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How many division 1 basketball scholarships are there

Men’s Basketball Scholarships | How to Get a Basketball Scholarship

Less than one percent of high school athletes will go on to play NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball—but we already knew the competition was tough. Even though the odds of landing a scholarship are slim, it isn’t impossible. There are several competitive opportunities, from NCAA Division 1 to JUCO programs, where athletic scholarships are available. Division 1 college coaches offer headcount scholarships, meaning each player gets a full ride. NCAA Division 2, NAIA and JUCO programs, on the other hand, award equivalency scholarships. Coaches at these levels have a pool of athletic aid and they can distribute it to as many athletes as they want, so student-athletes could get partial scholarships. And while Division 3 college coaches can’t offer athletic scholarships, they still provide appealing financial packages that can cover a bulk of college costs.

Quick Links

NCAA basketball scholarships by division level

How to get a basketball scholarship

What are the odds of getting a basketball scholarship?

Can you play college basketball without a scholarship?

How many scholarships are available for men’s D1 basketball?

How to get a Division 1 basketball scholarship

Division 2 men’s basketball scholarships

Division 3 men’s basketball scholarships

NAIA men’s basketball scholarships

JUCO men’s basketball scholarships

Basketball scholarship requirements

Best colleges for basketball scholarships

How many full ride scholarships for basketball?

NCAA basketball scholarships by division level

Division Level	Number of Teams	Total Athletes	Average Team Size	Scholarships Limit Per Team	Scholarship Limit Type
NCAA D1	353	5,522	16	13	Headcount
NCAA D2	313	5,251	17	10	Equivalency
NCAA D3	446	7,767	18	–	N/A
NAIA D1	93	1,864	20	11	Equivalency
NAIA D2	137	2,752	21	6	Equivalency
Other 4 year	92	1,394	15	–	N/A
JUCO	430	6,352	15	15	Equivalency
Other 2 year	145	1,988	14	–	N/A
Totals	2,009	32,890	17

When it comes to basketball scholarships, it’s important to understand the difference between a headcount scholarship and an equivalency scholarship. In NCAA Division 1, student-athletes receive headcount scholarships, which are full rides. In other words, coaches award exactly 13 full ride scholarships to 13 athletes, and they can’t distribute that money any other way. At the Division 2, NAIA and JUCO levels, college coaches offer equivalency scholarships. Coaches are given a pool of scholarship funds and they can distribute it to as many athletes as they want. Therefore, depending on the program, some athletes will receive partial scholarships at these levels.

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How to get a basketball scholarship

Every coach has a specific set of criteria they look for when recruiting student-athletes. Here are the most important aspects you should keep in mind as you search for scholarships:

Compete at the highest level possible: To accurately assess a recruit’s ability to compete in college, coaches want to see them play against high-ranked recruits from across the country. That’s why AAU is so popular among top-tier programs—it provides recruits with a chance to play at the national level. However, this level of AAU is the most expensive as recruits are often required to travel to several tournaments. While club basketball can help, it isn’t a necessary requirement to securing a scholarship. Varsity high school teams can also offer great competitive opportunities.
Compete in the summer during live periods: Scheduling conflicts make it difficult for college coaches to watch recruits play in-person during the regular season. So, they turn to live periods. These stretches in the offseason allow coaches to hit the road and scout several players at once. Bottom line: playing in front of college coaches in the summer is essential.
Attend elite camps: In addition to tournaments, college coaches also evaluate recruits at elite camps. These events, which can be invitation only, attract top talent and college coaches from across the country. There’s one caveat—camps at a Division 1 school tend to invite Division 2 or 3 coaches to attend, as well, but more likely than not, no other Division 1 programs will be in attendance. Make sure to attend camps at schools that are at the top of the target list.
Excel academically. Grades and test scores matter to college coaches. First, for divisions that offer equivalency scholarships, academic aid can ease the burden on the coach to provide athletic aid. More importantly, it speaks to a recruit’s character. Coaches know that students who work hard in the classroom are responsible, independent and will have a smoother college transition than those who don’t.
Create a highlight film. The best way to secure an in-depth and in-person evaluation is by sending coaches highlight and game film. Highlight film acts as a first impression—it’s a quick way to show coaches a snapshot of the recruit’s skill set.
Be proactive. Despite what families may think, coaches don’t simply discover recruits. Unless they’re one of the very best players in the country, recruits need to do some work to get noticed by college coaches. This is especially important in basketball where student-athletes are still allowed to talk to coaches via phone when they’re the ones initiating the contact. Don’t sit around: research, email and call coaches.
Know your best college fit. Lastly, don’t forget to visit the college roster for every team on your target list. The last thing families want to do is waste their time emailing coaches at schools that aren’t a good fit. Here are a few things student-athletes should look at: the players who are in their position (are they seniors who are graduating?), athletic stats (how do they measure up?) and backgrounds (does the coach recruit from a particular region or tournament?)

