20 Scholarships for Athletes to Apply for in 2024

According to a 2019 National College Players Association study, 86% of all college athletes live below the federal poverty line. They are preoccupied with their athletic commitments while in college and don’t have the time to work outside of college if they want to achieve good grades. While this has been brought up in many discussions around the idea of college athletes getting paid, it is also important for making a student-athlete athlete’s decision to go to college worthwhile. 

Prospective college-bound student-athletes are eligible for these scholarships, especially if they require financial assistance. Some scholarship money is awarded annually, while others are only for a scholarship winner to apply once. College coaches can also provide scholarships for high school juniors, seniors, and college students.

Best Athletic Scholarships to Apply to in 2022

To help graduate high school seniors, undergraduate college students, and student-athletes pursue their careers in athletics, Bold.org has 20 scholarship opportunities. These scholarships for student-athletes can help with financial aid and resources that can ease the burden of financial support.

GIST Sports Media no-essay Scholarship

This is an outstanding scholarship for athletes as it doesn’t require any submission of an essay, and it offers a free subscription to The GIST, which is aimed toward students interested in what’s happening in the sports world. It’s easy to apply for and provides a helpful service for all athletes, no matter their sport. “As one of the many no-essay scholarship opportunities on Bold.org, the scholarship will be awarded to applicants who get the most out of The GIST.”

  • Award Amount: $1,000
  • Deadline: July 1, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: August 15, 2022

Peter T. Buecher Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship is aimed at students within Minnesota who wish to use their knowledge to ‘enrich’ the lives of those who share their community. This is a scholarship that sports enthusiasts with good characters who live within Minnesota are recommended because it’s an opportunity to communicate how much they wish to give back to their community.

  • Award Amount: $1,000
  • 400-600 Word Essay Deadline: May 1, 2023
  • Winners Announcement Date: June 1, 2023

Sports letter Sports News no-essay Scholarship

This is an excellent scholarship for athletes as it doesn’t require the submission of an essay. It gives you relevant sports information to start the day, which is aimed toward students interested in what’s happening in the sports world. The scholarship will be awarded to those who use the sports letter consistently and share it with their friends, which also works with athletes as they can share the Sportsletter with those more inclined to read it.

  • Award Amount: $1,000
  • Deadline: July 1, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: July 1, 2022

Wendell and Gwendolyn Clement Scholarship

This scholarship is for black undergraduate students attending the Ohio State University, which holds one of the most storied athletic programs in the entire country. It demands a 2.5 GPA and an interest in majoring in either business or education. Still, if that’s something an athlete is interested in and they wish to attend Ohio State University, this is an excellent scholarship for them.

  • Award Amount: $1,000
  • Deadline: August 1, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: August 31, 2022

Silverback Scholarship

This scholarship is for the overachieving college-junior athlete who is performing well enough in college to maintain a 3.0 GPA and must have examples of being a leader that exemplifies grit and determination. “To apply, write about your experience in varsity collegiate athletics, how you exemplify leadership in and outside the game.”

  • Award Amount: $500
  • Developer Portfolio Deadline: July 30, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: August 30, 2022 

Kade Lewin Scholarship

This scholarship is intended for a low-income African American high school senior in New York City. As many black athletes come from low-income neighborhoods with gang violence, this is a scholarship that many black athletes should be able to relate to. “To apply, write about the adversity you faced growing up in New York City, how gun violence has affected you, and how college will impact your life.”

  • Award Amount: $5,220
  • 400-600 Word Essay Deadline: July 5, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: August 5, 2022

ProjectGiveBack Scholarship for Black Women

This scholarship is designated for black women in particular. It’s about giving back to the black community, so if the applicant has any volunteering or work experience, they have a good chance of actually earning the scholarship. This is an easy and efficient scholarship to apply for and pairs well with black female athletes. “…To apply, please submit a 2-minute video discussing how your goals/aspirations align with the spirit of ProjectGiveBack.”

  • Award Amount: $2,000
  • 500-1000 Word Essay Deadline: July 26, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: August 26, 2022

Cody Cochlin Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship is geared toward any low-income undergraduate student who holds a vested interest in rollerblading, roller skating, snowboarding, and/or skateboarding. “To apply, submit a video of you performing a trick you’re proud of. The video can be any length and can be submitted alongside any essays or other media you feel may boost your odds of success.”

  • Award Amount: $1,250
  • Deadline: October 15, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: November 15, 2022

ESOF Academic Scholarship

This scholarship is for African American students looking to enter a historically black college or university (HBCU). Applicants need at least a 3.0 GPA to be eligible to apply for this scholarship. “To apply, tell us about your future goals and commitment to public or civic service.”

