ExceedVarsity

Guide 11 of 12 · All grades

Money: Aid, Academic Scholarships and NIL Basics

How athletic aid really works at each level, why academic and need-based aid matter, and what to know about name, image and likeness as a high schooler.

Rules last updated

Season 2026-27. Rules and calendars change, so check the official links and the college's compliance office before you act.

College is a big expense. A football scholarship can help a lot, but most families end up paying for college with a mix of aid. Understanding the mix is how you compare offers fairly.

The pieces of a college bill

  • Athletics aid (where the level allows it).
  • Academic scholarships: merit aid based on grades, tests or other achievements.
  • Need-based aid: grants and loans based on your family's financial information (such as federal Pell Grants).
  • What you pay: the remaining cost, after aid.

Official rule

The NCAA says many student-athletes also benefit from academic scholarships, NCAA financial aid programs, and need-based aid such as federal Pell Grants, and you must report all financial aid you receive to your NCAA school's financial aid office. About 2% of high school athletes are awarded athletics scholarships to compete in college. Source: NCAA Guide.

Equivalency vs. headcount

  • Equivalency sports have a team limit counted in "full scholarship equivalents," which the coach can split into smaller awards. One player might get 30% of a full scholarship and another 80%.
  • Headcount sports count each scholarship as a whole. Every scholarship player counts as one full award, whatever the dollar amount.

Official rule

Division II football is an equivalency sport. The limit is 36.0 equivalencies per team, and coaches often divide the funds among many players. Source: NCAA Division II scholarships.

Official rule

Division I (FBS and FCS) changed in 2025. The NCAA says its Division I rules no longer include sport-specific scholarship limits for schools that opted in to the House settlement rules. Those schools have roster limits instead, and they can offer scholarships to any of the rostered athletes. For football, the roster limit is 105. The Division I "core guarantees," including scholarship protections, were not changed. Sources: NCAA: DI Board adopts changes to roster limits, Division I Q&A.

Coach recommendation

Older articles may be out of date. If you read that Division I football has "85 scholarships" or that FCS has "63 equivalencies," that came from the old limits. Today, ask each school how it divides its aid. A school's number of scholarships means less than what your offer says in writing.

Division III and the NAIA

Official rule

Division III schools don't offer athletics scholarships, but many D3 athletes receive merit-based or need-based aid. The NCAA's guide says about 80% of Division III athletes receive nonathletics aid. NAIA: each member school determines its aid packages. Total aid can't exceed the school's established cost of attendance (tuition, mandatory fees, required course-related books and supplies, and room and board). Sources: NCAA D3, NCAA Guide, NAIA.

Comparing offers

Checklist

  • Get every offer and every aid package in writing.
  • List the full cost of attendance at each school, not just tuition.
  • Add up all aid: athletics, academic, need-based, outside scholarships.
  • Ask whether athletics aid is multiyear or one year, and when it renews.
  • Ask what happens to your aid if you're injured, if the coach leaves, or if you decide to stop playing.
  • Compare what your family pays at each school, not the headline scholarship.

Example

Example (made up): School A offers 50% athletics aid. School B offers 15% athletics aid plus a merit scholarship. After adding in need-based aid and cost of attendance, School B costs the family less per year than School A. The family would have missed that if they looked only at the athletics percentage.

The Coach's Recruiting Game Plan kit includes an offer and aid comparison worksheet.

NIL basics for high school players

NIL stands for name, image and likeness. Some athletes can earn money from their personal brand.

Official rule

The NCAA's guide says some college-bound student-athletes may have the opportunity to receive compensation using their personal brand, often called name, image and likeness. It tells high schoolers to "check with your high school's state athletic association regarding its NIL policies." Source: NCAA Guide.

Heads up

NIL cautions for high school players:

  • High school NIL rules are set by your state and your state athletic association, and they differ. Check before you sign or post anything.
  • Anyone promising a deal in exchange for choosing a college, or a payment tied to where you play, is a red flag. Talk to your school's athletic director and a parent first.
  • Entering a written agreement with an agent is one of the things the NCAA Eligibility Center reviews as part of athletics certification.
  • We don't give legal or tax advice. Talk to a qualified professional about any money you're offered.

Your next step

Next up: Guide 12: For Parents.

Sources checked

Official pages used for this guide, and the date we checked each one. Rules change, so confirm before you act.