There are over 0.5 million student-athletes at U.S. universities, 3% of all students. Universities together spend $3–5 billion a year on sport, including athletic scholarships and financial aid. Scholarships can cover all costs or only part of them. That is why choosing the right school and negotiating knowledgeably is so important, and College Game Plan helps you do both.
The key to an athletic scholarship is finding a university team that matches your ability as closely as possible. A university is ready to offer one when its coach is convinced that you will help the team’s results.
Athletic scholarships
The number of athletic scholarships is limited by NCAA rules and by each university’s finances. Coaches can offer a full scholarship (a “full ride”) or split it among several athletes. Be ready to negotiate with the coach to get the largest scholarship possible. Coaches can award a scholarship for the whole course of study or renew it year by year. A successful candidate should aim for a scholarship that is guaranteed until the end of their studies.
Division I full scholarships
NCAA Division I universities may only give full scholarships (“full rides”) in the following sports:
• Men: basketball, football
• Women: tennis, basketball, volleyball, gymnastics
Other financial aid
A student can combine a partial athletic scholarship with the university’s own financial aid. Check each university’s rules and options. In NCAA Division III, athletic scholarships are replaced by financial aid, which universities use to recruit athletes for the same purpose.
The earlier you find out the funding options at your target schools, the more precise and targeted your choices and decisions can be. To do that, talk proactively and directly with university coaches and finance offices. Find out what the coach can offer this year, compare it with what your family can afford, and then make a rational choice together. College Game Plan helps you find your way through this process.