The costs of college tuition are on the rise. But there’s good news for video gamers, who are turning to esports college teams to win scholarships to pay for college.
Colleges and universities across the country are responding to the worldwide popularity in video games and video game competitions by offering significant tuition breaks to top esports athletes who play for their school’s esports college teams.
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Esports College Scholarships for Gamers
Esports – or electronic sports – athletes compete in video game competitions, usually with other players from across the country or world. Common types of esport games include first-person shooter games and multiplayer online battle arena games (MOBA).
Some of the most popular esports competitions involve games like Dota 2, League of Legends, Hearthstone, Fortnite, Overwatch, Smite, and Call of Duty. ESPN has even added esports coverage to their broadcasting.
It can be extremely competitive to get onto a college esports team. Many players spend thousands of hours perfecting their gameplay. Many players work extensively with esports coaches to increase the chance that they’ll win an esports scholarship for gamers.
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Play Games and Pay for College
Just like student athletes of football, basketball, and other college sports, esports athletes have to maintain a minimum GPA and undergo physical exams to make sure they’re up for the rigors of long video game practice and competition.
But those who make the college esports teams get paid to play with scholarships ranging from $500 to $10,000, or more, if their teams successfully win esports championships with cash prizes.
Are you an esports high school athlete? One thing you may want to consider to land a spot on your favorite college’s esports team is esports coaching. Esports coaches can help you take your gameplay to the next level, help you target key problems, and help you land spots in national and international competitions.
Keep reading for a list of schools with esports teams that offer scholarships to esports players.
Start Your College Planning Process Early
Is it your dream for your child to attend college and be afforded the educational opportunities of a university education? Planning and hard work is a critical component of college planning, starting from as early as preschool.
A lot of parents find some help with the planning process of college with CollegeBound Plans. This program helps families craft an academic plan for their college bound kids, helps with access to scholarships and tuition discounts, and even helps kids find tutoring resources. CollegeBound Plans is a one-stop shopping resource for families who know they want their kids to go to college, but don’t feel like they have enough experience to navigate today’s tough college market on their own.
You can find out more about CollegeBound Plans here.
Colleges with Esports Teams
Not every college or university sponsors an esports games team, but their popularity is on the rise. Team players go through tryouts, practice sessions, and even have jerseys. Some schools have gaming facilities dedicated to esports competitions.
Esports College Programs
Ashland University (OH)
Averett University (VA)
Bellevue University (NE)
Boise State University (ID)
Brescia University (KY)
Central Methodist University (MO)
Centralia College (WA)
Coker College (SC)
College of St. Joseph (VT)
Columbia College (MO)
Culver-Stockton College (MO)
DigiPen Institute of Technology (WA)
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
Fontbonne University (MO)
Florida Southern College (FL)
Georgia Southern University (GA)
Georgia State University (GA)
Grand View University (IA)
Harrisburg University (PA)
Hawkeye Community College (IA)
Illinois College (IL)
Illinois Wesleyan University (IL)
Indiana Institute of Technology (IN)
Kansas Wesleyan University (KS)
King University (TN)
Lambton College (Canada)
Lebanon Valley College (PA)
Lees-McRae College (NC)
Lourdes University (OH)
Maryville University (MO)
McPherson College (KS)
Menlo College (CA)
Miami (Ohio) University (OH)
Midland University (NE)
Missouri Baptist University (MO)
Morningside College (IA)
North Virginia Community College (VA)
Northwest Christian University (OR)
Oregon Institute of Technology (OR)
Pratt Community College (KS)
Principia College (IL)
Robert Morris University (IL)
St. Louis College of Pharmacy (MO)
Southwestern College (KS)
Southwest Baptist University (MO)
St. Ambrose University (IA)
St. Clair College (Canada)
St. Thomas Aquinas College (NY)
Stephens College (MO)
Stevenson University (MD)
SUNY Canton (NY)
Texas Wesleyan (TX)
Tiffin University (OH)
Trine University (IN)
University of Akron (OH)
University of California-Irvine (CA)
University of Jamestown (ND)
University of Pikeville (KY)
University of Providence (MT)
University of South Carolina-Sumter (SC)
University of Utah (UT)
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WV)
Western Kentucky University (KY)
Getting on an Esport Gamer Team in College
Want to get paid to play esports games in college? Esports college scholarships offer talented gaming students a way to defray the cost of college expenses while they devote time to game play and practice.
Varsity esports programs typically fall under the direction of the college or university’s athletic department. Scholarships available to football, basketball, baseball, and other athletic team sports at the school may also be extended to esports players who make it to the varsity team.
The schools listed above may also have a separate budget for scholarships for esports gamers.
To qualify for esports college scholarships, students may need to meet a minimum GPA academic requirement. You may also need to try out for the college or university esport team or have attained a certain level of game ranking to be considered for the varsity esports team.
For each of the schools listed above, search for the school name and “esports recruitment.” Prospective esports gamers typically have to provide details about the games they play, their ranking, Twitch and other stream accounts, and other esports statistics.
11 Esports College Scholarships for Esports Gamers
Do you or your child love video gaming and want a gamer scholarship? Scholarships for gamers are becoming increasingly popular, along with the trend in esports.
Here are some of the top esports college scholarships for esports gamers:
1. Ashland University (OH) Esports Team Scholarships
Ashland University’s new esports team plans to attract gamers with esports scholarships worth up to $4,000 per year.
2. Georgia State University (GA) Varsity Esports
Georgia State University will offer $10,000 in scholarships to students who make one of two varsity Esports teams.
3. Indiana Tech eSports Scholarships
Twenty-five to 35 scholarships of varying amounts available for esports players.
4. Lebanon Valley College (PA) eSports Team Scholarships
Esports scholarships of $10,000 scholarship for students playing on the esports team will be available in Fall 2019.
5. Maryville University (MO) Gaming Scholarship
eSports participants are eligible for a $2,000 gaming scholarship.
6. Oregon Institute of Technology (OR) Esports Scholarships
According to the Oregon Tech website, all varsity esports players earn scholarships.
7. Robert Morris University’s League of Legends Scholarship
Qualified gamers can earn scholarships of up to 50 percent tuition and 50 percent room and board.
8. Southwest Baptist University Esports Scholarship
The university provides video gaming based on performance and merit and range anywhere from $500 to $10,000.
9. University of Akron (OH) Esports Gaming and Coaching Scholarships
Merit scholarships will be given to 35-40 players and their student coaching staff, starting at $1,000 for the former and up to $5,000 for the latter.
10. University of California-Irvine eSports Scholarship
UC-Irvine School scholarships of $5610 for League of Legends and $2500 for Overwatch.
11. University of Utah Esports Team Scholarships
Each player on the University of Utah esports team will receive a $1,000-per-year scholarship.
Do you plan to look for scholarships for gaming as a strategy to pay for college? Are you working with an esports coach to up your game and get more scholarships? Leave a comment below!
