The popularity of soccer, a leading sport in the United States, continues to skyrocket! This is true in both the level of interest and participation, as evidenced by surveys like a 2018 Gallup poll where 7% of Americans said soccer was their favorite sport to watch.
But for several decades, Americans weren’t in on the World Cup mania that gripped their South American counterparts. They looked on soccer with condescension and hated it with a passion – or as Tom Weir, a USA Today columnist, once wrote, “Hating soccer is more American than apple pie.” Politicians even threw their opinions into the ring, too, with then-Representative Jack Kemp saying, “soccer is a European socialist” sport.
But this was back in the 1990s. We can safely say that the increasing popularity of college soccer contributed to the sport’s overall popularity in the U.S. Nowadays, games at the collegiate level can fill stadiums and arenas with championship games aired over television and live-streamed on social media.
Of course, it helps that exciting things are happening in collegiate soccer – and it seems that the women are taking the lead, too. For example, at the 2019 Women’s Soccer World Championships in France, 11 college student-athletes from different American universities represented the U.S., New Zealand, and Jamaica, among other countries.
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Fall is the peak season for college soccer in the current setup, with playing times stretching from August to December. But a college team’s playing days will depend on whether or not they make it to the tournament, and how long they will stay in the tournament. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament starts in November and ends in early December, during which time the Final Four and Championship games are played.
But there will likely be changes to the college soccer landscape if Sasho Cirovski has his way. Cirovski, the University of Maryland men’s soccer team head coach and three-time Division I national champion, has spearheaded an initiative for change in the men’s Division I season. On April 22, 2020, the NCAA voted on his proposal.
Instead of the traditional three-month fall season, college soccer will be played throughout the academic year. The proposed two semester-season will include 12 regular season and two exhibition games during the fall and eight regular season and one exhibition matches in spring. The NCAA and conference tournaments will be moved to April and May, and the NCAA tournament will close in a one-game championship in early June.
If these proposed changes are approved, these will take effect on the 2022-2023 academic year. Most coaches and players also support these proposals because of its numerous benefits, such as the decreased risk of injuries and increased training time. This should be good news for student-athletes, both present, and future.
If you’re looking for higher education institutions that offer the best soccer scholarships, you will find it here! You may also want to watch college players in action in places like the Ludwig Field, Spry Stadium, and Ellis Field.
By the way, there are no Ivy League universities on this list. This is because Ivy League institutions cannot offer athletic scholarships of any kind, although they offer need-based and merit-based financial aid to their student-athletes. The policy is a collective institutional decision wherein they assert that they are in the business of education, not in professional sports.
Here are the athletic scholarships to keep your academic hopes intact while excelling in one of the world’s most loved sports! For ease in navigation, we categorized them under the Men’s Soccer and Women’s Soccer divisions:
Stanford University (Men’s Soccer)
University of California – Los Angeles (Men’s Soccer)
Michigan State University (Men’s Soccer)
University of Washington (Men’s Soccer)
University of Maryland (Men’s Soccer)
University of Notre Dame (Men’s Soccer)
The Ohio State University (Men’s Soccer)
Georgetown University (Men’s Soccer)
Florida State University (Women’s Soccer)
Azusa Pacific University (Women’s Soccer)
Concordia University Ann Arbor (Women’s Soccer)
Texas A&M University (Women’s Soccer)
University of Portland (Women’s Soccer)
Fort Lewis University (Women’s Soccer)
University of California San Diego (Women’s Soccer)
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Stanford University
(Men’s Soccer)
Stanford University is a consistent placer in the NCAA’s Division I rankings, proof that students can be smart and active at the same time. Many of its soccer players are also Hermann Trophy recipients, such as Jordan Morris (2015), Catarina Macario (2018 and 2019), and Andi Sullivan (2017).
The full athletic scholarship includes funding for tuition, orientation, health and documentation fees, room and board, supplies, personal expenses, travel, and required textbooks. Stanford University makes it easy for its student-athletes to focus on their studies and sports by providing them with a full ride!
But emphasis must be made that the full scholarship doesn’t include Cardinal Care, the university’s student health insurance. Student-athletes have to waive it before the deadline (either June 15 or September 15, depending on campus arrival). Otherwise, a health insurance charge will be made each quarter.
Take note that Stanford rarely permits its student-athletes to combine an athletic scholarship with a need-based university aid. If you’re planning on combining these two types of aid, you should talk to your coach about it.