What are the odds of getting a basketball scholarship?

In short: It isn’t easy, but it isn’t impossible either. From NCAA Division 1 to JUCO, there are 32,890 men’s basketball athletes across 2,009 programs. The odds of a high school basketball player making a Division 1 basketball roster is 105:1, and the odds of a high school basketball player making any college roster is 18:1.

Division 1 basketball is a headcount sport—so coaches have exactly 13 full-ride scholarships that they can award to 13 players. Division 2 is an equivalency sport, so coaches can award full scholarships or divide their funds and offer partial scholarships across athletes. If we break it down to these two NCAA divisions, it comes out to 10,773 athletes competing for 7,719 scholarships. From an NAIA perspective, we’re talking 4,616 athletes competing for 1,845 basketball scholarships. JUCO offers the most opportunity as these programs can award a maximum of 15 scholarships per team and the average team size is 15 players.

Can you play college basketball without a scholarship?

Yes, but it is very unlikely. Basketball players on NCAA Division 1 teams who aren’t on a scholarship are called walk-ons. Some Division 1 schools hold tryouts where they bring on one to two walk-ons. But these players typically never see any actual playing time. Plus, recruits could be competing against an athlete who already has an established relationship with the college coach—some coaches will recruit walk-ons for their team, known as a “preferred walk-on.”

NCAA Division 2, NAIA programs and JUCO colleges are more willing to allow walk-ons to compete for roster spots—and even earn a scholarship. For example, a student-athlete could walk on to a Division 2 program their freshman year and then earn a scholarship the next year and year after as these coaches award partial scholarships and renew them on a yearly basis.

How many scholarships are available for men’s D1 basketball?

Division 1 men’s basketball scholarships per team: 13
Total # of men’s basketball teams: 353
Avg. team size: 16

NCAA Division 1 scholarships are hard to come by. Less than one percent of high school athletes will compete at this level. Each Division 1 men’s basketball program can award 13 full athletic scholarships. These scholarships, called headcount scholarships, cover all college costs, including tuition, housing, books, etc. After the 13 scholarships have been handed out, additional athletes can walk on to the team, but aren’t eligible for athletic aid.

How to get a D1 basketball scholarship

The first thing you need to know about NCAA Division 1 scholarships is that coaches recruit early. And we mean early—in some cases middle school. So, if a student-athlete is looking to land a Division 1 scholarship, they need to be on a coach’s radar before their junior year. Then, obviously, they need to be good. These are the best collegiate basketball players across the country and coaches are extremely selective when offering athletic scholarships. Elite Division 1 athletes rank nationally, such as making the ESPN Top 150 list. Less than one percent of high school athletes go on to play Division 1 basketball.

Division 1 coaches typically find top recruits through AAU club teams as they roster top talent and compete nationally. But AAU ball is by no means the required path to competing in college outside of Division 1. Playing in tournaments over the summer is an important way to getting coach exposure. Another option is to attend an elite camp hosted by the college. In this case, families want to make sure they’re picking camps where the student-athlete is a good fit athletically and academically to maximize their chances of being evaluated. Remember that academics do matter to college coaches. The higher a recruit’s GPA and test scores, the more doors that will open for them.

Most importantly, student-athletes need to be proactive. They should create a highlight film, obtain game film and create an online profile showcasing their stats and academic information. Then—and we can’t reiterate this enough—they need to contact college coaches. Send them an introductory email, follow up when it’s relevant and let coaches know when they’ll be calling. Basketball is unique in that student-athletes and coaches can talk via phone when the recruit initiates the contact. So, coaches aren’t allowed to call recruits, but if the student-athlete puts the work in and reaches out to them by phone, coaches can talk to them. If student-athletes aren’t hearing back, they might be reaching out to programs that aren’t an athletic fit. This is when families can lean on their high school or club coach to help them build a list of realistic target schools.

