Water polo scholarships in the United States and Canada
The experience that will change your life
Thanks to a water polo scholarship in the United States and Canada, you can live a unique experience. Traveling across the U.S. while representing your educational institution is just one of the many advantages of this opportunity. Additionally, you will develop both 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, and sports equipment.
To earn a water polo scholarship in the U.S. and Canada, the better your performance in competitions, the more interest coaches will have, and the higher the scholarships they may offer. It is important to have official results to attract the attention of university coaches.
There are many universities with water polo programs in the United States and Canada.
These universities belong to the following collegiate leagues: NCAA Divisions I, II, III, NAIA, and NJCAA.
Coaches receive applications from many athletes every day, so it is important to stand out and start the process of obtaining a water polo scholarship in the U.S. and Canada early. This way, you can stay in contact with coaches in advance and keep them updated on your latest results.
It is very important for athletes to have the support of Awex Education with enough lead time so that we can evaluate the real opportunities in the U.S. and ensure that their athletic eligibility is not at risk.
At Awex Education, we take care of the entire process so that you don’t have to worry about anything and can enjoy this incredible experience.
High School Water polo
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 Water polo
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.
Water polo 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 education system is the only system that allows athletes to combine competitive sports with university studies. In addition, thanks to a waterpolo scholarship, athletes can cover a percentage of their academic expenses. In many cases, it is also possible to combine athletic scholarships with academic scholarships, further reducing the total costs.
Schools offer waterpolo scholarships in the U.S. for team members, allowing athletes to finance their studies through waterpolo.
Thanks to this opportunity, athletes can have an experience that offers many advantages compared to the Spanish system: combining studies and sports, traveling for free across the U.S. with their team, obtaining an academic degree from a U.S. institution, learning perfect English, meeting people from many different countries, and living unforgettable experiences. For all these reasons, a world of possibilities opens up for athletes through waterpolo.
Water polo scholarships in the United States and Canada
Each athletic league has a maximum number of waterpolo scholarships that can be awarded. Within these limits, each school distributes the scholarship funds as it sees fit.
Coaches allocate the available budget into full and partial waterpolo scholarships for the athletes on their teams. Usually, players must be among the best on the team to receive a waterpolo scholarship.
There are also other opportunities called walk-on positions, which allow players to be part of the team without receiving a waterpolo scholarship in the U.S. or Canada. After a year in this position, depending on performance, a player may earn a waterpolo scholarship for the following years.
Limit on scholarships per team
he number of waterpolo scholarships available at each educational institution varies between schools. Each athletic league has a maximum number of waterpolo scholarships they can offer, but they may choose to award fewer than that maximum.
A clear example is the universities that make up the IVY League (a league of academically prestigious universities like Harvard), which do not offer athletic scholarships.
Additionally, waterpolo is a sport where coaches can split the available scholarships among team members. For example, in NCAA Division I, men’s waterpolo coaches can divide the value of 12.6 scholarships among as many players as they want.
Women’s waterpolo in NCAA Division I, on the other hand, has a maximum of 18 scholarships, so if a player meets the appropriate level, it is possible to receive a full waterpolo scholarship.
How does the process of obtaining water polo scholarships in the United States and Canada work?
The goal of Awex Education is to help athletes from all over the world access educational institutions in the United States and Canada with a sports and/or academic scholarship. For this reason, we look for the best schools for each athlete, as well as the highest possible sports and/or academic scholarship.
Here we explain the process to obtain a waterpolo scholarship at an American or Canadian school. The first part is where the athlete must work to achieve the best athletic and academic results:
Achieve the highest possible waterpolo level: The higher the athlete’s level, the greater the chances of obtaining a waterpolo 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 waterpolo training and competition schedules to achieve the best possible results.
Achieve the highest possible academic level: It is very important to focus on studies to reach the maximum academic level. This way, we will have more options available and may even obtain academic scholarships, reducing the annual cost. Early preparation for TOEFL and SAT exams is fundamental.
The second part of the process is handled by Awex Education. It is crucial to contact us well in advance and start preparing the process early. This increases the chances of obtaining a sports scholarship in the United States and Canada, giving more options to choose from. We recommend starting the process 1–2 years before the intended start date in the United States or Canada.
We analyze each case individually and assess the possibilities of obtaining a waterpolo scholarship in the United States or Canada, based on the athlete’s waterpolo level, academic level, and family expectations. At Awex Education, this evaluation is FREE and without any obligation. We meet with the athlete and family to explain the realistic possibilities. Once the family decides to proceed, we handle the following steps:
We study each athlete’s individual case, including sports level, academic level, and school preferences, and search for options that best match the athlete’s profile, academic level, sports level, and family preferences.
