Soccer Scholarships for College

Scholarships for soccer are available at the NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 levels, NAIA schools and junior colleges. Learning how soccer scholarships are awarded and what it takes to secure one is essential. This guide offers a clear breakdown of key information, covering division-specific scholarship limits and strategies to boost your chances of earning a scholarship offer.

NCAA Soccer Scholarship Limits

Starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, the NCAA eliminated most D1 scholarship limits, enabling all sports to distribute scholarships more flexibly among athletes. This change had a significant impact on college soccer recruiting.

The scholarship rules impacted men’s soccer recruits in the following ways:

• D1 men’s soccer programs are allowed to offer 28 scholarships, up from the previous limit of 9.9.
• D1 men’s soccer has a maximum roster limit of 28.
• D1 soccer was already an equivalency sport, but coaches will continue to have the flexibility to offer both partial and full scholarships to recruits.

Note: These are the maximum scholarship and roster limits set by the NCAA, but schools aren’t required to meet these maximums.

Number of men’s soccer scholarships by division level

There are over 1,200 colleges that have men’s soccer teams. Here’s a breakdown of the numbers across the major division levels, along with a preview of the NCAA scholarship and roster limits:

The amount of athletic scholarship money coaches can offer to each student depends on the program’s funding and student-athletes’ skill level, but student-athletes can supplement their athletics scholarships with need-based aid and academic scholarships. This allows programs, especially at more expensive private colleges, to offer additional financial support to families and athletes who qualify.

What is the average soccer scholarship?

While until recently, the average NCAA D1 men’s soccer scholarship was under $10,000 per year, this number will likely change as programs adjust to the new scholarship limits. Where coaches previously needed to divide up the equivalent of only 9.9 full athletics scholarships across their entire rosters, they are now restricted only by the 28-player roster limit and their individual school’s funding.

The cost of tuition varies widely across colleges. An in-state student at a public university could pay close to $10,000 a year, while an out-of-state student at a private university could pay $60,000 a year. This significant difference makes calculating an average scholarship amount misleading.

Moreover, not all athletes receive scholarships for their entire college career. Scholarships can vary year to year based on performance, team needs, and other factors.

Instead of focusing on an average scholarship figure, families should first determine what they can afford for four years of college. Then, during the recruiting process, you can compare offers based on your family’s expected contribution—the amount you’ll need to pay after all financial aid is considered.

What are my chances of getting a soccer scholarship?

Scholarships for soccer players are limited. Only the top high school soccer players make it to the college level. Approximately 8% of U.S. high school men’s soccer players go on to compete in college across NCAA Division 1, Division 2, Division 3, NAIA, and junior college levels. Of these, less than 2% make it to compete at the NCAA Division 1 level.

Men’s soccer is a global sport, so you’ll also be competing with international athletes for scholarships and roster spots.

What Colleges offer soccer scholarships

Scholarships for soccer are offered by many colleges across the NCAA D1, D2, NAIA and Junior College levels. How many scholarships are available at any given school depends on how many scholarships the coach has committed, whether they are a fully funded program, how the program likes to use their scholarship money and several other factors.

Examples of colleges offering soccer scholarships:

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Division 1)
• Stanford University (Division 1)
• University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) (Division 1)
• University of West Florida (Division 2)
• Azusa Pacific University (NAIA)
• Tyler Junior College (NJCAA)

Read below to learn more about the opportunities at each division level. 

NCAA Division 1 men’s soccer scholarships

Athletic scholarships for D1 men’s soccer are the most difficult to obtain, as the level of play and academics is very high. Starting in the 2025-26 school year, NCAA D1 teams were no longer limited to the equivalency of 9.9 full scholarships, but teams now need to stick to a roster limit of 28 players. All rostered athletes can receive full or partial scholarships.

Keep in mind, schools aren’t required to offer the maximum number of scholarships allowed by the NCAA. The amount each program can give depends on various factors, like whether the program is fully funded or partially funded. This flexibility allows programs to tailor their scholarship offerings to best support their athletes and team needs.

NCAA Division 2 men’s soccer scholarships

D2 schools can and do offer full-ride scholarships. However, because men’s soccer is deemed an equivalency sport by the NCAA, schools are not required to give out full rides.

With a max of nine scholarships per team, D2 schools can choose to offer 9 full-ride scholarships or split up the scholarships among their rosters, which average 39 players.

It’s up to the coach to determine how much money they want to give to each athlete on the team.

NCAA Division 3 men’s soccer scholarships

While D3 schools don’t offer athletic scholarships, most D3 athletes do receive other forms of financial aid. Student-athletes interested in competing at a D3 school shouldn’t let the lack of athletic scholarships deter them. Those who have good grades and test scores have a good chance at qualifying for an academic scholarship.

Student-athletes involved in extracurricular activities and their community might find a merit-based scholarship. Families can also take advantage of need-based financial aid, which is awarded based on factors like household income.

The bottom line is that athletic scholarships aren’t the only way to pay for college. There are many other forms of scholarships out there, and if a D3 program wants someone on their team, they can be extremely helpful in finding scholarship money from other sources.

NAIA men’s soccer scholarships

NAIA schools offer a similar level of competition to D2 schools, and they can offer a maximum of 12 scholarships. 

NAIA schools can choose to offer 12 full-ride scholarships or split up the scholarships among the athletes on their rosters.

It’s up to the coach to determine how much money they want to give to each athlete on the team. However, NAIA schools have fewer recruiting rules than the NCAA, and NAIA coaches can contact student-athletes anytime during high school. This can make it a little easier to snag a scholarship for some student-athletes.

Junior college men’s soccer scholarships

With an average roster size of 19 players and a maximum of 24 scholarships allocated per team, junior colleges offer a very good chance of securing a full-ride scholarship.

These two-year colleges can be a stepping stone for student-athletes who are looking to transfer between schools or move into a higher division, all while saving money on tuition and related costs.

Can you play college soccer without a scholarship?

Yes, you can play college soccer without a scholarship by joining as a walk-on, relying on academic scholarships, or receiving need-based financial aid.

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