The Best Track Scholarships to Apply for in 2024

About track scholarships

It's no secret that college has become increasingly expensive in recent years. The average college student in the US now pays an average of $35,331 per year, including tuition, supplies, and living expenses. This cost is more than twice what it was in 2000 and is consistently growing each year at a rate of 6.8%.

These ever-rising costs have contributed to the growing student debt crisis in the US. Student loan debt, split among 45 million borrowers, has reached record heights of $1.71 trillion. This debt often proves hard to pay off. Between low-paying entry-level jobs and high interest rates, many borrowers actually see their debt increase in the years after graduation. In fact, nearly half of Black graduates who took out student loans owe an average of 12.5% more than they initially borrowed, four years after graduating.

While some students opt to attend community colleges in order to reduce their costs, an affordable education isn't accessible to everyone and the rising costs of college have proved to be overwhelming for many students and families. In addition to the debt taken on by students, many parents take out loans for their children's degrees as well. 3.5 million parents have taken out federal loans totaling $98 billion through the Parent Plus loan program.

As a result, both students and parents are becoming buried in college debt. Luckily, scholarships are here to help. Scholarships are a form of gift aid and don't need to be paid back, unlike student loans. There is a very wide range of scholarship options available for students. From broad scholarships that all students can apply for to narrow scholarships for specific groups of students, there's a scholarship out there for everyone. 

Track scholarships are one such option, providing funding to athletic students who run track while pursuing their studies. 

Men's track and field athletes who receive scholarships directly from their school's NCAA program get an average of $11,260 while female track athletes get an average of $14,574. 

However, you don't have to be performing at the collegiate level to apply for a track and field scholarship. There are scholarship opportunities open to students of all education and skill levels. Whether you're competitive at the division level or are simply interested in playing club sports, there are scholarships available for you. 

Students who participate in track and field can apply for scholarships open to all student-athletes, but can especially benefit from track-specific awards. Since scholarships that are only open to track and field participants will have fewer eligible applicants than general scholarships open to all students, there will be less competition. If you're a student-athlete looking for financial aid for college, consider searching for an athletic scholarship, such as those listed above.

Track scholarships can come from a variety of sources and are often a perk that student-athletes at top schools enjoy. Depending on your athletic level and academic performance, you may be able to enjoy a fully-funded education.

Can you get a scholarship for track?

There are many different avenues to earn college track funding. NCAA Division I and II schools are one source of track and field scholarship awards. Each year, these schools offer athletic scholarships to 180,000 student-athletes, totaling over $3.6 billion annually. 

Athletic scholarships are a great option, especially for students who don't necessarily excel academically and don't qualify for merit-based scholarships. However, your school may have a minimum GPA requirement in order to maintain your athletic scholarship. This means that you may become academically ineligible if your GPA gets too low, if you fail core courses, or if you don't meet other requirements of your scholarship package.

While Division III schools typically don't give out athletic scholarships, athletes can secure funding for college track through third-party scholarships. These track and field awards may be offered by local companies, sports clubs, or organizations, or they can be found on scholarship sites such as Bold.org.

Regardless of your skill level, career goals, or academic performance, there are plenty of athletic scholarship awards available for you. To get started, click on any of the scholarships above to start applying!

How to get a track scholarship

One way to get a track scholarship is to go through the college recruitment process. After deciding which division level you fit into, you can start communicating with track coaches at the colleges you're interested in. This communication can include sending videos of you running/playing or your updated performance statistics. If you make it through the recruiting process, the colleges interested in you will likely offer scholarships. 

Depending on your offers, you may be able to negotiate to get a better package from your top choice. Your offers may include academic or merit-based scholarships in addition to athletic funds, but you may still have unmet financial needs. 

To cover your remaining costs, you can also get scholarships from independent sources like Bold.org. To get a scholarship, you just need to create a free profile and begin applying. The more detailed and unique your profile is, the easier it will be for donors to make a connection with you and select you as their winner.

Most scholarships require a short essay to apply. These written statements typically have to be no longer than six hundred words and will give you a specific prompt to respond to. Prompts normally ask about your experiences or goals, meaning you usually don't have to do outside research to write a scholarship essay. 

If writing isn't your strong suit, you can read this guide for the best tips for writing winning essays. Additionally, some scholarships require images or videos in place of, or in addition to, an essay submission. For athletic scholarships, you may be able to apply by submitting videos of you competing or practicing instead of writing an essay. No matter your skillset, there are scholarships available for you!

