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We picked these top scholarships based scholarship amounts and requirements and the number of scholars each year. We also favored scholarships specifically for students in a non-athletic sports fields — like health professionals or journalists — rather than scholarships available to larger fields.
Going into sports medicine? You can supplement your financial aid with scholarships specific to your field. There are only a few options and most only offer a few thousand dollars, if anything. But competition is thin, giving you a better chance of getting the scholarship.
The Eastern Athletic Trainers' Association (EATA) offers 10 scholarships to undergraduate students and one for doctoral candidates. While there are no hard requirements, the EATA committee bases its selection on your recommendation and transcripts. It offers some of the highest awards, though only two students per academic program can win this scholarship annually.
Each year, one high school senior from Western Pennsylvania is awarded $2,000 to cover the cost of an undergraduate degree. In exchange, you'll land a six-week summer internship at the UPMC, letting you get hands-on care with patients — helping you jumpstart your career. But it's only available for your freshman year.
The New England Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine (NEACSM) offers three scholarships to medical students, minority and service-based scholarships to its members. Generally you need to maintain a GPA of 3.3 or higher — though it can vary. Applicants are typically selected based on academic merit and professional experience in the field.
West Chester University's (WCU) Department of Sports Medicine offers four scholarships to students each year, based on academic merit. Awards are available to freshman, juniors and seniors, as well as minority students or students with financial need. WCU's financial aid department handles applications, so reach out for application instructions and deadlines.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) offers five research grants to doctoral candidates each year, which run anywhere from $1,500 to $10,000. You can't use the funds for coursework or personal expenses, but it can cover costs associated with a research project. Larger grants typically go to a specific field of research like epidemiology or musculoskeletal physiology.
You'll have the best luck finding a sports journalism scholarship if you look locally — most are only available to residents of a specific area. If you can't qualify for any scholarships on this list, reach out to your school's journalism department. Chances are they offer merit-based funding, even if it's not specifically for sports reporting.
First-year students can apply for this scholarship through the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance, named for the former sports editor at the Hartford Courant. It's one of the larger scholarships out there for sports journalists, though only one student receives it annually. You can apply through the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance website.
The Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM) offers eight scholarships every year to undergraduate women who plan on working in sports media. The $1,000 award isn't much, but it's only one of the benefits of this program — scholars also get placed in a summer internship, get to attend the AWSM annual conference and a year of AWSM membership for free. Past internships were at organizations like CNN, ESPN, MLB.com and USA Today Sports.
Thinking of becoming a newscaster or digital news writer? This scholarship could be for you.
In addition to the $1,000 award, the winner is also invited to attend the Excellence in Journalism conference, which can help you land an internship or even future job. You'll have to include between three and five work samples, which should be either broadcast or online news pieces.
This niche scholarship is for journalism students at Eastern Illinois University. Qualify if you've worked with the sports section of the school's newspaper for at least four semesters.
Unlike many other sports journalism scholarships, you can renew this one at least once, provided that you continue to meet the eligibility criteria. Contact the journalism department to learn more about how to apply.
Journalism students interested in equestrian sports might want to consider the American Quarter Horse Foundation (AQHF)'s journalism scholarship. Selection is based on your academic record, financial need and involvement in AQFH. Log in to your AQFH account for more details about the application and how to apply.
Vanderbilt University offers this merit-based scholarship to students interested in pursuing sports journalism. It's one of the largest sports journalism scholarships out there and it's available to incoming first-year students. You can apply for it when you submit your Vanderbilt application.
Like the other types of scholarships we've included, you'll need to look locally to find the most options — though there are programs available on the national level. Check with any state or regional organizations that promote physical education or health, as well.
The Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America) offers this scholarship to one high-achieving undergraduate student annually studying health education. In addition to the $1,000 award to spend however you choose, scholars receive a one-year membership to SHAPE America. Apply online through the SHAPE America website.
Apply for this scholarship if you're a high-achieving high school or community college student in Florida and plan on getting a physical education degree at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU). You can renew it each year.
The Indiana Society for Health and Physical Educators (INSHAPE) offers six undergraduate students this award annually to help cover tuition and books. Students are judged based on factors like academic performance, financial need and professional experience. In addition to the scholarship, students are recognized at the INSHAPE State Conference.
Many management schools offer merit- and need-based funding to students, which can sometimes cover more than private organizations. But you may want to look into trade organizations specific to the type of management that interests you. That way you're competing with fewer applicants.
The Isenberg School of Management at University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst offers several scholarships to its students, including those studying sports management. Award amounts vary depending on the scholarship, and you can apply by filling out a general scholarship application through the Academic Works website on the UMass Amherst website.
Each year the Stadium Managers Association (SMA) gives three undergraduates this scholarship to help jumpstart a career in stadium management. In addition to the award, you'll also receive complementary membership in the SMA — and you don't have to be a current member to apply. It's a merit-based scholarship, though financial need, community service and work experience also factor into your application.
Chances are, these scholarships won't make much of a dent in your cost of tuition. You might want to supplement them with one or more of the following types of aid.
A non-athletic sports scholarship can help you cover a small part of your degree. But they might be more valuable as a way to advance your career, since many offer internships or membership to trade organizations. You can learn more about your free aid options by visiting our guide to scholarships.
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