Field Hockey Scholarships
Although some schools have both male and female club field hockey teams, varsity
level field hockey teams are made up predominantly of women. Traditional field hockey
scholarships are competitive and require minimum GPA requirements, and as in women’s
softball, are very competitive at the top levels of play. They also usually come
in the form of partial scholarships covering 25 percent of your college costs or
more, depending on the program and how available funds are dispersed among team
members. While that increases your chances of landing some scholarship money from
your intended school, it also means you shouldn’t limit your scholarship search
to field hockey or college-based awards.
Don’t rule out contacting your local field hockey leagues and organizations if you
belong to them, as a history with a group goes a long way when a selection committee
is looking at its list of potential scholarship winners. Local groups also place
less emphasis on talent than college-based awards, and often you just need to prove
you have played the sport to be eligible for a scholarship. Many local league scholarships
are also needs-based, or factor in academics, community service, and extracurricular
activities outside of field hockey when distributing their awards, and as a niche
sport, the competition for awards on the local level may be less fierce than for
more high-profile sports.
Check out some examples of where to find field hockey scholarships below. For additional
information about awards based on different criteria, try conducting a free college
scholarship search at Scholarships.com.
NCAA Scholarships
About $1 billion in full and partial athletic scholarships are awarded each year
by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to more than 126,000 undergraduate
student-athletes at Division I and Division II schools. Although these scholarships
are awarded and administered directly by each academic institution, not the NCAA,
you’ll be required to meet the requirements of the NCAA to receive any funding.
Those requirements include a minimum GPA for both the college-bound and those already
on campuses, and qualifying standardized test scores. Contact your intended school’s
athletic department for more information if you have the academics and the skill
to play on a college team.
NCAA Scholarships and Internships
Athletic scholarships for undergraduate student-athletes at Division I and Division
II schools are partially funded through the NCAA membership revenue distribution.
About $1 billion in athletic scholarships are awarded each year. Over 126,000 student-athletes
receive either a partial or full athletic scholarship. However, these scholarships
are awarded and administered directly by each academic institution, not the NCAA.
Scholarships for Women
Most colleges such as Northwestern University now only sponsor women’s field hockey
teams, but that doesn’t mean competition will be any less fierce than if there was
a men’s team vying for a pool of scholarship funding. Those schools that award scholarships
to female field hockey players don’t receive double the funding because they don’t
offer men’s programs, so chances are you’ll be looking at a partial scholarship
even if you’re a highly-skilled female field hockey player. Look at scholarships
for women at your college or in your community that aren’t field hockey specific,
too, because scholarships for women usually don’t require an athletic component.
College-Based Scholarships
If you plan on playing field hockey in college, whether on a varsity team or on
the club level, your intended college could have funds and endowments for the sport,
often set up by alumni who played the sport before you ever set foot on that campus.
The University of Connecticut, for example, gives an annual award through the Diane
Wright Field Hockey Scholarship Fund. (The school boasts two national championships
in the sport, so competition there is fierce.) Make sure you do your research, and
talk to your financial aid office and athletic departments about local and college-based
awards you could be eligible for.
American Field Hockey Foundation
Scholarships are awarded through the American Field Hockey Foundation (AFHF) to
college student-athletes based on leadership, community service, desire, commitment,
and academic success. The general scholarship application is available through the
organization’s website, but the foundation also awards scholarships in honor of
AFHF alumni and donors that change annually. The Dennis R. Casale Scholarship, for
example, was a $1,000 award earmarked for 2009 for graduating high school seniors
interested in playing the sport in college. Casale was a board member on the foundation
and parent of a field hockey player. While the foundation offers mentoring support
to high school female players, both male and female student-athletes are invited
to apply for scholarships through the organization.
USA Field Hockey
USA Field Hockey, the national governing body of field hockey, offers a number of
opportunities for both male and female field hockey players to win scholarships
or funding for college through competitions, both sponsored by the national organization
and state-based clubs. If you live in a state with member clubs of USA Field Hockey
(they’re found across the country, but are most common on the East Coast and Midwest),
look into whether you could be eligible for some money for college. Gateway Field
Hockey in St. Louis, for example, awards two $500 Gateway College Scholarships to
high school senior field hockey players. Players are picked on their dedication
to the sport, sportsmanship, and work ethic at camp and with Gateway's select teams.
If you’re already a part of a USA Field Hockey-sponsored club, make sure you know
about the funding opportunities available to you.
Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarship Program
Application Deadlines:
January 27, Annually
In 1988, the National Collegiate Athletic Association established the Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarship Program as a means of recognizing the contributions of the former executive director through encouraging excellence in academic performance by student-athletes. Under this program, one male and one female student-athlete annually will be awarded a postgraduate scholarship in recognition of [...] More
Furman University Athletic Scholarships
Application Deadlines:
Varies
The Furman University Athletic Scholarships are partial to full scholarships awarded in 17 men's and women's intercollegiate sports. For more information, contact the director of athletics or the head coach in the sport in which you are interested.
For more information, please [...] More
Gallup Organization Cornhusker State Games Scholarship Program
Application Deadlines:
June 15, Annually
The Nebraska Sports Council and The Gallup Organization will award five $1,000 scholarships to Cornhusker State Games athletes. The scholarship is for the coming fall semester at any Nebraska post-secondary educational institution.
Any participant in the Cornhusker State Games who is a high school graduate is eligible.
Applications, and all required materials, must be postmarked by June 15th. [...] More
Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year (SAMMY) Awards
Application Deadlines:
March 09, Annually
The SAMMY Awards recognize 25 outstanding high school senior student athletes who represent excellence in academics, athletics, community service and leadership who make the most of their days by grabbing nutrient rich milk with breakfast.
Milk Mustache celebrity judges will help select 25 winners from across the country who will receive a $7,500 college scholarship, an awards ceremony at Walt [...] More
Kyle R. Magoto Scholarship Fund
Application Deadlines:
March 22, Annually
To be eligible for an award from the Kyle R. Magoto Scholarship Fund, applicant must be a Russia High School (Shelby Co., Ohio) graduating senior who is pursuing an associate's or a bachelor's degree as a full-time student at an acredited educational institution, have a high school GPA not less than 3.0 on a 4.0 grading scale and must have participated in no less than five (5) athletic seasons [...] More
Davis Law Group Scholar Athlete Program™
Application Deadlines:
Varies
Whether you are a dedicated student athlete or an individual looking to recognize one, we welcome you to the Davis Law Group Scholar Athlete Program. Anyone can nominate a Scholar Athlete; peers, parents, coaches, teammates, teachers or administrators.
The Davis Law Group started the DLG Scholar Athlete Program to recognize outstanding senior-class student athletes who perform both on the field [...] More
World Sport Chicago Scholarship
Application Deadlines:
November 16, Annually
World Sport Chicago is the living legacy of Chicago’s 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Bid, dedicated to supporting the athletic and academic dreams of Chicago’s youth. The WSC Scholars Program was created to help student-athletes prepare for and succeed in college.
High school juniors who live and study in Chicago and have participated in an eligible Olympic/Paralympic sport for two seasons in the [...] More