Athletic Scholarship
College aid awarded for athletic participation.
Athletic scholarships are offered by D1, D2, NAIA and NJCAA D1/D2 programs. Soccer money is almost always partial: coaches divide a pool across the roster rather than handing out full rides, and families usually combine it with academic aid. D1 dropped its per-sport limits in July 2025, so what a program can offer is now its own decision. D3 offers no athletic aid.
- NCAA Divisions
The three NCAA tiers, D1, D2 and D3, each with different rules.
- Walk-On
A player who joins a college team without athletic aid.
- Equivalency Sport
A sport whose scholarship money is split into fractions across the squad.
- Headcount Sport
A sport where any aid at all counts as one full scholarship.
Does this one apply to your kid?
The report says whether this one matters at your kid’s age, in your area, at the level they play now, and what to do about it if it does.