The same endurance and drive used to run long distances can also be applied when searching for scholarships. Long-distance runners are known for being in it for the long haul, and college coaches scope for talent and drive when recruiting and offering cross country scholarships. When recruiting, coaches tend to come watch championship meets or big invites if you possess the skill they want for their collegiate team. However, the competition is heavy, as thousands of runners compete at the college level, so improving your 5k time, as well as maintaining a strong academic record is crucial for impressing coaches.
Since cross country is an equivalency sport when it comes to scholarships, the NCCA limits how many scholarships are allocated per school. Some students may receive only partial scholarship while others may land a full scholarship, and this is based on athletic ability and academic success. Each school has their own time standards, so if you want to know if you're fast enough to run at a particular college, check the school's team website and see what times their current college runners are posting. Coaches often want an impressive cross country team, so most of the scholarships you would be offered by the college will be partial scholarships so that the college is able to entice more than a handle of athletes with scholarship funding.
Check out some examples of where to find cross country scholarships below. For additional
information about awards based on different criteria, try conducting a free college
scholarship search at Scholarships.com.
To supplement that financial aid package, don't forget about scholarships based on other criteria. You'll need to have and maintain a minimum GPA not only to land a scholarship but to be on a team, according to NCAA regulations, so seek out awards based on your academic achievements, as well. Don't rule out looking outside your college, either. Are you part of a long distance running group outside of your high school already? Try contacting them to see whether they provide any funding for cross country runners looking to land money for college. Look locally and to your state, and you may find several awards just for participating in cross country in high school. You don't need to have the best running time to land scholarship money to supplement that financial aid package.
NJCAA Scholarships
Although the NCAA is the most well-known association when it comes to collegiate sports, the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) also awards full and partial scholarships to talented athletes. If you're a runner interested in community college, consider contacting those schools about potential scholarship opportunities in cross country. If you're at a high level of skill 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. Just like the NCAA or NAIA, the NJCAA has its own time standards for men and women to increase their chances in winning athletic scholarships. For these specific time standards, make sure to check out the NJCAA's website or talk to your coaches.
College-Based Scholarships
If you plan on running cross country in college, your intended college could have funds and endowments for the sport, often set up by alumni who played the sport when they attended. Some colleges may require their runners to compete in track as well so be sure to do your research and talk to your financial aid office and athletic departments about local and college-based awards you could be eligible for. And don't forget to keep on track with scholarship deadlines while you are out on the track trying to cut your 5k time.
To be considered for scholarships at Augustana based on academic performance and/or talent requires a completed Application for Admission and Scholarship. Students must earn at least a 3.0 GPA while enrolled at Augustana to maintain these scholarships in subsequent years.
Augustana Athletic Grants are awarded to outstanding student-athletes; NCAA Division II, Northern Sun Intercollegiate [...] More
The CSUB Albert Holloway Memorial Scholarship was established in memory of Albert Holloway who served for many years on the academic support, intercollegiate athletics, nominating, and student support committees of the foundation. He was a great supporter of academics, extracurricular, student service programs, and the athletic program. In order to apply, you must be a student-athlete at [...] More
To be eligible for the Dave Mielke Scholarship, applicants must be a Botkins High School (Shelby Co., Ohio) senior who has been a member of the Botkins High School cross-country and/or track teams. For more information or to apply, please visit the scholarship provider's website. [...] More
To be eligible for an award from the Kyle R. Magoto Scholarship Fund, the applicant must be a Russia High School (Shelby Co., Ohio) graduating senior pursuing an associate's or a bachelor's degree as a full-time student at an accredited educational institution. Applicant must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and must've participated in at least five athletic seasons throughout high school. The scholarship [...] More
This scholarship fund was established in 2013 by family and friends of Coach Lozano. The scholarship is given annually to a graduating high school senior athlete from the northernmost 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle. A minimum 2.0 GPA is required and students must be interested in pursuing a degree in education and/or coaching for the purpose of teaching and coaching at the high school level [...] More
The Sean Patrick French Memorial Scholarship Fund was created by the family of Sean Patrick French following his tragic death as a passenger in an underage drunk driving car wreck on January 1, 2002, and is administered by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. Sean was a popular junior at Chatham High School, an honor roll student, and a record-setting runner. The scholarship fund, in [...] More
Democratic presidential candidate Senator Elizabeth Warren is proposing the elimination of existing college student loan debt for millions of Americans; over 42 million individuals. [...]
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's engineering school will soon be called the "Grainger College of Engineering" after receiving another $100 million gift from The Grainger Foundation. The Grainger donation is the largest amount ever gifted to a public university to rename a college. [...]
Thirteen parents and one coach charged in the "Operation Varsity Blues" college cheating scandal will plead guilty in accordance with plea agreements. While elite parents implicated in the admissions scandal cheated to help their children get into college, there is a growing concern about how students, in general, may be cheating their way through college; specifically by buying ghostwritten essays online. [...]
