Soccer Scholarships
in the United States and Canada
Soccer, known as football outside North America, is one of the sports with the highest number of international athletes in its teams. In recent years, many European footballers have chosen to pursue their academic studies while continuing to play the sport thanks to soccer scholarships in the United States and Canada.
As with all sports, every part of the process is important: creating an academic and athletic profile, videos, competitions, experience, and statistics. One fundamental aspect in soccer is the creation of a video showcasing your playing skills. This video should include highlights from competitions and friendly matches, and can also incorporate training materials. It’s crucial that this video is guided by professionals to increase the chances of success; that’s why Awex Education helps you with video recording and final editing.
There are many educational institutions with soccer programs in the United States and Canada. These institutions belong to collegiate leagues: NCAA Divisions I, II, III, NAIA, and NJCAA.
It is very important for the soccer player to have the assistance of Awex Education in a timely manner, so they can assess the real possibilities in the United States and Canada, determining which league or division would be reasonable for them to compete in with a soccer scholarship, thereby ensuring the player’s eligibility. Additionally, within these leagues, there are very different levels of soccer, so each athlete’s profile will have different institutions that are good options for their level.
High School Soccer
High School Soccer If you are between 12 and 17 years old, have an intermediate level of English, and have a grade 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 Soccer
University Soccer If you are 16 years old or older, have an intermediate level of English, and have a grade higher than 6 out of 10, you can apply for a scholarship to study at a University in the United States or Canada.
Soccer in 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 the only system that allows students to combine competitive sports with academic studies. In addition, soccer players can receive sports scholarships, and with the possibility of academic scholarships as well, they can combine these scholarships to reduce academic costs and help fund their studies through soccer.
Thanks to this opportunity, soccer players can have an experience that offers many advantages compared to the Spanish system: combining studies and sports, traveling throughout the United States and Canada with the sports team, obtaining an academic degree from an American or Canadian institution, mastering English, meeting people from various countries, living unforgettable experiences… These are just some of the many benefits of this option. Through soccer, a world of possibilities opens up for athletes, enabling them to recover the time and money they and their families have invested in the sport.
Each sports league has a maximum number of soccer scholarships to distribute, and within these limits, each institution awards the scholarship funds it deems appropriate to each player.
Coaches at educational institutions allocate soccer scholarships, both full and partial, to the players on the team. Typically, players need to be among the best on the team to receive a soccer scholarship. There are also other opportunities called “walk-ons,” allowing players to join the team without receiving a soccer scholarship. After a year in this position, depending on the player’s performance, they may be awarded a soccer scholarship for subsequent years.
The number of available soccer scholarships varies by institution. Each sports league has a maximum number of soccer scholarships that can be offered, although institutions can choose to offer fewer scholarships if they decide to or lack the budget to meet this maximum.
A clear example is universities in the Ivy League (prestigious academic institutions like Harvard), which do not offer athletic scholarships.
Additionally, soccer is a sport in which coaches can split the total number of scholarships among the team members. They do not have to award a full scholarship to each player; instead, they can offer partial scholarships or a percentage of a scholarship.
Here are tables showing the limit of soccer scholarships each university can have per team, the average team size, and the number of universities:
Men’s Soccer
| University League | Number of Universities | Scholarship Limit per Team | Average Team Size |
| NCAA D I | 205 | 9,9 | 29 |
| NCAA DII | 211 | 9 | 31 |
| NCAA DIII * | 412 | – | 29 |
| NAIA | 188 | 12 | 28 |
| NJCAA | 69 | 18 | 24 |
| TOTAL | 1.085 |
Women’s Soccer
| University League | Number of Universities | Scholarship Limit per Team | Average Team Size |
| NCAA D I | 332 | 14 | 28 |
| NCAA DII | 263 | 9.9 | 27 |
| NCAA DIII * | 438 | – | 24 |
| NAIA | 192 | 12 | 24 |
| NJCAA | 187 | 18 | 19 |
| TOTAL | 1.312 |
* Universities competing in NCAA Division III are not allowed to offer athletic scholarships, so they do not offer soccer scholarships; however, other types of significant academic assistance or scholarships are available.
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 Shooting Level Possible: The higher the athlete’s level, the greater their chances of obtaining a shooting scholarship in the U.S. Additionally, they will have a wider range of options to choose from. It is important to plan shooting 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 shooting 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 shooting 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 shooting 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.
What Level of Shooting is Needed to Obtain a Shooting Scholarship in the United States?
