Volleyball Scholarship Requirements: A Comprehensive Guide

For student-athletes exceptionally gifted in athletics and physical activities, especially those who have played volleyball competitively or throughout high school, applying for volleyball scholarships can significantly aid in funding their college education. These scholarships, offered by colleges, universities, and other organizations, recognize and reward a student’s determination, work ethic, and talent in the sport. This guide walks you through the process of understanding and securing a volleyball scholarship in the United States or Canada.

The Landscape of Volleyball Scholarships

Playing a sport at a high level showcases a student’s dedication, work ethic, and inherent talent. As a result, many colleges and other organizations offer scholarships for exceptionally gifted student-athletes. There are many scholarships for volleyball players of all grade levels. In fact, about 1,800 college volleyball programs exist in the United States, and many of these programs offer a handful of athletic scholarships for volleyball players.

Availability Across Grade Levels

While many volleyball scholarships are aimed at supporting volleyball players in college, high school underclassmen and juniors can also find opportunities. High school seniors applying to college will be able to find a wide number of opportunities for volleyball scholarships. Some scholarships are merit-based, supporting students who maintain a certain GPA while playing volleyball for their school or competitively. For some athletic scholarships, students must maintain a minimum GPA in order to be considered. Many college volleyball scholarships depend heavily on what kind of players the school is looking for and how well the student plays the sport.

Gender Disparity in Scholarships

There are 247 sponsored female teams in the NCAA’s Division I category. There are considerably fewer sponsored teams for men, however, meaning that female volleyball players may be able to find more volleyball scholarships. In any case, any student-athlete with a talent for volleyball can be considered for a college volleyball scholarship.

How to Secure a Volleyball Scholarship

Students who play volleyball competitively should have no trouble finding some relevant opportunities for them. Many colleges have competitive volleyball teams, resulting in many opportunities for volleyball players in college and high school to find volleyball scholarships.

Impressing College Coaches

In order to get a scholarship for playing college volleyball, the applicant must not only be good at the sport but also be an asset to the school’s existing team. Simply being a talented player may not always guarantee that you will win a scholarship. You must also be the right fit for the team.

Recruitment Strategies

Some student-athletes are talented enough and attend a high school with good enough connections that college coaches will visit their school to recruit players. In this case, students that play well can easily be noticed by recruiters at high school games. This may result in being offered a scholarship.Some high schools will even offer college volleyball scholarships directly, by giving athletic scholarship money to high-performing student-athletes for their college education. The benefit of a scholarship awarded at the high school level is that there is less competition, and this kind of scholarship can help student-athletes pay for their college degree. However, for students looking to secure a spot on a prestigious college volleyball team, a scholarship from their high school will not carry much weight.

Proactive Engagement

Student-athletes looking to continue playing volleyball at a high level in college should not by any means turn down athletic scholarship money from their high schools but should keep in mind that they still need to catch the attention of a college coach to get a college scholarship. Not all high schools have connections with colleges that offer volleyball scholarships. Even if a student plays very well, college coaches may not realize a talented but unknown player exists. Students looking for volleyball scholarships can include their interest in volleyball heavily in their college applications. This could be by listing it as an extracurricular, or mentioning tournaments they have won or volleyball achievements they have been awarded. In addition, students could write their personal statements about their experience playing volleyball.

Direct Communication and Exposure

Perhaps a more direct way to connect with college coaches and schools that offer good volleyball programs would be to contact the coaches themselves. The student will likely have to play at the top of their division to convince a college coaching staff member to do this, but it may be worthwhile to try. Another possibility is to attend a prestigious volleyball summer camp, or a summer program hosted by your college of interest. This could also be a good way for students to connect with college coaching staff members and showcase their talents.

What It Takes to Earn a Volleyball Scholarship

Playing well enough to get a volleyball scholarship requires a lot of talent and determination. Students must be extraordinarily good at the sport among their peers, and also be above average nationally. In addition, simply playing extremely well may not be enough. Students must also be team players and maintain reasonable grades. College coaches are often an important deciding factor in giving out college volleyball scholarships, so impressing coaches and proving to them that you would be an asset is vital as well.

Maintaining Performance and Interest

As a prospective applicant for a college athletic scholarship, remember to maintain your grades even as a high school senior and continue to play as well as you can even in matches that don’t affect your school’s ranking. Keep in contact with recruiters or college staff members you meet, as they are likely reviewing hundreds of high school students. Demonstrating interest in a specific college’s volleyball program, and taking the initiative to contact coaches may help you win college volleyball scholarships.

Types of Volleyball Scholarships

Volleyball scholarships are a form of financial aid awarded to talented student-athletes. These scholarships can cover a significant portion of your college expenses, including tuition, room and board, books, and other fees.

Full Scholarships

These athletic scholarships cover all your college expenses. They are highly competitive and given to exceptional athletes. Full-ride scholarships could cover all of your college expenses: tuition, fees, room, board, and even textbooks.

