How Do You Get a Scholarship for Soccer?

Scholarships for soccer are available at the NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 levels, NAIA schools and junior colleges. Learning how soccer scholarships are awarded and what it takes to secure one is essential. This guide offers a clear breakdown of key information, covering division-specific scholarship limits and strategies to boost your chances of earning a scholarship offer.

New NCAA Soccer Scholarship Limits

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 college soccer recruiting. More details and the latest updates here.

These changes would impact men’s soccer recruits in the following ways:

• D1 men’s soccer programs will be allowed to offer 28 scholarships, up from the current limit of 9.9.
• D1 men’s soccer will have a maximum roster limit of 28.
• D1soccer is already an equivalency sport and will continue to offer both partial and full scholarships to recruits. 

Note: These are the maximum scholarship and roster limits set by the NCAA, but schools aren’t required to meet these maximums.

Number of men’s soccer scholarships by division level

There are over 1,200 colleges that have men’s soccer teams. Here’s a breakdown of the numbers across the major division levels, along with a preview of the new NCAA scholarship and roster limits for the 2025-2026 academic year:

Soccer programs will maintain a cap on athletic scholarships, but student-athletes can supplement with need-based aid and academic scholarships. This allows programs, especially at more expensive private colleges, to offer additional financial support to families and athletes who qualify.

What is the average soccer scholarship?

According to Worldmetrics, the average scholarship amount for a men’s soccer player in NCAA Division 1 is about $8,457 per year. However, it’s important to note that men’s soccer is an equivalency sport, meaning scholarships can be divided among multiple players. Coaches are not required to give out full scholarships to their athletes and can break them up however they want.

For example, let’s say a college soccer coach has 10 scholarships available. They could distribute 8 full-ride scholarships and split the remaining 2 to cover 50% of the tuition for 2players. Alternatively, the coach could divide the 10 scholarships evenly among all the players.

The cost of tuition varies widely across colleges. An in-state student at a public university could pay close to $10,000 a year, while an out-of-state student at a private university could pay $60,000 a year. This significant difference makes calculating an average scholarship amount misleading.

Moreover, not all athletes receive scholarships for their entire college career. Scholarships can vary year to year based on performance, team needs, and other factors.

Instead of focusing on an average scholarship figure, families should first determine what they can afford for four years of college. Then, during the recruiting process, you can compare offers  based on your family’s expected contribution—the amount you’ll need to pay after all financial aid is considered.

What are my chances of getting a soccer scholarship?

Scholarships for soccer players are limited. Only the top high school soccer players make it to the college level. Approximately 7% of U.S. high school men’s soccer players go on to compete in college across NCAA Division 1, Division 2, Division 3, NAIA, and junior college levels. Of these, only about 2% make it to compete at the NCAA Division 1 level (Worldmetrics).

Men’s soccer is a global sport, so you’ll also be competing with international athletes for scholarships and roster spots.

What Colleges offer soccer scholarships

Scholarships for soccer are offered by many colleges across the NCAA D1, D2, NAIA and Junior College levels. How many scholarships are available at any given school depends on how many scholarships the coach has committed, whether they are a fully funded program, how the program likes to use their scholarship money and several other factors.

Examples of colleges offering soccer scholarships:

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Division 1)
• Stanford University (Division 1)
• University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) (Division 1)
• University of West Florida (Division 2)
• Azusa Pacific University (NAIA)
• Tyler Junior College (NJCAA)

Read below to learn more about the opportunities at each division level. 

NCAA Division 1 men’s soccer scholarships

Athletic scholarships for D1 men’s soccer are the most difficult to obtain, as the level of play and academics is very high. Starting in the 2025-26 school year, a new NCAA rule will remove scholarship limits for D1 men’s soccer. However, teams will need to stick to a roster limit of 28 players. Since men’s soccer is an equivalency sport, this means all rostered athletes can still receive either full or partial scholarships.

Keep in mind, schools aren’t required to offer the maximum number of scholarships allowed by the NCAA. The amount each program can give depends on various factors, like whether the program is fully funded or partially funded. This flexibility allows programs to tailor their scholarship offerings to best support their athletes and team needs.

NCAA Division 2 men’s soccer scholarships

D2 schools can and do offer full-ride scholarships. However, because men’s soccer is deemed an equivalency sport by the NCAA, schools are not required to give out full rides.

With a max of nine scholarships per team, D2 schools can choose to offer 9 full-ride scholarships or split up the scholarships among the roster, which is an average of 31 players.

It’s up to the coach to determine how much money they want to give to each athlete on the team.

NCAA Division 3 men’s soccer scholarships

While D3 schools don’t offer athletic scholarships, most D3 athletes do receive other forms of financial aid. Student-athletes interested in competing at a D3 school shouldn’t let the lack of athletic scholarships deter them. Those who have good grades and test scores have a good chance at qualifying for an academic scholarship.

Student-athletes involved in extracurricular activities and their community might find a merit-based scholarship. Families can also take advantage of need-based financial aid, which is awarded based on factors like household income.

The bottom line is that athletic scholarships aren’t the only way to pay for college. There are many other forms of scholarships out there, and if a D3 program wants someone on their team, they can be extremely helpful in finding scholarship money from other sources.

NAIA men’s soccer scholarships

NAIA schools offer a similar level of competition to D2 schools, and they can offer a maximum of 12 scholarships. 

NAIA schools can choose to offer 12 full-ride scholarships or split up the scholarships among the athletes on their roster, which is an average of 30 players.

It’s up to the coach to determine how much money they want to give to each athlete on the team. However, NAIA schools have fewer recruiting rules than the NCAA, and NAIA coaches can contact student-athletes anytime during high school. This can make it a little easier to snag a scholarship for some student-athletes.

Junior college men’s soccer scholarships

With an average roster size of 19 players and a maximum of 24 scholarships allocated per team, junior colleges offer a very good chance of securing a full-ride scholarship.

These two-year colleges can be a steppingstone for student-athletes who are looking to transfer between schools or move up into a higher division, all while saving money on tuition and related costs.

Can you play college soccer without a scholarship?

Yes, you can play college soccer without a scholarship by joining as a walk-on, relying on academic scholarships, or receiving need-based financial aid.

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