2 answers
Luis Alfredo
Student
6
Questions
Updated
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How to start applying for a sports scholarship?
I want to get in to college by soccer
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2 answers
Teklemuz Tesfay
Software Engineer and Career Mentor
695
Answers
Ethiopia
Updated
Teklemuz’s Answer
Stay dedicated to both your studies and soccer by regularly training and playing with a strong soccer club. This can give you great exposure. Explore opportunities with the NCAA and NAIA, and don't hesitate to reach out to coaches with personal emails and connect on LinkedIn. Use platforms like NCSA College Recruiting, SportsRecruits, FieldLevel, and BeRecruited to create a standout profile that can catch the eye of programs offering athletic scholarships. Attend college ID camps for more visibility, and make a 3–5 minute highlight video showcasing your best soccer skills like passing, dribbling, defending, and scoring. Focus on your top moments, keep up with academic requirements, and consistently follow up with coaches. Your persistence can make all the difference!
Paul Goetzinger MPA
Academic and Career Advisor | Freelance Writer | TRIO Program Director
1104
Answers
Tacoma, Washington
Updated
Paul’s Answer
Hi Luis:
I strongly emphasize that athletes must proactively market themselves, rather than waiting to be discovered. This is because college coaches rarely go out looking for players on their own, meaning the responsibility falls entirely on the student-athlete to get on a program's radar. Here are some suggestions on how to do this:
1. Build an "Athletic Resumé" and Cover Letter
Much like applying for a job, you must package your skills to prove how you will benefit a college team (Note: there are many examples of these Resume’s and cover letters to be found online). When creating one I suggest athletes to highlight:
Athletic Statistics: Specific positions played, strengths, and physical metrics.
Accomplishments: High school or club achievements, state titles, and specific sports awards.
Academic Record: Current GPA, future academic plans, and any honors.
2. Bypass Email and Use Physical Snail Mail
One of my most unique, signature pieces of advice is to send your athletic resumé and cover letter via regular postal mail directly to the coaches' college campus offices. This is because coaches receive thousands of emails every week, causing student inquiries to get lost. A physical letter lands directly on their desk, stands out immediately, and shows a high level of serious interest and effort
3. Clear Eligibility Benchmarks Early
A scholarship offer means nothing if you do not qualify academically. The recruitment process can begin as early as freshman or sophomore year of high school, so students need to stay on top of strict athletic association benchmarks:
NCAA Core Courses: For Division I and II, athletes must complete 16 core courses. Division I requires 10 of those courses (with 7 in English, math, or science) to be finished before your senior year.
GPA Requirements: Division I requires a minimum 2.3 core GPA; Division II requires a 2.2; and NAIA programs typically look for a 2.0 unweighted GPA.
Official Portals: Register for a Profile Page or Certification Account through the NCAA Eligibility Center or NAIA equivalent to clear amateurism requirements
4. Cast a Wide Net and Be Proactive
Do not restrict your search exclusively to major Division I schools. I advise athletes to broaden their scope to include NCAA Division II, Division III, NAIA, and Junior Colleges, as opportunities exist across all levels. I also recommend filling out the recruiting questionnaires, found directly on college athletic websites, to get into their athletic department databases, and attending sports camps where target coaches are physically present.
5. Evaluate Academic Compatibility
Be cautious in choosing a major that conflicts with the intense schedule of a college sport. For example, heavy science majors requiring extensive lab work (like Pharmacy or Chemistry) can be incredibly difficult to balance alongside the strict practice, travel, and game expectations of an athletic scholarship. So consult closely with coaches and academic advisors on making good course selections.
One thing. that I should mention is that the House v. NCAA settlement, (which went into effect during the 2025-2026 academic year), fundamentally changes college sports by removing traditional scholarship caps and replacing them with strict, sport-specific maximum roster limits.
Before the House v. NCAA settlement, the NCAA limited how many scholarships a team could hand out, but placed virtually no limits on the total number of athletes who could be on a team (allowing for large numbers of "walk-on" players). Under the new model, Division I schools that opt in can give scholarships to every single player on the team, but the total number of players allowed on each roster is strictly capped. Which means in the NCAA there is a limit on the number of athletes they can have on each team.
Because rosters are strictly capped and schools can now offer partial or full scholarships to anyone on the roster, traditional non-scholarship walk-on spots are now disappearing. So coaches are now targeting high performing players, who they can place on scholarships.
Now, the NAIA and junior colleges are not required to follow the House v. NCAA settlement decision.
