Requirements for Athletic Scholarships

Applicants for an official license to play sports at university or college level in the USA must be between 18 and 24 years of age or no further than the 5th/6th Semester at university, as most scholarships are available only during undergraduate studies towards a Bachelors degree.
Ideally, you should want to begin studying in the USA immediately after graduating from high school (after grade 13 or 12 respectively) and thus be eligible for a scholarship for the full four undergraduate years. Each year you participate in sports as a member of a club after graduating from high school reduces your chances for a scholarship and will also shorten the length of the scholarship. Your chances are the greatest immediately after high school graduation (application one year before graduation!) as this gives the coaches the opportunity to rely on you continually and work with you for a longer period of time.

Being successful in the right sport

Scholarships are available for a total of 29 sports at college level. A certain range of sports is always offered, even though a few sports may or may not be offered every single year.

Women:
Archery, Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Equestrian, Fencing, Field Hockey, Golf, Gymnastics, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Rifle, Rowing, Skiing (Cross Country and Downhill), Soccer, Softball, Squash, Swimming and Diving, Sync. Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field (Indoor and Outdoor) Volleyball, Water Polo.

Men:
Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Fencing, Football, Golf, Gymnastics, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Rifle, Skiing (Cross Country und Downhill), Soccer, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track & Field (Indoor and Outdoor), Volleyball, Water Polo, Wrestling.

How does one define „performance“? Athletic competetiveness? Strength? Of course, these qualities are impossible to define internationally, except when the sport can be measured in terms of numbers, for example the time achieved in a 100m sprint, golf handicaps, etc. However, these statistics don’t really say much about the athlete’s competitiveness, his history as a player and his potential, all of which is vitally important to coaches. Everything counts: the complete picture of an athlete including his history as a player, his strengths, past successes, athletic skills etc. That is why the application for our athletic scholarship service is so detailed, because we use the information you provide in your application as potential background data for our service.

Academic background

It is the coaches who grant the scholarship, and one should think they focus on the applicant’s athletic achievements only. However, that’s not entirely true, as the applicant must be accepted by the college or university first in order to be eligible to play on its team at all.

Consequently, all international applicants have to be high school graduates. In addition, every single international applicant has to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), even if he has spent a year at an American high school or has taken other similar tests. The sports divisions also require applicants to take the SAT to be cleared in the licensing process. Both of these are academic tests that aim to asses the applicants’ proficiency in English (TOEFL) and English and Maths (SAT). A good grade point average in your high school graduation certificate boosts one’s chances of being accepted by a college as well.

Apply early and with all the required information

Usually, the coaches postpone their final decision on the Line Up of their teams until relatively late so as to keep all their options open until shortly before the application deadlines. As there is rarely enough time for a regular application to the college after the scholarships have been awarded, we encourage you to apply through us at least 6 months prior to your planned enrolment. The earlier you apply, the better your chances of securing scholarships with the most financial support.

As a general rule, coaches rarely accept personal applications, because
a) applicants cannot objectively judge their abilities
b) the applications lack important information
c) the eligibility-requirements are not fulfilled

Agencies such as sport-scholarships.com serve as a kind of screening-authority that checks whether the athletic and academic requirements of the applicants are met before the coaches take a look at them. It’s easy for coaches to get a good overall impression of the applicant who has applied through sport-scholarships.com, as our applications present all relevant information at first glance, including pictures and videos of the athlete. Coaches also rely on us when it comes to application procedures, as we have extensive background knowledge in that area through our connection with college-contact.com.

Scholarship-Ticker

Value of Scholarship-Offers
for our Clients in
the Year 2006/2007

over 4.500.000 US$

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