Athletic Scholarships
Aid awarded for sporting level, performance, potential and team needs.
About scholarships
Higher education, elite competition and financial support in one pathway.
Through athletic scholarships, universities provide financial support to exceptional athletes, giving them access to high-level coaching, facilities and academic programs. Scholarships may cover tuition and can also include room, board or educational resources.
Academic Scholarships
Academic awards can complement athletic aid and reduce total cost.
Partial Scholarships
Common across many sports and often combined with other support.
Full Scholarships
Available in selected programs, but highly competitive and limited.
Sports with scholarships
Sports with scholarship opportunities.
A wide range of sports offer athletic scholarships at NCAA Division I and II, NAIA and NJCAA institutions. Some opportunities may be full awards, while many are partial scholarships that can be combined with academic aid.
Men’s sports
- Football
- Basketball
- Baseball
- Soccer
- Track & Field / Cross Country
- Swimming & Diving
- Golf
- Tennis
- Wrestling
- Ice Hockey
- Lacrosse
- Volleyball
- Gymnastics
Women’s sports
- Basketball
- Soccer
- Softball
- Volleyball
- Track & Field / Cross Country
- Swimming & Diving
- Tennis
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Field Hockey
- Ice Hockey
- Rowing
- Lacrosse
- Beach Volleyball
- Bowling
University leagues
NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA opportunities.
The main U.S. college sports associations have different structures, competition levels, scholarship rules and eligibility expectations.
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The NCAA is the largest governing body for U.S. college sports. Division I offers the highest-performance environment, Division II balances strong competition with academics, and Division III prioritizes academics without athletic scholarships.
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
NAIA institutions offer competitive programs, scholarship opportunities and a flexible pathway for many international student-athletes.
National Junior College Athletic Association
NJCAA programs provide an accessible two-year college route, development opportunities and a pathway to transfer into four-year institutions.
Eligibility requirements
Academic and athletic standards matter.
Sporting ability opens the conversation. Academic standing, eligibility and amateurism keep the opportunity open.
Academic Requirements
- Graduate from high school and complete the required core courses.
- Meet the GPA expectations for the association and university.
- Provide transcripts and qualifying test or English-language scores where required.
- Maintain academic progress after enrollment.
Athletic Requirements
- Demonstrate performance and potential through relevant competition.
- Match the roster needs and standards of the college program.
- Register with the appropriate eligibility center when required.
- Respect recruitment, amateurism and financial-aid rules.
Compliance protects the athlete’s opportunity.
Athletes must comply with NCAA, NAIA or NJCAA rules for recruitment, eligibility and financial aid.
Enrolled student-athletes must continue to meet GPA and credit-hour expectations.
The right pathway protects both competitive eligibility and progress toward a degree.