Athletic scholarships for Division I, II, and III schools.

MUW Team

// July 12, 2023

Financial education, Grants and scholarships

Introduction

College athletes get a lot of money for playing sports, but there are differences in the amount that Division I schools give out compared to the lower divisions. Determining which division you’re in will help you figure out how much athletic money you can get. There are also more opportunities at Division I schools, so if your dream school is Division III (and it probably is), don’t worry: most student-athletes need financial aid to go to school, so be ready!

The NCAA has three divisions in college sports.

The NCAA has three divisions in college sports. Division I is the highest, followed by Division II and III.

Division I schools are more prestigious and have more athletic scholarships than Divisions II or III.
The number of athletic scholarships available at each school varies depending on whether it’s a public or private institution. Still, all three divisions allow for financial aid packages that include an athletic scholarship and other forms of support like tuition assistance or room and board discounts (sometimes referred to as “full rides”). The amount you can earn may also depend on whether your sport is considered “varsity” or “club” status by your institution–in general, varsity sports get higher funding than club teams do because they draw more spectators and generate additional revenue through ticket sales, merchandise sales etcetera.

Determining which division you’re in will help you figure out how much athletic money you can get.

Division I schools are the most prestigious and have the highest academic requirements. To be eligible as an athlete, students at Division I schools must have at least a 2.0 GPA and complete 16 core courses (four years of English, math, science, and history). Athletes at these institutions must also meet NCAA eligibility requirements before competing on a varsity team or receiving financial aid from their school’s athletics department.

If your grades aren’t quite up to par with those required by a school like Harvard University (which has an average SAT score of 1490) but still want an academic scholarship for college sports–and don’t mind having fewer options for where you’ll play–consider attending one of many other reputable schools with lower academic standards than their big brothers in Division I: Clemson University; University of Iowa; Ohio State University; North Carolina State University; Stanford University; Virginia Tech University; Wake Forest University

Division I scholarships are generally more prestigious than those at the lower divisions.

Division I scholarships are generally more prestigious than those at the lower divisions. The reason for this is simple: Division I schools tend to have more sports teams and money to spend on scholarships than their lower division counterparts, allowing them to recruit higher-caliber athletes. Additionally, since there’s so much competition in Division I athletics, they can afford only the best players–meaning that if you’re looking for a scholarship offer from a big-name school like Duke or USC (and who isn’t?), it’s probably going to come from a Division I program rather than one of its smaller counterparts in another division.

There are also more opportunities at Division I schools.

Division I schools have more opportunities for students. The larger size of Division I schools means that there are more athletic events, which gives athletes more chances to compete and earn scholarships. In addition, Division I schools often offer more scholarships than smaller colleges do (since they can afford to), so you may be eligible for even more financial assistance if you attend a D1 school rather than a smaller one. It’s also important to note that because there are so many sports teams at large universities–and thus many athletes–you’ll get much more exposure as an athlete at a big university than in high school or even smaller colleges.

Athletic scholarships are more significant at Division II schools than at Division III schools.

Athletic scholarships are based on the school’s size and budget. Division I schools have more money to spend on athletic scholarships than Division II or III schools. In comparison, Division II schools have more money to spend on athletic scholarships than Division III schools.

Most student-athletes need financial aid to go to school, so be ready.

Financial aid is the only way most students can afford college, but it’s not just for athletes. Even if you’re not on a team or involved in any other extracurricular activities, many different types of financial aid are still available for students who qualify.

In addition to athletic scholarships (which we’ll discuss later), some academic scholarships and grants don’t require athletic skill or performance. These funds can be used for tuition and living expenses like books or housing costs–and unlike loans, they don’t have to be paid back!

But wait: what exactly is “financial aid”? Well…

Know your eligibility requirements before applying for a scholarship.

It’s essential to know your GPA and test scores before you apply for a scholarship. Your athletic scholarship renewal criteria will also be based on these numbers, so ensure they’re up-to-date. You may want to review the NCAA eligibility requirements as well, which include:

Minimum GPA requirement of 2.0 (out of 4)
Test score requirement of 450 on SAT or 19 on the ACT

If you meet these requirements and feel confident in your chances of getting an athletic scholarship, then go ahead and apply! It doesn’t hurt anything if your application isn’t accepted–you can always try again next year!

You need good grades and test scores to get a scholarship, so start studying early!

It would help if you were strong in the classroom. Your GPA should be at least 3.0 or higher. If you’re on track to graduate high school with a 3.0 GPA or better, you’re already on your way toward qualifying for athletic scholarships at Division I schools that do not require SAT/ACT scores (including schools like Duke). If not, consider taking some time off from sports or taking summer courses before applying for college admission to boost those grades and put yourself in a better position for athletics recruitment later.*
It would help if you also had enough strength as an athlete so that coaches would notice you during tryouts.*

Plenty of scholarships are available for athletes willing to work hard for them!

Plenty of scholarships are available for athletes willing to work hard for them! When applying to college, it’s essential to know that athletic scholarships can be an excellent way for students to help pay for college.

There are three levels of athletic scholarships: Division I, II, and III schools. To receive an athletic scholarship from one of these schools, applicants must have good grades and test scores and demonstrate their ability in their sport through high school transcripts and standardized test scores (SAT/ACT).

Conclusion

If you want to play college sports, you must apply for scholarships. The NCAA has three divisions where schools can compete: Division I, II, and III. Division I schools are generally more prestigious than those in the lower divisions, but there are also more opportunities at these schools for athletes looking for athletic scholarships. You also need good grades and test scores before applying for any financial aid–including athletic scholarships–so start studying early.