Level Up Your Education: A Guide to Colleges with Esports Scholarship Programs

Esports, once a niche hobby, has exploded into a global phenomenon, and colleges and universities are taking notice. As interest in competitive gaming continues to rise, so do college and university efforts in building competitive esports teams. More than 300 colleges and universities across North America have established esports programs, according to the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE). This surge in popularity has led to a unique opportunity for students: esports scholarships. This article explores the world of esports scholarships, providing insights into what they are, how to get them, and which colleges offer them.

What are Esports Scholarships?

Esports scholarships are awards given to students who compete on their college or university’s esports team. These scholarships recognize the skill, dedication, and teamwork required to excel in competitive gaming, mirroring the support offered to traditional athletes. Just as excelling in esports requires many similar skills to traditional sports, giving esports athletes the same scholarship perks as traditional scholar athletes makes a lot of sense. Competitive gamers need strong reflexes, strategic thinking, and outstanding teamwork to excel in their sport, not to mention hundreds of hours of practice.

Levels of Collegiate Esports

Collegiate esports typically has three levels:

Varsity: The highest level, with formal coaches, rigorous practice schedules, and the highest scholarship amounts.
Junior Varsity (JV): Less demanding than varsity but still competitive against other schools.
Club: The least competitive level, usually run by students with less funding.

Commitments and Requirements

Because these scholarships are tied to a student’s participation in esports, these awards come with commitments: recipients are expected to attend practice, compete in matches, and remain active team members. Many also have academic requirements, such as a minimum GPA. Much like merit scholarships, esports scholarships are usually given to students based on their skills alone and don’t consider financial need. One example is the Lebanon Valley College Esports Scholarship, which often provides higher awards if a student also demonstrates financial need.

How to Get an Esports Scholarship

Applying for esports scholarships requires dedication, skill, and a keen understanding of the esports landscape. Here’s a breakdown of the process:

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Demonstrate Your Skills

The specific qualifications to be considered for an esports scholarship will vary by award. Some teams may require students to have a particular rank in a game, while others might only list a preferred rank. Preferred ranks are usually provided to give prospective team members an idea of the skills they will need to make the team and be considered for a scholarship.

Create a Highlight Video

Start recording your matches, as the coaches will ask for a highlight video. An esports highlight video is a short, 1 to 2-minute video that showcases some of your best gameplay and evidences your reflexes, mental fortitude, and creativity when playing video games. You can use an Esports highlight video to boost your resume or portfolio and send the video to coaches and recruiters.

Catch the viewer's attention in the first minute of the video by including four or five of your best plays that best represent your gaming skills
Include your contact info in the video and description so interested coaches and recruiters can reach out.
Publish the video on Twitch, YouTube, or your Next College Student Athlete (NCSA) recruiting profile.

Attend Tryouts

The majority of schools will require students to attend one or multiple rounds of tryouts. These tryouts may be open to any prospective student, require an application, or be by invitation only. Once the coaching teams have found an ideal prospect, they will invite them to come to campus to try it out. During the tryouts, coaches seek effective in-game communication, teamplay, and a positive and team-oriented attitude. Keep following up after completing a training session and continue communicating with the coaches and recruiters if you want to participate in a program.

Maintain Academic Excellence

Coaches look for student-athletes who can balance sports and academics, which means you need to maintain your academic record. Keep your grades high and perform well on standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT.

Network and Get Noticed

To further increase your chances of getting discovered, attend tennis showcases with invited US tennis coaches. These scouting events give you the opportunity to show your skills and talent on the court, talk to coaches in person, and establish connections.

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Use Online Platforms

The platform to connect players to colleges to gain esports scholarships. Platform MessagingInstantly reach out using esports recruiting messages.Profile ViewsBe notified when someone views your profile.Scouting ReportBe listed on recruiting reports for colleges to see.Be Seen. Get Recruited.Recruiters check out profiles to see if the player is a good fit for their college. Create your profile and become viewable to hundreds of colleges.Play In Events. Get Scouted.From large LAN events to weekly online tournaments, there are endless opportunities to play in front of college scouts. Find an event and sign up to compete for cash prizes and scholarships today.Find Eventsfind college esports programsEasily find and connect with colleges esport programs. Become the next star player in Collegiate Rocket League (CRL), Collegiate League of Legends (CLOL) and more.Find CollegesBeyond competitions, there are a number of opportunities to earn esports scholarships. Learn more about how you can receive scholarships through STEM competitions, essay writing and other opportunities.Scholarships

Understand Scholarship Amounts

There are very few full-tuition esports scholarships; the majority of schools offer awards from $500 to $8,000 per year. One notable example is the Grand View University Esports Scholarship, which offers up to full-tuition for players on its Varsity team.

