Men’s college water polo offers scholarship opportunities at NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 schools. While funding varies by program, many schools are eager to invest in athletes who can make a strong impact on their teams. Although Ivy League institutions and Division 3 schools don’t offer athletic scholarships, they do offer merit-based scholarships for student-athletes who excel both in the classroom and in their sport.
This section breaks down the scholarship opportunities at each division level, shares tips for how to get a water polo scholarship, explains the NCAA eligibility requirements and ranks the top schools for men’s water polo scholarships.
Starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, the NCAA will eliminate D1 scholarship limits if a proposed settlement is approved, enabling all sports to distribute scholarships more flexibly among athletes. This change is expected to have a significant impact on water polo recruiting. More details and the latest updates here.
These changes would impact men’s water polo recruits in the following ways:
Note: These are the maximum scholarship and roster limits set by the NCAA, but schools aren’t required to meet these maximums.
Division Level | Number of Teams | Total Athletes | Average Team Size | Current Scholarship Limit | 2025-26 Scholarship Limit* | 2025-26 Roster Limit | Scholarship Type |
NCAA D1 | 26 | 656 | 25.2 | 4.5 | 24 | 24 | Equivalency |
NCAA D2 | 8 | 179 | 22.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | N/A | Equivalency |
NCAA D3 | 16 | 321 | 20.1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
CCCAA | 38 | 566 | 17 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
College coaches generally award scholarship money to positions that directly impact the scoring of the game and to those who can play multiple positions on offense and defense: goalies and utility players. These positions are widely considered to be the most valuable and sought-after in college water polo, but it takes more than just playing one of these positions to earn a scholarship. NCAA Division 1 and 2 college coaches award scholarships to elite-level, all-star talent that will make an immediate impact on the team’s growth and success in their first season.
Whether a student-athlete plays one of these positions or not, here are a few tips to better the athlete’s chances of getting an athletic scholarship.
Water polo is considered an NCAA equivalency sport, meaning coaches have a pool of scholarship money to distribute among recruits and current players based on the team’s scholarship limit. Starting in the 2025-26 school year, D1 programs will be able to offer up to 24 scholarships per year, a significant increase from the current 4.5 limit. However, due to limited funding, some programs may still offer fewer scholarships than the new maximum.
Full-ride scholarships are rare in water polo, but international athletes often have a better chance of receiving full funding to help cover relocation costs. In the Ivy League, while athletic scholarships aren’t available, students can still receive financial aid through academic scholarships.
NCAA Division 2 programs are allotted the same maximum number of scholarships as Division 1 programs. Division 2 programs also face the same funding challenges as Division 1 programs, which means the number of scholarships actually available varies from program to program.
Division 3 institutions offer merit-based scholarships, rather than athletic scholarships, to student-athletes who meet certain academic standards. Water polo athletes who are awarded an academic scholarship at a Division 3 schools will likely receive a better financial aid package than athletes who are awarded athletic scholarships at Division 1 and 2 institutions.
Read more scholarship facts here.
While California Junior Colleges do not allow athletic programs to award scholarships, these schools generally cost less than four-year institutions. The average cost of tuition and fees at a junior college is nearly $6,000 less than that of a public four-year college.
Insider Tip: Looking for scholarships near you? Explore men’s water polo scholarships by state.
In order to play for an NCAA sponsored program, student-athletes must meet the NCAA’s eligibility requirements to determine their academic eligibility and amateurism status.
The below are factors in determining academic eligibility;
The NCAA takes GPA in the 16 core courses. If the athlete’s GPA meets the NCAA’s core course GPA requirements, then the athlete is eligible to compete.
View the NCAA eligibility requirements for student-athletes.
Water polo is not a heavily funded NCAA sponsored sport, which means scholarship budgets are small, and competition is high. Student-athletes who are not awarded a full-ride or partial scholarship can still earn a spot on the team as a preferred walk-on, recruited walk-on or unrecruited walk-on. With new scholarship and roster limits coming in 2025-26, how walk-ons will be affected is still unclear and may vary by sport and school. To get a better understanding of your chances, it’s important to talk to coaches about their specific plans for walk-ons, as this can vary widely between programs.
Below we briefly describe each of these four different types of offers.
Men’s water polo scholarships are available at many colleges across different NCAA divisions. Division 1 and 2 programs often offer full or partial athletic scholarships to top-performing athletes. Additionally, student-athletes who meet certain academic standards at Ivy League and Division 3 schools may qualify for merit-based scholarships.
To help student-athletes and their families find the best colleges offering men’s water polo scholarships, NCSA has created a Power Rankings report. This report considers various factors such as academics, size, location, and cost to rank college water polo programs. Below is a list of the top 10 NCAA men’s college water polo programs:
See a full list of the top ranked men’s college water polo programs.
Your NCSA Recruiting Coach is here to guide you through the water polo scholarship process. Log in now to schedule a conversation with your coach.
Not a member yet? Start with a free recruiting profile to connect with an NCSA Recruiting Specialist. We’ll help you and your family plan the next steps in your recruiting journey and achieve your scholarship goals.