What are Athletic Scholarships?

In the United States, athletic scholarships are much more common than anywhere else in the world. They serve as a means to allow athletes to further develop for the professional level or spend time playing the sport that they love while affordably getting a quality education. Athletes can obtain “full-rides”, which are scholarships that cover any costs a student-athlete may incur, including tuition, room and board, books, and potentially more. Partial scholarships also exist; they grant athletes a guaranteed spot on the team alongside partially covered tuition and sometimes more. It is also possible to secure a spot on a team without receiving any scholarship money; someone who receives this type of offer is known as a “preferred walk-on” and may, at times, also have to try out with the team.