Tennis Scholarships
While you don’t necessarily need the on-the-court skills of Venus Williams or Roger
Federer to be competitive for a tennis scholarship, the sport does place a higher
premium on talent than many other sports. As most tennis scholarships are awarded
by the student athletes’ intended colleges, they also require minimum GPAs to determine
initial eligibility and continued high academic achievement even after you make
the team.
As the popularity of tennis grows, so does the competition for scholarships. Both
male and female players compete for limited annual resources, despite a larger number
of athletes playing the game on the college level. If you’re a decent player but
not interested in a tennis career after you graduate, consider applying to schools
with lesser-known tennis programs where you could not only be eligible for a full-ride,
but a good academic experience and more time competing.
Most tennis scholarships will come directly from the college you plan on attending,
or an alumni fund linked to your school. For these and other examples of where to
find tennis scholarships, check out the examples 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.
NJCAA Scholarships
The NCAA won’t be the only resource for you to investigate if you’re pursuing tennis
on the post-secondary level. The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)
also awards full and partial scholarships to talented athletes. If you’re a tennis
player interested in community college, consider contacting those schools about
potential scholarship opportunities in your sport. (NJCAA schools can offer 14 annual
scholarships at the Division I level and another 14 at the Division II level.) If
you’re at a high level of play with a decent academic record, consider your options
on the junior college level, but know that if you transfer to an NCAA college after
two years, the GPA and standardized test score requirements may be stricter.
NAIA Scholarships
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) also offers scholarships
on both the Division I and Division II level. While the association will have fewer
scholarships to go around than the more expansive NCAA, the requirements of getting
onto a team and staying there at an NAIA school are less strict. Students must two
of the following three criteria: have a minimum ACT score of 18 or minimum SAT score
of 860, have a minimum 2.0 GPA, or have graduated high school in the top half of
your graduating class. Don’t rule out NAIA schools when looking for colleges where
you could be a student-athlete.
College-Based Scholarships
If you plan on playing tennis in college, whether on a varsity team or on the club
level, your intended college could have funds and endowments set up by alumni who
have played the sport before you ever set foot on that campus or in honor of relatives
and important figures to your school. Eastern Illinois University, for example,
has the C. Roger Sorensen Tennis Scholarship. Established in 1991, this scholarship
benefits a deserving tennis player currently participating in tennis at EIU, or
in support of an incoming freshman whose high school career shows potential to help
Eastern Illinois University’s tennis team. The recipient must have a minimum GPA
of 2.5. 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.
State Tennis Foundations/Associations
Many state tennis associations will reward their members with scholarship opportunities
to help them continue playing the sport while in college. The
Texas Tennis and Education Foundation, for example, rewards high school
students who will be entering college, and college students who are in good standing
at their respective college or university, who live in the Texas Section of the
association with scholarships of at least $1,000. The organization also disburses
awards for tennis camps, in case you want to improve upon your skills before pursuing
college coaches.
Southampton College - LIU Academic Awards
Application Deadlines:
Varies
Academic Scholarships range from $5,000 - Full tuition. These Academic Scholarships are based upon a student's SAT/ACT score, GPA, course load and ranking if available. Scholarships are limited so apply early for the best opportunities.
Art, athletic, alumni and sibling scholarships are also available. Please contact the Office of Admissions to have all of your questions answered.
For more [...] More
Bev Granger Memorial Scholarship
Application Deadlines:
May 15, Annually
Family and friends of Bev Granger, to celebrate her life, collected contributions to establish a scholarship in her name. Not only was Bev an avid golfer, she was also an ardent tennis player and skier.
A graduate of the University of Minnesota's School of Nursing, she balanced family and career, working as an x-ray technician for 45 years and raising three children. Fishing, tennis, skiing and [...] More
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
USA Racquetball Scholarship
Application Deadlines:
June 15, Annually
The USAR Scholarship Program is an annual scholarship awards program administered by the USAR Scholarship Committee, under the direction and guidance of the USAR Board of Directors.
Graduating high school seniors and college undergraduates can apply for competitive USAR scholarships each year by the deadline of June 15th. Funding for the program is underwritten by USAR members, the National [...] 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