The Best Volleyball Scholarships with Upcoming Deadlines in 2024

About volleyball scholarships

Some students are exceptionally gifted in athletics and physical activities. For students that have played volleyball competitively or throughout high school, considering applying for volleyball scholarships may be helpful in funding their college education. 

Some colleges will even recruit volleyball players for their school teams, which may result in a partial or full scholarship. Other organizations may also offer volleyball scholarships of varying amounts. 

Are there scholarships for volleyball?

Playing a sport at a high level can show a student’s determination, work ethic, and talent. As a result, many colleges and other organizations offer scholarships for exceptionally gifted student-athletes. There are scholarships available for volleyball players as well as student-athletes interested in other sports.

In fact, about 1,800 college volleyball programs exist in the United States. While this may not equate to 1,800 available volleyball scholarships, many of these programs will each offer a handful of athletic scholarships for volleyball players. 

There are many scholarships for volleyball players of all grade levels. Many volleyball scholarships are aimed at supporting volleyball players in college. As mentioned, schools that recruit volleyball players may incentivize attending their college by offering scholarships specifically for volleyball players. As a result, high school seniors applying to college will be able to find a wide number of opportunities for volleyball scholarships.

However, high school underclassmen and juniors will also be able to find college volleyball scholarships. Some volleyball scholarships are merit-based. This means that donors are looking to support students that maintain a certain GPA while playing volleyball for their school or competitively. 

Many college volleyball scholarships depend heavily on what kind of players the school is looking for and how well the student plays the sport. 

Can you get a scholarship for volleyball?

Students who play volleyball competitively should have no trouble finding some relevant opportunities for them. Many colleges have competitive volleyball teams, resulting in many opportunities for volleyball players in college and high school to find volleyball scholarships. 

There are 247 sponsored female teams in the NCAA’s Division I category. There are considerably fewer sponsored teams for men, however, meaning that female volleyball players may be able to find more volleyball scholarships. 

In any case, any student-athlete with a talent for volleyball can be considered for a college volleyball scholarship. For some athletic scholarships, students must maintain a minimum GPA in order to be considered. Another consideration is impressing the college coaches. 

In order to get a scholarship for playing college volleyball, the applicant must not only be good at the sport but also be an asset to the school’s existing team. Simply being a talented player may not always guarantee that you will win a scholarship. You must also be the right fit for the team. 

How do you get a volleyball scholarship?

Some student-athletes are talented enough and attend a high school with good enough connections that college coaches will visit their school to recruit players. In this case, students that play well can easily be noticed by recruiters at high school games. This may result in being offered a scholarship.

Some high schools will even offer college volleyball scholarships directly, by giving athletic scholarship money to high-performing student-athletes for their college education. The benefit of a scholarship awarded at the high school level is that there is less competition, and this kind of scholarship can help student-athletes pay for their college degree. 

However, for students looking to secure a spot on a prestigious college volleyball team, a scholarship from their high school will not carry much weight. Student-athletes looking to continue playing volleyball at a high level in college should not by any means turn down athletic scholarship money from their high schools but should keep in mind that they still need to catch the attention of a college coach to get a college scholarship. 

Not all high schools have connections with colleges that offer volleyball scholarships. Even if a student plays very well, college coaches may not realize a talented but unknown player exists. Students looking for volleyball scholarships can include their interest in volleyball heavily in their college applications. This could be by listing it as an extracurricular, or mentioning tournaments they have won or volleyball achievements they have been awarded. In addition, students could write their personal statements about their experience playing volleyball.

Perhaps a more direct way to connect with college coaches and schools that offer good volleyball programs would be to contact the coaches themselves. Students may be able to find the email or contact information of a college coach on the school’s website and request that a college staff member attend one of their games. The student will likely have to play at the top of their division to convince a college coaching staff member to do this, but it may be worthwhile to try. 

Another possibility is to attend a prestigious volleyball summer camp, or a summer program hosted by your college of interest. This could also be a good way for students to connect with college coaching staff members and showcase their talents. 

What does it take to get a volleyball scholarship?

Playing well enough to get a volleyball scholarship requires a lot of talent and determination. Students must be extraordinarily good at the sport among their peers, and also be above average nationally. In addition, simply playing extremely well may not be enough. 

Students must also be team players and maintain reasonable grades. College coaches are often an important deciding factor in giving out college volleyball scholarships, so impressing coaches and proving to them that you would be an asset is vital as well. 

As a prospective applicant for a college athletic scholarship, remember to maintain your grades even as a high school senior and continue to play as well as you can even in matches that don’t affect your school’s ranking. Keep in contact with recruiters or college staff members you meet, as they are likely reviewing hundreds of high school students. Demonstrating interest in a specific college’s volleyball program, and taking the initiative to contact coaches may help you win college volleyball scholarships. 

Volleyball scholarships for high school students

Most student-athletes begin to take their sport more seriously during high school. As a result, their performance in high school is often indicative of how they might perform in college. Many high school volleyball programs offer athletic scholarships to encourage their athletes to keep playing their sport. The following scholarships are great options for high school volleyball players!