How many Division 2 men’s basketball scholarships are there?

Maximum scholarships available per team: 10
Total # of D2 men’s basketball teams: 313
Avg. team size: 17

NCAA Division 2 coaches are allowed to award a maximum of 10 men’s basketball scholarships per team. Unlike NCAA Division 1, these are equivalency scholarships: college coaches receive a pool of athletic aid and they decide how many athletes receive athletic scholarships. Therefore, some players will be offered partial scholarships instead of full rides.

Division 3 men’s basketball scholarships

Maximum scholarships available per team: 0
Total # of D3 men’s basketball teams: 446
Avg. team size: 18

It’s true that NCAA Division 3 schools can’t offer athletic scholarships. However, they do leverage other types of aid the recruit might qualify for, such as academic scholarships, merit-based aid and grants, to create a competitive scholarship package. Division 3 is mostly made up of small private schools, so they tend to have these kinds of funds readily available. In fact, 82 percent of all Division 3 athletes receive some form of aid. Student-athletes with high test scores and a strong GPA will benefit the most from Division 3 scholarships.

NAIA basketball scholarships

Division 1

Maximum scholarships available per team: 11
Total # of NAIA D1 men’s basketball teams: 93
Avg. team size: 20

Division 2

Maximum scholarships available per team: 6
Total # of NAIA D2 men’s basketball teams: 137
Avg. team size: 21

There are currently two basketball divisions within NAIA and they each award their own maximum number of scholarships. NAIA Division 1 offers 11 scholarships per team, while NAIA Division 2 offers six per team. However, the NAIA is set to combine these two divisions beginning with the 2020-21 school year, and at this time, each team can award up to eight scholarships. Furthermore, the NAIA will continue using the equivalency model where coaches receive athletic funds and decide how to distribute scholarships among athletes. Typically, to make the most of their recruiting efforts, coaches award multiple athletes on their team with partial scholarships. That does mean, however, that some student-athletes need to supplement with other types of aid, such as academic scholarships and need-based aid.

JUCO men’s basketball scholarships

Maximum scholarships available per team: 15
Total # of NJCAA men’s basketball teams: 430
Avg. team size: 15

Junior college is not as cut and dry when it comes to men’s basketball scholarships. First, it depends on the division. There are three divisions within the NJCAA, and only Division 1 and 2 can offer athletic scholarships to basketball players. Even more, Division 1 is the only division that can offer a full ride. Division 2 is allowed to cover tuition, fees and books, but they can’t pay for housing. In addition to an athletic scholarship, both divisions will pay for an athlete’s transportation costs to and from the college by direct route once per year.

Basketball scholarship requirements

Every potential NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 college-athlete is required to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center and submit their transcripts and SAT/ACT test scores and answer questions pertaining to their amateur status. In order to secure a roster spot and athletic scholarship, student-athletes must meet the academic requirements and be cleared by the Eligibility Center.

While the requirements differ slightly between Division 1 and Division 2, the overall method for determining eligibility is the same: student-athletes must pass 16 core courses throughout high school, maintain a minimum GPA in these core courses and pass the NCAA Sliding Scale. Learn more about the specific Eligibility Center requirements to better understand the GPA and test scores you need to qualify.

What are the best colleges for basketball scholarships?

The key to securing a basketball scholarship is finding college programs that are the best athletic fit. Think about it this way—coaches are going to prioritize scholarships to their strongest players, so student-athletes need to find programs where they can make an impact right away. If a recruit’s athletic ability doesn’t quite match up, the coach is less inclined to offer a scholarship opportunity.

To help you in your search, we’ve compiled a list of the best colleges for basketball scholarships across all the division levels. Recruits interested in these programs should visit the team’s roster to determine if they’re an athletic fit and learn more about the coach’s recruiting method, such as which areas they recruit in. Here’s a look into the best colleges within each level:

