Millions of young people dream about attending a high school or college in the US and that’s quite understandable. Still, tuition fees are often too high for them and their families, which is why young aspiring minds look for options which would allow them to get scholarships. Unfortunately, only few are eligible for such financial assistance based solely on their academic achievements. Luckily, there is an alternative that significantly increases young people’s chances of receiving excellent education and, thus, boosts their employment options. Yes, we’re talking about sports scholarships.
Take the initiative
No matter how great an athlete you may be, it’s still up to you to show interest in studying in the USA and be proactive about it. Namely, being good at your sport is only a starting point, albeit an excellent one. However, you still need to prove you’d be a great asset to a high school or college, which is why you should make a recruiting packet, including a highlights video, your CV, a transcript of your grades, teachers’ recommendation letters and a motivational letter, where you need to state your goals and aspirations.
Type of visas
International students who wish to study at US high schools typically need an F-1 visa (if they wish to stay for more than one year). If students are coming for a one-year exchange program sponsored by the Department of State, they would need a J-1 visa. Students on a F-1 visa can pursue a full secondary education and earn a diploma, but they must pay tuition or acquire a scholarship that will cover the costs.
Choosing an agency to help you
Securing a sports scholarship is not so simple, as some may think, which is why you need to turn to specialists, such as those from the reputable EDU SPORTS, which has recently also entered into a strategic partnership with Pegasus Sports, with an idea to help develop sports and academic opportunities in South Asia region. This means that EDU SPORTS is continuing to help young talented people from all over the world further improve their education or sports talent in the US.
Next steps
Your agency will promote you through its network of coaches, principles, program directors and scouts. When offers arrive, they’ll be presented to the student and a school contract will be signed if any of the offers and condition of the offer pleases them and their parents or guardians.
Final steps
The last thing that should be done is to finish all the administration, obtain insurance and pay government fees (i20, i901, and SEVIS fee), before the student is issued a right type of visa and is ready to fly out to the United States. All these steps can be quite tricky, which is another reason why you should seek help from professionals who are specialists in the field and who can assign a special consultant to you to guide you through the whole process.
Needless to say, these are just some of the ins and outs of sports scholarships, but they should give you a much better understanding of what is involved and what you need to do. This means that it’s up to you to start preparing! Coaches can be looking at candidates as young as 13, which means you should get serious if you’re already well into your teens. Also, all these options should be thoroughly discussed with your parents/guardians, teachers and coaches. Ideally, you might want to reach out to an athlete who has gone through the whole process and who can give you some invaluable advice. We hope this will help you make your dreams come true and secure a sports scholarship in the US, where you’ll receive great education and have a chance to hone your sports skills.