Popular Games for Esports Scholarships

The most common video games students can win scholarships for are League of Legends, VALORANT, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Fortnite. For example, in addition to those popular games, Hawaii Pacific University also offers scholarships for other games like Overwatch, Apex Legends, and Hearthstone. Varsity esports teams exist for many different kinds of video games. You can be recruited to play most games for which a competitive gaming league exists. Some of the most popular games for college esports include multiplayer online battle arena games like League of Legends and Defense of the Ancients (DOTA). These games suit collegiate Esports well because they require strong teamwork and communication. You can also be recruited to play real-time strategy games like Starcraft or World of Warcraft and first-person shooter games such as Fortnite and Overwatch. Other common games for college programs are Super Smash Brothers, Rocket League, Rainbow Six: Siege, and Hearthstone. The games offered by each college vary depending on the size and age of their program. Make sure to research what games you can play for esports scholarships at your school of choice.

Colleges with Esports Programs

Over 170 colleges in the United States now have established esports teams, and many of these schools offer esports scholarships to their players in the form of partial and full esports scholarships.

Here are some colleges known for their esports programs:

University of California Irvine (UC Irvine) - Irvine, CA: UC Irvine was one of the first public universities to create an official esports program. UCI Esports launched in 2016 and currently hosts varsity teams for League of Legends, Overwatch, and Valorant. Varsity scholar-athletes on the five-member League of Legends team earn up to $6,000 in scholarship money, and the five junior-varsity members earn up to $1,000. Scholarships are also available for many of the other varsity and junior varsity gaming teams, and UCI Esports offers other gaming scholarships for student gamers on campus, including a $2500 Pokimane Scholarship.
University of Texas, Dallas - Dallas, TX: UT Dallas's Esports program launched in 2018 and currently has varsity teams for League of Legends, Rocket League, Valorant, Overwatch 2, and Smash Ultimate. Varsity players receive athletic scholarships, priority class registration, and varsity athlete gear, in addition to other benefits. Dallas's Super Smash Brothers team took home its second national championship in 2021, beating Michigan State University to bring home the Collegiate Starleague Smash Ultimate National Championships title. The Overwatch team also ranked in the top 8 that year, and the Rocket League team finished in the top 6.
Miami University - Oxford, OH: Miami University's varsity esports program launched in 2016 and offers varsity teams for seven different video games: Hearthstone, League of Legends, NBA2K, Overwatch, Rocket League, Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Valorant. Junior varsity teams also exist for Hearthstone, Rocket League, and Halo. State-of-the-art practice and tournament spaces are available for players to use, including a varsity-exclusive location called The Thunder Room in the King library. All students can reserve another tournament room for show matches or competitions. Miami University students also have the opportunity to mentor younger students who aspire to compete in collegiate esports gaming during a week-long training boot camp during the summer. Mentors teach students about in-game teamwork, communication, and strategy, as well as building healthy habits like taking stretch breaks and incorporating physical activity.
Hawaii Pacific University - Honolulu, HI: Hawaii Pacific University's esports program began as a club of 12 students who played League of Legends and organized practices and scrimmages against other teams in the mainland United States. Now, esports at Hawaii Pacific has expanded to offer esports scholarships to League of Legends and Overwatch players who compete for the school at open and invitational tournaments and the Peach Belt Conference. A 3,000-square-foot Esports Arena in downtown Honolulu's historic Aloha Marketplace is equipped with state-of-the-art gaming PCs, virtual reality stations, and indoor and outdoor viewing areas. In addition to those popular games, Hawaii Pacific University also offers scholarships for other games like Overwatch, Apex Legends, and Hearthstone.
Concordia University Texas - Austin, TX: Concordia University varsity esports placed first in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference in 2021 and third in 2022. The program offers up to 10 $2,000 scholarships for players that are recruited to play on their varsity teams. Esports scholarships are based on game history, ranking, and performance during esports tryouts. Players can try out for a spot on a varsity team regardless of rank and skill level, and varsity teams exist for Overwatch, League of Legends, Smash Ultimate, Rocket League, and Valorant.
University of Utah - Salt Lake City, Utah: The University of Utah began offering esports programs in 2017 and is one of the largest United States universities to have an esports program. Teams represented include League of Legends, Overwatch, Rocket League, and Hearthstone. The program is sponsored by Rockstar Energy Drinks and Mountain Dew, allowing the University of Utah to provide generous esports scholarships to its players.
Full Sail University - Winter Park, Florida: Full Sail Armada - Full Sail's collegiate esports team - offers a robust roundup of varsity esports programs for many games that do not have teams at other universities, including Rainbow Six: Siege, Halo Infinite, Call of Duty, and Smite. Full Sail's impressive Orlando Health Fortress is the largest collegiate esports arena in the United States, with the capacity to seat 500 viewers, 10 million pixels of LED wall, and a concert-level PA system. In 2022, Full Sail hosted the largest North American youth esports tournament. Two full Sail students received $5,000 each in scholarship money for their creative contributions to the event. Full Sail also offers a Game Business and Esports Bachelor of Science degree, both online and in-person.
University of Southern California - Los Angeles, CA: USC Trojan Esports hosts both casual and competitive games for players of all levels. The program hosts frequent student-wide tournaments to foster community and fun among the student body, including an Among Us Tournament and Overwatch Competition in 2021. Additionally, the Women in Esports interview series publishes interviews with women-identifying students at USC who are involved with Trojan Esports. Varsity and club esports teams are offered for League of Legends, Smash Ultimate, Overwatch, Hearthstone, and Rocket League.
University of California, Berkeley - Berkeley, CA: University of California, Berkeley is one of the oldest collegiate esports programs, having won their first national title in 2009. The program currently offers 14 different games for Division 1 and 6 other games for Division 2. Varsity gamers and new gamers alike can use the Cal Esports Community Center, which is equipped with 55 PCs, a Twitch broadcasting center, and other amenities.
Stephens College: Stephens College joined the National Association of Collegiate Esports, which is home to over 31 video game scholarship-sponsored Esports programs and it is the first women's college to sponsor a varsity team and offer video game scholarships for women. The roster allows for up to twelve female gamers, all of who receive partial video game scholarships.