Top men’s basketball colleges: University of North Carolina, UCLA, Stanford University, University of Michigan, University of Florida, University of Virginia, Princeton University, Duke University, University of California, Harvard University.
Top D1 men’s basketball colleges: University of North Carolina, UCLA, Stanford University, University of Michigan, University of Florida, University of Virginia, Princeton University, Duke University, University of California, Harvard University.
Top D2 men’s basketball colleges: University of California—San Diego, Bentley University, Point Loma Nazarene University, California State Polytechnic University—Pomona, Rollins College, Bellarmine University, California State University—Chico, Western Washington University, Truman State University, Grand Valley State University.
Top D3 men’s basketball colleges: John Hopkins University, Emory University, Amherst College, University of California—Santa Cruz, California Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Hamilton College, Pomona-Pitzer College, University of Chicago, Trinity University—Texas.
NAIA: Asbury University, University of Michigan—Dearborn, Concordia University—Nebraska, St. Ambrose University, Bethel University—Indiana, Aquinas College—Michigan, College of the Ozarks, Loyola University New Orleans, Taylor University, Indiana Wesleyan University.
JUCO (according to the NJCAA): Florida SouthWestern State (FL), Vincennes (IN), Coffeyville (KS), Ranger (TX), John A. Logan (IL), Casper (WY), Odessa (TX), Northwest Florida State (FL), Chipola (FL), South Plains (TX)

How many full ride scholarships for basketball are there?

In NCAA Division 1 basketball, coaches can offer a maximum of 13 scholarships per team. These are called headcount scholarships, also known as full-ride scholarships. The average NCAA Division 1 team rosters 16 athletes, so there might be three players on the team who walked on and don’t qualify for athletic aid.

At the Division 2, NAIA and JUCO levels, college coaches award equivalency scholarships. This means they can distribute their allocated athletic aid to as many players as they wish. Therefore, you’ll often find student-athletes on partial scholarships, especially at the D2 and NAIA levels. Even though JUCO programs offer equivalency scholarships, they receive a maximum 15 per team, which usually means athletes receive close to full-ride scholarships here.

However, not all college basketball programs are fully funded. For example, a Division 2 coach is allowed to offer a maximum of 10 scholarships per team, but their budget may only allow for seven. So the best way to fully understand your financial aid package opportunities is to connect directly with a college coach at a program you’re interested in—and the same goes for Division 3. Even though D3 coaches can’t award athletic scholarships, they can still work with the admissions department to create appealing aid packages for student-athletes.

How Many Scholarships are There for D1 Basketball?

According to recent statistics, there are over 500,000 high school boys basketball players in the United States alone. Out of these half a million boys, only a minuscule number ever go on to play Division 1 college basketball. In this article, we will look at how many scholarships in D1 basketball are available and how to increase your chances for basketball college recruiting.

What are the Chances of Getting a D1 Basketball Scholarship?

In 2018-19, there are 551,373 high school boys plus 412,407 girls basketball players in America. That’s quite a large number, isn’t it? So, what are the chances of getting a D1 basketball scholarship? Honestly, it’s pretty slim. Let us break the subject down, and let’s do the math.

In the NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball, each of the 353 teams may field 16 players. Out of the 16, only 13 receive a full headcount scholarship. That means there are only 4,589 scholarships available for men’s D1 college basketball. That’s a percent probability of 0.83% or a 1: 120 odds.

Unless you’re ranked in the 99th percentile in high school basketball, there is basically no way for you to get a D1 basketball scholarship. But here’s the catch: D1 basketball is not the only way to secure a scholarship. Before we go deeper into that, let’s first differentiate the two types of scholarship– the headcount and equivalency.

We have already mentioned the headcount scholarship in passing. What does that mean exactly? A player in a headcount scholarship implies the individual is getting a full-ride athletic scholarship. On the other hand, equivalency scholarship means the allotted scholarship money is spread among the players. Hence, it is a partial scholarship; it’s not a full-ride, but it’s better than nothing.

Now, as we have pointed out, D1 basketball teams offer 13 headcount scholarships. Unfortunately, if you did not receive one scholarship offer, it would be smart to take your chances in the lower division and even junior college. Between NCAA D2, NAIA D1, NAIA D2, and JUCO (Junior College), 42 equivalency scholarships are offered on each team.

We know it’s not as “glamourous” as Division 1 basketball, but junior colleges offer 15 equivalency scholarships per team. That means if you make a junior college basketball roster, you will receive partial scholarship money to advance your education.

How Many D1 Athletes Get Scholarships?

It has been previously noted that there are 4,589 scholarships available for Division 1 men’s basketball. In women’s D1 basketball, the number is even more since each of the 354 basketball teams can give out 15 headcount scholarships.