In case of an outside scholarship being accepted while also being on an athletic scholarship, keep these university rules in mind:
- The recipient should be free to use the outside scholarship funds to attend any educational institution, including Stanford.
- The benefactor, which can be an individual or an organization, must not be affiliated in any way with Stanford. The exclusions include alumni, staff member, boost, and representative with athletic interest.
- The scholarship, aid, or grant shouldn’t be provided by a third-party sports organization or team with a competitive sports program. The said aid shouldn’t be given to a former member of said organization or team.
Student-athletes planning to receive outside aid while also on the university’s full scholarship program should discuss the matter with Compliance Service before taking any action. There are cost-of-attendance regulations implemented by Stanford and by the federal government that must be followed.
Contact details: Send email to financialaid@stanford.edu
Call 650-723-3058
Mail to: Financial Aid Office, Stanford University, Montag Hall, 355 Galvez Street, Stanford, CA 94305–6106
University of California – Los Angeles (Men’s Soccer)
UCLA, a member of NCAA’s Pac-12 Conference, attracts top athletes to its men’s soccer program through full support in scholarships, athletic training, and student services. Indeed, UCLA has several student-athletes who are trained with U.S. national teams.
UCLA’s athletic scholarships are different from its need-based scholarships. The university awards its athletic scholarships based only on the students’ academic and athletic ability – financial need isn’t considered during the deliberation. These athletic scholarships are also completely funded by the university through ticket sales, private donations, corporate partnerships, and media contracts.
Every year, more than 280 full athletic scholarships are awarded to outstanding student-athletes, including soccer players. Like most of its Division I counterparts, UCLA’s full athletic scholarships cover tuition and other fees, room and board, and other expenses.
UCLA’s strict recruitment procedures prohibit it from communicating with high school students who aren’t in junior high by September 1 of the year. The university, including its coaches, cannot respond to questionnaires, emails, and other communication sent to it by non-junior high students, parents and coaches, and other concerned people.
But for qualified high school students, the recruitment process can be initiated by contacting a UCLA soccer coach through phone or email. You can also submit a recruiting questionnaire. You’re well-advised to ask for your coach’s assistance in contacting UCLA.
Contact details: Email Shana Wilson, Sr. Associate Athletic Director, Communications, at swilson@athletics.ucla.edu or call 310-206-7870
Michigan State University (Men’s Soccer)
Known as Spartans, Michigan State University’s men’s soccer team competes in Division I NCAA competitions and in the Big Ten Conference matches. It’s among the NCAA’s winningest teams with 19 appearances in the College Cup and two co-national championships – with St. Louis in 1967 and with Maryland in 1968.
The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics administers MSU’s athletics scholarship program across 26 sports, including men’s soccer. The head coaches of these sports have the authority to request partial and full scholarships for student-athletes.
The full athletic scholarship covers tuition and other fees, required textbooks, and room and board. The partial scholarship covers just a portion of one or more of these expenses. Of course, the full scholarship is highly coveted, but it’s also a competitive scholarship with their recipients evaluated based on their academic and athletic ability.
Both full and partial scholarships are valid for one year only. These scholarships are also reviewed and renewed every year with the MSU’s rules and regulations and its Department of Intercollegiate Athletics being considered. The NCAA and Big Ten policies are also taken into account.
Student-athletes will be notified of their renewal or non-renewal on or before July 1, and information about the signing of renewal will be provided during the spring checkout meeting.
Contact details: Athletics Financial Aid Office (517) 432-5510
University of Washington
(Men’s Soccer)
The Washington Huskies men’s soccer team is a consistent top-five team on the NCAA Division I rankings. Its soccer program attracts top athletes, too, with the generous athletic scholarship terms.
The U.W. athletic scholarship typically states the percentage of the grant-in-aid costs it will cover for a specific period. The grant-in-aid costs include but aren’t limited to tuition, room and board, and required textbooks. The scholarship’s actual amount varies from one student-athlete to the next, so it’s important to read the fine print.
According to NCAA rules, an athletic scholarship should be evenly disbursed over three quarters of the regular academic year. As such, you will likely either have a partial housing bill or a partial tuition bill for every quarter. You must then work with a financial aid counselor and your coach to ensure that your soccer scholarship will cover most of your expenses, if possible.
In general, athletic scholarships don’t cover the UPass and the U.W. Student Accident and Sickness Insurance as well as fees for late registration, late payment, and late change. These are the students’ responsibilities, regardless of the type of scholarship offered.
