Understanding
Track & Field Scholarships
Track & Field at the collegiate level is a great way for student-athletes to finance their education while competing at the highest levels of collegiate athletics.
Getting a track scholarship is an incredible opportunity for a student-athlete to fully invest in themselves and develop as competitors every day. Nearly all elite track athletes in the world have come through the US College ranks!
Unlike other sports, which might rely on hours of film and camps to evaluate athletes, track and field is simple: if you can get the time or marks, you’re in. That being said, each program has its own needs and philosophies when it comes to awarding scholarships.
Our experienced advisors are able to help you define your goals, evaluate your results and make the right decision.
OUR
SCHOLARSHIP
SERVICE
Athlete+ Scholarship Consulting is a service tailored for international Student-athletes who are seeking the best possible academic and athletic opportunities in the USA.
LEVELS OF Track & Field
HIGH SCHOOLS
If you’re looking for a way to fund your education, a high school track scholarship might be the answer. There are several different types of athletic scholarships, and they come from different sources. Track and field scholarships are typically awarded to players who have a strong record of achievement on the court and also have good grades. If you’re interested in pursuing a college degree and playing track in college, then it’s important that you consider all of your options carefully before making any decisions about what kind of scholarship is right for you.
JUNIOR COLLEGE
Junior college is not as simple when it comes to track and field scholarships. First, there are three divisions within the NJCAA and only Division 1 and 2 can offer athletic scholarships to track players while only Division 1 is allowed to offer a full ride. NJCAA Division 2 is allowed to cover tuition, fees, books and housing but not transportation costs. In addition to an athletic scholarship, both divisions will often pay for an athlete’s transportation costs by direct route once per year.
TRACK & FIELD
PLAYING AT ALL COLLEGE LEVELS
The NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 levels, as well as NAIA schools and junior colleges, offer track scholarships. Above all, Track & Field at College really is a fantastic platform for those who are determined to fully invest in themselves and develop as competitors every single day. In terms of getting recruited to a Track & Field program. The vast majority of track scholarships are given as partial scholarships, but there is always the chance you can get a full-ride if you find the right program. NCAA Division 3 programs can’t offer athletic scholarships but college coaches tend to work with the admissions department to create appealing financial aid packages made up of merit-based scholarships, need-based aid and grants. It’s important for student-athletes to understand the financial aid opportunities at each division level and be proactive in their recruiting so they can get evaluated early on.
YOU CAN GET TO YOUR DESTINATIONBY FOLLOWING THESE 10 STEPS
6
Student-athlete
promotion
7
Gathering &
presenting offers
8
Making a
decision
9
Admission process &
Visa procedures
10
Flying out to
your Dream School
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
There are more than 1,000 colleges offering track and field scholarships to athletes.
WOMEN’S Track & Field
NCAA
Division 1
312 Teams
NCAA
Division 2
179 Teams
NCAA
Division 3
284 Teams
NAIA
194 Teams
NJCAA
105 Teams
MEN’S Track & Field
NCAA
Division 1
312 Teams
NCAA
Division 2
179 Teams
NCAA
Division 3
284 Teams
NAIA
194 Teams
NJCAA
105 Teams
ACADEMIC
REQUIREMENTS
If you are a student-athlete and are interested in attending a 4 year college, you will need to meet the same academic requirements as any other admitted student. The following information is provided to help guide you through the process of applying for admission as a student athlete.
HIGH SCHOOL GPA
When you are applying for college admission, your GPA is one of the most important factors that admissions officers consider. But if you’re a student athlete, there are lots of other factors that matter too. Different schools require different GPAs. In addition to having a good GPA, some schools may also ask you to write an essay about your athletic experience and why it’s important for you.
SAT / TOEFL
As an international athlete, you’ll want to make sure that you take the right standardized tests. 4 year institutions require certain SAT or ACT scores while your TOEFL requirements will depend on a school and your US high school / prep / junior college experience. Before you take the test, check out the minimum score needed for the universities you’re hoping to be recruited to. If your score isn’t quite there yet, don’t worry! It’s never too late to take another test and improve your score.
ELIGIBILITY CENTER
As part of the academic certification process for both NCAA and NAIA, all prospective student-athletes must submit their academic information to organzation’s eligibility center. Academic records include documents such as transcripts, yearly grade reports, mark sheets or official exam results. If English is not the primary language of instruction at the school you attended, you must submit complete, line-by-line certified English translations for all your documents in the same format as the native language documents.
HOW LONG IS THE COLLEGE TRACK & FIELD SEASON?
There’s no time to rest after the indoor track and field championships, with the outdoor season beginning almost immediately after. While the sport of track and field largely remains the same across seasons, there are a few differences between indoor and outdoor track.
During the indoor season, athletes race on a 200-meter track. During the outdoor season, athletes race on a 400-meter track, which means new events are available.
Another difference between the indoor and outdoor track seasons is the preliminary meets before the outdoor championships. The NCAA outdoor preliminary meets are held in the east and west regions, giving athletes one last chance to qualify for the Championships. The qualifiers out of these two regions will compete for the titles in their events.
NCAA PROOF
OF AMATEURISM
Initial-eligibility standards help ensure you are prepared to succeed in college. The eligibility process also protects the fairness and integrity of college sports by ensuring student-athletes are amateurs.
If you want to practice, compete and receive an athletics scholarship during your first year at a Division I or II school, the NCAA Eligibility Center must certify you as eligible. International college-bound student-athletes planning to enroll at a Division III school must also receive an amateurism-only certification from the Eligibility Center. Throughout the process, Eligibility Center staff members partner with students and their families, as well as high school administrators and coaches, to guide you on your journey.