Scholarships for Football Players

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) alone offers 23,157 football scholarships. Ivy league schools such as Yale University, Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, Brown University, Cornell University, Columbia University and Dartmouth College have Division I football programs, but athletic scholarships to such schools are not available; only academic scholarships. Those interested in athletic scholarships but seeking smaller schools should research programs in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

  1. NCAA Division I

    • There are 236 Division I colleges and universities in the United States. These include Florida State, Kansas State, Michigan State, Baylor and UCLA. Such programs are for elite football players only. To participate in Division I (and II) athletics as a college freshman, students must register and become certified by the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. Such forms are generally available through high school guidance counselors. Registration includes a one-time fee of $50 for United States students and $75 for international students. Students must have a grade-point average of at least 2.0 in a core curriculum of 16 academic subjects to qualify for a Division I scholarship.

    NCAA Division II

    • Competition for Division II football scholarships is "fierce," according to the College Scholarships website. Competitive recruiting is common as Division II schools need the best players they can find in order to build their athletic programs and win games. There are 152 competitive Division II programs looking for the best players in football. Full undergraduate scholarships, which provide full tuition and room/board payment for all four years, are the most common scholarships offered by Division II schools. The NCAA allows 36 full scholarships for each Division II school. Partial undergraduate scholarships are also available for Division II schools. Such scholarships usually offer payment of tuition but not room and board. Partial scholarships mean that a Division II school can offer more than 36 scholarships per year. Students must have a grade-point average of at least 2.0 in a core curriculum of 14 academic subjects to qualify for a Division II scholarship.

    NAIA Football Scholarships

    • The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, or NAIA, is an alternative to NCAA schools. The NAIA offers "more options and equality among athletes" than does the NCAA, according to the College Scholarships website. Colleges and universities that participate in this association are generally smaller and more academically balanced than NCAA schools, and nearly all of them offer athletic scholarships. Most scholarships are partial and combined with those that are based on academics need. Student-athletes in the NAIA generally receive more playing time, more access to scholarship money and more chances to play on a championship level. Schools with top-ranked NAIA programs include Georgetown College, the University of Sioux Falls and Saint Xavier University.