Scholarships
FAQs
Funding
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Athletic scholarships in the U.S. can cover tuition, housing, meals, books, and sometimes travel or medical costs, with full scholarships typically offered in high-profile sports at NCAA Division I schools. Partial scholarships are more common and can be combined with academic aid. Academic scholarships, based on grades and achievements, often cover tuition and may be available to international students at some colleges. The amount of funding available varies by sport, division, and institution.
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A scholarship does not include the cost of flying to and from the US. In addition, any personal expenses that you might incur whilst you are studying in the US do not fall within the scholarship offer.
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It depends on the school and the scholarship terms, but most athletic scholarships are awarded on a year-by-year basis. Coaches typically renew these annually based on academic and athletic performance, your commitment to maintaining an improving performance, and your conduct on and off the field.
You don’t usually need to reapply, but you must meet the terms of your scholarship (GPA, team participation, eligibility rules).
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No — not all U.S. colleges offer athletic scholarships. NCAA Division I and II, NAIA, NJCAA, and some independent colleges offer athletic scholarships. However, NCAA Division III and Ivy League colleges do not offer athletic scholarships.
As a Varsity Nine student-athlete, you’ll be led through the process by our experienced staff, who will secure the best possible scholarship for you.
Eligibility
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We help male and female student-athletes aged 15-23 years old. If you apply with us when you are under 18 years old, you will not be enrolled in the US until you are 18 (once you have finished your final year of 6th form, or equivalent studies).
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You will need to meet academic requirements to be eligible to enrol at an American university. For most UK-based student-athletes, this will usually be a GPA minimum of 2.0, which must include GCSE English, Maths and Science - grade 4-9. For Non-UK based student-athletes, it will be an equivalent of this.
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We advise student-athletes to begin the process as early as possible. 18-24 months prior to the summer you wish to depart allows for the right lead up time to ensure all processes can be completed.
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Not all schools require the SAT exam, but for some institutions it is a requirement to have taken the exam, and typically achieved around 1100+ points to be accepted into the school. The SAT exam is a Maths and English multiple choice exam which supports your academic profile alongside your GPA. This is often viewed as a predictor of academic performance by American institutions.
Alongside a good GPA, performing well on a SAT exam can maximise your placement eligibility, academic scholarship and college programme opportunities. Varsity Nine offers SAT tutoring services to help support a student-athlete in achieving their best possible academic outcome to maximise their scholarship options.
Career
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US universities dominate educational ranking when it comes to the best universities worldwide. You will have an unparalleled learning experience and will graduate with a degree that is well recognised internationally.
Alongside a good GPA, performing well on a SAT exam can maximise your placement eligibility, academic scholarship and college programme opportunities. Varsity Nine offers SAT tutoring services to help support a student-athlete in achieving their best possible academic outcome to maximise their scholarship options.
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Yes, many athletes do — but it depends on the sport, your level, and exposure. College sports in the US are a proven pathway to professional leagues across sporting disciplines, with many notable athletes going pro after playing collegiate sports (including Mondo Duplantis, Ilona Maher, Katie Ledecky, Josh Kerr, Leon Marchand, and many more).
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Besides professional sport, there are plenty of career options available following graduation. International student-athletes can remain in the US by working full time in their field of study, securing a sponsorship with an employer, or studying a master’s degree. If you decide to return to your home country after graduation, your internationally recognised degree and skills you would have gained during your time in the US put you in good stead for many career paths.
Application
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If you'd like to find out more about US scholarships, please submit your details via the form linked below. A member of our dedicated athlete recruitment team will reach out to you with more information and to find out about your experience as an athlete.