This is because the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and junior college governing bodies—such as the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)—are completely independent organizations, with their own separate governance structures, thus they are not legally bound by the settlement's terms.
As a result, the NAIA and NJCAA are benefiting from a significant talent surge. Quality players who can no longer find a roster spot in NCAA Division I are transferring to junior colleges and NAIA schools to keep playing. So, there are no roster caps, and there are walk-on opportunities, and scholarships available at the NAIA and NJCAA colleges and universities.
I hope that some of these suggestions have been helpful to you. Best of luck in your future college academic and athletic goals.
I strongly emphasize that athletes must proactively market themselves, rather than waiting to be discovered. This is because college coaches rarely go out looking for players on their own, meaning the responsibility falls entirely on the student-athlete to get on a program's radar. Here are some suggestions on how to do this:
1. Build an "Athletic Resumé" and Cover Letter
Much like applying for a job, you must package your skills to prove how you will benefit a college team (Note: there are many examples of these Resume’s and cover letters to be found online). When creating one I suggest athletes to highlight:
Athletic Statistics: Specific positions played, strengths, and physical metrics.
Accomplishments: High school or club achievements, state titles, and specific sports awards.
Academic Record: Current GPA, future academic plans, and any honors.
2. Bypass Email and Use Physical Snail Mail
One of my most unique, signature pieces of advice is to send your athletic resumé and cover letter via regular postal mail directly to the coaches' college campus offices. This is because coaches receive thousands of emails every week, causing student inquiries to get lost. A physical letter lands directly on their desk, stands out immediately, and shows a high level of serious interest and effort
3. Clear Eligibility Benchmarks Early
A scholarship offer means nothing if you do not qualify academically. The recruitment process can begin as early as freshman or sophomore year of high school, so students need to stay on top of strict athletic association benchmarks:
NCAA Core Courses: For Division I and II, athletes must complete 16 core courses. Division I requires 10 of those courses (with 7 in English, math, or science) to be finished before your senior year.
GPA Requirements: Division I requires a minimum 2.3 core GPA; Division II requires a 2.2; and NAIA programs typically look for a 2.0 unweighted GPA.
Official Portals: Register for a Profile Page or Certification Account through the NCAA Eligibility Center or NAIA equivalent to clear amateurism requirements
4. Cast a Wide Net and Be Proactive
Do not restrict your search exclusively to major Division I schools. I advise athletes to broaden their scope to include NCAA Division II, Division III, NAIA, and Junior Colleges, as opportunities exist across all levels. I also recommend filling out the recruiting questionnaires, found directly on college athletic websites, to get into their athletic department databases, and attending sports camps where target coaches are physically present.
5. Evaluate Academic Compatibility
Be cautious in choosing a major that conflicts with the intense schedule of a college sport. For example, heavy science majors requiring extensive lab work (like Pharmacy or Chemistry) can be incredibly difficult to balance alongside the strict practice, travel, and game expectations of an athletic scholarship. So consult closely with coaches and academic advisors on making good course selections.
One thing. that I should mention is that the House v. NCAA settlement, (which went into effect during the 2025-2026 academic year), fundamentally changes college sports by removing traditional scholarship caps and replacing them with strict, sport-specific maximum roster limits.
Before the House v. NCAA settlement, the NCAA limited how many scholarships a team could hand out, but placed virtually no limits on the total number of athletes who could be on a team (allowing for large numbers of "walk-on" players). Under the new model, Division I schools that opt in can give scholarships to every single player on the team, but the total number of players allowed on each roster is strictly capped. Which means in the NCAA there is a limit on the number of athletes they can have on each team.
Because rosters are strictly capped and schools can now offer partial or full scholarships to anyone on the roster, traditional non-scholarship walk-on spots are now disappearing. So coaches are now targeting high performing players, who they can place on scholarships.
Now, the NAIA and junior colleges are not required to follow the House v. NCAA settlement decision.
This is because the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and junior college governing bodies—such as the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)—are completely independent organizations, with their own separate governance structures, thus they are not legally bound by the settlement's terms.
As a result, the NAIA and NJCAA are benefiting from a significant talent surge. Quality players who can no longer find a roster spot in NCAA Division I are transferring to junior colleges and NAIA schools to keep playing. So, there are no roster caps, and there are walk-on opportunities, and scholarships available at the NAIA and NJCAA colleges and universities.
I hope that some of these suggestions have been helpful to you. Best of luck in your future college academic and athletic goals.