Tag Archive for: NCAA Outside Source Scholarships

What College Athletes Should Know About “Hometown” or “Outside Sources” Scholarships

Student-athletes at NCAA Division I and II universities who receive notice that they have been awarded a “hometown” scholarship or one from other “outside sources,” such as from their local civic club or from mom’s or dad’s employer, should inform the compliance office at their university.

In most cases, there won’t be negative consequences for receiving such a scholarship.

  • However, athletes who are already receiving a full scholarship from their university may be prohibited from accepting the scholarship (or may need to have other scholarships adjusted) so that they don’t receive more than their university’s “cost of attendance.”
  • Also, student-athletes in NCAA Division I who are receiving scholarships from “outside sources” such as those examples above may be limited to accepting no more than $1000 during an academic year, depending on the various criteria for selected scholarships.

For questions about the combination of athletic scholarships with other scholarships, whether academic or from “outside sources”, schedule a confidential scholarship strategies consult, contact us at rick@informedathlete.com or call us at 913-766-1235.

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Facts You Should Know About Athletic Scholarships

While some people believe that all college athletes who receive athletic scholarships receive “full-ride” scholarships, the truth is that athletes in the majority of college sports programs receive only “partial” athletic scholarships if they receive one at all.

Full Vs Partial Scholarships

A “full” athletic scholarship covers the following costs of college: tuition, certain course-related fees, room and board, and the value or provision of books.

A “partial” athletic scholarship will cover only a portion of those expenses. An athletic scholarship may not cover all student fees, and also may not cover things like parking fines, a single room in the dorm, library fines or late fees, etc.

Head-Count vs Equivalency Sports

In NCAA Division I, the following sports are “head-count” sports: men’s and women’s basketball, football, women’s gymnastics, women’s tennis, and women’s volleyball.

All other Division I sports, as well as all Division II sports, are “equivalency” sports. In equivalency sports, coaches can divide their scholarships up as they desire, as they long as they do not exceed the total allowable scholarship value available in their sport. A few examples in Division I are baseball with 11.7, softball with 12, and wrestling with 9.9 scholarships.

One athlete on the team may be provided with the cost of tuition, a second athlete on the team may be provided with room and board, and a third athlete on the team may only be provided the value or use of books.

A special note: NCAA DI Baseball has a requirement that the athlete must receive at minimum a 25% scholarship. No other sport has a minimum requirement.

What is NCAA “Counter” Status?

Any student-athlete who receives any amount of athletic scholarship is considered a “counter” per NCAA rules. Once a student-athlete is considered a “counter” there are situations in which other types of financial aid may be required to be “counted” as athletic financial aid.

Academic Scholarships & “Counter” Status

In addition, if a Division I student-athlete also receives an academic scholarship from their college or university due to their high school GPA or their ACT or SAT test score, the fact that they are already an NCAA “counter” may affect the value or receipt of their academic scholarship.

Once a Division I student-athlete is a “counter” all other financial aid received from their institution is required to “count” as if it is an athletic scholarship, unless the student-athlete qualifies for an exemption based on the level of their GPA, their class rank, or their ACT or SAT test score.

Outside Scholarships

Any scholarships that a student-athlete will be receiving from groups such as a Rotary or Kiwanis club, a church youth group, or a high school booster club should be sent to the financial aid office of the college the student-athlete is attending. Most of these scholarships are permissible, but should be sent directly to the college so they can be processed properly.

Do You Need Help?

If you have questions regarding financial aid or scholarship offers and how they might affect your situation, schedule a private, confidential consultation online or by calling 913-766-1235 or sending an email to rick@informedathlete.com

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“Outside Source” Scholarships – What You Should Know

NCAA Division I and Division II Student-Athletes who receive notice that they have been awarded an “outside source” scholarship, should inform the compliance office at their university to avoid possible financial aid violations.

Here’s why:

New this year for NCAA Division I – Athletes receiving scholarships from “outside sources” may be limited to accepting no more than $1000 during an academic year, depending on the various criteria for selected scholarships.

Student-athletes who are already receiving a full scholarship from their university may be prohibited from accepting the scholarship (or may need to have other scholarships adjusted) so that they don’t receive more than their university’s “cost of attendance.”

What are Outside Source Scholarships?

Outside Source Scholarships can include those from local civic clubs, local high school booster clubs, mom or dad’s employer, corporate or philanthropic entities, and associations.

In most cases, there won’t be negative consequences for receiving such a scholarship, but it’s important to have everything verified and confirmed to avoid problems.

Do you Have Questions?

To learn more about scholarships in general, go to How we Help/Scholarship Issues.

For questions specific to your situation regarding combining athletic scholarships with outside source scholarships, schedule a scholarship strategies consult online or send an email to rick@informedathlete.com

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