The NCAA allows Division I and II colleges to award full and partial scholarships. An athletic scholarship is only awarded for one year at a time but usually covers 4 years, provided the student maintains satisfactory academic performance and meets all of the teams practice and game schedule requirements. A full scholarship consists of all tuition and fees, room, board and books. Division III schools cannot award athletic scholarships, only need based aid.
Each college and coach has slightly different definition of the word “scholarship”. It could include any one or combination of other terms like financial aid, academic grants, loans, work study, and other aid from private or government sources.
When the scholarships are offered, it is important that the exact type of scholarship is clearly explained and how the scholarship relates to the overall cost. Like any important agreement, the obligations, terms, conditions and length of agreement should also be explained.
The correct definition of an athletic scholarship according to the NCAA is money given to athletes through the schools registration system for college expenses consisting of tuition and fees, room, board and books. A school may not award more funds than the actual total costs of attending the college.
Coaches may award partial scholarships of any of the costs mentioned above. This allows the coach to award scholarships to more players as the coach has limited number of scholarships that can be awarded each year. Financial aid is money given to a college student who cannot afford to go to college without some financial assistance. This help is given to students based upon their and their family’s ability to provide funds. The student should complete the Financial Aid Form (FAF) and the Family Financial Aid statement and any other forms for potential aid available at the college’s financial aid office. The student’s and/or family’s 1040 federal income tax form will be needed to complete the financial aid forms.
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