Frequently Asked Questions

Types of scholarship?

There are two different types of scholarships offered by American educational institutions: athletic and academic. While academic scholarship can cover only tuition and fees, athletes are eligible of receiving a full scholarship. Full scholarship covers tuition, fees, meal plan, housing, and sports related expenses. NCAA division 1 institutions can also cover insurance and transportation, but that is not always the case.

Both athletic and academic?

Keep in mind that you can receive both athletic and academic scholarship, and combine those funds to cover all of your expenses. For instance, good high school GPA and outstanding sore on SAT/ACT may cover 40% of all of your expenses. In that case, 60% athletic scholarship will get you a full scholarship.

More scholarship opportunities for female athletes?

Due to different laws and regulations, there are much more scholarship opportunities for female athletes than for male athletes.

Number of scholarships per team?

Number of scholarships per team vary depending on the sport and the level on which athletic program is competing.

How many international student-athletes per team are allowed?

There is no limit on how many international student-athletes per team are allowed. The coach can build his team solely with international student-athletes if he wishes,where athletic and academic qualities of prospective students are primary concern for every coach.

How long does the scholarship last?

Every scholarship is given for one academic year, which is 9 months in most cases. After that, the coaching staff reviews all scholarships and evaluates the contribution of each athlete to a given scholarship, and then make a decision on what scholarship will be given to a following year. It is an unwritten rule that international student-athletes keep their scholarships, but that is not always the case.

Earning money beside scholarship?

Besides academic and atheletic scholarships, there are also various campus-job opportunities to support your costs and/or to earn some pocket money. Campus jobs are not phisicaly or mentally hard activites, and they usually consist of work in the school’s library, cafeteria, gym, activity centres, and the other school facilities.

How much money can an individual earn by working on campus?

This depeneds on the number of hours, wage, and on the student’s class schedule. US law allows every international student to work up to 20 hours per week, and usually campus employment implies 10-20 hours per week.

Can a scholarship be taken away in case of injury?

Scholarship cannot be taken away in the case of injury! League rules and regulations do not allow coaches to take scholarships away if a player gets injured. In case of prolonged injury, coach can use “red shirt” option which saves a year of eligibility to athlete while maintaining a scholarship.

For graduate or master studies?

Scholarship can be awarded to a student-athlete for up to 4 years, or until completition of the undergradute bachelor studies. For graduate or master studies, only academic scholarship is an option.

How much does it cost to enter the Rising Stars International scholarship program?

Entry to our program is completely free. Just send us your video material, academic information, and all other relevant documentation to test your chances to earn a scholarship and make your dreams come true.

When is my scholarship guaranteed?

Recruiting process could be long and turbulent. You may have many conversations with coaches, school officials and even make verbal commitment, but only when you sign a letter of intent or I-20 form, your scholarship is guaranteed. After you receive an I-20 form, you may visit an embassy for the purposes of obtaining F-1 student VISA.

For which sports it is possible to get an athletic scholarship?

It is possible to get a partial or full scholarship for 21 intercollegiate sports. The list of scholarship-funded sports programs is at the bottom of our home page and we will update it as new sports are being recognized as a college sports.