Do you play sports or support those who do? Make the most of your skills and apply to one or more of the many scholarship opportunities for student athletes and other students working in or training for the sports world. We rounded up eight different scholarships that feature a diverse range of qualifications and requirements. Whether your love of sports is through competition, coaching, athletic training, or journalism, there’s something for all kinds of students on this list. Prizes top out at $15,000. Find all the details on these scholarships for sports enthusiasts below.
Novo Nordisk Donnelly Award
How to Apply: Complete the application form with an essay and two recommendation letters.
Eligibility: Open to students between the ages of 12 and 21 who play tennis competitively and have type 1 or 2 diabetes
Amount: Up to $15,000
Deadline: April 1, 2025
Website: https://www.ustafoundation.com/scholarship_opportunities/
Anthony Bruder Memorial Scholarship
How to Apply: Complete the application form, including an essay of 440–600 words about how being a student athlete has shaped your future career goals and any interests that you have outside of sports.
Eligibility: High school senior athletes with at least a 3.0 GPA
Amount: $600
Deadline: April 18, 2025
Website: https://bold.org/scholarships/anthony-bruder-memorial-scholarship/
Mass Youth Soccer Student Athlete Scholarship
How to Apply: Complete the online application with supporting documentation and submit an essay of no more than 500 words on how soccer has positively influenced your life.
Eligibility: Open to college-bound high school seniors who have participated in Mass Youth Soccer affiliated programming as a player, coach, or referee for five years or more
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: June 1, 2025
Website: https://fs23.formsite.com/massyouth/buiulq3lpd/index
BigSun Scholarship
How to Apply: Submit an essay between 500 and 1,000 words on how your participation in sports during your high school years influenced you, how it influenced your career goals, and how it influenced how you relate to your family.
Eligibility: Open to all student athletes regardless of the sport they are engaged in or the capacity in which they participate; must be a high school senior or be attending a postsecondary institution
Amount: $500
Deadline: June 19, 2025
Website: https://bigsunathletics.com/
The American Legion Baseball Scholarship
How to Apply: Complete the application and nomination form, including three letters of testimony, an official high school transcript, and descriptions about your college plans, career interests, and community service activities.
Eligibility: Open to high school graduates on a current roster filed with American Legion National Headquarters
Amount: $500 to $5,000
Deadline: July 15, 2025
Website: https://www.legion.org/get-involved/scholarships/the-american-legion-baseball-scholarship
Sports Gear Swag Scholarship
How to Apply: Write a 500-word essay on one of three topics related to the benefits of playing sports.
Eligibility: Open to college-bound high school seniors, undergraduate students, and graduate students
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: October 1, 2025
Website: https://www.sportsgearswag.com/scholarship
PFATS Scholarship Endowment Program
How to Apply: Complete the online application with short answer essays, and submit the required form from a Nominating Athletic Trainer.
Eligibility: Open to collegiate student athletic trainers who are in their junior year or higher with a minimum GPA of 3.2 and who plan on pursuing a career as a certified athletic trainer; must be a member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association
Amount: $3,200
Deadline: January 15, 2026
Website: https://www.pfats.com/pfats-foundation/scholarships/pfats-nata-scholarship-series/
Ann Liguori Foundation Sports Media Scholarship
How to Apply: Complete the online application with a personal statement, official transcript, resume, recommendation letter, and verification of college acceptance.
Eligibility: Open to U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents who live in CT, PA, NJ, or NY; for students hoping to pursue a career in sports broadcasting, reporting, programming, or production in a related field
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: January 24, 2026
Website: https://nywici.org/advance/students/scholarships/eligibility-and-qualifications/
Scholarships should be considered a small—yet still important—source of revenue for college. Data shows that most families pay for college using parent and student income, savings, and loans. Most scholarship recipients receive $2,500 or less, and only 0.1% of undergraduate students receive $25,000 or more in scholarship funds. In addition to looking for scholarships to help pay for college, families should apply for financial aid and consider saving in a dedicated college savings account.
