Soccer scholarships: how much you can get at each level

How do soccer scholarships work?

Soccer is an equivalency sport. A coach has a pool of athletic aid and can split it across many players, so most soccer scholarships are partial. A typical offer covers part of tuition, and players often combine it with academic and need-based aid. Full rides exist but are rare outside the top programs.

Because the money is split, two players on the same team can get very different amounts. The coach decides who gets what, and it can change from year to year. How athletic aid works across every sport is in how athletic scholarships work.

How many soccer scholarships does Division I have?

Since July 1, 2025, Division I schools in the House settlement have no soccer scholarship limit but a roster limit of 28 players, for women and men. A school may fund all 28 spots, though most give partial aid. Schools that didn't opt in still follow the old limits of 14 for women and 9.9 for men.

The 28-player limit comes from the NCAA's Division I roster limits adopted with the House settlement. Before it, many women's teams carried more than 28 players, so the limit also means fewer walk-on spots. Ask each coach how many players they plan to carry and how much of the roster they fund.

Do Division II soccer programs give scholarships?

Yes. Division II soccer programs give athletic scholarships, almost always partial, and coaches often pair them with academic aid. Not every program is fully funded, so the pool varies from school to school. Ask each coach how much aid the program has and what a typical offer looks like for your position.

There are 261 women's and 204 men's Division II soccer programs in the NCAA directory in November 2026. Your grades matter here: a strong GPA can bring academic money that doesn't count against the coach's pool, which makes you cheaper to recruit.

Does Division III give soccer scholarships?

No. Division III schools give no athletic scholarships in any sport, soccer included. Many Division III players still pay far less than the sticker price through academic and need-based aid. With 415 women's and 406 men's programs, Division III is the largest level of college soccer in November 2026.

Run each school's net price calculator, and ask the admissions office how merit aid works. A Division III school with strong merit aid can cost less than a Division I offer with a small scholarship. How Division III players pay for school is covered in college sports divisions explained.

Do NAIA and junior college soccer programs give scholarships?

Yes. NAIA soccer programs give partial athletic scholarships set by each school, with fewer recruiting rules than the NCAA. Junior colleges in NJCAA Division I can cover tuition, fees, books, room and board, Division II can cover tuition, fees and books, and Division III gives no athletic aid.

Junior college is a real path: two years to play, raise your grades and move up to a four-year program. More than 500 women's and men's junior college soccer teams play in the NJCAA in 2026-27. Ask the coach which aid the program actually offers, since not every school funds the maximum.

How do you get a soccer scholarship?

Get seen by the coaches where you fit. Build a list across levels, send film and your club schedule, keep your grades up so academic aid adds to athletic aid, and compare every offer by what your family actually pays. Offers usually come after a coach has watched you play in person.

Follow the steps in how to get recruited for college soccer, and see when college soccer coaches can contact you so you know when to expect offers. Written offers of athletics aid can be given to seniors from August 1 in most sports, and signing for the class of 2027 opens November 11, 2026.

How REACH helps with soccer scholarships

REACH shows your family's cost after aid at more than 2,300 women's and men's soccer programs, so you can tell a strong offer from a weak one. It never promises a scholarship. It puts you in front of the coaches where you fit, with your position, club team and film, and nothing goes out until you approve it. More is on the soccer recruiting page.

Questions

Are full soccer scholarships common?

No. Most soccer scholarships are partial because coaches split their aid across the roster. Full rides happen, mostly at well-funded Division I programs and some junior colleges.

Do women get more soccer scholarships than men?

Under the old Division I limits, women's teams had 14 and men's 9.9. At House settlement schools both can fund up to 28 players, but how much each school funds varies.

Can I combine a soccer scholarship with academic aid?

Yes, at most schools. Academic and need-based aid often stack with partial athletic aid, which is why grades matter in soccer recruiting.