American Football Scholarships
in the United States and Canada
American football is one of the sports with the highest number of international athletes on its teams. In recent years, many athletes from Europe have chosen to begin their academic studies and continue their sports career thanks to American football scholarships in the United States and Canada.
As in all sports, every part of the process is important: creating an academic and athletic profile, videos, competitions, experience, and statistics. One of the key aspects in American football is creating a video that showcases your playing skills, featuring highlights from competitions and friendly matches, as well as training materials. This video should be professionally guided to increase the chances of success, which is why at Awex Education, we help advise you on recording and editing the final video.
There are many educational institutions with American football programs in the United States and Canada. These institutions belong to the following university leagues: NCAA Divisions I, II, III, NAIA, and NJCAA.
It is very important for the football player to seek assistance from Awex Education in advance, so that they can assess the athlete’s real opportunities in the United States and Canada, determine which league or division would be suitable for them to compete in with a football scholarship, and avoid jeopardizing their eligibility. Furthermore, within these leagues, there are varying levels of American football, so for each athlete’s profile, there will be different schools that are good options for their level.
High School American Football
If you are between 12 and 17 years old, have an intermediate level of English, and a GPA higher than 6 out of 10, you can apply for a scholarship to study at a high school in the United States or Canada.
University American Football
If you are 16 years old or older, have an intermediate level of English, and a GPA higher than 6 out of 10, you can apply for a scholarship to study at a university in the United States or Canada.
Football in the United States and Canada
Our CEO, William Touchard, explains in detail everything you need to know about the sports program.
Do you have any questions?
The American educational system is the only one that allows athletes to combine competitive sports with academic studies. Additionally, athletes can receive sports scholarships along with academic scholarships, which, when combined, reduce academic costs and help finance their studies through American football.
Thanks to this opportunity, athletes can live an experience that offers many advantages over the Spanish system: combining studies and sport, traveling across the United States and Canada with their sports team, obtaining an academic degree from a U.S. or Canadian institution, learning perfect English, meeting people from various countries, and living unforgettable experiences. These are just a few of the many advantages this option provides. Thanks to American football, athletes are given a world of possibilities, a way to recover the time and money investment made by athletes and their families in this sport.
Each sports league has a maximum number of American football scholarships to offer. Within those limits, the institution distributes the scholarship funds as it sees fit for each player.
Coaches at educational institutions distribute full and partial American football scholarships among the team members. Generally, you must be one of the best players on the team to earn a scholarship. There are also other opportunities called “walk-ons,” where players can join the team without receiving a football scholarship. After one year in this position, depending on their performance, they may earn a scholarship for the following years.
The number of available football scholarships at each institution varies. Each sports league has a maximum number of scholarships they can offer, but they may offer fewer than that limit if they choose to do so or if they lack the budget to cover the maximum number of scholarships.
An example is the Ivy League universities (prestigious academic institutions like Harvard), which do not offer sports scholarships.
Additionally, American football is a sport where coaches can divide the total number of scholarships among team members. They do not necessarily have to give a full scholarship to each player; they can offer a percentage of a scholarship or partial scholarships.
The goal of Awex Education is to help athletes from all over the world gain access to an educational institution in the United States with an athletic and/or academic scholarship. Therefore, we seek the best centers for each athlete, as well as the maximum athletic and/or academic scholarship.
Here’s how the process of obtaining a shooting scholarship at an American educational institution works. The first part is where the athlete needs to work to achieve the best possible athletic and academic results:
- Achieve the Highest American football Level Possible: The higher the athlete’s level, the greater their chances of obtaining a American football scholarship in the U.S. Additionally, they will have a wider range of options to choose from. It is important to plan American football training and competition schedules to reach the best possible marks.
- Achieve the Highest Academic Level Possible: It is very important to focus on studies to reach the highest academic level. This way, we can have more options available and even obtain academic scholarships to reduce the annual cost. Proper preparation for the TOEFL and SAT exams is essential.
In the second part of the process, we at Awex Education take over. It is very important to contact Awex Education well in advance and start preparing the process early. This will increase the chances of obtaining a sports scholarship in the United States and provide more options to choose from. We recommend starting the process between 1 and 2 years before the intended start date in the U.S.
We analyze the individual case and their chances of obtaining an athletic scholarship in the United States based on the American football level, academic performance, and expectations of the student and their family. At Awex Education, we provide this FREE evaluation with no obligation and meet with the athlete and family to explain the real possibilities. Once the family decides to start the process, we handle the following steps:
- We study the individual case of each athlete, sports level, academic level, and preferences regarding educational institutions. We look for options that best match your preferences and sports, academic, and financial profile. We talk to the family and examine what they are looking for to offer them the best options that meet the family’s requirements.
- We create a personal tracking sheet for each athlete’s case. In this tracking sheet, we plan with the family the steps to follow, exam dates, preparation for these exams (depending on the league’s focus), as well as short-term, medium-term, and long-term objectives of the process.
- We offer support for SAT and TOEFL exam registrations.
- We offer support in creating the sports video with advice and guidance to obtain a good video. The video is very important as it is used to recruit players. We handle the final editing of the athlete’s video.
- With the final video in hand, we create an academic and sports profile of the athlete to contact American football coaches.
- We start contacting institutions that match the athlete’s profile and preferences. We work with most educational institutions in the United States, from all states that correspond to the athlete’s profile.
- We negotiate with each coach or institution to obtain the maximum scholarship and the best possible conditions for each athlete.
