Rowing scholarships in the United States and Canada
The experience that will change your life
Thanks to a rowing scholarship in the United States and Canada, you can live a unique experience. Traveling across the country while representing your educational institution is just one of the many advantages this opportunity offers. In addition, you will develop academically and athletically, while learning a new language and making friendships with people from all over the world. Athletes are treated like true professionals, with access to the best facilities, professional training, travel opportunities, and sports equipment.
To obtain a rowing scholarship in the United States and Canada, the better your performance in competitions, the more interest coaches will show, and the higher the scholarships they offer. Having official times and results is important to attract the attention of university coaches.
Coaches receive applications from many athletes every day, so it is important to stand out and start the process of obtaining a rowing scholarship in the United States and Canada well in advance. This way, you can stay in contact with the coaches and keep them updated on your latest results.
It is crucial for athletes to have the support of Awex Education with enough time to evaluate their real possibilities in the United States, ensuring that their athletic eligibility is not at risk.
At Awex Education, we handle the entire process so that you don’t have to worry about anything and can fully enjoy this incredible experience.
High School Rowing
If you are between 12 and 17 years old, have an intermediate level of English, and a grade above 6 out of 10, you can apply for a scholarship to study at a High School in the United States or Canada.
University Rowing
If you are 16 years or older, have an intermediate level of English, and a grade above 6 out of 10, you can apply for a scholarship to study at a University in the United States or Canada.
Rowing 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?
Why the United States and Canada?
The American educational system is the only system that allows athletes to combine competitive sports with university studies. Moreover, thanks to a rowing scholarship, athletes can cover a portion of their academic expenses. In many cases, it is even possible to combine athletic and academic scholarships to further reduce overall costs.
Colleges and universities in the United States offer rowing scholarships to their team members, enabling athletes to finance their studies through the sport.
Thanks to this opportunity, athletes can enjoy an experience that offers many advantages compared to the Spanish system: balancing academics and sports, traveling for free across the United States and Canada with the team, earning a degree from a U.S. or Canadian institution, learning perfect English, meeting people from all over the world, and living unforgettable experiences… For all these reasons, rowing opens up a world of possibilities for athletes.
Rowing scholarships in the United States and Canada
Each sports league has a maximum number of rowing scholarships to distribute, but within those limits, each school decides how to allocate the scholarship funds as it sees fit.
Coaches distribute these funds as full or partial rowing scholarships among the team members. Typically, athletes need to be among the best on the team to receive a rowing scholarship.
There are also opportunities known as walk-ons, which allow athletes to join the team without receiving a rowing scholarship. After spending a year in this position, depending on the athlete’s performance, they may earn a rowing scholarship for the following years.
Limit on scholarships per team
The number of rowing scholarships available at each school varies from one school to another. Each sports league has a maximum number of rowing scholarships they can offer, but they may choose to offer fewer scholarships than that limit if they wish.
A clear example is the universities in the IVY League (academically prestigious schools such as Harvard), which do not offer athletic scholarships.
Additionally, rowing is a sport in which coaches can split the value of scholarships among team members. For example, in NCAA Division I, men’s rowing coaches can divide the value of 12.6 scholarships among as many athletes as they choose.
Women’s rowing, on the other hand, in NCAA Division I has a maximum of 18 scholarships, so if an athlete has the appropriate level, it is possible to obtain a full rowing scholarship.
How does the process of obtaining rowing scholarships in the United States and Canada work?
The goal of Awex Education is to help athletes from around the world gain access to educational institutions in the United States and Canada with an athletic and/or academic scholarship. For this reason, we search for the best schools for each athlete, as well as the maximum possible athletic and/or academic scholarship.
Here we explain the process for obtaining a rowing scholarship at an American school. This first part is where the athlete must work to achieve their best athletic and academic results:
Achieve the highest possible rowing level: The higher the athlete’s level, the greater the chances of obtaining a rowing scholarship in the United States and Canada. In addition, the athlete will have a wider range of options to choose from. It is important to plan rowing training and competition schedules to reach the best possible results.
Achieve the highest possible academic level: It is very important to focus on studies in order to reach the maximum academic level. This will give more options and may even allow the athlete to obtain academic scholarships, reducing the annual cost. Adequate preparation in advance for TOEFL and SAT exams is fundamental.
The second part of the process is handled by Awex Education. It is very important to contact us well in advance and begin preparing the process early. This increases the chances of obtaining a sports scholarship in the United States and provides more options to choose from. We recommend starting the process 1 to 2 years before the intended start date in the United States or Canada.
We analyze each case individually and evaluate the athlete’s chances of obtaining a rowing scholarship in the United States and Canada based on their rowing level, academic performance, and the expectations of the athlete and their family. At Awex Education, this evaluation is free of charge and without any commitment. We meet with the athlete and family to explain the real possibilities. Once the family decides to start the process, we take care of the following steps:
We study the individual case of each athlete, including athletic level, academic performance, and preferences regarding educational institutions. We look for options that best suit the athlete’s and family’s preferences, athletic and academic profile, and financial situation.