The Role of Industry and Organizations

As schools offering scholarships continue to rise in number, the involvement of industry giants like Verizon serves to further legitimize and bolster this trend. Verizon, a well-known name in the tech industry, has made significant strides in shaping the scholarship landscape. By throwing its weight behind the growth of esports, Verizon has signaled a firm belief in the value of this emerging field. One of Verizon’s major initiatives in the esports sphere is the Verizon 5G Gaming Center. This state-of-the-art facility is designed to be a hub for gaming innovation, leveraging 5G technology to offer gamers an unparalleled experience. The center serves as a testament to Verizon’s commitment to revolutionizing the gaming industry and, by extension, the esports scholarship landscape. The current trend of industry involvement in scholarships and education is an encouraging sign for the future of esports. As companies like Verizon continue to invest in esports, both in terms of facilities and scholarships, the industry is likely to see unprecedented growth and acceptance. With industry backing, the stigma surrounding esports is slowly fading away, replaced by a recognition of its potential as a legitimate career path. The High School Esports League (HSEL) is a prominent organization offering educational esports opportunities to middle and high school students. HSEL provides a platform for students to participate in competitive esports. This not only includes involvement in various games but also opportunities to earn scholarships. Students playing in HSEL can earn scholarships through HSEL Nationals. So far, the organization has distributed over $600,000 in scholarships. This initiative is a significant step towards promoting esports in schools and providing students with opportunities to secure their higher education through their gaming skills.

Finding the Right Fit

The best esports scholarships will vary based on what each student is looking for in an esports program. Since nearly all esports scholarships are provided by institutions rather than outside organizations, the best esports scholarship often depends on a student’s preference beyond gaming. If students want to attend a large, public university in the Midwest, they might look into the Ball State University Esports Scholarship. However, because these esports schools’ scholarships are competitive, it’s a good idea to also apply for scholarships for schools with newer or lesser-known esports programs. Even if an institution has a varsity esports team, it doesn’t always mean that they award esports scholarships. However, it’s important to remember that just because a school doesn’t advertise these scholarships doesn’t necessarily mean that no awards are available. Oftentimes esports scholarships are awarded based on what kind of player the team is looking for in a given year.

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