  • Award Amount: $1,000
  • 500-1000 Word Essay Deadline: June 19, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: July 19, 2022

Rising Scholarship

This scholarship is for any female student operating at the high school education level in Illinois. The organization (Her Rising Initiative) that funds this scholarship wishes to help create an environment where young female students’ voices can be heard and their ambitions can be met.

  • Award Amount: $500
  • 400-600 Word Essay Deadline: September 1, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: October 1, 2022

#FinancialFreedom no-essay Scholarship

A scholarship that doesn’t require an essay to be submitted is for ambitious students who don’t have the financial means to pursue their ambition even though they have the drive to do so. “The scholarship is open to all high school, undergraduate, and graduate school students and non-students from any field of study.”

  • Award Amount: $500
  • Deadline: October 30, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: November 30, 2022

 Women’s History Scholarship

This scholarship is inspired by the struggles that many historically great women have experienced. As such, it is a pretty easy scholarship to apply for with there not being an essay to write. “Any high school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student who identifies as female may apply for this scholarship.”

  • Award Amount: $1,000
  • Deadline: August 31, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: September 7, 2022

“A Daring Path” No-Essay Scholarship

This is a no-essay scholarship for students willing to take chances and won’t allow their fears to control them in pursuing their dreams. If the applicant is a bold person who wishes to get the most out of life, this is the scholarship. “The scholarship is open to all students and non-students from any field of study.”

  • Award Amount: $1,000
  • Deadline: October 30, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: November 30, 2022

First-Year College Students: Jennie Gilbert Daigre Education Scholarship

This scholarship isn’t for admission, but rather it’s for undergraduate students who want help in purchasing their textbooks. This is especially useful for athletic students who don’t receive the full-ride scholarship. The average cost for all undergraduate students is over $1,200 a year. “Undergraduate students at 2-year or 4-year institutions are eligible to apply.”

  • Award Amount: $500
  • 400-600 Word Essay Deadline: September 1, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: September 30, 2022

The Gist Women’s Sports Business Scholarship

“The GIST is your witty, sports-obsessed friend, perfect for anyone interested in working in sports or the business of sports, particularly women’s sports.” This newsletter scholarship rewards applicants for reading the newsletter and sharing it with their friends. It’s a good newsletter for female athletes interested in keeping up with women’s sports, and it is most beneficial due to how simple the application process is.

  • Award Amount: $1,000
  • Deadline: July 1, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: July 1, 2022

Ida Nickelson 104 Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship is for any low-income female student in New York City. Whether in high school or undergraduate, they are eligible to apply for this scholarship, making it a good option for many black female athletes to consider, especially if they are local to the New York area.

  • Award Amount: $500
  • Deadline: September 1, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: September 30, 2022

Frantz Barron Scholarship

This is a scholarship for any low-income, male, black, first-generation college student. This scholarship exists to support the male students who need financial assistance to continue their education, and due to this, it’s a need-based scholarship that works well for black athletes living in New Jersey. “Any first-generation, low-income, high-achieving, male, high school senior in New Jersey may apply for this scholarship.”

  • Award Amount: $1000
  • 400-600 Word Essay Deadline: September 1, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: September 30, 2022

Edward V. Chavez Athletic Memorial Scholarship

This is a scholarship for any athletic high school students who have lost one or both of their parents and wish to pursue a sports opportunity. It’s a heavy one that many athletic students may not be willing to apply for, but if they are eager to discuss how they lost their family member, this is the scholarship for them. “To apply, tell us how losing a parent has affected you, how your sport(s) has improved your life, and how you plan to pay it forward in life.”

  • Award Amount: $1,850
  • Deadline: September 1, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: September 30, 2022

Tony Alviani Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship is local to the state of Pennsylvania. It is intended for a high school graduate or a college undergraduate interested in pursuing careers in business and computer science. This is a solid scholarship to apply for any athlete local to Pennsylvania interested in studying business while pursuing their athletic career.

  • Award Amount: $500
  • 400-600 Word Essay Deadline: October 2, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: November 2, 2022

Francis “Slip” Madigan Scholarship

This scholarship is for first-generation students when it comes to college who are currently High School seniors and reside in Massachusetts. So, for first-generation athletes whose families didn’t have the resources to attend college, this is an excellent scholarship to apply for.

  • Award Amount: $1,000
  • 400-600 Word Essay Deadline: September 1, 2022
  • Winners Announcement Date: September 30, 2022

About Athletic Scholarships

One of the significant benefits of athletic-focused scholarships is that they rarely include a grade threshold. An athlete will rarely come upon an individual scholarship requiring a 3.0 GPA in high school or college, as many academic scholarships will ask for. And, from 2020 onward, teams in equivalency sports will not count academic and aid-based scholarships against an athlete’s maximum amount that they could receive from an athletic scholarship.

