scholarship is this. ” Don’t make the mistake of sitting around and waiting for the college coach to contact you; if your not one of the top high school athletes then you have to do it yourself.
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This means preparing an athletic profile and getting it into the hands of the coaches. The NCAA, (National Collegiate Athletic Association), has calculated that the opportunity to be recruited and compete in sports at the collegiate level is not easy
Financial aid may be available to those who qualify.
Top 10 Athletic Scholarships for Student-Athletes in 2022
The key to being successful in your search for athletic scholarships is to meticulously research your options and look for the right opportunities. Some points to consider as you begin your search:
- 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
- Sean Callahan Memorial Scholarship Fund
- Coach Wade Pittsford Scholarship
- Big Sun Scholarship
- Mike Frick Memorial Baseball Scholarship
How to Get Athletic Scholarships
- Start early. The application process is competitive and requires careful planning. Start your research approximately 18 to 24 months prior to the date you plan to attend a university in the United States.
- Graduate from secondary school or high school. Find your country in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) International Standards for Student-Athletes.
- Find a school. See the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Sports Listing to find participating U.S. institutions.
Sports scholarships
- National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
- National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)
- beRecruited
- Athletic Scholarships
NOTE: In some cases, once eligible, a student must apply for an athletic scholarship. But other times, a coach must recruit the applicant first.
About 1 in 14 high school athletes went on to play a varsity sport in college back in 2018. And 1 in 54 went on to play at NCAA Division I schools.
Are There Athletic Scholarships for Female Athletes?
There are many sources of scholarships for female athletes. Women now make up about 44% of student-athletes at NCAA schools. And, women’s NCAA teams now make up 54% of NCAA teams.
Women may receive athletic scholarships for the following sports:
- Basketball
- Soccer
- Volleyball
- Track and field
- Cross country
That is not to say there aren’t other sports with such awards. And some providers may not expect you to play sports in college. They may offer awards to help you study a field related to sports too.
Athletics Scholarship in the USA
We’re not going to lie, athletics, or track and field, is one of the toughest disciplines within collegiate sports in the US. However, reading this should not discourage you as you are probably a very competitive person. Otherwise, you would not have chosen this sport and be looking into a possible athletics scholarship, right?
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Coaches are always looking for new talent, however, sitting around waiting to get discovered won’t make it happen. Why not be proactive and send an e-mail to one of our sports consultants? You can also pick up the phone right now and give us a call to get more information? The US athletic scholarship system is complex and can get quite confusing at times and that’s exactly what we’re here for!
Visit here to apply for Athletic scholarships in the USA.
