Rugby Scholarships
in the United States and Canada
Thanks to a rugby scholarship in the United States and Canada, you will be able to experience something unique. Traveling throughout the U.S. and Canada while representing your educational institution across the country is just one of the many advantages this option offers. Additionally, you will be able to develop both academically and athletically while learning a new language and making new friends from around the world. Athletes are treated like true professionals, with the best facilities, professional training, travel opportunities, and sports equipment.
To obtain a rugby scholarship in the United States and Canada, the better your performance in competitions, the more interest you will attract from coaches, leading to higher scholarship offers. It is important to have official marks to catch the attention of university coaches.
There are many universities with rugby programs in the U.S. and Canada. These universities belong to the following sports leagues: NCAA Divisions I, II, III, NAIA, and NJCAA.
Coaches receive numerous applications from athletes every day, which is why it is important to stand out and start the process of securing a rugby scholarship in the U.S. and Canada early. This way, you will be able to stay in contact with coaches and keep them updated on new achievements.
It is crucial for athletes to have the help of Awex Education with enough time to evaluate the real opportunities in the U.S. and Canada, so that your athletic eligibility is not at risk.
At Awex Education, we handle the entire process so you won’t have to worry about anything, allowing you to enjoy this incredible experience.
High School Rugby
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 Rugby
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.
Rugby 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 education system is unique in its ability to combine competitive sports with university studies. Additionally, thanks to sports scholarships, athletes can cover a portion of their academic expenses. Often, there are opportunities to combine athletic scholarships with academic scholarships to further reduce total costs.
Schools in the United States offer shooting scholarships to their team members, allowing athletes to finance their studies through their sport.
This opportunity provides athletes with many advantages compared to the Spanish system: balancing studies and sports, traveling for free across the United States with the sports team, obtaining an academic degree from a U.S. institution, perfecting English, meeting people from many different countries, and experiencing unforgettable moments. All of these possibilities are open to athletes through rugby scholarships.
Each sports league has a maximum number of rugby scholarships that can be awarded. Within these limits, the school allocates the scholarship funds as deemed appropriate.
Coaches at educational institutions distribute the funds for rugby scholarships as either full or partial awards to team athletes. Typically, athletes must be among the top performers on the team to receive a rugby scholarship. There are also opportunities known as “walk-on” positions, which allow players to join the team without receiving a scholarship initially. After spending a year in this role, depending on the player’s performance, they may earn a shooting scholarship for subsequent years.
The number of rugby scholarships available at each educational institution varies between schools. Each sports league has a maximum number of rugby scholarships they can offer, but they may offer fewer than this limit if they choose.
An example is the universities in the Ivy League (prestigious academic institutions like Harvard), which do not offer athletic scholarships.
Additionally, rugby is a sport where coaches can divide the number of scholarships among the team members. For example, in NCAA Division I, men’s rugby coaches can divide the value of 12.6 scholarships among as many players as they wish.
On the other hand, women’s rugby in NCAA Division I has a maximum of 18 scholarships, so if you have the right level, it’s possible to receive a full rugby scholarship.
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 rugby 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 Rugby Level Possible: The higher the athlete’s level, the greater their chances of obtaining a rugby scholarship in the U.S. Additionally, they will have a wider range of options to choose from. It is important to plan rugby 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 rugby 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 rugby 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 important aspect of securing a good educational institution is the academic side: high school grades, SAT, and TOEFL scores. If two students have a similar sports level, but there is a significant difference in their academic level, the coach will typically offer the scholarship to the better student.
This is because students must meet minimum academic standards, making academics as important as sports in several aspects:
- Sports acceptance: Minimum grades are required to be accepted into the sports leagues.
- To be accepted into the institutions, the athlete must meet the academic requirements for the SAT and TOEFL exams.
- It’s possible to receive an academic scholarship, which can be added to the athletic scholarship, increasing the total scholarship amount. To obtain academic scholarships, you need good grades and solid SAT and TOEFL results.
- The higher your grades, the more options you’ll have, and the more money you’ll receive from the institution.
Each institution or coach has different minimum academic requirements. That’s why Awex Education evaluates each athlete’s academic and athletic profile to find the best fit.
In the U.S. and Canada, there are over 1,000 educational institutions with rugby teams that are part of various leagues. Within this broad range of institutions, the rugby level varies widely.
Rugby programs distribute more scholarships to women than men, so the chances of receiving a rugby scholarship are higher for women. Scholarships are offered based on each athlete’s sports and academic level.
Coaches will be in contact with athletes one or even two years before starting at the institution. However, the final decisions are made based on the athlete’s performance one year before they begin in the U.S. or Canada, when they are in their final year of high school.
Although all athletes specialize in a specific type of competition, coaches prefer versatile athletes who can compete in multiple events within their sport.
In long-distance and middle-distance events, the chances may be even higher, as these athletes can compete in cross-country and track, making them more appealing to coaches and potentially leading to higher scholarship offers.
Rugby scholarships in the U.S. and Canada cover a percentage of the costs listed below. If you receive a full rugby scholarship, all of these costs will be covered:
- Tuition and fees
- Books
- Accommodation (residence hall or apartment)
- Meals
- Health insurance
Additionally, all rugby team athletes, whether they have a rugby scholarship or not, have their rugby expenses covered, including: rugby training, sports equipment, official competitions, travel for competitions (transportation, accommodation, and meals), academic tutors if needed, sports medicine, physiotherapy
The application process for rugby scholarships is simple, but requires advanced planning. All interested athletes must prepare and submit the following documents:
- Rugby video showcasing key actions during a game (both attack and defense). High-quality video is necessary.
- High school grades and academic profile (translated to English). A good academic record is essential.
- TOEFL or IELTS score to demonstrate English proficiency.
- SAT or ACT score. A good SAT score can help increase the scholarship amount.
- Personal contact information for the coach.
- Recommendation letters from teachers or coaches who can provide a reliable reference.
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