How You Can Obtain Soccer Scholarship from Colleges/Universities in Canada and USA - Step By Step Guide

FOR CANDIDATES FROM NIGERIA: This article is meant for intending international candidates, especially those from Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Perhaps, the procedure may be sightly different for local students in USA/Canada or candidates from other part of the world. The educational qualifications stated here may not be relevant for schools in your country.

I will like to present this guide in such a way as to directly answer your questions. So before I begin to answer the frequently asked questions potential candidates send to my email and sometime as you chat with me or speak with me over the phone, I will like you to first know what is the meaning of NCAA and NAIA, as I will often use the acronym in this article.

1. NCAA is Men's Soccer Tournament, sometimes known as the College Cup, is an American intercollegiate soccer tournament conducted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) categorized into three: Division 1, II and III. Search for NCAA schools in  Division I, II and III.

2. NAIA Men's Soccer Championship is the annual tournament to determine the national champions of NAIA men's collegiate soccer in the United States and Canada organized by National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Search for NAIA Schools DivisionI, II and III.

Now, let me start to answer your questions:

a. How do I get a Soccer scholarship?
* Get good grade in your Secondary School, Senior Secondary School certificate (SSCE): Have Average of credit in six subjects including English and Mathematics.
* Take your ACT or SAT tests early and retest as needed to obtain higher scores. Visit Canada / USA embassy in Abuja or Lagos to get more information on how to go about this examination.
* Search for NCAA as well as NAIA schools
* Get NCAA qualified if you want to play at a NCAA school.
* Get NAIA qualified if you want to play at a NAIA school.
* Contact schools about soccer scholarships they have available.
* Contact college soccer coaches and let them know you are interested in playing soccer at their schools and that you’re interested in obtaining a soccer scholarship.
* Keep in touch with the soccer coaches that contact you back or gave you positive response..
* Educate yourself more about the soccer scholarship recruiting process.

b. How do I get recruited for a Soccer scholarship?
The most important aspect of being recruited might be exposure. It’s true you need talent, good passing skills, good scoring skills, stamina and strength but even if you rate very high in these areas, if the college soccer coaches don’t know about you they can't recruit you.

You should work with an athletic scholarship consultant to help you with contacting soccer coaches. But do not depend on these alone
Soccer has become more popular and there are lots of scholarship opportunities outside those offered by the NCAA, NJCAA and NAIA. Be sure to check with the athletics department of the schools your interested in know about their scholarship opportunities and how it works. Most school have very robust website nowadays. Take time to check relevant information that can help you.

You should also use social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to get your name out there. In addition many athletes use websites designed to help them contact soccer coaches or have soccer coaches contact them. Most of these sites offer some form of free exposure but in most cases free accounts have limited impact. You can also use a paid account at most of these sites, which can give you more exposure than what you get for free. (Check out how this blog help promote players). If you choose to pay for your exposure it is recommended that you choose a site that can deliver your important stats, videos and awards to as many college soccer coaches as possible. Similar to looking for a job, the more prospects you have the better your chances of receiving a soccer scholarship.

c. What are the academic requirements for Soccer scholarship?
The academic requirements for soccer scholarships vary by what level you want to play at and in some instances the schools you wish to attend.
Search for information about the NCAA guidelines regarding academic requirements for Soccer scholarships.
Search for information about the NAIA guidelines regarding academic requirements for Soccer scholarships.
Remember that some schools will have stiffer requirements than the minimums required by both the NCAA and NAIA. You should check with those schools admissions office for academic requirements to obtain soccer scholarships.

d. Am I good enough for a Soccer scholarship?
This depends on what level you wish to play soccer. To play at the NCAA Division I level you will need above average talent. If you widen your search to include the NJCAA and the NAIA your talent level can be quite a bit less than needed at the Division I level.
Also remember that whether you are good enough depends on who’s looking at you. The more college soccer coaches that are aware of your talent the better the chances are that some soccer coach will offer you a soccer scholarship.

e. What are my odds of getting a Soccer scholarship?
The odds of playing soccer on scholarship at the NCAA Division I level are not that great and competition is intense. However if you’re willing to play at the NCAA Division II level, NAIA or NJCAA your chances go up dramatically because the amount of soccer scholarships available at these levels.

 In short, don’t limit your possibilities explore all divisions at the NCAA level, NJCAA and NAIA to increase your odds of getting a soccer scholarship. Also don’t forget about the numerous scholarships offered to prospective soccer players outside of the NCAA or NAIA. Contact the athletics department of the schools your interested in about these opportunities. I think a consultant who is experienced can have vast knowledge, more information and can guide you better.

f. How can I improve my chances of getting a Soccer scholarship?
There are many things you can do to improve your chances of securing a soccer scholarship.
*Keeping your GPA as high as possible. Good SSCE result could enhance your chances
*Being pre qualified by the NCAA and NAIA.
*Having high SAT or ACT scores,
* Improving your soccer skills, scoring, passing and stamina are areas you can work at and improve on.
* Get your stats, videos and awards out to as many soccer coaches as possible,
Be proactive, save, search for soccer scholarship processing funds in US dollars before hand. Don’t sit back and wait until when required and you start running around.

g. What’s the best way to get a Soccer scholarship?
The best way to get a soccer scholarship is for you to promote yourself to as many soccer coaches as possible. No matter what your talent level is, if enough soccer coaches see your talent you stand a chance of getting recruited. Somewhere some soccer coach is looking for the very talent you have to offer but if he doesn’t know you exist he can't offer you a soccer scholarship.

We believe we have the most effective way to showcase your talents to soccer coaches available on the internet,. So what should you start doing now:
* Go an obtain your International Passport
* Make sure you have a good SSCE Result
* Record and edit your best performance Video footage (Clips).
* Post your video clips on relevant websites.
* Get your stats on social networks or websites that post players scouting report.
* Contact college counselor or scholarship consultants to help you.

Contact us: +234(0)809 877 2556 for further assistance.