How to Get a Soccer Scholarship
Each year more than $1 billion is awarded to over 126,000 student-athletes across the country. While there is no guarantee of getting a scholarship, there are ways to increase your chances. Get ahead of the class with this guide on how to cover your college expenses by doing what you love.
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Instructions
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Start by registering with the NCAA eligibility center. Although there is no deadline, the NCAA recommends that you register early--by the start of your junior year. And be sure to update your participation information regularly. For specific information on eligibility requirements refer to the college-bound student-athlete guide available at NCAA.org.
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Make sure you are taking the right steps and following all the rules outlined by the NCAA. Familiarize yourself with the academic and amateurism requirements in the college bound student athlete guide, and be sure that you are on track to meeting them. Academic refers to your grades, GPA, test scores and core classes. Amateurism refers to your status as an amateur versus any interaction you have had on the professional level.
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Keep in mind that athletic scholarships are awarded through the colleges, not through the NCAA. Once you have chosen a handful of schools that you are interested in, you should find out what the individual schools' requirements and application procedures are in addition to the requirements outlined by the NCAA. Notice that requirements are different for division I and division II schools: division III schools do not offer athletic scholarships so check with the institution you plan to attend.
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Evaluate your talent honestly and select a number of schools that suit your athletic ability and that interest you academically. Make a list of schools that include dream colleges, realistic options and fallback schools.
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Start your scholarship search locally. Ask teachers, guidance counselors, church and community leaders, parents and their employers, and use the library and the internet to find privately funded awards.
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Recruiting services specialize in marketing student athletes to college coaches. The NCAA, however, does not endorse any of these services. Beware that it is not permissible for a service to offer a money-back guarantee or base its fee on the amount of a student's scholarship.
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Do not rely on others to do the work for you. Seek out scholarships on your own. Figure out what schools you are interested in, find out what they offer, and apply, apply, apply. Remember, you have to work just as hard at finding the right school, and potential scholarships, as you do when you are on the field.
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Tips & Warnings
Since division III schools do not offer athletic scholarships, you don't have to register with the eligibility center. If you are interested in a division III school, you should contact the coach and the institution to find out what their requirements are.
Although division III schools do not offer athletic scholarships, they will most likely help you find funding from other sources if they really want you to play for their school. The better your grades and test scores, the more money you will likely receive.
A number of things can bring your scholarship dreams to a dead end. These include but are not limited to the following.
Playing for a professional team
Receiving prizes or money for athletics
Doing drugs
Participating in illegal sport's betting
Accepting gifts or money from prospective coaches
Signing or having an agreement with an agent before eligibility expires