This is important because it means that athletes will not be penalized for trying to stack academic and aid-based scholarships on top of their athletic scholarships. This provides some relief for college students and high school seniors coming in from low-income households as they are given the freedom to apply for as many athletic scholarships as they wish.

Athletes Scholarships

Now, this is only for equivalency sports, which “for D1 men include baseball, rifle, skiing, cross-country, track and field, soccer, fencing, swimming, golf, tennis, gymnastics, volleyball, ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and wrestling. For D1 women, equivalency sports include bowling, lacrosse, rowing, cross-country, track and field, skiing, fencing, soccer, field hockey, softball, golf, swimming, ice hockey, and water polo. All D2 and NAIA sports are equivalency sports.”

Recreational ice skaters, ice sports participants, and other college sports students who play sports are all eligible for these scholarships and financial opportunities, even if they only played on a high school team but are pursuing a college degree by attending college at either a two-year or four-year college or university.

What Are Athletic Scholarships?

Athletic scholarships are primarily for athletic students attending a school with a heavy investment in athletic students. D1 and D2 colleges with high levels of investment in sports such as basketball and football are prime colleges for offering athletic scholarships.

These financial aid opportunities are great for helping high school students, college students, and graduate students achieve a college education and academic achievement. Some scholarships require outstanding academic achievement, and some are only for specific levels, like high school or undergraduate student levels. Others are specifically for those who demonstrate exceptional academic and personal excellence with outstanding character and strong leadership skills and excelled academically throughout their academic career.

What Qualifies Someone for an Athletic Scholarship?

Depending on the college, students require specific measures of athletic achievements to qualify for an athletic scholarship. Sometimes, students are recruited to schools for their athletic proficiency and then given an athletic scholarship. So, for the full-ride scholarships, it’s almost impossible to qualify for them without being handed them.

Types of Athletic Scholarships

As stated by the NCAS there are some full-ride scholarships that not only pay for the full tuition of college but, in some cases, will pay for the food and board of the college. Essentially it is the dream scenario of most athletes and their families but is an exclusive scholarship that many schools will only offer to top-flight recruits. And, as said above, it is not a guarantee that the full-ride scholarship will cover multiple years.

However, partial scholarships can still cover most of an athlete’s tuition and their cost outside of education. However, these partial scholarships can also cover very little of the total college attending cost depending on the sport. This is why some lower-end D1 athletes will participate in D2 programs. Because in a D2 program where that athlete is seen as a more coveted prospect, that athlete may receive a higher scholarship offer.

Then there are independent scholarships that aren’t related to a specific division or a specific program. These are scholarships given by independent parties aiming to provide more general opportunities for athletes to apply for smaller scholarships that can add up over time and help relieve an athlete who can only receive a partial scholarship.

How to Find Athletic Scholarships

If looking for a college-specific athletic scholarship, it’s best to start with that college-specific online website. Typically D1 and D2 colleges will have portions of their website dedicated entirely to their athletic divisions and the scholarships they give to athletes who come to their school.

Tips on Winning Athletic Scholarships

To win an athletic scholarship, the applicant must show evidence of their athletic achievements and their athletic ability. A referral from the applicant’s past coaches on their athletic character is also helpful for team sports. Having a record of participating in high school sports also greatly benefits high school athletes.

Frequently Answered Questions About Athletic Scholarships

Some expenses can be stressful and cause a financial burden for college students who want to pursue post-secondary education. Luckily, for graduating high school seniors and undergraduate and graduate students, there are various programs and scholarships for students that can help ease the strain.

Are Athletic scholarships legit?

Scholarships for student-athletes are legit, as many are from D1 to D2 colleges with official sports programs partnered with the NCAA. These scholarships are often tied to those looking to become pro athletes.

How can I improve my chances of winning scholarships?

You can improve your chances by taking your time with your essays. Scholarships for student-athletes often require written sections and referrals from former coaches, so taking your time with those written sections is essential. Make sure to include evidence of your autism.

How many scholarships can you get?

As many as there are available, there is no limit to the amount of sports scholarships you can apply for or accept. You can receive funding from multiple scholarships like the college’s sports scholarship and independent scholarships that aren’t tied to any one college.

Are scholarships taxable income?

Yes, sports scholarships are taxable income. The general rule for scholarships being taxable income is that if the grants or scholarships are for research, teaching, housing, or food, they are taxable. However, if the scholarship is only for the individual sports program, it may not be taxable. 

What’s the best way to apply for scholarships?

By checking the requirements for the scholarship and making sure that you have the best essays, do your research on who is funding the scholarship.

Are there scholarships for schools other than colleges?

Yes, there are scholarships for students that attend a vocational school, a vocational program, a trade school, a two-year community college, or even an accredited post-secondary institution.

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