Athletic scholarships are some of the most common and highest value scholarships available. Full scholarships may be offered for post-secondary students in sports such as football, basketball, softball, volleyball and soccer. In different states and areas other sports such as hockey, track and field, lacrosse and even rowing may be offered at either a full scholarship or partial scholarship level. Other scholarships for golf and both individual and team sports are also common. Athletic scholarships are typically granted on a combination of athletic ability as well as academic standing. Recent changes in scholarships have increased the importance of the academic component of many of the athletic scholarships.
Most colleges and universities will offer their own athletic scholarships for most sports and athletic events. The best option when searching for athletic scholarships is to search by state or area. Some scholarships are considered to be guaranteed, which means they are not limited to a specific number of students. You do have to meet all the requirements to obtain the scholarship and they typically are not full scholarships. A listing of guaranteed scholarships by state can be found at the Guaranteed Scholarships website. The NCAA or National Collegiate Athletic Association is one of the largest scholarship providers in the United States for both sports and specialized, sports related scholarships. According to the NCAA, only schools that are members or affiliated with the organization can offer scholarships and only in Division 1 and 2 athletic programs. Other schools may offer different scholarships if they are not associated or affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association and are not bound by the same rules. In addition to these scholarships, others are offered by sport type, undergraduate or post-graduate level as well as by division or competition level. Students may be interested in scholarships for sports journalism, as well as special scholarships for women and minorities interested in a career in sports management and administration.
Since athletic scholarships are based largely on athletic ability, there is a considerable amount of recruitment that occurs prior to scholarship deadlines. Typically, coaches at the high school level will contact recruiters about potential scholarship candidates, then the coaches or recruiters will come out and observe the athlete during a game or match. After that a scholarship offer may be made based on the recruiter or coaches observation and possible interview with the candidate. In some cases, the athletes can also apply for the scholarship without the observation and ask coaches to follow up and complete the visit.
Students with athletic abilities in less common sports such as fencing, gymnastics, skiing, swimming, tennis and even wrestling can also apply for scholarships either from the NCAA or through their individual school, college or university. Keep in mind that athletic ability will be a major factor so becoming involved in as many competitions and events during and between the academic season will be beneficial when applying for scholarships.
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