How Many Scholarships are There for D1 Football?

If you didn't know, there are 365  National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I colleges and universities in the United States. At each of these schools, only the most talented, hard-working, and driven high school players will have access to these funds, which makes applying for a scholarship competitive. The NCAA divisions have a limited number of full-ride and partial tuition scholarships, so if you're a high school football player thinking of playing college football, it is crucial that you know how many scholarships there are at the D1 level.

This article features all the information you need to know about how many D1 scholarships are out there for student-athletes wanting to play college football. So, for all you high school football players out there, there is no need to stress yourself out about where you can learn about division levels, full rides, university opportunities, and fully funded scholarships; you've come to the right place. Let's get into it!

Visit our Bold.org to create a FREE profile and access hundreds of exclusive scholarships, including sports scholarships!

Division I Basics

There are two subdivisions among NCAA Division I schools: Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly known as Division I-A (FBS), and Football Championship Subdivision, formerly known as Division I-AA (FCS).

A school's subdivision changes the number of scholarships available for college football players. Division I FBS teams can give out a maximum of 85 full-ride scholarships to athletes. These scholarships are headcount scholarships, which means every athlete who receives a scholarship at the DI FBS level gets a full-ride scholarship. Division I FCS programs can provide a maximum of 63 total scholarships. These scholarships are equivalency scholarships, which means a coach can divide these scholarships up and give more athletes partial scholarships.

Although Ivy League schools are Division I, they are restricted by their own rules and do not offer athletic scholarships. Instead, they often award scholarships based on financial need. Additionally, some colleges and universities are not part of the NCAA. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) organization consists of 250 schools, but only 96 of these schools compete in football. NAIA football scholarships work differently. Unlike the NCAA, NAIA Division 1 schools are smaller and can offer 24 scholarships per team.

Scholarship Offers

In the football recruiting process, a scholarship offer is means serious business. Once you get an official offer by signing a National Letter of Intent, or NLI, the scholarship is official. It’s up to college coaches to award a football player with a scholarship. In order to get a scholarship, athletes must show that they have the ability or potential to make an impact on their team. Athletes must also meet academic criteria in order to get a football scholarship.

Ultimately, college football scholarships are incredibly competitive, and if you play high school football and want to receive a football scholarship for college, you will have to work extremely hard. Make sure you put in the work to contact college football recruiters to increase your chance of not only joining the world of college sports but also receiving the scholarship you need.

Division I and Scholarships

If you receive a scholarship offer from a Division 1 FBS football team, it's important to know that it is not guaranteed to be a full-ride scholarship. According to NCAA scholarship rules, "the average scholarship amount for all sports in Division I is approximately $14,270 a year for men and $15,162 for women." Though the numbers are high, depending on the school and academic program, you still may find yourself coming up short on tuition. And while there is a chance to receive the entire amount, it's not likely, so it's important to do your due diligence and make sure to research your school to ensure you know which subdivision it falls into and what level of scholarship you can expect if you make the team.

And please keep in mind that if you only receive a partial scholarship for college football, it's still something! Partial scholarships go a long way when it comes to completing your education, so don't exclude any opportunities to apply for additional scholarships. More money means less student loan debt, which is what Bold.org's goal for their applicants. Check out our scholarship page to explore more ways to fund your college journey!

You also want to look into the other types of scholarships offered by your college or university, such as merit scholarships and athletic scholarships that aren't directly handled by the NCAA or NAIA. You can even speak with your financial aid office to find as many opportunities as possible.

Football Scholarship Requirements

As a college student, nabbing a scholarship is an incredible accomplishment; for a football player, it's as competitive as the sport. So, how do you qualify for football scholarship money? Let's talk about it.

To qualify for a scholarship, student athletes must meet both the athletic and academic requirements of the scholarship. The athletic requirements are up to the football program of each school, but when it comes to academic requirements, he NCAA does things a little differently.

"The NCAA Eligibility Center has specific academic requirements that athletes must meet to be eligible to compete at either the NCAA D1 or D2 levels." They include, but are not limited to:

• Athletes must graduate from high school
• Athletes must complete 16 core courses and receive a minimum GPA of 2.3 in those courses.
• Athletes must complete 10 of their 16 core courses by the end of their junior year of high school.

If you have any questions regarding football scholarships, be sure to reach out to your high school counselor, coach and/or recruiters.

Other Ways for Funding

It can also be beneficial to apply for scholarships offered outside of your school. Private scholarships can come from a variety of sources, such as your parents' employers, community organizations, businesses, etc. You can also take advantage of scholarship programs like Bold.org, a free independent scholarship platform offering hundreds of scholarships to a variety of students.

There is no maximum number of scholarships you can earn on Bold.org, meaning you have the opportunity to earn multiple scholarships to cover any costs that are unmet by your football scholarship.

Please note: Bold.org even has scholarships exclusively available to student-athletes; check them out! Regardless of if students attend NAIA schools, NCAA division schools, or any other type of higher education institution, they can benefit from Bold.org scholarships.

Frequently Asked Questions About D1 Football Scholarships

How many scholarships does D2 football get?

Division II college football teams get 36 equivalency athletic scholarships, which makes it easier to earn than the traditional headcount scholarships at Division I schools. Since more students have the potential to earn at least a partial scholarship, scholarships do fill up, so make sure you take the time to research and apply to as many scholarships as possible.

Does every D1 offer a full ride?

If you receive a scholarship offer from a Division 1 FBS football team, it's important to know that it is not guaranteed to be a full-ride scholarship. Do your research on your school and make sure you know which subdivision it falls into and what level of scholarship you can expect if you make the team. And if you want to go the extra mile, you can always ask how you can be one of the lucky players to receive a full ride. But keep in mind that you will need to adhere to specific scholarship rules which may include GPA requirements. Again, be sure to do your research on each scholarship and what you need to qualify for the big bucks.

How much is the average DI scholarship?

According to NCAA scholarship rules, "the average scholarship amount for all sports in Division I is approximately $14,270 a year for men and $15,162 for women." Though it may not seem like enough to cover tuition, room & board, and other school-related costs, it's still a good amount that will go a long way. And one scholarship shouldn't limit you from others. To reduce your chances of getting into unnecessary debt, apply for as many scholarships as you can, including exclusive opportunities through Bold.org!

Sign up for a Bold.org profile and start applying for athletic scholarships today!