There are over 2,500 colleges/universities in the US with varying levels of athletics, costs and locations so rest assured there is always going to be a college that is suited to your athletic and academic ability.
With all the schools, divisions and acronyms being tossed around it can get very confusing for parents and athletes alike. Our aim is to make your life easier, and break down the differences between the different divisions of college soccer. We hope this will give you a greater understanding of where you may fit in the collegiate system, so you can get yourself better acquainted with the structure and manage your expectations.
NCAA (Div 1 – Large Public Universities)
This is usually what people have in mind when they talk about college sports and is the vision of college usually portrayed in the movies. It is extremely difficult to play at this level. Study regulations and coursework prevent many foreign students from being able to apply directly into this system. NCAA Div 1 schools re
quire both elite standards of academic and athletic ability. For the most part, athletes who are eligible to play NCAA Div 1 level have come from high performance National Training Programs.
Usually the best players in the NCAA Div 1 go on to a professional career, however, this does not mean the standard of play is lower in any other divisions and certainly does not mean you cannot go onto a professional career if you don’t perform in these divisions.
Don’t be disheartened though, many foreign athletes who aren’t initially eligible for NCAA Div 1 are able to transfer through the ranks of NJCAA, NAIA, and NCAA Div 2 & 3 schools if they perform strongly on the field and in the classroom.
College/University examples are: Brown University, Belmont University, Duke University, Harvard University.
NCAA (Div 2 – Large public Universities)
The NCAA Div 2 & 3 is a popular choice for international players as they have less academic regulations for entry and may also have supporting scholarship money for foreign players.
Although NCAA Div 2 schools are usually smaller than NCAA Div 1, this shouldn’t put you off. Soccer teams are usually overlooked in the top Div 1 school in favour of American football teams, so in Div 2 & 3 your soccer teams will shine which gives you a greater chance to be a star. If you are performing at a high standard, NCAA Div 1 coaches will approach athletes from Div 2 & 3 as long as your academics are also at a high standard.
NCAA (Div 3 – Small private colleges)
NCAA Div 3 offers grants and academic scholarships to international students, however does not offer direct athletic scholarships. Div 3 provides a well rounded collegiate experience which involves a balance between academics, competitive sport and a multitude of extracurricular activities. The benefits of Div 3 is that it offers students the intense and competitive environment to play sport for the love of the game without the obligation of an athletic scholarship . Furthermore, if your standard of play is good enough to garner the attention of Div 2 or 1 schools who provide athletic scholarships you are then also eligible to transfer.
NAIA (Small private colleges)
The NAIA has similar characteristics to NCAA Div 2 in terms or size and sporting ability. It also favours international players as it has fewer academic regulations for entry, so long as the level of play is up to the standard required by college 
coaching staff. Coaches usually don’t offer large scholarships to students upon entry as a freshman but give athletes the opportunity each year to work towards an increase in funding based upon grades and level of play. If you are looking towards a professional career, players from the NAIA are chosen every year.
NJCAA (community colleges)
Community colleges fall under the NJCAA, however this only means it is a two year school not a TAFE or substandard college – the coursework offered is the same as any four year school. NJCAA offers athletes whose academic ability may not be on par with their sports ability a chance to still play sport at a high level. Athletes who complete NJCAA usually transfer to NCAA or NAIA after two years to bigger four year colleges with great success and increased sporting skills.
The NJCAA is a great pathway for international players as they are able to o
btain larger scholarships. Coaches from the NCAA and NAIA also prefer to take NJCAA players rather than foreign players. This is because foreign players are often without any experience in the collegiate system or if they don’t have a strong academic or athletic background. The level of play at a NJCAA level is on par with NAIA and NCAA Div 2 colleges with some NJCAA teams being capable of competing at an even higher level.
For many student athletes looking to study and play overseas, it is important to start your research early and speak to our academic adviser if you have any questions regarding your academic eligibility. There is no need to worry if you are not directly eligible to study at a NCAA Div 1 school. There are always options to transfer and with good grades and playing ability the possibilities are endless.
The collegiate system can be fickle but we are here to help you find the best possible fit so you can get the most out of your experiences in the US.