Now, how many D1 athletes across all sports get scholarships? We could not say for sure, but according to the NCAA’s official website, there are over 180,000 student-athletes with scholarships in Division 1 and Division II.

Another statistic estimates that there are a total of 176,000 student-athletes in NCAA Division 1. However, in the 24 sports being competed at, only six offer headcount scholarships. These sports are men’s and women’s basketball, tennis, women’s gymnastics, FBS football (formerly called Division 1-A football), and women’s volleyball. The rest offers a partial or equivalency scholarship.

How Many Scholarships Can D1 Basketball Give?

Division 1 basketball can give out a total of nearly 10,000 basketball scholarships for men and women. There are 353 D1 men’s basketball teams that can give out 13 scholarships, while the 354 D1 women’s basketball teams can award 15 headcount scholarships.

Actually, Division 1 men’s basketball can go with a team of 16 players. The three extra bodies are called walk-ons, but they do not have full-ride scholarships. They may be eligible for one the next season, but that is still not a guarantee.

Interestingly enough, several NBA players began their college careers as walk-ons. (Many aspiring basketball players turn down offers from D2 or D3 schools and take a chance of being a walk-on so they can play in a famous program.)

Some of them are Andre Drummond (he was a 5-star recruit at UConn, but circumstances forced him to be a walk-on because there were no scholarships available at the time he committed), Jeff Hornacek (Iowa State), and Scottie Pippen (a walk-on manager at Central Arkansas). Ben Wallace played at a community college while Dennis Rodman played at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, an NAIA school.

What Do D1 Basketball Coaches Look For?

Even though the odds of getting a D1 basketball scholarship are slim, there is no reason to give up on your dream this early. If you are still young, perhaps in the sixth or seventh grade, you will need to work on your basketball skills to put yourself on the coach’s radar by the time you are in the ninth grade.

Speaking of coaches, what do Division 1 basketball coaches look for in their potential recruits? After all, no matter how talented you can get, coaches still search for the “intangibles” or the “immeasurables” as they go about in the recruiting process. Here are a few things:

Most college basketball coaches refrain from making a decision based on one live game. They follow their recruiting targets throughout the season. If you’re looking to get recruited, be consistent in everything you do. If you put on a show in front of Mike Krzyzewski one night and play disinterested against an unranked team the next, that’s not going to be good for your resume.
Basketball coaches look for somebody who plays hard and with an endless motor. This trait gives them a window into your mentality as a basketball player. Why? Because playing hard is something that you can entirely control. Whether or not you’re hitting your shots, playing hard is all about self-discipline.

Coaches evaluate recruits differently, but every single one of them values character highly. They want someone who will positively represent the school or community. A coach is, well, a coach, and they will lose it if they’d have to babysit their players because someone can’t control their party ways.
You also need to be coachable. To be coachable means, you can be taught or trained to do better. That is why part of the recruiting process is talking to your high school coaches about your coachability. If they don’t see that in you when you’re 13 or 14, they would probably look in the other direction. How do you show that you’re coachable? Be willing to change bad habits and be open to honest feedback. And don’t forget to thank everyone who’s giving up their time to help you improve your game.
You need to excel academically. Of course, your coaches will probably put out a good word for you, but having good grades is a clear indication of your work ethic. It shows that you hold yourself to a standard.
Coaches are very interested in knowing your attitude and character, but all of that is for naught if you don’t have the skillset. You need to develop the fundamental basketball skills to a high level such as shooting, ballhandling, passing, and overall decision-making,
Speaking of decision making, coaches often value a high basketball IQ. Having a high basketball IQ means you have the ability to read defenses, react accordingly, and be a step ahead of the opposition. That level of intelligence is sought-after since it tends to elevate the play of your teammates.

7 Tips on How to Get a Basketball Scholarship

1. Play against the highest quality of opponents possible. As the famous adage goes, “Iron sharpens iron.” One way to fast-track your development is to test yourself against the highest level of competition. This ultimately depends on your circumstances, but don’t hold out playing against the top teams in your age bracket as much as possible.

2. Do your homework. Unless you’re a phenom like Zion Williamson, the chances of some college coach knocking at your door and offering you a scholarship are remote. Make yourself get noticed by contacting the coaches via email or phone. Research about a particular college and see if it’s the right fit.

3. Make a highlight film. Mixtapes or highlight clips will give the coaches an idea of your skillset. Since you won’t meet these coaches in person, this is an excellent way to make a nice first impression. Another thing to keep in mind when creating a highlight film: Ditch all the fancy editing and confounding music. Keep it clean and simple.

4. Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center. This is a straightforward but often overlooked process. This registration is done to certify and validate that you are an amateur athlete. Many missed their chance to play college ball just because they neglected this step.

5. Take care of your body. Be careful of what you eat and drink because, at some point, it’s going to bite you hard. Staying in top condition is hard enough, but you are not doing yourself any favors if you’re consuming junk food and soda all the time.

6. Stay out of trouble. Coaches and schools do not want distractions, so never provide them one. Staying out of trouble is also a testament to your discipline and work ethic. Many talented student-athletes are left out in the recruiting process because they make one wrong decision after another, primarily if it becomes publicly known via social media.

7. Build on your strengths, improve your weaknesses. There is always room for improvement. If you continue building on the things you are good at while at the same time cracking down on your weaknesses, you are making yourself quite an unstoppable force.

Wrapping Things Up: How Many Scholarships are There for D1 Basketball?

The chances of securing a Division 1 basketball scholarship are very slim. Statistically, there is only a 0.83% chance or a 1:120 odds of that happening.

There are 353 D1 teams and only 13 headcount scholarships available for each team. That means only 4,589 scholarships are up for grabs in D1 men’s basketball. From a recent statistic, there over 500,000 high school boys basketball players in the country. You do the quick math, and it leads you to the magic number– a 0.83% chance of landing a coveted D1 basketball scholarship.

To be honest, that’s not much. That’s less than 1 in 100 student-athletes. Realistically speaking, unless you’re some high school basketball phenom, chances are, you’re mail is not going to be flooded with invitations anytime soon.

Still, you don’t need to fret. If you are still relatively young, perhaps in the seventh to eighth grade, you can do a lot of things to improve your game and put yourself on the map for college recruitment.

One way of doing that is by developing your character and attitude. Coaches like disciplined and mature young men because it implies that they are coachable and know what it takes to win. Of course, basketball skills will always be at the forefront of basketball college recruiting, but good grades, impeccable character record, and mental fortitude are also factored in heavily.

Whatever the case, may it not bother you knowing how many scholarships in D1 basketball are available. If basketball is really your passion, you can always go to college basketball tryouts or opt for Division 2, Division 3, and even the Junior College route. It’s not the smoothest of roads, but if it means you will play basketball and secure a scholarship, maybe that’s not so bad after all.

Did you find this helpful? Then also check out other basketball FAQ articles here.

> How to Get Better at Basketball: Tips & Drills

> How to Play Basketball Overseas: The Ultimate Guide

> What are the 5 Basic Skills of Basketball?

US University Athletic Scholarship

US University Athletic Scholarship is the dream of every American sports student. However, talented applicants from any country can study for free at a university in the States.

You can think about getting a sports scholarship if you achieve great success in sports. It does not matter in what specific form it is - you can always find a scholarship for yourself. The main difference between a sports scholarship and an academic scholarship is that it is enough to simply submit an application for the latter, indicating the applicant's interest in obtaining funding for education and / or accommodation for the period of study at the university. And in order to qualify for an athletic scholarship, you must actively and successfully participate in the sports life of your educational institution.

Choosing a university

It is better to start looking for a university that provides scholarships to athletes in advance - one and a half, or even two years before admission.

To begin with, it is necessary to narrow the circle - to select a maximum of 50 universities. This can be done, for example, using this site, where, according to the parameters indicated by the student, the system makes a selection from suitable educational institutions. There are also sports-specific websites. For example, tennis or swimming. Then there is the question of choosing a sports association and division.

Sports associations

There are several sports associations in the USA.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is the largest association with more than 900 higher education institutions. Here you can:

find all the necessary information about recruiting, rules and application procedure
find universities and colleges of the first, second or third division
learn all about possible financial assistance.

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) - this includes a smaller number of universities - about 350 - but there are good sports programs and athletic scholarships.

National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) - Only two-year colleges are represented here.

Divisions

There are three divisions in total. The first and second are large universities with a large number of students and considerable scholarship budgets. They themselves allocate funds to support successful students in sports. The third is small, not very popular educational institutions, whose sports funding is small.

