Soccer - GoSport

Soocer Scholarships in the USA

Soccer, or football as it’s called globally, has one of the highest numbers of international athletes on U.S. college teams. Many European players have chosen to pursue university degrees while continuing their soccer careers, thanks to scholarships in the U.S. The process involves several key elements: building a strong academic and sports profile, compiling competition stats, and creating a high-quality video that showcases your skills during matches. At GoSport, we guide you through creating and editing this video to ensure it’s top-notch. With numerous universities across different divisions like NCAA Divisions I, II, III, NAIA, and NJCAA, it’s crucial to have GoSport’s support early on to evaluate the best options for you. Each division offers different levels of soccer, so we tailor our recommendations to match your skill level and academic profile.

Soccer scholarships in the U.S. cover a portion of university expenses, and in the case of a full scholarship, the following costs are fully included:

Tuition and fees
Books
Accommodation (dorms or apartments)
Food
Health insurance

Additionally, all university soccer players, whether they receive a scholarship or not, have soccer-related expenses covered, including:

Training and physical conditioning
Sports equipment (clothing, shoes, etc.)
Official competitions
Travel, hotel, and meals for competitions
Academic tutoring if needed
Sports medicine and physiotherapy assistance

Academics are crucial for getting into a good university. SAT scores, TOEFL results, and high school grades play a key role. If two students have similar soccer skills, coaches will typically offer the scholarship to the one with better academics. This is because students must meet minimum academic standards to maintain sports eligibility.

Key points:

Eligibility: Minimum test scores are required in all divisions.
Admission: Soccer players need to meet academic exam requirements to be accepted by universities.
Academic Scholarships: Strong grades and high SAT scores can lead to academic scholarships, which can be combined with athletic scholarships for a higher total.

The better the grades, the more options and potential financial aid a player can receive. At GoSport, we analyze each student’s academic and athletic profile to find the best match.

With over 1,000 universities in the U.S. offering soccer programs across different divisions, the level of soccer varies widely. At GoSport, we assess each player’s abilities individually to determine the best scholarship options. Here’s a breakdown of the required levels by division:

NCAA Division I:
- Size & Sports: Large universities with top-tier sports programs.
- Academic Requirements: SAT exam.
- Men’s Soccer: Experience in professional academies, national, regional, or county leagues.
- Women’s Soccer: Experience in first/second division or professional academies, regional or national competitions.
NCAA Division II:
- Size & Sports: Smaller universities but with high-level sports programs.
- Academic Requirements: SAT exam.
- Men’s Soccer: National youth league or county-level experience.
- Women’s Soccer: First/second division experience, regular competition.
NCAA Division III:
- Scholarships: No athletic scholarships, but academic aid is available.
- Academic Requirements: Strong SAT scores and high academic performance.
- Men’s Soccer: Regional/county competition experience.
- Women’s Soccer: Similar regional/county level competition experience.
NAIA:
- Size & Sports: Similar to NCAA Division II with simpler eligibility rules.
- Academic Requirements: SAT exam.
- Men’s Soccer: Youth or local team experience, participation in local leagues.
- Women’s Soccer: Second division or local competition experience.
Junior College:
- Program: Two-year colleges that serve as a stepping stone to larger universities.
- Academic Requirements: SAT exam.
- Men’s & Women’s Soccer: Varies widely, sometimes reaching NCAA Division I level.

Each division offers different opportunities, and GoSport ensures that players find the right match based on both their academic and athletic profiles.

The U.S. offers a unique university system that blends high-level sports competition with academic studies, along with athletic and academic scholarships. Soccer players in the U.S. can use scholarships to help finance their education while competing at a high level. Unlike the UK system, the U.S. allows athletes to balance academics and sports, travel across the country with their university team, earn a degree from an American university, and connect with people from diverse backgrounds—all while having a life-changing experience.

Coaches assess soccer players through a combination of key factors:

Soccer Video: This is the most critical element. Since coaches don’t know the player personally, a well-produced video showcasing highlights from matches is essential. Training and conditioning clips can also be included. At GoSport, we guide you to ensure your video includes the best moments.

Sports Resume: Information such as the teams you’ve played for, leagues you’ve competed in, and your statistics are crucial for coaches to evaluate your experience.

GoSport’s Assessment: We review the player’s video, speak with the family, and evaluate the player’s overall profile. Over time, coaches have come to value our insights. It’s important to note that divisions don’t always reflect the true ability of players, as soccer is a team sport and individual performance can vary.

Using this information, GoSport connects players with universities that match their soccer and academic levels, increasing their chances of obtaining a soccer scholarship and joining a college team.

At GoSport, our goal is to connect soccer players from around the world with universities in the United States, securing both soccer and/or academic scholarships. Here’s how the process works:

Achieve Peak Soccer Performance: The higher your soccer level, the better your chances of receiving a scholarship. Ensure you create a high-quality video showcasing your skills, highlights, and training sessions. We provide guidance on making an impactful video.
Excel Academically: Strong academic performance enhances your scholarship opportunities. Good grades and SAT scores can lead to academic scholarships that reduce university costs. Early preparation for the SAT is crucial.
Our Process:
- Personalized Evaluation: We start with a free, no-obligation assessment of your soccer and academic profile to identify scholarship opportunities in the U.S.
- Profile Creation: We develop a tailored profile, including next steps, exam dates, and goals.
- Video Support: We guide you in creating and editing a professional soccer video.
- University Matching: We reach out to universities that align with your profile and negotiate for the best scholarship and conditions.
- Options Report: We present several university options, including costs and scholarship details, allowing ample time for decision-making.
- Finalizing Offers: We assist with signing the final university offer and ensure eligibility with the university division (NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA).
- Admission and Logistics: We help with the admission process, meal plans, accommodation, medical insurance, and student visa. We also arrange flights and assist with settling in, including banking and class registration.
- Ongoing Support: We offer continuous support throughout your university experience, including job opportunities and any other needs.

At GoSport, we stay in close contact with you and your family, available through WhatsApp, phone calls, and email. For urgent matters, we offer support outside office hours.

The number of soccer scholarships offered by each university varies across divisions. Every division has a maximum limit on scholarships they can offer, but some universities may provide fewer scholarships if they lack the budget or choose to allocate their funds differently. For example, Ivy League schools (like Harvard) are prestigious academically and do not offer athletic scholarships. Additionally, soccer coaches can split the scholarship budget among multiple players, often offering partial scholarships instead of full ones.

Here’s a breakdown of the scholarship limits, number of universities with soccer teams, and the average number of players per team:

Men’s Soccer

University Division	Number of Universities	Scholarship Limit per Team	Average Number of Players per Team
NCAA DI	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 Division	Number of Universities	Scholarship Limit per Team	Average Number of Players per Team
NCAA DI	332	14	28
NCAA DII	263	9.9	27
NCAA DIII*	438	–	24
NAIA	192	12	24
NJCAA	187	18	19
TOTAL	1,312

*Note: Universities in NCAA Division III do not offer athletic scholarships, but students can receive academic grants or other major scholarships.

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