Fueling your ambition
The combination of track & field and college education in the US is a unique opportunity to develop athletically, academically and personally after completing high school.
The American college system is known for its professional approach to sport and competition, meaning athletes have access to some of the best coaches, facilities and support programs in the world.
Here we will give you a deeper understanding of how you can obtain an athletics scholarship and what it requires.
Based on our clients’ sporting and academic level, we work every day to reduce the costs associated with such a stay.
Track and Field Scholarships
To get a good Sport Scholarship for your athletic ability, you must first and foremost be a great athlete!
That’s why your personal records matter a lot in the final scholarship the school will offer. That said, there are several other things that coaches value. Some college coaches see great value in an athlete who is really good at one specific event (e.g. 100m), while other coaches will have a preference for more versatile athletes who are good at multiple events (e.g. 100m, 200m and 400m)
Generally, a school may offer a large scholarship to an athlete who can place top 8 in multiple events in the conference they are attending, and if you are only strong in one event they would typically look for someone who can place top 3.
However, these are just the general expectations of how a coach will recruit and there may be other attributes such as strength or sporting development over the last 3 years that will get the coach interested. Even if it’s despite the fact that you can’t win their conference the first year you’re there.
Finally, there are also other factors such as your academic level that influence the final scholarship amount you can receive.
The better your results or personal bests are, the more chance you have of being offered a major scholarship.
Are you a sprinter? Thrower? Jumper?
Are you good in many different disciplines?
These questions have an impact on your opportunities.
If you have improved your performance during your youth it will also improve your chances.
No matter how good an athlete you are, your grades will always have an impact on the amount of opportunities you have.
"A scholarship is not just a financial award; its a recognition of your hard work and dedication."
Nordic Sport Scholarship Association
The combination of elite athletics and higher education doesn’t get any better than college in the US
Track and field in the US
At the end of 2020, we started the college process with Patrick Wolf. Patrick had a burning desire to combine his athletics with education in the US. Patrick is a triple and long jumper and has always been a very talented athlete. At the same time, Patirck had family in the US and was well aware of the many benefits of the college system for someone like him.
After a really good process with Patrick, we secured a full scholarship at Lamar University in Texas – a University in NCAA Division 1.
Patrick has shown consistent development throughout his college career. This includes a personal best in long jump that went from 7.13 meters to 7.35 meters at an NCAA competition in Houston, US.
It has been – and continues to be – a pleasure to follow Patrick and his journey in the US!
There are more different disciplines in college athletics in the US than those we typically compete in here in Europe. However, the major championships have competitions in the same disciplines as the ones we know.
Scholarships are available in all disciplines.
The 3 athletic associations in the US
American college teams can compete under several different federations, each with underlying levels and divisions that divide them. Below you can see some indicative times for each association and their internal divisions to give you an idea of where you stand in terms of scholarship offers from the different schools.
A school or coach’s interest in you is not solely based on your results, and there are some general expectations that can help give you an idea of how good a scholarship you can get at different schools. This is based on your athletic development over the last 3 years, the number of disciplines you can place top 8 in the school’s conference and how the school’s current athletes in your discipline perform. On top of this, your high school grades also play a role in how much of the full price can be covered through scholarships.
The NCAA is the largest and most well-known college federation. Known for the large state universities, the widest athletic programs and a high level of competition.
Division 1 – Max number of full scholarships per team:
12,6
Division 2 – Max number of full scholarships per team:
12,6
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| 100m | > 10.95 |
| 200m | > 22.00 |
| 400m | > 50.20 |
| 800m | > 1:56 |
| 1500m | > 4:04 |
| 3000m | > 9:05 |
| 5000m | > 15:50 |
| 10.000m | > 34:00 |
| 110m Hurdles | > 14.90 |
| 400m Hurdles | > 55.20 |
| High Jump | > 1.95 m |
| Long Jump | > 7.20 m |