We create a personal tracking sheet for each athlete, planning steps with the family: exam dates, preparation schedules (depending on the league), and short-, medium-, and long-term goals.
We provide support for SAT and TOEFL registration.
We provide guidance on creating the athletic video, giving tips to make a good highlight video, since recruitment depends heavily on it. We handle the final editing of the athlete’s video.
With the final video, we create an academic and athletic profile to contact waterpolo coaches.
We start contacting schools that match the athlete’s and family’s profile and preferences. We work with most educational institutions in the United States and Canada, covering all relevant states.
We negotiate with each coach or school to obtain the highest scholarship and the best possible conditions.
We present a report with several options in time to make a decision, including: school name, location, size, academic level, sports level, tuition without scholarship, scholarship amount, and annual cost.
We offer multiple options within the budget, always providing alternatives so families can choose. We continue searching until the family finds the ideal option.
We assist the athlete and family in choosing a school, giving guidance and advice, but the final decision is always theirs.
We handle the signature of the final offer from the chosen school.
We manage the admission procedures for the athletic leagues in which the school competes (NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA).
We handle the admissions process with the chosen school (sending transcripts, SAT/TOEFL results, paperwork, etc.).
We arrange meal and housing plans for the athlete.
We handle health insurance in the United States and Canada.
We handle the student visa process for each athlete.
We organize flights and arrival, ensuring someone is there to receive the athlete.
We assist during the athlete’s arrival at the school with advice and support (sending money, bank cards, first-day questions in the United States and Canada).
We help with academic work within the school.
We provide support throughout the athlete’s stay in the United States and Canada for any needs, school transfers, questions, or paperwork, all without extra cost.
For athletes in their 3rd or 4th year of university, we offer a course at a British university that prepares them for the workforce and helps them obtain job offers.
A key factor that sets our service apart is our personalized attention. We maintain continuous contact with our athletes and families via WhatsApp or calls, and in emergencies, we can be reached outside office hours.
Academic requirements
Another important factor in being accepted to a good school is the academic side — high school grades, SAT and TOEFL scores, and overall academic performance. If two athletes have a similar waterpolo level but very different academic results, the coach will usually offer the waterpolo scholarship to the stronger student academically.
This is because students must meet minimum academic requirements, making academics just as important as waterpolo in several ways:
Athletic eligibility: Students must achieve minimum academic scores to be accepted into the athletic leagues.
University admission: To be accepted by schools, athletes must meet the academic requirements for the SAT and TOEFL exams.
It is even possible to receive an academic scholarship that can be added to the waterpolo scholarship, increasing the total amount of financial aid. To qualify for academic scholarships, students need strong grades and good SAT and TOEFL results.
Therefore, the higher the grades, the more options an athlete will have — and the higher the total scholarship amount offered by the school.
Each university or coach has different academic standards. That’s why Awex Education carefully analyzes each athlete’s academic and athletic profile to find the school that best fits each waterpolo player.
What level of water polo is required?
In the United States and Canada, there are more than a thousand schools with waterpolo teams that compete across different athletic leagues. Within this wide range of institutions, the level of waterpolo varies greatly.
Waterpolo programs tend to offer more scholarships to women than to men, so the chances of obtaining a waterpolo scholarship are generally higher for female athletes. Scholarships are awarded based on each athlete’s athletic and academic performance.
Coaches usually stay in contact with athletes one or even two years before they begin at their chosen school. However, final scholarship decisions are typically made based on the athlete’s performance during the year prior to arriving in the United States or Canada — usually their final year of high school.
Although each athlete specializes in a specific position or event, coaches value versatile players who can contribute to multiple roles or areas within the team.
Within the endurance and middle-distance categories, opportunities can be even greater, as these athletes are often able to compete in multiple disciplines such as cross and pool events. Because of this versatility, coaches may show increased interest and offer higher waterpolo scholarships to these athletes.
What do water polo scholarships cover?
Waterpolo scholarships in the United States and Canada cover a percentage of the school expenses listed below. If an athlete receives a full waterpolo scholarship, all of these costs will be fully covered:
Tuition and fees
Books
Housing (dormitory or apartment)
Meals
Health insurance
Additionally, all athletes on the school’s waterpolo team, whether or not they have a waterpolo scholarship, always have their waterpolo-related expenses covered: waterpolo training, sports equipment, official competitions, travel to competitions (transportation, lodging, and meals), academic tutoring if needed, sports medicine, and physiotherapy.
How do American coaches measure an athlete's level?
Coaches measure a player’s waterpolo level through several factors:
Official scores or times
National and international competitions
Waterpolo video footage
Awex Education evaluation
Using all this information, at Awex Education we assess each athlete and their family, and collaborate with educational institutions that match their athletic and academic level, providing strong opportunities to secure a sports scholarship and compete on 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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