College Cross Country Scholarships and Requirements
How cross country scholarships work for men's and women's teams, which college programs can offer aid, and what coaches look for before you reach out.
Which Colleges Offer Cross Country Scholarships?
Explore cross country programs across NCAA Division I, Division II, NAIA and junior colleges that can offer athletic scholarships. Division III schools don't award them but may offer academic and need-based aid.
NCAA Division I Cross Country Scholarships
NCAA Division I cross country can offer scholarships. Opted-in schools use a roster limit of 17 instead of a scholarship cap.
NCAA Division II Cross Country Scholarships
NCAA Division II cross country teams share 12.6 scholarship equivalencies, so awards are often partial.
NCAA Division III Cross Country Scholarships
NCAA Division III schools can't award athletic scholarships, but coaches still recruit. Many offer academic and need-based aid through the financial aid office.
NAIA Cross Country Scholarships
NAIA colleges can offer athletic scholarships, but each school decides how much within NAIA rules. Total aid can't exceed the cost of attending.
NJCAA Cross Country Scholarships
NJCAA aid depends on the division: Division I can offer full scholarships, Division II covers tuition, fees and books, and Division III offers none.
How Do College Cross Country Scholarships Work?
College cross country scholarships help student-athletes pay for college based on their athletic ability. Learn how full and partial scholarships work, which NCAA and NAIA schools offer cross country aid, and what you need to qualify for a cross country scholarship.
What Is a Cross Country Athletic Scholarship?
An athletic scholarship is financial aid a college gives an athlete to compete for its cross country team. The college decides who receives one and how much, usually through the coaching staff. NCAA Division I and II schools, NAIA schools and some junior colleges can offer them. NCAA Division III schools cannot.
Full vs. Partial Cross Country Scholarships
A full scholarship covers the main costs of attending, and a partial scholarship covers part of them. The NCAA says most athletics scholarships are partial, and athletes often combine them with academic awards and need-based aid. Division II cross country teams share 12.6 scholarship equivalencies. Ask each cross country coach how the program splits its aid across the roster.
NCAA Division I Cross Country Scholarship Rules
In June 2025 the NCAA Division I Board adopted roster limits to replace sport-specific scholarship limits. They apply to schools in the defendant conferences and to schools that opt in to the settlement rules, and they took effect July 1, 2025. Those schools can offer partial or full scholarships to any athlete on their roster, within the roster limit. Schools that have not opted in follow different rules, so you cannot assume one limit applies everywhere. Ask each program what it can offer. For cross country, the limit is 17.
NAIA and Junior College Cross Country Scholarships
NAIA first-time athletes need an eligibility determination from the NAIA Eligibility Center, and each NAIA college decides what athletic aid to offer within the NAIA limits for its sports. NJCAA colleges follow their division: Division I may offer full scholarships, Division II covers tuition, fees and books, and Division III offers none. Always confirm a college's level before you plan around aid.
Athletic vs. Academic Cross Country Scholarships
Students in every division can receive academic scholarships, grants and need-based aid. Division III schools do not give athletic scholarships, so their athletes rely on these other types of aid. Many athletes at other levels combine athletic aid with them.
How to Qualify for Cross Country Scholarships
Colleges offer cross country scholarships to athletes they recruit, so the conversation usually starts with a coach who knows who you are. When you write, lead with your 5K or 3-mile PRs and your 1600m and 3200m times and include links to verified results on Athletic.net or MileSplit. A coach decides based on their roster needs, their budget and what they see in you, and no one can promise an offer.
What Cross Country Coaches Evaluate
What coaches check for each part of your running, and what to send when you ask about aid.
Race times
- 5K times from cross country races
- Course and conditions behind each time
- Improvement season to season
- Verified race results
- Your best 5K with the course
- Your results from the last two seasons
Track times
- 800m to 3200m times
- Consistency across seasons
- Late-race speed
- Verified track results
- Your best 1600m and 3200m
- Indoor and outdoor marks, labeled
Training and health
- Weekly mileage and workout history
- Injury history
- How much room you have to improve
- A short note on training volume
- Your high school coach's contact information
- Any recent injury notes
College Cross Country Programs by Level and Team
Division III has the most college cross country programs we list (410 of 1510). The most are in New York, Pennsylvania and California. We list 2,000+ cross country coaches you can contact.
How Do You Get a Cross Country Scholarship?
Get answers about cross country scholarship requirements, NCAA divisions, scholarship amounts, and how to get recruited by college cross country coaches.
Can cross country runners get scholarships?
Yes. Division I opted-in schools use a 17-runner roster limit for cross country, and Division II lists one 12.6-equivalency limit shared with track and field. Ask each coach how the program splits aid. Find cross country coaches.
Are 5K times comparable between courses?
Not directly, because courses and conditions vary. Coaches compare you with the same course or race results, so send the race name with each time, along with your track times.
Should I send track times to cross country coaches?
Yes. Many coaches run both programs, and your 1600m and 3200m times show your speed and progress. Label indoor and outdoor marks.
Does the same coach recruit cross country and track?
Often, yes, especially for distance runners. Check each program's staff, and mention both sports in your email if you run both.
How many scholarships can a cross country team give?
At Division I schools that opted into the House settlement, cross country uses a roster limit of 17 in place of a scholarship cap. Division II cross country teams share 12.6 scholarship equivalencies. NAIA and NJCAA set their own limits, so confirm the current figures with each college.
Are men's and women's cross country scholarships different?
The NCAA's Division I roster limit is 17 for both teams. Division II cross country teams share 12.6 scholarship equivalencies. AthleticScholar lists more than 1,000 men's and 1,000 women's college cross country programs, and each college decides what aid each team offers. Browse cross country colleges.
What are the requirements for a cross country scholarship?
There are two parts. To compete in NCAA Division I or II you register with the NCAA Eligibility Center, complete 16 core courses and reach a minimum core GPA, currently 2.3 for Division I and 2.2 for Division II, and standardized test scores are no longer required for initial eligibility. Then a coach decides on an offer from roster needs, budget and what they see in you, starting with your 5K or 3-mile PRs and your 1600m and 3200m times. NAIA and NJCAA have their own rules. NCAA Eligibility Center.
Do Division III cross country programs offer scholarships?
No. Division III schools cannot award athletic scholarships, and AthleticScholar lists 410 Division III cross country programs. Many offer academic merit and need-based aid, and their coaches still recruit cross country athletes. Ask each program about aid and talk to the college's financial aid office. Find cross country coaches.
Does AthleticScholar give out scholarships?
No. AthleticScholar does not award scholarships or verify which colleges currently have scholarships available. It helps you find college programs and email their coaches so you can ask directly.
Athletic Scholarships in Other Sports
See how scholarships work and which colleges offer them in another sport.
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