Student-athletes who live in the U.W. residence halls will have their scholarship applied to or deducted from their respective quarterly Housing and Food services bill. But for students receiving partial months, they will receive their monthly payments by check.
For more information on scholarship coverage: Robin Chang, Associate Compliance Coordinator
robinc@u.washington.edu
Call (206) 616-2808
University of Maryland (Men’s Soccer)
Being part of the Maryland Terrapins men’s soccer team is indeed an honor! The University of Maryland’s team is, after all, a four-time NCAA Division I College Cup national champion and a four-time Big Ten Conference champion. Getting into its soccer program is extremely competitive, as is true for getting its athletic scholarship.
The university’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics oversees the intercollegiate athletic programs, including the scholarship program. Students are well-advised to prepare for the rigorous academic and athletic standards expected of soccer players vying for the athletic scholarship. These include meeting all the University of Maryland, Big Ten Conference, and NCAA eligibility requirements, such as the percentage of degree completion, the number of credits earned during the previous academic year and semester, and minimum GPA.
Note that the minimum GPA required ranges from 1.8 to 2.0, so student-athletes must have excellent time management skills. Students must also meet the target percentage of completion in their degree programs on time, such as 80% completion entering the ninth semester. For this reason, students are allowed only four competition seasons within five calendar years after their first-time enrollment in the university; exceptions apply but are relatively rare.
All soccer scholarship beneficiaries must be full-time students to be eligible for practice and completion with the team. Scholars who fail to meet the full-time enrollment requirement will be removed from the beneficiaries’ roster and be ineligible for practice and competition. The Department of Athletics, however, can make an exception, such as for graduate students.
University of Notre Dame
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(Men’s Soccer)
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish – men’s soccer team has access to the university’s fairly generous athletic scholarship program. The team, which competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference, was the 2013 NCAA national champion and had twenty appearances in the Division I Soccer Tournament. Indeed, it’s a team that you will want to be on, and being an athletic scholar is the icing on the cake.
The University of Notre Dame’s athletic scholarship program is designed to provide student-athletes with a top-notch intercollegiate experience by giving them full, transparent access. The athletics aid covers all or part of tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses.
A full soccer scholarship will cover all these expenses but with restrictions, as is usually the case. A partial soccer scholarship will cover part of these expenses with the ceiling clearly stated on the aid agreement. The latter can be designated in two ways – either in terms of dollars ($5,000) or as a percentage (50% of a full scholarship).
Both full and partial scholarships will be credited to the recipient’s student account. The amount will be evenly divided every semester and applied to the student’s expenses based on the aid agreement. Any excess will be refunded to the student-athlete.
Athletics scholarships only cover the fall and spring semesters of the regular academic year. If summer aid is provided, it’s considered as separate from the fall and spring scholarship benefits.
The Ohio State University
(Men’s Soccer)
The Ohio State Buckeyes are big winners on the soccer field, too! The men’s soccer team has won three Big Ten Conference tournaments and are three-time winners of the Big Ten Conference regular season. The team’s white and scarlet colors are indeed a source of pride for the Buckeyes and their fans.
If you want to become a Buckeye on its soccer team, you should look into the athletic training scholarships. But you must enroll in the Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training (BSAT) program to qualify for the aid. Take note, too, that the scholarships aren’t available to pre-athletic training and first-year students.
These athletic scholarships are aside from the regular university scholarships. There are four types of athletic scholarships available:
- Ernie Biggs Memorial Scholarship (For sophomores)
- Billy Hill Memorial Scholarship (For sophomores and juniors)
- Linda Weber Daniel Memorial Scholarship (For sophomores and juniors)
- Jimmy Warfield Memorial Scholarship (For sophomores and juniors)
Student-athletes can also choose from several athletic scholarships offered by the Big Ten Conference and the NCAA. These include:
- The Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor
- Academic All-Conference Team
- Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award
- The Walter Byers Scholarship
- The NCAA Degree Completion Program
- The NCAA Internship Program
- Today’s Top VIII Award
Applicants are assessed based on their academic accomplishments and athletic capacity, as well as their community involvement and leadership skills.
Georgetown University
(Men’s Soccer)
With its winning streak, the Georgetown Hoyas attracts top soccer players to its team, too. The Georgetown University men’s soccer team is a four-time Big East Conference winner and a seven-time regular-season winner. They also made it to the NCAA Men’s Division I Soccer Championship nine times.