1. Green-Anderson Volleyball Scholarship 
2. Dr. Edward Chavez Athletic Scholarship

Volleyball scholarships for college students

Many high school student-athletes hope to continue playing their sport in college. Athletic scholarship money from a college scholarship can help students make this dream a reality. The financial assistance provided by college volleyball scholarships can make it possible for students to both excel academically and athletically in college. The college volleyball scholarship opportunities below are great options for athletes!

1. Ron Johnston Student Athlete Scholarship 
2. Sportsletter Sports News No-Essay Scholarship 
3. Silverback Scholarship

Frequently asked questions about volleyball scholarships

What colleges offer volleyball scholarships?

Many of the highest paying athletic scholarships are offered by colleges and universities to incoming players. Receiving a college athletic scholarship is not only good financially, but may also help secure a spot on a university team for you. Below are some universities that offer volleyball scholarships. 

1. Stanford University
2. The University of Florida
3. The University of Texas at Austin
4. The University of California Los Angeles 
5. The University of California San Diego

How hard is it to get a volleyball scholarship?

Even for student-athletes that play volleyball very well, competition for college-level scholarships is fierce. 

Out of the thousands of high school students that play volleyball for their school teams or clubs, only 1% will actually secure a spot on an NCAA Division I college team. Despite these odds, it is important to remember that scholarships also exist for recreational players who are not as competitive and that Division II and III teams also have opportunities for students to win scholarships. 

However, it is important to remember that very few students play volleyball well enough to get a scholarship from a Division I team. As a result, student-athletes may want to continue to pay attention to their grades and other aspects of their academic career as a safety measure. 

How many volleyball scholarships are there?

There are many opportunities to win a volleyball scholarship and play college volleyball. 334 teams exist at the NCAA Division I level, with a total of 5,406 athletes. The average number of players on the team for NCAA Divisions I through III is 16 players. In Division I, there is a limit of 12 scholarships per team. In Division II, the limit is 8 scholarships per team.

As a result, Division I has the highest amount of available scholarships, with Division II close behind. To have the best chance of winning a scholarship for college volleyball, students must be above average players and truly excel at the sport. 

How much is a volleyball scholarship?

The amount of a volleyball scholarship varies depending on the school, the division, and other factors. In NCAA Division I, the average amount of athletic scholarship money gifted to a male player is $15,604, and the average amount for a female player is $18.990. In Division II, the average scholarship amount for male players is $6,153, while the average amount for women is $7,950. 

There are also scholarships available from individual donors, or other sports facilities and athletic organizations. These scholarships may offer anywhere from $500 to thousands of dollars depending on the budget of the organization. 

When can I start applying for scholarships? 

Students of any education level can find scholarships they can apply to. Though many scholarships will stipulate that students be of a certain age group or grade level in order to apply, the abundance of scholarships available ensures that every student can find an opportunity that is right for them. 

It’s usually better to begin applying for scholarships earlier rather than later. This is because starting earlier will allow students to have more time to apply for scholarships. Students that begin earlier will be able to apply over several years, while students that apply closer to graduation will not have as much time. 

In addition, receiving scholarship money can help students make important decisions about their academic futures. Saving up scholarship money can help students decide whether to apply for graduate school, or which admissions offer to accept. For this reason, it may be better to apply for scholarship money before you actually need it. 

However, even students that don’t begin to apply until later in their academic career can still win money. Even students who are already attending a university they love and have no plans to go to graduate school may still find it beneficial to apply for scholarships. Studying abroad, for example, may cost students extra expenses. Scholarship money can help students pay for additional or unexpected educational expenses. 

How do I know if I’m eligible for a scholarship? 

It’s common for scholarships to restrict their applicant pool based on major, personal background, income level, and grade level. Make sure to carefully read the requirements to make sure you fit each of the criteria listed. Students that do not match all the criteria will likely not be considered, no matter how accomplished they might be. 

Some scholarships are highly restricted, requiring students to study a certain major, come from a certain region, and match a certain grade level in order to apply. An example of this would be a scholarship for art history undergraduate students from Rhode Island. 

Some scholarships are more general. These scholarships might be open to any students of any major and grade level. Or, these scholarships might only list a few requirements, such as grade level. An example of this might be a scholarship for undergraduate students. Any student who matches the given grade level will be able to apply. 

Are scholarships counted as income? 

Scholarships are usually not counted as income. As long as your scholarship is used only for qualified educational expenses, the money will not be taxed. Most students will use their money only on qualified educational expenses whether they know what exactly that means or not, so there’s usually no need to worry. 

Qualified educational expenses are fees that students must pay in order to graduate with a degree. Students pursuing a degree can spend their scholarship money on tuition, textbook and equipment fees, mandatory course fees, and mandatory enrollment fees. Each of these expenses counts as a qualified educational expense. 

It’s important to note that housing and travel expenses do not count as necessary educational expenses. In most cases, scholarship money is sent to the financial aid office of the winner's school, meaning that the money will usually be automatically spent only on necessary expenses.

As a result, scholarship money is almost always not counted as income and will not be taxed.