We’re not going to lie, getting a swimming scholarship to the U.S. is very competitive as there are fewer scholarships than swimmers. The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) and NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics), help student-athletes in their quest for financial aid.

Athletic scholarships are usually awarded by college coaches based on the  needs of each program. To start we advise you create a list of colleges you want to attend (check scholarships for international students) based on your academic level and talent. The NCAA has three levels of athletic divisions - I, II, III – colleges individually sign up to be a part of various consortiums and conferences.

Register with the NCAA and NAIA eligibility centers and check for academic eligibility and minimum score requirements. Once you’ve got a list,  get in touch with the coaches and send them your professional resume along with a video link highlighting your skills (it is advisable to post the video online and send the link). Get your current school coach as involved in the process as possible, as they will ultimately be able to convince a college coach that you are good enough. You must have had plenty of exposure to swimming camps and meets.

Swimming is about focusing on times, so start looking for times of current swimmers in the program you wish to go, this will help you in selecting the suitable program. Also, coaches expect you to display your strongest strokes, so try to swim at a level where you can score more points.

Tags: Swimming and Diving Scholarships, NCAA, NAIA