Division III colleges and Ivy League universities do not provide athletic scholarships as such from athletic associations. However, they receive funding from other sources. This, in turn, enables them to provide financial support to their students.

Obviously, the easiest way to get into the universities of the third division. Due to their low popularity, there are few up-and-coming athletes. It will also be easier to get into a non-popular university in the first division than to get into a university that is among the top thirty in the rankings of the second.

After choosing a division and an association, you must register with the certification center of one or more associations: NCAA or NAIA.

US University Athletic Scholarship: How to get it

The Athletic Scholarship is provided by the university's sports department, in which the athletic director and coaches have the lead and final say.

For those living in the US, getting an athletic scholarship is not as difficult as it is for others. So, a recruiter should get to a game or performance - a person who attends games or performances to search for talented students in sports.

If a student lives in another country, and, accordingly, he does not have the opportunity to invite a recruiter to a match or competition, after choosing a university and registering in one of the sports associations, you must write a motivation letter to the coaches of the selected colleges, accompanying it with evidence of your sports achievements. Perhaps the most convenient way would be to shoot a short video about them and put it on the network, and then insert a link to it in your letter. It's very visual. In addition, a video on the Internet is not a material medium, so it will not be lost anywhere. It is important that the video be memorable and short while demonstrating the candidate's outstanding training results.

If a university is interested in a candidate for a future scholarship holder, a trainer or sports director usually contacts the applicant within a month. If the answer never came, you can remind yourself: call or write to the college, ask if they received the previous letter. Usually colleges and universities have departments for working with foreign students. It is with them that you should contact in case of delay in the consideration of documents. Contacts can always be found on the official website of the educational institution.

It is interesting that receiving an offer to play for a university and giving an athlete a scholarship does not mean admission to the university itself and does not even guarantee that the applicant will be accepted. Therefore, no one canceled a good level of academic preparation and the usual procedure for entering a college.

To enroll in the university, the scholarship holder will need to pass exams and collect the necessary documents.

Summary. In addition to the basic information, you need to indicate your physical data and qualities, the history of sports achievements, participation in competitions for the team of the school, city, and so on, information about the coach and other additional information.
Educational documents (certificate and/or diploma with attachment) translated into English and notarized.
Transcript - a document listing and describing the courses taken, the number of hours listened and grades. In America, it may be called CRF (Cumulative Record File), Permanent Record, Academic Transcript or College Transcript. Only a few Russian educational institutions issue such documents. Therefore, it is possible that you will have to make a transcript yourself.
SAT results. The Scholastic Assessment Test is a standardized test that must be passed for admission to higher education institutions in the United States. This exam is administered by the non-governmental organization College Board. You can take it up to seven times a year in the country and up to six times a year outside it. In Russia, three specialized centers for passing the SAT are located in Moscow, in Ukraine - in Kyiv. You can register, view the schedule and learn more about the SAT on their official website.
Most likely, you will also need to pass the TOEFL, a language exam that confirms a certain level of English proficiency. However, some educational institutions accept students without this certificate.

Athletic scholarship at a US university: features

In fact, an athletic scholarship is a contract between an athlete and a university. The athlete competes for the college, and the college pays for this by paying for his education.

The list of sports funded by scholarships is quite wide: from basketball and rowing to fencing and lacrosse. Of course, not all universities have scholarships for all sports. Most often, universities specialize in some specific ones, which can be found on the official website of the educational institution.

Athletic scholarships are officially awarded for one year. For their prolongation it is necessary:

annually prove to the coach your sports achievements
help the varsity team compete successfully.

On the other hand, it is not so easy to lose a sports scholarship - you have to miss training, study poorly, violate discipline.

The scholarship does not usually cover all of the student's tuition and living expenses. For only six sports in the universities of the first division, an athlete can receive full funding. These are football, basketball (male and female), gymnastics (women), tennis and volleyball. Most often, the National Association allocates a certain amount to the educational institution. And already within the university, this money is distributed to all scholarship holders, who are sometimes very numerous. All this is done in order to attract more good athletes.

American schools do not have a specialization in sports. Representing his college in competitions, the student must still choose to study any scientific direction. The student is not limited in the choice of disciplines.

A huge advantage of athletic scholarships is that a foreigner has a great chance of getting it. The American government is interested in attracting talented and successful athletes to the country.