In the United States, there are over a thousand educational institutions with shooting teams that are part of various leagues. The level of shooting at these institutions is also quite broad.
Shooting programs tend to allocate more scholarships to women than to men, so the chances of receiving shooting scholarships are higher for women. Scholarships are awarded based on the athlete’s athletic and academic level.
Coaches will be in contact with athletes one or even two years before starting at the institution. However, final decisions are made based on performance metrics from a year before starting in the U.S., during the athlete’s final year of high school.
While athletes may specialize in a particular event, coaches often look for versatile athletes who can compete in multiple events within their discipline.
In the distance and middle-distance sector, opportunities can be even greater as these athletes can compete in both cross-country and track, making them potentially more appealing to coaches and increasing the likelihood of higher scholarships.
In the United States and Canada, there are more than 1,000 schools with soccer teams in various leagues. Within this wide range of schools, their soccer level is also very wide. We give you as a reference the level of soccer required to qualify for soccer scholarships in the United States and Canada depending on the league, however, this level may vary, the level of a player does not only depend on the league in which he competes so from Awex Education we analyze each case individually.
NCAA Division I:
These are larger universities with a greater number of sports, mainly universities in this league have a higher level in sports than those in the other leagues.
- Academic requirements: SAT and TOEFL exams.
- Men’s soccer level: Experience in the Third Division, Division I, lower levels of professional teams and national or regional teams.
- Women’s soccer level: Experience in women’s first division, lower levels of professional teams, and/or national or regional national teams.
NCAA Division II:
These are smaller sized universities with a good level of athletics sometimes the athletic level can be higher than some NCAA Division I, NAIA type universities in size and facilities.
- Academic requirements: SAT and TOEFL exams.
- Men’s Soccer Level: National youth league experience or competent preferred teams.
- Women’s soccer level: Women’s Division II experience.
NCAA Division III:
These are universities that by college league rules cannot give athletic scholarships, but have other types of aid such as academic scholarships that can lower their cost considerably. They are mainly very good academic universities.
- Academic requirements: SAT and TOEFL exams with good grades. Good academic standing.
- Men’s soccer level: Experience in federated teams in local and regional competitions.
- Women’s soccer level: Experience in federated teams in local and regional competitions.
NAIA:
They are universities with similar characteristics to NCAA Division II universities. They have simpler rules in terms of age to be able to compete in them.
- Academic requirements: SAT and TOEFL exams.
- Men’s Soccer Level: Preferred youth experience.
- Women’s soccer level: Division II experience.
Junior College:
These are two-year colleges, where you do the first two years of college and then transfer to one of the above to do the last two years. It can be a good option to improve the academic and sports level and to obtain a better final option. Soccer can be a very good option since the coaches of the 4-year colleges focus a lot on recruiting players that come from these colleges and follow them during their two or one year stay in the NJCAA. You can do one year and transfer to NCAA or NAIA or do two years and then transfer.
- Academic Requirements: No SAT test is required, only TOEFL test (in some cases TOEFL is not required either)
- Men’s Soccer Level: Players of different athletic level from the highest NCAA D1 level.
- Women’s soccer level: Female players of different athletic level from the highest NCAA D1 level.
Soccer scholarships in the United States and Canada cover a percentage of the center’s expenses listed below. If you are awarded a full soccer scholarship, all of these expenses will be covered:
- Tuition and fees
- Books
- Lodging (Residence or apartment)
- Meals
- Medical insurance
In addition, all soccer players of the center’s soccer team, whether or not they have a soccer scholarship, always have their soccer expenses covered: soccer training, physical training, sports equipment (equipment, sportswear…), official competitions, travel to competitions (travel, accommodation and meals), academic tutors in case they need help with classes, sports medicine, physiotherapy…
Coaches measure the level of soccer through several factors:
- Soccer video. This is the most important part, the coaches do not know the player personally so it is important to make a good video of highlights or good moments in matches. You can also put parts of training sessions. From Awex Education we guide you to get the best possible material.
- Sports Curriculum (Teams where he has competed, leagues, statistics ….)
- Awex Education evaluation. We see the video of the player, we know the family and evaluate their profile and level, after several years of good work coaches value our sincere opinion. Many times the leagues do not show the real level of the players as there may be higher levels of players in lower leagues as it is a team sport.
With all this information, at Awex Education we evaluate each athlete and family and work with schools that fit their soccer and academic level, with a good chance of getting a sports scholarship and playing on the team.
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