College Volleyball Scholarships and Requirements
How volleyball 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 Volleyball Scholarships?
Explore volleyball 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 Volleyball Scholarships
NCAA Division I volleyball can offer scholarships. Opted-in schools use a roster limit of 18 instead of a scholarship cap.
NCAA Division II Volleyball Scholarships
NCAA Division II volleyball teams share 4.5 men's, 8 women's scholarship equivalencies, so awards are often partial.
NCAA Division III Volleyball 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 Volleyball 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 Volleyball 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 Volleyball Scholarships Work?
College volleyball 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 volleyball aid, and what you need to qualify for a volleyball scholarship.
What Is a Volleyball Athletic Scholarship?
An athletic scholarship is financial aid a college gives an athlete to compete for its volleyball 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 Volleyball 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 volleyball teams share 4.5 men's, 8 women's scholarship equivalencies. Ask each volleyball coach how the program splits its aid across the roster.
NCAA Division I Volleyball 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 volleyball, the limit is 18.
NAIA and Junior College Volleyball 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 Volleyball 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 Volleyball Scholarships
Colleges offer volleyball scholarships to athletes they recruit, so the conversation usually starts with a coach who knows who you are. When you write, lead with your position, height, standing reach and approach jump and include a skills video plus full sets from club tournaments. A coach decides based on their roster needs, their budget and what they see in you, and no one can promise an offer.
What Volleyball Coaches Evaluate
What coaches check for each position, and what to send when you ask about aid.
Outside hitters
- Approach, arm swing and shot selection
- Passing and serve receive
- Jump and reach
- Video of attacking and passing in matches
- Approach and block touch height
- Kills, hitting percentage and digs
Middle blockers
- Footwork and timing at the net
- Block touch and hitting speed
- Height and reach
- Video of blocking and quick attacks
- Block touch height
- Blocks, kills and hitting percentage
Setters
- Hands, tempo and decision making
- Footwork to the target
- Leadership and court vision
- Full-match video so coaches see your decisions
- Assists and aces
- Height and reach
Liberos and defensive specialists
- Serve receive and passing accuracy
- Ball control in defense
- Court communication
- Video of serve receive and digs
- Digs and passing percentage
- Your club team level
Opposites
- Power and shot variety
- Blocking against outside hitters
- Hitting from the back row
- Video of attacks from both the front and back row
- Kills and hitting percentage
- Approach and block touch height
College Volleyball Programs by Level and Team
Division III has the most college volleyball programs we list (417 of 1664). The most are in New York, Pennsylvania and California. We list 3,000+ volleyball coaches you can contact.
How Do You Get a Volleyball Scholarship?
Get answers about volleyball scholarship requirements, NCAA divisions, scholarship amounts, and how to get recruited by college volleyball coaches.
Does club volleyball matter for a college scholarship?
Club volleyball is where most coaches see recruits, because major tournaments bring many programs to one place. Tell each coach your club, age group and tournament schedule so they know when to watch. Find volleyball coaches.
What jump and reach measurements do volleyball coaches want?
Approach touch, block touch and standing reach, plus your height. Record them the same way each time, and send them with a clip of you jumping.
How much can a Division II volleyball team give?
Division II women's teams share 8 scholarship equivalencies and men's teams share 4.5. A coach splits them across the roster, so partial awards are common.
Is beach volleyball recruited the same way as indoor?
No. Beach volleyball is a separate sport with its own roster and scholarship limits, and coaches recruit partnerships and sand skills. Check the beach volleyball page if you play both.
How many scholarships can a volleyball team give?
At Division I schools that opted into the House settlement, volleyball uses a roster limit of 18 in place of a scholarship cap. Division II volleyball teams share 4.5 men's, 8 women's scholarship equivalencies. NAIA and NJCAA set their own limits, so confirm the current figures with each college.
Are men's and women's volleyball scholarships different?
The NCAA's Division I roster limit is 18 for both teams. Division II volleyball teams share 4.5 men's, 8 women's scholarship equivalencies. AthleticScholar lists more than 300 men's and 1,000 women's college volleyball programs, and each college decides what aid each team offers. Browse volleyball colleges.
What are the requirements for a volleyball 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 position, height, standing reach and approach jump. NAIA and NJCAA have their own rules. NCAA Eligibility Center.
Do Division III volleyball programs offer scholarships?
No. Division III schools cannot award athletic scholarships, and AthleticScholar lists 417 Division III volleyball programs. Many offer academic merit and need-based aid, and their coaches still recruit volleyball athletes. Ask each program about aid and talk to the college's financial aid office. Find volleyball 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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