Amateur Athletic Grants & Scholarships

Successful athletes need to combine raw talent with years of dedicated training before they can compete at the highest level. A number of institutions and programs around the world offer amateur athletic grants and scholarships to athletes in track and field and other sports such as swimming, football, rugby, soccer and baseball. Young athletes can benefit from scholarships to study at esteemed sports universities. Others can apply for funds to help them travel to competitions.

  1. Loughborough Students Sports Foundation Scholarships

    • Loughborough University is a leading center for sports study in the United Kingdom. Students enroll for a variety of degrees in sports science technology at the establishment in Leicestershire, England. Loughborough Students Sports Foundation offers young athletes the chance to gain sports scholarship grants. Awards are given to help fund promising athletes' education and training. Applicants must show academic ability to secure a place. Successful candidates usually compete at junior international level and must be willing to represent Loughborough University in competition. Applications are considered by the university's directors of sports in athletics, cricket, soccer, badminton, hockey, netball, rowing, rugby union, tennis, triathlon and swimming. Students can apply for scholarship grants before they attend the university or during the course of their degree. Athletes must include a letter of support from the national governing body of their sport when submitting an application.

    USA Track and Field Foundation Grants

    • A number of grant programs are funded through the direction of the USA Track and Field Foundation (USATF). The foundation channels donations it receives and puts them towards programs that help young and emerging athletes. Elite athletes can also apply for backing to help them compete at the Olympics. Youth clubs can apply for funds where they must provide details of the program they are requesting funds for and the level of support required. Youth club grants can be made at any point through the year in the run-up to two deadlines of May 1 and December 1, after which grants are made in early June and January respectively. A separate scheme is the Mark Springer Youth Travel Grant Program. It helps athletes from youth clubs attend USATF national youth and junior championships. Donations average $1,000 per club. Receipts for travel expenses must be submitted for clubs to be reimbursed.

    Thompson Rivers University International Student Athletic Scholarship

    • Students from throughout the world who show outstanding sporting ability can apply for the Thompson Rivers University (TRU) International Student Athletic Scholarship, in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. The university offers the scholarships in a bid to help foreign students combine a year's study in Canada with their love of sports. Both male and female athletes can apply for badminton, basketball, soccer and volleyball scholarships. Baseball scholarships are open to male athletes only. Each university team awards one scholarship a year with a maximum of nine scholarships given out in any year. International students who win a scholarship benefit by paying domestic tuition fees instead of international rates. Successful applicants have to show their ability in a try-out that demonstrates they are capable of commanding a place on a TRU team. Students must submit a letter of recommendation and resume of their athletic achievements with their application. Deadline is May 31 for the fall semester that starts in September.