How to Get a Tennis Scholarship for College

If you’re an exceptional tennis player, then you may be in line for receiving a tennis scholarship for college  just for playing tennis while in high school. Each year there are thousands of official NCAA scholarships handed out for tennis to many colleges across the country. If you’re a great tennis player, have a high grade point average, and help out around your community, you have a chance of obtaining one of these prized scholarships for tennis. Unlike most athletic scholarships, an official NCAA tennis scholarship is full ride, meaning it pays for all four years of your college education, meaning you can graduate debt free. Let’s take a closer look at how to get a tennis scholarship for college.

NCAA SCHOLARSHIPS FOR TENNIS
The most sought after type of tennis scholarship is undoubtedly the NCAA scholarship for sports. NCAA  athletic scholarships are the official tennis scholarships that are offered through colleges to prospective players. Obtaining a full ride scholarship through the NCAA can be a long and tough road, but with some determination and wittiness, it is possible.

To start things out, you need to have drive and motivation to achieve your goal. Obtaining an NCAA scholarship isn’t easy, and you’ll need to work hard. You need to show great performance on the tennis court. If you can make it to state and nationals, you are well on your way to obtaining a NCAA scholarship. Second, you need to be sure your coaches and advisors know your plans. Tell them that you’re pursuing a NCAA scholarship for tennis and ask them to help you with your goal. More than likely they will be more than happy to help. Finally, you need to have great academic records. A high grade point average will make it so much easier to obtain a scholarship than a low grade point average.

COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS FOR TENNIS
There is another type of athletic scholarship available besides the NCAA scholarship, and this is a community scholarship. A community scholarship is simply one that has been offered through the community, usually a local business, corporation or organization. Finding community scholarships can be difficult, but with the help of an advisor or guidance counselor, they can become a goldmine for college financing. Community sport scholarships usually have less stringent requirements than official NCAA scholarships, and therefore are much easier to obtain. On the other hand, community scholarships hardly ever offer full ride money, meaning you will need to obtain many scholarships to finance your college education.

OTHER UNKNOWN SCHOLARSHIPS
The final category of tennis scholarships is “other scholarships.” These are unknown scholarships that have been in place for many years and have become sort of a tradition. Oftentimes, these random scholarships are financed by organizations and corporations to improve their standing in the public and increase their awareness to the general population. Below are some examples of other little known about scholarships for tennis sponsored by organizations or corporations:
USTA Tennis & Education Foundation – USTA Tennis is a nationally known organization that advocates for tennis and promotes tennis throughout the country. Each year, they give out money towards students who are interested in playing tennis in college. The main qualifiers for this tennis scholarship include your grade point average, your tennis aptitude, and your community outreach activities. Applications are due February 4th or each year.

SAMMY Awards – The SAMMY awards are presented to student athletes in grade 12 who show promise in both their academics and their athletic abilities. Each year, the foundation chooses 25 student athletes who will receive the grand prize of $7,500 that can be put towards your college education. Applications are due March 4th.

Kyle R. Magoto Scholarship Fund – This is a very localized fund and is available only to those students who are graduating from Shelby Co. High School in Ohio. To be eligible, you must have at least 2 years of tennis experience, plan to pursue a bachelor’s degree in educational studies, and have a 3.0 grade point average or higher.