| Triple Jump | > 13.50 m |
| Pole Vault | > 4.70 m |
| Shot Put | > 16.50 m |
| Discus Throw | > 51.90 m |
| Hammer Throw | > 53.30 m |
| Javelin | > 58 m |
| Decathlon | > 6000 points |
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| 100m | > 11.10 |
| 200m | > 22.30 |
| 400m | > 52.00 |
| 800m | > 2:03 |
| 1500m | > 4:20 |
| 3000m | >9:20 |
| 5000m | > 16:00 |
| 10.000m | > 36:00 |
| 110m Hurdles | > 15.65 |
| 400m Hurdles | > 60.00 |
| High Jump | > 1.92 m |
| Long Jump | > 7.10 m |
| Triple Jump | > 12.80 m |
| Pole Vault | > 4.55 m |
| Shot Put | > 14.95 m |
| Discus Throw | > 48.60 m |
| Hammer Throw | > 51.00 m |
| Javelin | >54.40 m |
| Decathlon | > 5400 points |
Division 1 – Max number of full scholarships per team:
18
Division 2 – Max number of full scholarships per team: 12,6
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| 100m | > 12.10 |
| 200m | > 25.00 |
| 400m | > 58.15 |
| 800m | > 2:18 |
| 1500m | > 5:15 |
| 3000m | > 11:10 |
| 5000m | > 18:48 |
| 10.000m | > 40:55 |
| 100m Hurdles | > 14.50 |
| 400m Hurdles | > 1:06 |
| High Jump | > 1.65 m |
| Long Jump | > 5.45 m |
| Triple Jump | > 11.75 m |
| Pole Vault | > 3.85 m |
| Shot Put | > 13.25 m |
| Discus Throw | > 43.90 m |
| Hammer Throw | > 45.90 m |
| Javelin | > 41.20 m |
| Heptathlon | > 4200 points |
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| 100m | > 12.60 |
| 200m | > 25.90 |
| 400m | > 60.50 |
| 800m | > 2:27 |
| 1500m | > 5:25 |
| 3000m | > 11:50 |
| 5000m | > 19:30 |
| 10.000m | > 43:50 |
| 100m Hurdles | > 15.85 |
| 400m Hurdles | > 1:08 |
| High Jump | > 1.57 m |
| Long Jump | > 5.25 m |
| Triple Jump | > 11.10 m |
| Pole Vault | > 3.65 m |
| Shot Put | > 12.80 m |
| Discus Throw | > 38.60 m |
| Hammer Throw | > 41.20 m |
| Javelin | > 37.50 m |
| Heptathlon | > 3850 points |
The NAIA is primarily home to smaller colleges. Known for private institutions, more intimate atmosphere and high-quality sporting facilities.
Max number of full scholarships per team:
12
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| 100m | > 11.25 |
| 200m | > 22.60 |
| 400m | > 50.96 |
| 800m | > 2:05 |
| 1500m | > 4:26 |
| 3200m | > 10:00 |
| 5000m | > 17:10 |
| 10.000m | > 38:35 |
| 110m Hurdles | > 16.10 |
| 400m Hurdles | > 1:01.00 |
| High Jump | > 1.85 m |
| Long Jump | > 7.10 m |
| Triple Jump | > 12.70 m |
| Pole Vault | > 4.40 m |
| Shot Put | > 14.65 m |
| Discus Throw | > 47.20 m |
| Hammer Throw | > 49.50 m |
| Javelin | > 55.40 m |
| Decathlon | > 5150 points |
Max number of full scholarships per team:
12
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| 100m | > 12.75 |
| 200m | > 26.00 |
| 400m | > 59.20 |
| 800m | > 2:35 |
| 1500m | > 5:30 |
| 3200m | > 12:00 |
| 5000m | > 21:00 |
| 10.000m | > 46:25 |
| 100m Hurdles | > 16.25 |
| 400m Hurdles | > 1:10.65 |
| High Jump | > 1.42 m |
| Long Jump | > 5.25 m |
| Triple Jump | > 10.30 m |
| Pole Vault | > 3.20 m |
| Shot Put | > 11.90 m |
| Discus Throw | > 35.40 m |
| Hammer Throw | > 42.60 m |
| Javelin | > 39.90 m |
| Decathlon | > 3400 points |
Many world-class athletes have developed their talents at a college in the US. Here are just a few of them.
There are many reasons to come to the US, but as evidenced by the number of professionals coming out of the system, the sporting development opportunities are by far one of the most interesting.
As many of our former clients and college athletes say, it’s tough over there, but you get what you need to achieve new results.
Track and field scholarships
There is no better combination of elite athletics and higher education than at College.
Do you qualify for a scholarship at a US university? Fill in our Free Evaluation and we will evaluate your chances and get back to you as soon as possible!
Reviews
Very competent team! These guys make the recruiting process a very easy task. Provide the information they ask you for, and you shall receive. It is also very reassuring that two of the most prolific track and field athletes in the world, are a part of the team. You always have the option to set up a meeting with your agent. Big thumbs up from here!
NSSA helped me during the process of getting my track and field scholarship in the US. I am very happy that they could help me through every step along the way, because there is a lot to think about. They reached out to a lot of coaches until I found one that I was more than happy with. They also helped me with the process of getting my visa and everything else you needed to get done. The people working for Recruiters Eye were pretty much always available to help me with my questions. I highly recommend!
Best agency for recruiting. They helped me along every step of the way, from writing to coaches to getting my visa. Really did a great job of reaching out and making sure that I got the best offer possible. They were always to get in contact with and really guides me through the process.
Highly recommend it.
Experts in Sport Scholarships
in college and high school in the US.
The perfect way to combine education with elite sports.