We create a personal tracking sheet for each athlete. In this sheet, we plan with the family the steps to follow, exam dates, exam preparation (depending on the league’s focus), and short-, medium-, and long-term goals of the process.
We provide support for SAT and TOEFL exam registration.
We provide support in creating the athletic video with advice and guidance to produce a strong video, which is crucial as it is the basis for recruitment. We handle the final editing of the athlete’s video.
With the final video, we create an academic and athletic profile of the athlete to contact rowing coaches.
We start contacting schools that match the athlete’s profile and preferences. We work with most schools in the United States across all states that fit the athlete’s profile.
We negotiate with each coach or school to obtain the maximum scholarship and best conditions possible.
We present a report with several options in time to make a decision. The report includes information such as the school name, location, size, academic level, athletic level, cost without scholarship, scholarship amount, and annual price to pay.
We offer multiple options within the budget, so families can choose among alternatives.
We help the athlete and family in choosing the school, advising and guiding, but the final decision is made by the family.
We handle the signing of the final offer from the chosen educational institution.
We manage the admission process to the academic leagues in which the school competes (NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA).
We manage the admission process with the chosen school (sending grades, SAT and TOEFL scores, admission paperwork…).
We prepare the athlete’s meal and accommodation plans.
We handle medical insurance in the United States and Canada.
We handle student visa processing for the United States and Canada.
We organize flights and arrival so the athlete has someone to meet them.
We provide support upon arrival at the school, giving advice and answering questions (money transfers, bank cards, initial questions upon arrival in the United States and Canada).
We assist in obtaining academic assignments within the school.
We provide support throughout the athlete’s stay in the United States and Canada for any need, school changes, questions, or necessary paperwork, all at no additional cost.
For students in their 3rd or 4th year of university, we offer an English university course preparing them for the professional world and helping them secure job offers.
An important factor that sets our service apart is our personalized approach. We maintain continuous contact with athletes and families via WhatsApp or calls, and in case of urgency, we can be contacted anytime outside office hours.
Academic requirements
Another important factor in securing a good educational institution is the academic aspect—high school grades, SAT scores, and TOEFL results. If two students have a very similar athletic level but there are significant differences in academic performance, the coach will usually award the rowing scholarship to the student with the stronger academic record.
This is because athletes must meet minimum requirements, making academics as important as rowing in several aspects:
Athletic acceptance: Minimum grades on exams must be met to be eligible for sports leagues.
School acceptance: The athlete must meet academic requirements on the SAT and TOEFL exams to be accepted by the school.
Academic scholarships: It is possible to obtain an academic scholarship that can be combined with the athletic scholarship, resulting in a larger total scholarship. To obtain academic scholarships, students need strong grades and high SAT and TOEFL scores.
Therefore, the higher the grades, the wider the range of options available to the athlete, and the greater the funding received from the school.
Each school or coach has different minimum academic requirements. For this reason, at Awex Education, we carefully study each athlete’s academic and athletic profile to find the school that best fits their abilities and goals.
What level of rowing is required?
In the United States and Canada, there are over a thousand educational institutions with rowing teams that participate in the various leagues. Within this large range of schools, the level of rowing also varies widely.
Rowing programs tend to offer more scholarships to women than to men, so the chances of obtaining a rowing scholarship are generally higher for female athletes. Scholarships are awarded based on each athlete’s athletic and academic level.
Coaches usually stay in contact with athletes one or even two years before they start at the school, but final decisions are made based on performance marks from one year prior to starting in the U.S. or Canada, when the athlete is in their final year of high school.
Although all athletes specialize in a particular event, coaches look for versatile athletes who can compete in multiple events within their sector.
In the middle- and long-distance sectors, opportunities can be even greater because these athletes can compete both on the water and on the ergometer or in other rowing events. As a result, coaches may have more interest in these athletes and offer them higher scholarships.
What do rowing scholarships cover?
Rowing scholarships in the United States and Canada cover a percentage of the school’s expenses listed below. In the case of a full rowing scholarship, all of these expenses are fully covered:
Tuition and fees
Books
Housing (dormitory or apartment)
Meals
Health insurance
In addition, all athletes on the school’s rowing team, whether or not they have a rowing scholarship, always have the following costs covered: rowing training, sports equipment, official competitions, travel to competitions (transportation, lodging, and meals), academic tutoring if extra help is needed, sports medicine, physiotherapy, and more.
How do American coaches measure an athlete's level?
Coaches assess a rower’s level based on several factors:
Official times or results
National and international competitions
Rowing video footage
Awex Education evaluation
Using all this information, Awex Education evaluates each athlete and their family and works with educational institutions that match the athlete’s sporting and academic level, maximizing the chances of obtaining a sports scholarship and joining the team.
Awex Stories
Real stories from our students and families in the United States and Canada. Discover how they lived their experience, what they learned, and how this adventure transformed their lives.
Awex Stories
Real stories from our students and families in the United States and Canada. Discover how they lived their experience, what they learned, and how this adventure transformed their lives.
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