Who can give athletic scholarships
In 2026-27, NCAA Divisions I and II, the NAIA and NJCAA Divisions I and II can give athletic scholarships, while NCAA and NJCAA Division III cannot. Most athletes receive a partial scholarship, not a full one.
| League and division | Athletic scholarship |
|---|---|
| NCAA Division I | Yes, up to full |
| NCAA Division II | Yes, usually partial |
| NCAA Division III | No |
| NAIA | Yes. Each school sets the amount, with a cap per sport |
| NJCAA Division I | Yes, up to full: tuition, books, fees, housing and food, plus up to US$250 in course materials and one round trip a year |
| NJCAA Division II | Limited to tuition, books, fees and up to US$250 in course materials |
| NJCAA Division III | No |
In 2026-27 the NCAA has 361 schools in Division I, 296 in Division II and 416 in Division III. The NAIA has 250, with athletes from 170 countries, and the NJCAA has more than 500. NCAA Divisions I and II award more than US$4.3 billion a year in athletic scholarships to almost 210,000 athletes.
Since July 2025, Division I schools covered by the House v. NCAA settlement have replaced scholarship limits with roster limits per sport: they may give scholarships to the whole roster and pay athletes directly, up to an annual cap (Division I manual). On an F-1 visa, though, work is restricted, for example to 20 hours a week on campus while classes are in session (Study in the States), and SEVP has not yet issued rules on NIL or these payments for international students (SEVP). Talk to the university's international office before you sign.
Registration and fees
To compete in the NCAA or the NAIA, you register with the league's eligibility center. In 2026-27, the NCAA charges international students an international fee that can be waived for financial need, and the NAIA charges US$170 with no waiver.
- NCAA Divisions I and II: an Academic and Athletics Certification account with the Eligibility Center. If you studied outside the US, you pay the international fee, shown when you register, and you can ask for a waiver if your school or a government official attests to financial need. The account must be complete before official visits or signing an offer.
- NCAA Division III: an amateurism-only account. Without it you cannot practice or compete. Academic requirements are set by each school.
- NAIA: a one-time fee of US$170, with no waiver for international students, plus a separately paid evaluation of your grades by InCred.
- NJCAA: InCred also evaluates international students' records.
How your grades are read
The NCAA publishes a guide for each country, with its own rules for which years count and how grades convert. It reads your record from the year it treats as US ninth grade. You send records from that year onward, in the original language and translated into English. The translator attaches a letter with a stamp or seal and a contact for verification.
This conversion is for athletic eligibility only. Each university's admission office reads your original record. Division I requires 16 approved core courses with a minimum core-course GPA of 2.3; Division II requires 16 with a 2.2.
In the NAIA, students who have never attended college are eligible with a GPA of 2.3 or higher. The other route is meeting two of three conditions: an ACT of 18 or SAT of 970 in one sitting, a GPA of 2.0, or ranking in the top half of the class. The NAIA converts international grades to the 0 to 4 scale itself.
If you are already enrolled full time at a college outside the US, the NCAA treats you as a transfer.
Recruiting and contact
In Division I, coaches can call and message you from 15 June after sophomore year (US grade 10) and meet you off campus from 1 August of junior year. Since 2024, a written scholarship offer has replaced the National Letter of Intent.
- When coaches can contact you: in Division I, calls, materials and messages start on 15 June after sophomore year (US grade 10). In-person contact off campus starts on 1 August of junior year (US grade 11). Some sports have exceptions.
- Baseball, softball and lacrosse: for school calendars that differ from the US one, such as those in the Southern Hemisphere, calls and messages start on the first day of classes of junior year.
- No more National Letter of Intent in Division I: since 2024 it has been replaced by a written scholarship offer. Division II may still use the letter. Once you sign, other schools stop contacting you.
- In the NAIA: you can accept the scholarship, sign and practice before the eligibility decision, but you only compete after it. Send your documents at least two months before classes start. You have up to four seasons per sport.