Such a winning streak may be partly due to the university’s substantial athletic grant-in-aid programs for many soccer players. The Department of Athletics awards these scholarships based on the student-athletes’ academic and athletic potential. Keep in mind that, like all NCAA schools, the Hoyas on scholarship are required to comply with academic requirements, including credits and GPAs.
Georgetown has strict rules about its athletic scholarships, too. The university can decrease the scholarship amount or cancel the contract during the award period or not renew it for the succeeding academic year. The reasons for these actions can include breach of contract on the part of the student-athlete, thus, emphasizing the need to read the fine print.
But students can appeal the decision by writing to the Dean of Student Financial Services within 10 business days. The appeal process is designed to give erring student-athletes the chance to be back on the scholarship program.
Get information on athletic scholarships from Georgetown’s Department of Athletics.
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Florida State University
(Women’s Soccer)
The Florida State Seminoles have one of the best women’s soccer programs in the U.S. They are two-time College Cup champions (2014 and 2018) and consistent annual top 10 placers since 2005 in the NCAA Division I. Their home court, the Seminole Soccer Complex, is the site of many memorable matches, too.
Becoming a Seminole, however, is no mean feat! You must pass the admissions evaluation where a university panel will assess your academic records, course rigor, resume, essay, and senior schedule in a holistic manner. Your athletic record and ability will also be evaluated if you’re applying to the women’s soccer program.
Depending on the scholarship, part or all of the tuition costs during your stay at FSU can be covered by the scholarship. According to the latest reports, the scholarship costs for an in-state student-athlete is $21,208 and $35,870 for an out-of-state student-athlete.
Aside from athletic scholarships, students can also look into these scholarships.
- National Merit Finalist/Benacquisto Scholarship award equals the FSUI cost of attendance but with an $80,000 ceiling over four years. This is open to graduates with a standard high school diploma.
- Presidential Scholars Program is open to students who have received other scholarships. Its total value is $31,200 over four years, and it provides out-of-state students with a full tuition waiver.
- University Freshman Scholarship involves $2,400 per year for four years or a total of $9,600. Academic merit is required to be eligible for the program.
For more information about athletic scholarships, you must direct your questions to the soccer coaching staff (www.seminoles.com)
Azusa Pacific University (Women’s Soccer)
The Azusa Pacific Cougars women’s soccer team are certainly fierce competitors on the soccer field! But they are just as fierce in the classroom – the team won the 2019-2020 United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award for two consecutive years. Indeed, the student comes before the athlete, but both sides can be achievers!
For this reason, the Azusa Pacific athletic scholarships are extremely competitive. You can fill up and submit online recruitment forms, which the coaches can evaluate for academic and athletic achievements. You may also game footage and other materials as part of your application to the university and its women’s soccer team.
The annual scholarship amount varies, and it can be decreased or eliminated due to restrictions under the university’s rules and federal and state regulations. The university’s stacking aid policy will also influence the amount. Take note, too, that student-athletes with an athletic grant aren’t eligible for the APU Grant.
Every athletic scholarship is renewed on an annual basis if the student-athlete qualifies for it. The renewal is at the coaching staff’s discretion, and the eligibility requirements may change with new information.
Student-athletes who want to remain in the scholarship program must meet the university’s Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements and the rules set by the NCAA. The former includes at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA and passing grade in at least 67% of units enrolled.
Concordia University Ann Arbor (Women’s Soccer)
The amount of athletic scholarships provided to the Cardinals women’s soccer team varies. In most cases, the coach recommends the amount provided to the student-athletes during the academic year. The scholarship is renewable for as long the student-athlete has NAIA eligibility.
The scholarship eligibility requirements are:
- The student must be living on campus full time.
- The athlete must maintain at least a 1.99 GPA.
The athletic scholarship will also be reviewed by the team coach based on the student’s enrollment status and academic performance, among other factors. The amount itself can be subject to review and changes depending on fund availability.
Concordia University also offers academic scholarships that student-athletes can look into. Undergraduate students can apply for the Honors, Regents, and Distinguished scholarships with eligibility based on high school GPA and ACT score. The scholarship amount ranges from $5,000 to $10,000 with the option to have it recalculated after two semesters and with an increase in GPA.