US Athletic Scholarships - GetInUni.com

Continuing a university career in the United States is the only way to combine sports with higher education.

One of the most important factors in deciding to study in the United States is the availability of athletic and academic scholarships to help cover the cost of these studies.

The United States University System is the only system in the world that provides such a large number of athletic scholarships. Sometimes the size of sports scholarships can reach up to 60,000 dollars a year.

Why do American colleges and universities offer athletic scholarships?

It is impossible to imagine a university system without sports. Athletes are a key element of this system and receive excellent support.

In order to achieve the best athletic performance among their students, universities try to recruit the best players for their team by recruiting players from the United States and countries around the world through athletic scholarships that help these student-athletes meet their university expenses. Student athletes are treated like professionals and can earn an excellent reputation at their university.

There are about 200 sports scholarships on the market each year for student-athletes. These scholarships may be full or partial.

These scholarships are awarded to student athletes who are part of one of the university's sports teams. Scholarships tend to be different for each student-athlete and cover a certain percentage of university expenses - even all expenses in some cases.

Scholarship expenses include: tuition and fees, books, accommodation, food and medical insurance.

In addition, all student athletes receive the following free of charge: training and competition, sports equipment, team travel, academic tutoring, sports medicine and coaching.

If a student-athlete receives a full athletic scholarship, all costs mentioned above will be covered. For partial scholarships, a certain percentage of the total costs mentioned above will be covered.

Athletic scholarships are provided by university coaches and determine the percentage of the scholarship a student-athlete will receive.

University organizations that offer athletic scholarships in the US

NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association)

This is the largest organization in American universities. This organization provides the largest number of scholarships each year, and usually for a large number of sports. The NCAA has three divisions, each with its own characteristics and level of athletic achievement.

NCAA Division I : Most prestigious universities belong to this division. These are universities of large size and with a wide variety of sports. NCAA Division I has the largest budget for hiring athletes, which is why they offer the most scholarships.

NCAA Division II : This division is formed by universities of very high athletic and academic excellence. Many NCAA Division 2 universities compete at a higher level than some universities in the NCAA Division 1. But as a rule, a smaller number of students with slightly less modest athletic achievements fall into this division, so they fall into the NCAA Division 2 category.

NCAA Division III : This division does not offer athletic scholarships. But thanks to this unit, you can get an academic scholarship or financial assistance based on family income.

NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)

The NAIA is made up of universities that are generally smaller than NCAA Division I universities but still have a high academic and athletic standard among students.

NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association)

NJCAA consists of 2-year universities. They offer the first 2 years of general education, after which the student must transfer to a university of a certain profile in order to then receive a bachelor's degree. The NJCAA is commonly used as a platform for students to attend a university in the United States, after which they can use their impressive grades and athletic performance to transfer to a larger university.

How to get a sports scholarship?

More than a thousand American colleges and universities offer talented students the opportunity to play on a college team as a means of paying for their education.

The key to success in finding sports scholarships is to carefully study your options and find the right opportunities. Some points to consider when starting your search:

Start your preparations early. The application process is competitive and requires careful planning. Begin your study approximately 18-24 months before the date you plan to attend university in the United States.
Find your country in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) International Standards for Student Athletes.
See the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) list of sports to find the exact universities in the US that offer scholarships in the sport of interest.

List of the following sports associations offering sports scholarships and grants.

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)
beRecruited
Athletic Scholarships

You may also want to consider writing a sports resume that includes your sporting achievements and recording videos of your workouts. Start thinking about letters of recommendation from your coaches and other mentors to help them express their opinion about your potential to succeed and receive an athletic scholarship.

What do I need to do to receive a sports scholarship?

Create a profile on one of the sports association websites to maximize your chances of going to college and receiving an athletic scholarship so that you can be seen by as many university sports representatives as possible. Usually, this is all the student can do at this stage. Further, the decision depends on the coaches browsing specific databases on these sites in order to find talented athletes.

But here are some tips to increase your chances.

Having an online profile on one of the association websites is the best way to get in touch with college coaches and let them know about you. College coaches from NCAA Division 1, Division 2, Division 3 schools every day look for talented athletes and award athletic scholarships.
Don't be afraid to contact college coaches. At the same time, be sure to ask questions and show the coach that you are really interested in their sports program.
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