Top Esports Scholarships for Gamers in 2021
Will Geiger is the co-founder of Scholarships360 and has a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. He is a former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Kenyon College where he personally reviewed 10,000 admissions applications and essays. Will also managed the Kenyon College merit scholarship program and served on the financial aid appeals committee. He has also worked as an Associate Director of College Counseling at a high school in New Haven, Connecticut. Will earned his master’s in education from the University of Pennsylvania and received his undergraduate degree in history from Wake Forest University.Do you love to play Fortnite? Or is NBA 2K more your speed? Video games are obviously very popular among students and in the US alone there are an estimated 164 million gamers. One thing you may not know is that video games are also a way for you to get college scholarships! Esports scholarships have become increasingly popular so that you can put your Fortnite skills to use to pay for college!
Jump ahead to:
- College Esports Scholarships
- How to get recruited for Esports?
- What games do varsity gamers play?
- Summary of colleges that offer esports scholarships
Keep on reading to learn more about how you can earn scholarship dollars through your gaming skills.
College Esports scholarships in 2021
There are 150+ colleges and universities that are members of the National Association of Collegiate Esports and offer varsity esports. The NACE includes a wide variety of schools across the country. Here are some of the top colleges and universities that offer Esports scholarships:
Arcadia University
- Eligibility: Arcardia offers Esports scholarships for students who play League of Legends, Hearthstone, Overwatch, Rainbow Six, and Super Smash Bros.
- Amount: Varies
- Deadline: Varies
University of California at Irvine
- Eligibility: UC-Irvine offers Esports scholarships for students who play League of Legends, Overwatch, and Super Smash Bros.
- Amount: $1,000 to $6,000
- Deadline: Rolling
University of Texas at Dallas
- Eligibility: UT-Dallas offers Esports scholarships for students who play League of Legends, Overwatch, and Super Smash Bros.
- Amount: $1,000 to $6,000
- Deadline: Rolling
University of Utah
- Eligibility: UC-Irvine offers Esports scholarships for students who play League of Legends, Overwatch, Hearthstone and Rocket League.
- Amount: Varies
- Deadline: Varies
Valparaiso University
- Eligibility: Valpo offers Esports scholarships for students who play League of Legends and Rocket League.
- Amount: Varies
- Deadline: Varies
You can find the complete list of NACE and independent Esports colleges here. At many of these colleges, the specific scholarship award amounts and eligibility will vary. Remember, gamers will also be able to qualify for other merit scholarships and need-based financial aid.
How to get recruited for Esports?
Of course, in order to receiver an Esports scholarship students will need to be recruited (just like any other sport). One of the ways that you can get this process kicked off is by getting in touch with the proper Esports coach at the college or university you are considering.
It can also be helpful to prepare a highlights video to show potential coaches your skills.
Finally, you may be asked to participate in an esports tryout where a coach will assess your skills, character, and fit for their team.
What games do varsity gamers play?
Esports games include a wide array of games including Fortnight, Counter-Strike, League of Legends, Starcraft II, Madden, and more! Every college will have a different focus, so we always recommend that students check in with the colleges that they are interested in attending.
