Do you play sports or support those who do? Make the most of your skills and apply to one or more of the many scholarship opportunities for student athletes and other students working in or training for the sports world. We rounded up eight different scholarships that feature a diverse range of qualifications and requirements. Whether your love of sports is through competition, coaching, athletic training, or journalism, there’s something for all kinds of students on this list. Prizes top out at $5,000. Find all the details on these scholarships for sports enthusiasts below.
Tom LoCasale Developing Character Through Golf Scholarship
How to Apply: Submit an essay of 400–600 words describing the biggest life lesson you have learned through golf and how you plan on utilizing the lessons learned throughout your future.
Eligibility: Open to high school seniors who play golf
Amount: 3 winners of $1,000 each
Deadline: May 29, 2026
Website: https://bold.org/scholarships/tom-locasale-developing-character-through-golf-scholarship/
Heather Brown Sports Information Scholarship
How to Apply: Submit a 400−600-word essay answering the prompt: “What skills do you believe are most important to succeed, and how will you work on building them?” In your response, also demonstrate how you show generosity and kindness in your everyday life.
Eligibility: Open to high school seniors, incoming college freshmen, or current undergraduate students pursuing sports information, sports administration, or sports journalism; must have notable athletic achievements and/or media, volunteer, or leadership experience within sports
Amount: 2 winners of $1,000 each
Deadline: May 29, 2026
Website: https://bold.org/scholarships/heather-brown-sports-information-scholarship/
Mass Youth Soccer Student Athlete Scholarship
How to Apply: Complete the online application with supporting documentation and submit an essay of no more than 500 words on how soccer has positively influenced your life.
Eligibility: Open to college-bound high school seniors who have participated in Mass Youth Soccer-affiliated programming as a player, coach, or referee for five years or more
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: June 1, 2026
Website: https://mayouthsoccer.org/student-athlete-scholarship/
BigSun Scholarship
How to Apply: Submit an essay between 500 and 1,000 words on how your participation in sports during your high school years influenced you, your career goals, and how you relate to your family.
Eligibility: Open to all student athletes regardless of the sport they are engaged in or the capacity in which they participate; must be a high school senior or be attending a postsecondary institution
Amount: $500
Deadline: June 19, 2026
Website: https://bigsunathletics.com/
The American Legion Baseball Scholarship
How to Apply: Complete the application and nomination form, including three letters of testimony, an official high school transcript, and descriptions about your college plans, career interests, and community service activities.
Eligibility: Open to high school graduates on a current roster filed with American Legion National Headquarters
Amount: $500 to $5,000
Deadline: July 15, 2026
Website: https://www.legion.org/get-involved/scholarships/the-american-legion-baseball-scholarship
Michael Moody Fitness Scholarship
How to Apply: Complete the online application, including an essay of no more than 1,500 words that addresses the following prompt: “Pretend that you were recently hired by the government to develop new public policy to end diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. What factors contribute to these health problems? What specific steps will you take to overcome them? What obstacles do you foresee while trying to institute the new policy?”
Eligibility: Open to current high school senior, undergraduate, or graduate students who plan to enroll full time in an accredited two-year or four-year college or university in the U.S.
Amount: $1,500
Deadline: Accepting applications from August 1, 2025, until 1,000 scholarship applications are submitted or August 1, 2026, whichever comes first
Website: https://www.michaelmoodyfitness.com/scholarship-application-chicago
Sports Gear Swag Scholarship
How to Apply: Write a 500-word essay on one of three topics related to the benefits of playing sports.
Eligibility: Open to college-bound high school seniors, undergraduate students, and graduate students
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: October 1, 2026
Website: https://www.sportsgearswag.com/scholarship
PFATS Scholarship Endowment Program
How to Apply: Complete the online application with short-answer essays, and submit the required form from a Nominating Athletic Trainer.
Eligibility: Open to collegiate student athletic trainers who are in their junior year or higher with a minimum GPA of 3.2 and who plan on pursuing a career as a certified athletic trainer; must be a member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association
Amount: 11 awards of $3,200
Deadline: January 15, 2027
Website: https://www.pfats.com/pfats-foundation/scholarships/pfats-nata-scholarship-series/
Please note, most scholarship recipients receive $2,500 or less, and only 0.1% of undergraduate students receive $25,000 or more in scholarship funds. Scholarships are one of many sources of funding for college, including savings, current income, and federal and private loans. To learn about the variety of ways to pay for college, visit our Paying for College webpage.