Partial Scholarships

These athletic scholarships cover a portion of your expenses. Partial-tuition scholarships cover only a portion of the expenses listed above, all depending on the coaching staff’s budget and the athlete’s value to the team.

Academic Scholarships

Awarded based on academic merit, these can be combined with athletic scholarships to further reduce costs.

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What College Coaches Look For

College coaches look for a combination of athletic ability, academic achievement, and personal qualities.

Skill Level

Demonstrated proficiency in volleyball skills, including serving, passing, setting, hitting, and blocking.

Athleticism Stats

Physical attributes such as height, block jump, attack jump, approach jump, standing reach, and strength.

Game Sense

Ability to read the game, make smart decisions, and contribute to team strategy.

Academic Performance

A strong academic record demonstrating the ability to succeed in college coursework.

Character and Coachability

A positive attitude, willingness to learn, and ability to work well with coaches and teammates.

Leadership Potential

Qualities that demonstrate leadership potential, such as communication skills, teamwork, and the ability to motivate others.

Highlighting Your Strengths

The key question now is: how can you highlight your strengths during the recruitment process to attract coaches and get the best possible scholarship?

Athletic Abilities

Your athletic abilities will be highlighted through your highlight video, game footage, stats, awards, athletic profile, and direct conversations with coaches. Your athletic portfolio should contain your stats, awards, personal records, and any press coverage you’ve received. It’s also beneficial to include video footage of your performance in matches or training sessions. This will give recruiters a more comprehensive view of your skills and potential.

Academic Achievements

Your academic achievements will stand out in your academic profile, school grades, accomplishments, and standardized test scores like the SAT or TOEFL.

Navigating the Recruitment Process

The recruitment process can be overwhelming, especially for international athletes unfamiliar with the system. This is where recruiting agencies for student-athletes provide guidance and support in getting volleyball scholarships for international students.

Personalized Guidance

Offers one-on-one consultation to understand each athlete’s goals and find the best scholarship opportunities.

Extensive College Network

With strong relationships across NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA schools, connects athletes with top college coaches.

Expert Application Assistance

From eligibility requirements to visa applications, ensures a smooth transition for international students.

Benefits and Disadvantages of Being a Scholarship Athlete

While every athlete dreams of being able to continue playing the sport they love at a high level, there are certain benefits and disadvantages that come with being a scholarship athlete.

Benefits

The most obvious benefit is that scholarship athletes will continue to be able to compete at higher levels of competition and continue to refine their skills. Furthermore, the financial incentives that come with an athletic scholarship significantly reduce the cost of attending university and receiving a college education. This financial aid is often essential for people who otherwise would not have the financial means to be able to receive a quality college education.

Even a partial athletic scholarship can certainly help to make tuition and fees more affordable for the student athlete and their families.

Disadvantages

On the downside, participating in a college sport means that you will face extra academic challenges. The time dedicated to the sport includes practices (often twice a day), games, and frequent travel. At the same time, to maintain your athletic scholarship, you will have to maintain a minimum grade point average. You can see some of the other educational requirements for student athletes required by the NCAA here.

Another challenge that student athletes will face are stricter rules. While regular students can offer skip a class or two without any negative consequences, in order to maintain their scholarship, student athletes are expected to attend every class session (minus those permitted absences due to games).

Lastly, during tournaments or other trips that require long-term travel, you will most likely miss several classes. While some professors are understanding and supportive, others will often be just as demanding despite the extra effort you put into representing your school as a student athlete.

Scholarship Rules and Governing Bodies

When searching for volleyball scholarships, it is important to know the different rules for the scholarships offered by the school you are planning to attend. There are two main governing bodies for collegiate sports: the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

NCAA Divisions

The NCAA is further divided into three divisions. The NCAA is the main governing body for the athletic programs of around 1,200 schools. Divisions I and 2 of the NCAA do offer a wide array of athletic scholarships, while Division 3 only offer academic or other non-athletic scholarships. While some division 3 schools do have volleyball programs, you will have to earn an academic scholarship if you want to receive financial incentive to attend that school and compete on the volleyball team.

NAIA

The NAIA is much smaller than the NCAA, but still cover around 300 schools. Around 90% of all NAIA schools offer some sort of athletic scholarship with the average student athlete receiving $7,000 dollars.

Scholarship Limits

In both the NCAA and the NAIA, there are different limits on how many athletic scholarships schools can offer. For example, for men’s volleyball programs, colleges that are in the NCAA division I and 2 programs can offer 4.5 full athletic scholarships per year while the NAIA programs do not offer any scholarships. Most schools will then divide those full scholarships up to be shared by different student athletes. For women´s volleyball programs, NCAA Division I programs can offer 12 full scholarships while Division II programs can offer up to 8 full scholarships. NAIA programs also offer 8 scholarships. For Division I programs, the 12 scholarships available to each team are considered “head count”, meaning that the 12 scholarships cannot be divided up between different athletes.

