There are a number of great scholarship opportunities for student athletes!

For many students, sports are an important part of the high school experience. Practice, games, matches, and lots of hard work are put into your sport(s). Whether you are a football player, a tennis player, or a cross country runner, you will also have to think about how you will pay for college when the time comes. For athletes, athletic scholarships are one of the best ways to use your talent on the field to win money for college!

While many Division 1 and Division 3 colleges offer athletic scholarships to the top athletes on their varsity teams, many students are not able to going to be star varsity athletes in college. But don’t worry–there are tons of great athletics scholarship opportunities available for other students who do not intend to play sports in college.

Top athletic scholarships to apply for in 2020:

Advancement of Women in Sports & Entertainment Scholarship

• Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate sophomore, junior, senior or first year of graduate school students who are majoring in Public Relations, Communication, Media Studies, Marketing or Journalism majors with a desire to work in the entertainment or sports industry
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: This scholarship is offered twice per year with deadlines of June 14 and November 17

Big Sun Scholarship

• Eligibility: Student athletes who are high school seniors or in college
• Amount: $500
• Deadline: June 19, 2021

Billy Welu Scholarship

• Eligibility: This scholarship is open to college students who combine outstanding bowling talents with academic excellence
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: June 21, 2021

Burger King Scholars

• Eligibility: High school seniors or college students who are leaders in community service, athletics, or another extracurricular activity.
• Amount: Up to $50,000
• Deadline: December 15th

FieldLevel Athletic Recruiting No-Essay Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to high school students who create a free FieldLevel profile and connect with their coaches
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: November 1

Heisman High School Scholarship

• Open to high achieving high school student athletes
• Amount: $500 to $5,000
• Deadline: October 20

Michael Moody Fitness Scholarship

• Eligibility: High seniors, college students, and graduate students interested in pursuing a career in health, wellness, or fitness
• Amount: $1,500
• Deadline: August 1, 2021

Next College Athlete No-Essay Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to all high school student athletes
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: November 1

Sara Scholarship

• Eligibility: Female golfers who are high school seniors.
• Amount: $2,000
• Deadline: April 30, 2021

United States Bowling Congress Scholarships

• Eligibility: Various criteria for high school and college students. All applicants must have USBC Youth membership
•  Amount: Varies
• Deadline: December 1

Expired, but returning next year:

Foot Locker Scholarship

• Eligibility: High school athletes
• Amount: $20,000
• Deadline: January 3rd (Applications open in September 2020)

Sports Unlimited 

• Eligibility: High school seniors and college freshman and sophomores 
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: April 30

TrophyCentral Sportsmanship & Compassion Scholarship

• Eligibility: High school seniors with a 3.25 GPA or above who writes the most moving essay about sportsmanship 
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: September 1

College scholarships for student athletes

College scholarships for student athletes are available for students playing college sports at the Division 1 and Division 2 level. These scholarships can range from a partial scholarship to a full ride. Being a scholarship varsity athlete is a bit like having a full time job, which is why these scholarships can be so generous.

The catch is that in order to receive an athletic scholarship at a Division 1 or Division 2 college, you must be recruited to play. The recruitment process tends to be very competitive and can be quite complex.

If you are interested in this or wondering if you may be good enough to be recruited, we suggest that you talk to your high school coach for more information. Chances are that they have coached a student or two who has gone through the process and will be able to provide some insight to you.

Also, the National College Athletic Association or NCAA has rules about eligilbity for potential varsity student athletes. Students will need to meet the eligilbity requirements, which include specific academic standards.

Summary of top scholarships for athletic students:

1. Advancement of Women in Sports & Entertainment Scholarship
2. Big Sun Scholarship
3. Billy Welu Scholarship
4. Burger King Scholars
5. FieldLevel Athletic Recruiting No-Essay Scholarship
6. Foot Locker Scholarship
7. Heisman High School Scholarship
8. Michael Moody Fitness Scholarship
9. Next College Athlete No-Essay Scholarship
10. Sara Scholarship
11. Sports Unlimited 
12. TrophyCentral Sportsmanship & Compassion Scholarship
13. United States Bowling Congress Scholarships