Other scholarship programs can decrease the costs of attendance. The Cardinal Award is open to students who aren’t receiving an academic scholarship, while the Concordia Grant is awarded based on the applicant’s financial need and academic achievement.
Texas A&M University (Women’s Soccer)
The Texas A&M Aggies women’s soccer team has made 20 consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Indeed, its consistency as a winning team cannot be doubted, and it’s partly due to the prowess of its long-time head coach, G. Guerrieri, who has been with the team since its inception in 1993.
The university’s Department of Athletics awards the A&M-Texarkana Athletic Scholarships to deserving students from various degree programs. Applicants must meet the minimum university and NAIA Eligibility Center scholarship requirements, including the following:
- Must be admitted into Texas A&M as a student
- Must have at least 2.0 high school cumulative GPA for incoming first-year students or a 2.0 undergraduate cumulative GPA for transfer students
- Must maintain at least 2.0 undergraduate cumulative GPA as a student-athlete for scholarship continuation purposes
- Must meet the requirements for athletic ability and character evaluation, which will be performed by the head coach and Director of Athletics
- Must remain an active participant of the soccer team
Suffice it to say that the head coach and the Director of Athletics play a significant role in choosing and renewing athletic scholarships.
Get information on the Texas A&M athletic scholarships here.
University of Portland (Women’s Soccer)
The Portland Pilots women’s soccer team won the NCAA national championships twice, in 2002 and 2005. Their track record speaks of their dedication to the sport, which isn’t surprising as its student-athletes can rely on the university’s support. One of these support services comes in the way of athletics scholarships.
Interested student-athletes are advised to answer the Prospective Student-Athlete Questionnaires for an initial evaluation by the coaches. The university offers athletic scholarships that can cover most of the typical college expenses. Students must meet the NCAA eligibility requirements before they can be recipients of soccer scholarships.
But there are also need-based and merit-based aid that student-athletes may want to consider, such as scholarships in ROTC, music, and theater. The scholarship amounts range from $13,000 to $26,000 per year. Students don’t have to apply for merit scholarships since these are automatically awarded to qualified students.
These merit-based scholarships include the Archbishop Christie Scholarship, Holy Cross Scholarship, Arthur A. Schulte, Jr. Scholarship, Howard Vollum Scholarship, and President’s Scholarship.
Fort Lewis University (Women’s Soccer)
The Fort Lewis Skyhawks women’s soccer team is on a roll as they have five new players who are projected to boost their standings in the NCAA. We can surmise that these new players are on an athletic scholarship considering their athletic capacity on the field and academic performance in the classroom.
Fort Lewis University also offers numerous merit-based scholarships for student-athletes. Freshman and transfer students don’t have to apply for these scholarships as they will be automatically considered upon admission; there are no additional applications. These scholarships have amounts ranging from $6,000 to $10,000 per year and can be renewed for up to four years (the typical duration of a degree program).
There are also institutional scholarships, such as The Professor’s Tuition Scholarship, the Dean’s Tuition Scholarship, the Presidential Tuition Scholarship, and the Provost’s Tuition Scholarship. All applicants will be assessed based on their GPA and SAT/ACT scores. The scholarship amounts range from $2,000 to $10,000 depending on the student’s status, and these are renewable for up to four years.
If you want more details about the Skyhawks’ athletic scholarships, please contact:
Damian Clarke
Head Women’s Soccer Coach
clarke_d@fortlewis.edu (247-7640)
University of California San Diego (Women’s Soccer)
The U.C. San Diego Triton women’s soccer teams were the CCAA Champions and NCAA National Champions during their first two seasons of Division II play. The soccer program is widely considered as among the nation’s most successful athletic programs for this reason. Plus, the university’s scholar-athletes have a 91% average graduation rate, an impressive feat considering college academics and sports demands.
The Triton athletics program has a rigorous admission process that applies to its soccer program. Interested students must fill and submit their applications for admission and scholarship before the yearly November 30 deadline. The university will be notifying the successful applicants of its decision by March 30 of the following year.
For more information, contact the U.C. San Diego Athletic Department at 858.534.4211 or mail your letter to: U.C. San Diego, Intercollegiate Athletics, 9500 Gilman Drive, RIMAC 4th Floor, La Jolla, CA 92093-0531
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Applying for athletic scholarships in your preferred university is a challenging task, indeed! You don’t start the application process as an incoming college freshman student but should begin in your high school years. You must build your academic record and athletic achievements as early as possible so that you will be ready when the college scouts come to your games.