Walk-On Opportunities

Even if you do not receive an offer from the school of your choice out of high school, there are still other ways that you can participate as a student athlete.

Recruited Walk-On

A recruited walk-on is a player (also known as preferred walk-on) is when a player is actively recruited by a coach or volleyball program during high school, but is not offered an athletic scholarship during their freshmen year. Because many programs have a limited number of scholarships to offer, many coaches and volleyball programs will try to recruit players through this strategy. The coaching staff will often offer a roster spot to the freshman player before tryouts and mention the possibility of opting for a scholarship in subsequent years. Recruited walk-ons often hope for scholarship after having the opportunity to display their skill level on the collegiate level.

Non-Recruited Walk-On

It is also possible to earn a roster spot as an non-recruited walk-on. Many college volleyball programs will hold open tryouts to athletes at the school who weren't recruited out of high school. If you make the team, you will not be eligible for a scholarship during the first year. However, if you prove your skill level, you might be eligible for scholarships in subsequent years.

It is important to reach out to the coaching staff when you arrive on campus and ask when they will host tryouts. While tryouts are much more common in Division 2 and 3 programs, and NAIA programs, there are examples of Division I programs also offering tryouts.

Steps to Increase Recruitment Exposure

If you are determined to continue your volleyball career at the collegiate level, below we offer six suggestions for how to increase the likelihood of receiving a scholarship offer.

Put Together the List: Unless you are a nationally recognized volleyball star, chances are that you are not going to land a scholarship at Florida, Penn State, or any of the other top ranked programs. Ask your coaches to help you put together a list of colleges and universities that is based on your abilities. Then, narrow down that list to the colleges you would prefer to attend and/or the programs you want to play for.
Contact the Coaches: Don´t expect coaches and recruiters to appear magically at your games. Once you have settled on the programs you are interested in, contact those coaches and let them know of your interest. Sometimes a short video of your skills can be helpful. Let the coaches know your schedule, the club programs you participate in, and other opportunities where they can see you play and highlight your skills.
Go to a Volleyball Camp: The volleyball camp is one of the best showcase camps in the country. Over 1,000 coaches and recruiters attend this camp each year, and this is a great opportunity for you to reach out and make meaningful connections with the programs on your list.
Play Your Best: You never know when a recruiter or coach might be hidden in the crowd. Thus, it is important to take every game seriously, and play your best to showcase your talent to whoever might be watching.
Be a Positive Team Player: Volleyball coaches are obviously interested in your skill level. However, they also want to see how well you play together with a team. It is easy for them to forget what they saw during your most recent game.

Essential Requirements for Volleyball Scholarships

A volleyball scholarship can serve as your gateway to furthering your education while simultaneously honing your athletic skills at some of the best institutions in the country. But getting there is no easy feat. It involves more than just a potent serve or a solid block; it’s about demonstrating a balance of academic performance, athletic prowess, personal conduct, and meeting eligibility requirements.

Academic Requirements

Many athletes underestimate the importance of their academic performance when applying for sports scholarships. It’s vital to remember that as a student-athlete, you’re a student first. Colleges are looking for individuals who can balance the demands of rigorous athletic training with a full academic workload.

Most scholarships require students to maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA). The NCAA, for instance, requires a 2.3 GPA for Division I scholarships and a 2.2 GPA for Division II. In addition to the GPA, colleges also look at SAT or ACT scores. Striving for academic excellence is as important as excelling on the court.

Athletic Performance

Naturally, a critical requirement for a volleyball scholarship is exceptional athletic ability. Colleges scout for athletes who can make a significant contribution to their team. To demonstrate your prowess, maintain a comprehensive portfolio showcasing your performance at matches, tournaments, or training sessions. Include any awards or accolitions you’ve earned and video footage of your play. Remember, scouts aren’t only looking for powerful spikes or strategic sets; they want to see teamwork, communication, leadership, and a deep understanding of the game.

Personal Character and Conduct

Character matters. Universities are looking for athletes who represent their institutions with honor and integrity. Demonstrating good sportsmanship, respecting coaches and teammates, and adhering to rules and regulations are critical aspects of personal conduct that can influence scholarship decisions.

Eligibility Requirements

Navigating eligibility rules for volleyball scholarships can be complex. Different organizations have different eligibility criteria. NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA all have specific guidelines regarding age, academic qualifications, amateur status, and participation years. For instance, NCAA requires student-athletes to be enrolled full-time at their chosen college, maintain amateur status, and meet academic standards. 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. A good rule of thumb is that if an athlete meets or exceeds the D1 requirements, they will be eligible at the D2 level as well.

Recruiting Process

To be considered for a scholarship, you’ll need to be proactive in the recruiting process. Reach out to college coaches with your athletic and academic resume, and express your interest in their program. Attending volleyball camps and showcases can also increase your visibility and provide opportunities to demonstrate your skills.

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