What Do Soccer Scholarship Offers Look Like for the Rest of Us?

(An honest look at three real offers and why “28 full scholarships” isn’t what it sounds like)

When families talk about “soccer scholarships,” most still picture something close to a full ride: tuition largely covered, maybe room and board, and some sense that years of club soccer investment will be offset on the back end.

That expectation has always been shaky.

And even with recent changes to NCAA scholarship rules, it’s still not how things work for most families.

What follows is a realistic look at three actual college soccer scholarship offers my daughter received. All details are anonymized (schools, conferences, and numbers are adjusted slightly) but the structure, proportions, and outcomes are accurate.

First, Let’s Clear Up the Scholarship Rule Change

For years, Division I women’s soccer was limited to 14 scholarships, divided across the roster.

That used to be true but it’s no longer the rule.

The Old Model

Under the previous NCAA system:

• Division I women’s soccer programs were capped at 14 total scholarship equivalents

• Those scholarships were almost always split into partial awards

• Coaches distributed fractions across rosters of 25–32 players

• Full rides were rare and typically reserved for elite national-level recruits

That “14 divided scholarships” framework shaped recruiting expectations for decades.

The New Model

Under the updated NCAA rules:

• Division I programs are now allowed to offer up to 28 full scholarships

• In theory, that means 28 full rides

• Programs are no longer required to divide scholarships the way they once were

On paper, this sounds like a dramatic shift.

In practice?
Very little has changed.

What’s Actually Happening

Here’s the part families need to understand clearly:

Most Division I women’s soccer programs are nowhere near funding 28 full rides.

Why?

• Scholarship dollars still depend on school and athletic department budgets

• The rule change did not magically create new money

• Women’s soccer budgets, at most schools, remained flat

• Title IX compliance allows flexibility but it does not require maximum funding

As a result:

• Most D1 programs are still operating at or below the old 14-scholarship level

• Partial scholarships remain the norm

• Full rides are still rare outside of elite talent at top-tier programs

• Most offers combine athletic + academic + other aid

The rule changed.
The money largely did not.

That context matters before looking at any real offers.

What These Offers Represent

The three offers below were made under the new scholarship rules, not the old ones.

My daughter is a starter on a nationally competitive ECNL/GA team, a 4-year varsity starter for one of the top high school teams in the state, a captain on both her club and high school teams and a 4.3 student taking mostly honors & AP classes. I believe these offers are representative of what talented (but non-USYNT) recruits may see.

I’m sharing them to shine some light on an area that was a complete mystery to us as we went through the recruiting process. It’s just one data point, but hopefully it’s informative.

Offer #1

The Basics

• Division 1 school, been to NCAA tournament 7-8 times (most in its conference)

• Conference strength: Middle 3rd of Massey ratings

• Estimated annual cost of attendance: $35,000

• Size: 22,000

Scholarship Breakdown

• Athletic scholarship: $18,500

• Academic / merit aid: $12,000

What This Actually Covered

• Approximate percentage of total cost covered: Athletic 53%; Academic 35%

• Estimated annual out-of-pocket cost: $4,500

Reality Check

My daughter received this school’s first offer for a 2026 player. The coach presented it as: (1) she will qualify for a full tuition academic scholarship, and (2) soccer scholarship will cover all room & board. The remaining costs are various fees.

Offer #2

The Basics

• Division 1 school, been to NCAA tournament 5-6 times (most in its conference)

• Conference strength: Bottom 3rd of Massey ratings

• Estimated annual cost of attendance: $25,000

• Size: 13,000 students

Scholarship Breakdown

• Athletic scholarship: $16,250

• Academic / merit aid: $5,000

What This Actually Covered

• Approximate percentage of total cost covered: Athletic 65%; Academic 20%

• Estimated annual out-of-pocket cost: $3,750

Reality Check

This school made it clear my daughter was a priority for them. The coach presented this offer as: (1) full tuition (2) $5,000 toward housing and (3) $4,000 academic scholarship, with likely potential for more (still TBD).

Offer #3

The Basics

• Division 2 school, perennial top 20 team, tremendous conference and NCAA tournament success

• Estimated annual cost of attendance: $37,000

• Size: 22,000 students

Scholarship Breakdown

• Athletic scholarship: $12,000

• Academic / merit aid: $15,000

What This Actually Covered

• Approximate percentage of total cost covered: Athletic 33%, Academic 40%

• Estimated annual out-of-pocket cost: $10,000

Reality Check

The coach said her athletic scholarship would increase yearly 33% -> 50% -> 75% -> 100%, with the potential to go higher in early years depending on performance. When my daughter turned them down, they raised her athletic scholarship to 50% in year 1.

Overall Decision

My daughter committed to play at School #2. Money never really factored into her decision, as the offers were similar. She just got a special feeling on the campus of school #2, and the coaches articulated the clearest plan for her role on the team.  She learned exactly what people meant when they said, “You’ll know when you are wanted.”

Of course we are incredibly proud of her scholarship. But we did have to laugh – she ended up at the school that actually had the smallest financial offer in dollars (although it was the largest % athletic offer).

Big Takeaway: Scholarships Rarely “Pay For” Club Soccer

Even with legitimate scholarship offers, and even under the new rules, most families probably do not recoup what they spent on club soccer over 10 years.

When you add up:

• club fees

• travel

• showcases

• ID camps

• private training

• recruiting services

Most families are tens of thousands of dollars invested before any offer arrives.

Scholarships definitely help. They do not erase the cost.

What Families Should Focus On Instead

Rather than chasing the idea of a full ride, families are better served by focusing on:

• total cost of attendance

• academic and merit aid opportunities

• playing time and development

• coaching stability

• roster size and position depth

• the likelihood of staying four years

That’s where long-term value lives.

Final Thoughts

These were not “full ride” offers. Nor were they bad offers.

They were normal offers. Maybe even above average, albeit not from top schools or P4 conferences. My daughter’s grades certainly helped, and the potential for academic scholarships made her more attractive as a recruit.

And that’s the most important point.

In this new scholarship era, if families go into recruiting with realistic expectations, they make better decisions, experience less stress, and avoid disappointment rooted in myths rather than facts.