How to Get a Scholarship for Men’s Volleyball

Men’s volleyball scholarships are available at NCAA Division 1, Division 2, and NAIA colleges. These scholarships are a fantastic way to help cover college costs while continuing to play the sport you love. They’re awarded to athletes who have shown they can compete at a high level and can sometimes cover part or even all of your tuition.

Most scholarships are one-year agreements that need to be renewed each year, and they become official when you sign the National Letter of Intent (NLI). As you think about your options, it’s important to consider which college offers the best overall fit for you – athletically, academically, financially and socially. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about men’s volleyball scholarships and how to navigate the process. 

New NCAA Men’s Volleyball Scholarship Limits

Starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, the NCAA may 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 volleyball recruiting. More details and the latest updates here.

These changes would impact men’s volleyball players in the following ways:  

• D1 men’s volleyball programs will be allowed to offer 18 scholarships, up from the current limit of 4.5.  
• D1 men’s volleyball will have a maximum roster limit of 18.  
• D1 men’s volleyball 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. 

How many scholarships are there for men’s volleyball?

Can you get a scholarship for volleyball?

Yes, athletic scholarships are available for men’s volleyball at the NCAA D1, D2 and NAIA levels. However, Ivy League D1 colleges, like Princeton and Harvard, do not give out athletic scholarships. Athletic scholarships are also not available at the D3 level and junior colleges (California Community College Athletic Association), but these colleges are helpful in lining up academic and need-based aid and can offer packages that are even more appealing than an athletic scholarship.

To earn a volleyball scholarship, potential recruits will have to stand out on the court and in the classroom, among a very competitive pool of candidates. This is why finding a college that offers the right athletic, academic, financial and social fit is so important.

How do college coaches prioritize scholarship money?

College coaches usually prioritize recruiting hitters and setters over libero/DS players. Coaches look at approach jump and block jump measurables first so they can gauge how a player plays above the net, with physicality and volleyball IQ also considered. If a player is an elite recruit that is considered “program-changing,” they can receive about 50 percent of a full-ride scholarship. For most men’s volleyball players that do receive a scholarship, the amount is often around 10–15 percent of a full ride.

Under the new NCAA scholarship rules, the limit for D1 men’s volleyball teams will increase to 18 scholarships, up from the previous 4.5, while also introducing a new roster cap of 18 players. Typically, once coaches fill their scholarship limits, the remaining spots on the team go to walk-ons who rely on academic scholarships and grants. However, this change could significantly impact walk-ons, as it may alter how scholarships are distributed across the team. While it’s still uncertain exactly how walk-ons will be affected, it’s a good idea to talk to coaches about how these new rules might influence your chances of making the team and how scholarships will be allocated.

Men’s volleyball scholarship requirements

Student-athletes must meet athletic and academic criteria to earn a volleyball scholarship. The athletic criteria are largely up to the volleyball program at each individual school. Every coach has different methods for determining which athletes are right for their roster, which is why the recruiting process is so crucial.

The NCAA Eligibility Center has specific academic requirements that athletes must meet to be eligible to compete at either the NCAA Division 1 or Division 2 levels. We’ve included the Division 1 requirements below. A good rule of thumb is that if an athlete meets or exceeds the Division 1 requirements, they will be eligible at the Division 2 level, as well. However, always bear in mind that each individual school has its own set of admissions requirements that athletes will also have to meet.

• The athlete must graduate from high school.
• They must complete 16 core courses and receive a minimum GPA of 2.3 in those courses. The core course requirements are as follows: four years of English; three years of math (Algebra 1 or higher); two years of natural or physical science; two years of social science; one extra year of English, math or science; and four years of religion, philosophy, foreign language or additional years of any of the categories above.
• Athletes need to complete 10 of their 16 core courses before junior year of high school.

how many d1 men’s volleyball teams are there?

There are currently 28 D1 men’s volleyball teams in the U.S. With limited programs, competition for spots is tough, but the number of teams is slowly growing as the sport becomes more popular at the college level.

NCAA D1 men’s volleyball scholarships

Starting in the 2025-26 season, new NCAA rules will allow D1 programs to offer up to 18 scholarships, which could provide more athletes with a chance to receive financial aid. However, whether a school can fully fund all 18 scholarships will depend on its budget. Not all programs will have the resources to do so, but this rule gives coaches more flexibility to spread scholarship funds across their roster.

Student-athletes will have to communicate with college coaches ahead of time, ask questions and find out if there will be athletic scholarship money available for them as they navigate the college recruiting process.  

• Division 1 volleyball scholarship limit per team: 18 (if proposed NCAA settlement is approved)
• Total number of D1 volleyball teams: 25
• Average team size: 21.5

NCAA D2 men’s volleyball scholarships

NCAA D2 men’s volleyball programs are allowed 4.5 athletic scholarships per team, and the NCAA enforces the maximum number of scholarships that can be broken up and dispersed. Student-athletes at the D2 level will find a similar number of opportunities for athletic scholarship money. However, the level of athletic competition is slightly lower, so top recruits may want to consider dropping down from the D1 level to find more scholarship opportunities.

• Division 2 volleyball scholarship limit per team: 4.5
• Number of D2 volleyball teams: 37
• Average team size: 19.7

NCAA D3 men’s volleyball scholarships

NCAA D3 programs do not offer athletic scholarships, but they can put together attractive financial aid packages that rival the athletic scholarships at other levels. Division 3 programs usually have limited recruiting budgets and rely on student-athletes reaching out to them to express their recruiting interest.

• Division 3 volleyball scholarship limit per team: 0
• Number of D3 volleyball teams: 120
• Average team size: 16.3

NAIA men’s volleyball scholarships

NAIA schools offer athletic scholarships for men’s volleyball and provide significant opportunities at this level. With the recent NCAA changes, NCAA D1 programs may now offer more scholarships than NAIA, but NAIA programs still remain a strong option for student-athletes.

• NAIA volleyball scholarships per team: 8
• Number of D3 volleyball teams: 61
• Average team size: 15

what colleges offer men’s volleyball scholarships?

Men’s volleyball scholarships are available at many colleges and universities across different athletic divisions. Here’s a breakdown of some schools that offer men’s volleyball scholarships by division level:

NCAA Division 1:

• Ohio State University
• University of Southern California
• Grand Canyon University
• Penn State University
• Princeton University

NCAA Division 2:

• McKendree University
• Lewis University
• Mount Olive College
• Concordia University Irvine
• Lindenwood University

NAIA:

• Grand View University
• Missouri Baptist University
• Vanguard University
• Benedictine University Mesa
• Park University

These programs often have scholarship funds available to attract top talent to their teams. However, the amount of scholarship money each school can offer varies and may change from year to year.

To find out if a specific program offers men’s volleyball scholarships, it’s best to start by communicating with the coach. Once you’ve built a relationship and shown serious interest in their program, you can discuss scholarship opportunities directly with the coach.

Best colleges for men’s volleyball scholarships

To see men’s college volleyball rankings that take into consideration financial and academic fit, you can check out NCSA Power Rankings of the best men’s volleyball colleges. These rankings are based on a proprietary analysis using US News & World Report Best Colleges rankings, IPEDS graduation rates, average college cost after aid and NCSA Favorites activity to identify the best colleges that offer men’s volleyball. 

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