Best track scholarships

There is a wide variety of athletic scholarships available for those who are involved in track and field. Bold.org is one such organization through which donors award athletic scholarships. Whether applicants are prospective student-athletes who are still in high school or current athletes on a track and field team, there are plenty of available scholarships.

BTL Athletes Scholarship

This $75,000 scholarship will support five winners with $15,000 each to pursue higher education. All low-income high school juniors, seniors, or undergraduate students who are student-athletes may apply for this scholarship opportunity. 

Track scholarships for high school students

High school students who are interested in college track or other athletic programs can get a jump on their college finances by starting to secure scholarships now. There are plenty of scholarships available for all high school students, but student-athletes can get started with the exclusive opportunities below.

1. Ron Johnston Student Athlete Scholarship
2. Giovanni Vitrano Memorial Scholarship
3. Gary "G" Goldstein Scholarship

Track scholarships for college students

For those already in college, there are still plenty of track and field awards to consider. Even if athletes receive partial scholarships from their colleges, outside track and field scholarships can help cover their remaining costs.

1. Lisa McGinley Scholarship Fund
2. Peter T. Buecher Memorial Scholarship
3. Sports In Action Scholarship

Frequently asked questions about track scholarships

How much can you get for a track scholarship?

The amount of money you receive through track scholarships depends on your chosen college or university and what athletic level you're at. For students running at NCAA Division I or Division II schools, track scholarships may cover their full tuition. 

Students can also find track and field scholarships from providers such as Bold.org, which offers scholarships worth tens of thousands of dollars. Even if athletes only receive partial scholarships for college track, private athletic scholarships can make up the difference.

Can you get a full-ride scholarship for track?

Depending on your skill level and the college you attend, it's possible to get a full-ride scholarship directly from your academic institution. Many students who are recruited for varsity-level teams, especially at Division I colleges, may receive full-ride scholarships.

Other students who run track in college may receive only a partial scholarship or no scholarship at all. Even if students don't receive athletic scholarships directly from their academic institutions, it's possible to receive full-ride scholarships from outside sources, such as Bold.org. With scholarships ranging from $500 to $75,000, there are plenty of scholarships available that are high enough to cover all of your educational costs.

How hard is it to get a track scholarship?

Every scholarship available is different, meaning that some are more competitive while others are easier to win. Track and field scholarships offered directly by colleges are usually competitive, with only the top-performing athletes being recruited for teams and rewarded with athletic scholarships. If you're a highly-skilled athlete, your chances for scholarships will vary based on which schools you're considering. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to make a track and field team at a Divison I or II school, so athletes will typically be rewarded for the tremendous accomplishment with scholarship money. Lower-level athletic programs may be easier to get into, but they typically give out less financial aid as a result. 

Opportunities on sites such as Bold.org also vary in terms of competition. The more a scholarship is worth, the more applications it will receive. Additionally, scholarships with fewer eligibility requirements will have a larger eligible applicant pool. To maximize your chances of winning, seek out limited scholarships that are only open to a small group of students, such as those participating in college track. 

Can you run track in college without a scholarship?

Many college athletes receive scholarships from their selected schools. Some athletes receive full-tuition scholarships while others receive only partial scholarships. However, you can still run track in college even if you weren't recruited by a school or didn't receive a scholarship to attend. 

Many schools offer intramural sports programs or even sports clubs that all students are eligible to play for. These options allow students who aren't at the varsity level to participate in collegiate sports, even if they didn't receive an athletic scholarship.

When can I start applying for scholarships?

You can start applying for scholarships as soon as you're fourteen years old and in high school or college. Many students wait until their senior year of high school or even until they’re in college to begin applying. However, starting early can give you more time to earn funds. The more time you give yourself to find scholarships, the more money you'll be able to earn. By securing scholarship money while in high school, you'll have a better idea of your financial needs when it comes time to choose a college.

Are scholarships counted as income?

Scholarship money won on Bold.org is sent directly to the financial aid office of the winner's college. Scholarship funds are then applied directly to the winner's educational costs, including tuition, fees, and books. Since scholarship money can only go toward these qualified educational costs, it is not counted as income, meaning you don't have to pay taxes on it. 

Unless you receive scholarship funds directly and they total more than your educational costs, your winnings will likely not count as taxable income. This makes it easy and painless to use a scholarship!