As a swimmer, you have likely spent the last four years of high school trekking from swim meet to swim meet. This may have included early morning practices, weekend swim meets, and slightly dulled hair from chronic exposure to the chlorine. As a student-athlete, you have garnered many skills that make you attractive to universities. For students who want to continue to swim in college, there are several swimming scholarships that they may want to consider to help defray the cost of their studies. One thing students should keep in mind is that these swimming scholarships are highly competitive. College coaches often recruit swimmers who can benefit the team by competing in more than one event.
Funding for swimmers comes from a variety of sources. Coaches typically receive some funding through the NCAA. Students may want to reach out to the swim coaches at the schools they are interested in attending to verify whether funding is available. In addition to individual schools, some national organizations and local swim teams provide funding opportunities for swimmers who are planning to go to college. Below are some swimming scholarships that were created with college-bound students in mind.
Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Scholarship
Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Scholarship provides twenty students with college scholarships worth $20,000 each. One of these winners will receive an additional $5,000 and awarded the title of Ken. C. Hicks scholar.
In order to be eligible, the student must be in their last year of high school and plan to enroll in a four year institution of higher education. Furthermore, the student must participate in an extracurricular sporting event (including swimming). All applicants are required to have a minimum of a 3.0 grade point average and to be citizens or legal residents of the United States. The application cycle opens October 1st and remains open through December 11th. Applicants are reviews on several criteria which include: sportsmanship and morals, community-service, leadership abilities, academic performance, diversity, and other personal characteristics that Foot Locker values (i.e., courageous, genuine, etc.). More information can be found at this website: https://footlockerscholarathletes.com/about#eligibility.
University of Georgia Swimming Scholarship Endowment Program
The University of Georgia Swimming Scholarship Endowment Program offers several scholarships to eligible swimmers. Details of the various awards available as well as previous recipients can be seen at the following link: http://www.georgiadogs.com/sports/c-swim/spec-rel/swim-scholarship-endowment-program.html.
Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarships Program
Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarships Program provides two awards worth $24,000 to student-athletes. In order to be eligible for this award, students must have at least a 3.5 grade point average. They are required to have participated on a varsity team at an NCAA institution, be in their last year of college or have enrolled in graduate studies at an NCAA institution, plan on enrolling in a graduate degree granting program such as law or medical school, attend school on a full-time basis, have shown superior leadership and moral character, and have participated in community service activities.
Students must submit a completed application prior to the deadline. The application must include an essay, four letters of recommendation, an application form, and transcripts. Additional requirements can be found on the following website: http://www.ncaa.org/walter-byers-postgraduate-scholarship-program.
Additional resources
If you have trouble finding a swimming scholarship, you’ll be relieved to know that there are still thousands of other scholarships out there to consider. After considering the options above, the following resources are a good place to continue your search: