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Edited By: Esports Scholarships
Key takeaways:
- In 2020 alone, over $16 million in esports scholarships were awarded to college students.
- Many esports scholarships are renewable, as long as recipients maintain good academic standing and remain a part of the team.
- Students may be asked to submit rankings, gameplay footage, or attend in-person tryouts as part of their scholarship applications.
According to the National Association of Collegiate Esports, more than 300 colleges and universities across North America have established esports programs. As interest in competitive gaming continues to rise, so do college and university efforts in building competitive esports teams. To achieve this, some institutions offer scholarships to encourage talented students to join their teams.
Jump to:
- 25 Best Esports Scholarships
- What are esports scholarships?
- How do I apply for esports scholarships?
- What are the best esports scholarships?
- Frequently asked questions about esports scholarships
The 25 Best Esports Scholarships with Approaching Deadlines in 2026
What are esports scholarships?
Esports scholarships are awards given to students who compete on their college or university’s esports team. These awards aim to recruit talented competitors, similarly to athletic scholarships.
There are typically 3 levels in collegiate esports: Varsity, Junior Varsity, and club. Varsity is the highest level at colleges and universities and often has formal coaches and rigorous practice schedules. Varsity teams typically offer the highest scholarship amounts. This is also the most common type of scholarship offered for esports.
Junior Varsity, or JV, is not quite as involved, although these teams still compete against other schools. JV esports students may still be eligible for smaller scholarships.
The final and least-competitive level is club. These teams are usually run by students and have less funding. However, in rare cases, students can also receive small scholarships if they participate in their school’s club team.
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. If a student fails to meet one or more of these requirements, they may lose their scholarship.
How do I apply for esports scholarships?
When you sign up for a free account on Scholarships.com, you’ll be asked questions about yourself and your background to help match you with the best scholarships. One of those questions asks what sports you are involved in. From there, select “Esports,” and you’ll be automatically matched to all esports scholarships for which you are eligible.
The specific qualifications to be considered for an esports scholarship will vary by award. However, a student's eligibility is generally determined by two main factors: the games they play and the rank at which they play those games.
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. This way, students can understand if they have a competitive chance before attending 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. If a scholarship’s information doesn’t make it clear what you need to do to apply, reach out to the scholarship provider directly to ask for more details.
What are the best esports scholarships?
The best esports scholarships will vary based on what each student is looking for in an esports program. Every school will have different time commitments, scholarship amounts, eligibility requirements, and team environment.
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. This might include a school’s size, location, or academics.
If students want to attend a large, public university in the Midwest, they might look into the Ball State University Esports Scholarship. On the other hand, those who might prefer a smaller college on the East Coast might consider the Messiah University Esports Scholarship.
For students looking to compete for the top schools in the country, Scholarships.com lists scholarships for highly competitive schools such as Fisher College or Boise State, both of which finished as the top 5 best esports institutions in 2024.
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. Many of these institutions are actively looking to build their teams and will likely offer more scholarship opportunities to grow their programs.
Frequently asked questions about esports scholarships
What games are esports scholarships offered for?
The most common video games students can win scholarships for are League of Legends, VALORANT, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Fortnite. However, other universities and colleges offer scholarships for less common games.
For example, in addition to those popular games, Hawaii Pacific University also offers scholarships for other games like Overwatch, Apex Legends, and Hearthstone. If the game you'd like to compete in is less common, it’s a good idea to first check with the institutions to see what games they offer before applying to scholarships.
Are there full tuition esports scholarships?
There are very few full-tuition esports scholarships; the majority of schools offer awards from $500 to $8,000 per year. However, there are a few full-tuition esports scholarships available.
One notable example is the Grand View University Esports Scholarship, which offers up to full-tuition for players on its Varsity team. The university also awards up to $10,000 a year for students on their JV team, and up to $2,000 a year to students who compete for their club team.
Do I need to attend tryouts to get a chance at an esports scholarship?
Typically, schools require prospective students to try out before they are considered for a scholarship. These tryouts may be open to any player, require an application beforehand, or be by invitation only.
However, not all schools require formal, in-person tryouts. Some may instead only require applicants to submit things like ranked stats, highlights, gameplay footage, or in-game achievements.
For example, Southwestern College offers an Esports Activity Grant that doesn’t require tryouts. Unlike typical esports scholarships, recipients of this grant are selected based on their interest, relevant experience, and potential contributions to the team—along with their gaming ability.
Is financial need considered in esports scholarships?
Much like merit scholarships, esports scholarships are usually given to students based on their skills alone and don’t consider financial need. However, the amount awarded may occasionally be dependent on a student’s financial situation.
One example is the Lebanon Valley College Esports Scholarship, which often provides higher awards if a student also demonstrates financial need. While filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is not technically required, students must notify the Financial Aid Office that they don’t plan to apply for need-based aid in order to apply to this scholarship.
Do all colleges or universities with esports teams offer scholarships?
Even if an institution has a varsity esports team, it doesn’t always mean that they award esports scholarships. Some colleges and universities, particularly larger ones, have enough interest in esports from their general student body that they don’t need to award scholarships to grow their team.
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. Check with schools’ financial aid offices or esports teams to see if there are any types of financial aid available you can receive for competing for their team.