- We present a report with several options with enough time to make a decision. The report includes information such as: name of the institution, location, size, academic level, sports level, price without scholarship, scholarship amount, annual price to pay…
- We offer several options within the budget. We will always provide several alternatives so that families can choose among them.
- We help the athlete and their family in choosing the institution, we advise and guide, but the final decision is made by the family.
- We handle the signing of the final offer from the educational institution with which the athlete wants to commit.
- We carry out the admission procedure for the academic leagues in which the school competes (NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA).
- We carry out the admission process with the chosen institution (sending transcripts, sending SAT and TOEFL exams, admission paperwork…).
- We finalize the meal and accommodation plans for the athlete.
- We take care of obtaining health insurance in the U.S.
- We handle the processing of the student visa for the U.S. with each athlete.
- We organize the flights and arrival of the athlete to ensure they have someone upon arrival.
- We help with the arrival at the institution with advice and assistance with questions (sending money, banking cards, questions on initial arrival in the U.S.).
- We assist in obtaining academic work within the institution.
- We provide support throughout the athlete’s stay in the United States for anything they need, school changes, questions, or necessary paperwork. All at NO additional cost.
- When students are in their 3rd or 4th year of university, we offer a course at an English university that prepares them for the job market and helps them obtain job offers.
In addition to all this, a very important factor that makes a difference in our service is the personal approach. We are in constant contact with our athletes and their families. We communicate via WhatsApp or calls, and in case of an emergency, you can contact us at any time outside office hours.
Another crucial aspect in securing a good educational institution is the academic side—your high school grades, SAT scores, and TOEFL scores. If two students have similar athletic levels but significant differences in academic performance, the coach will typically offer the American Football scholarship to the better student.
This is because students must meet minimum academic standards to be accepted into sports leagues, making academics as important as athletics in several respects:
- Sports Eligibility: Minimum grades are required on exams to be accepted into sports leagues.
- Academic Acceptance: To gain admission to the institutions, athletes must meet the academic requirements of the SAT and TOEFL exams.
- Academic Scholarships: Good grades and strong SAT and TOEFL scores can lead to additional academic scholarships, increasing the total scholarship amount.
Therefore, the higher the academic performance, the more options the athlete will have and the more financial support they will receive from the institution.
Each institution or coach has different minimum academic standards. That’s why at Awex Education, we evaluate each academic and athletic profile to find the best fit for each athlete.
In the U.S. and Canada, there are over a thousand institutions with American football teams in different leagues. The football level varies widely. Below are the typical levels required to apply for football scholarships based on the league, although this may change, as an athlete’s level is not solely determined by the league they play in. Awex Education assesses each case individually.
-NCAA Division I
These are large universities with a broad range of sports. They typically have higher-level sports programs than those in other leagues.
- Football Level (Men’s): Experience in third division, elite
Scholarship Amount: Up to 100% full scholarship.
-NCAA Division II
NCAA Division II universities are typically smaller in size but offer a solid level of sports, sometimes even higher than some NCAA Division I schools. These universities are often similar in size and facilities to NAIA schools.
Academic Requirements: SAT and TOEFL exams
Football Level (Men’s): Experience in national youth leagues or competitive teams
Football Level (Women’s): Experience in second division women’s football
-NCAA Division III
NCAA Division III schools cannot offer athletic scholarships due to league rules, but they provide other forms of financial aid such as academic scholarships, which can significantly reduce costs. These universities are known for their strong academic programs.
Academic Requirements: SAT and TOEFL exams with good grades, strong academic performance
Football Level (Men’s): Experience in federated teams at the local and regional levels
Football Level (Women’s): Experience in federated teams at the local and regional levels
-NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)
NAIA schools are similar to NCAA Division II universities in terms of size and sports level but have simpler age restrictions for athletes.
Academic Requirements: SAT and TOEFL exams
Football Level (Men’s): Experience in preferred youth leagues
Football Level (Women’s): Experience in second division football
-Junior College (JC)
Junior Colleges are two-year institutions where students complete the first two years of their degree before transferring to a four-year school for the remaining years. This can be a good option for improving both academic and athletic levels, offering a better final option. American football is a great choice, as four-year universities’ coaches often focus on recruiting players from these schools.
Academic Requirements: SAT not required, only TOEFL exam (sometimes not required)
Football Level (Men’s): Players at various levels, from NCAA Division I to other levels
Football Level (Women’s): Players at various levels, from NCAA Division I to other levels
A full American football scholarship in the U.S. or Canada covers the following expenses:
- Tuition and Fees
- Books
- Housing (Residence or Apartment)
- Meals
- Health Insurance
Additionally, all football players on the team (whether they have a scholarship or not) have the following covered: - Football Training
- Physical Training
- Sports Equipment (gear, clothing, etc.)
- Official Competitions
- Travel to Competitions (transportation, accommodations, meals)
- Academic Tutors (if needed)
- Sports Medicine and Physiotherapy
Coaches evaluate players through several key factors:
- Football Video: The most important aspect, as coaches often don’t personally know the player. A highlight video showcasing good moments from matches, and sometimes training, is essential. Awex Education helps guide athletes in creating the best possible video material.
- Sports Resume: Includes details of teams, leagues, and statistics.
- Awex Education Evaluation: We assess the player’s video, get to know the family, and evaluate their profile and skill level. After years of solid work, coaches value our honest opinion. Sometimes, a player’s skill level might not be fully reflected in lower league play, as team sports can vary significantly.
At Awex Education, we evaluate each athlete’s profile and work with schools that fit their level of football and academics, offering strong possibilities for obtaining a sports scholarship and playing on the team.
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