11 Athletic Scholarships to Keep Your Funding Options in Motion (2021)

Student athletes on the court, the field, and in the classroom have a unique perspective. You can share your experiences about playing on a team, working with a coach, and setting personal records in your college essays. You can also apply specifically for athletic scholarships to help fund your college education (and in some cases, continue playing your sport/sports in college). Read on to learn more about these athletic scholarships.

Athletic scholarships

1. Burger King James W. McLamore Whopper Scholarship Award

Amount: Up to $50,000

Provider: Burger King McLamore Foundation

Requirements: Must be living in the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico, graduating high school seniors (U.S. and Puerto Rico), graduating from grade 12 (Canada) or graduating from homeschool education in the U.S., Puerto Rico or Canada, must have a cumulative high school grade point average of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, or the equivalent, must plan to enroll full-time, without interruption, for the entire 2020-21 academic year at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school in the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico.

The Burger King McLamore Foundation offers scholarships for non-employees, employees,  and relations (spouses, domestic partners, or children) of employees. Applicants must be high school seniors, looking to attend a four-year accredited college or university in the U.S. Applicants should also play an active, leading role in community service, athletics, or similar activities.

2. Sports Unlimited Scholarship

Amount: $1,000

Provider: Sports Unlimited

Requirements: Must be a graduating high school senior or a freshman/sophomore in college, can’t be related to anyone at Sports Unlimited, submit an essay on the following prompt: Do you believe collegiate athletes should be allowed to be paid for playing sports?

Sports Unlimited awards this scholarship to an inspiring athlete each year. They choose the winner based on their favorite essay, so be sure to rock your scholarship essay.

3. Evans Scholarship

Amount: Full Tuition + Room & Board

Provider: Western Golf Association Evans Scholars Foundation

Requirements: Must have caddied, successfully and regularly, for a minimum of two years and are also expected to caddie and/or work at your sponsoring club during the summer when you apply for the scholarship, must have completed your junior year of high school with above a B average in college preparatory courses, must be outstanding in character, integrity and leadership.

Who knew that being a golf caddie could pay your college tuition? These weird scholarships award full tuition and room and board to students who have demonstrated a strong record as a golf caddie, good grades, outstanding character, and financial need. Winners live in Evans Scholarship Houses at participating universities. For more information, visit the scholarship website.

4. Wear Action Scholarship

Amount: $500

Provider: FitRated / Wear Action

Requirements: Write an essay on the following topic: “How do fitness gadgets impact our life?” must be 16 years of age or older at the time of disbursement, must be a U.S. citizen, enrolled half-time or full-time in a high-school, university or vocational school, GPA of 3.0 or higher, cannot be related to or know a member of the Wear Action staff.

Wear Action encourages students to live healthy, eat right, exercise, and have a positive way of thinking. The essay will be the main determining factor for this scholarship, and essay answers can include how devices like fitness trackers can help improve your body and your mind, or the advantages and disadvantages of these types of devices and why you believe they are good for teens and adults.

5. FMC Skaters Scholarship

Amount: Varies

Provider: FMC Ice Sports

Requirements: Student resume of the past four years, including skating/hockey background, extracurricular activities (sports/clubs/jobs), community service, honors and awards (scholastic/athletic), 500-word essay describing a time when skating had a significant influence and impact on your life or personal development, 1 letter of recommendation from a teacher or coach, official high school transcripts, SAT or ACT scores.

The FMC Skaters Scholarship program was developed in 1993 to provide financial assistance to ice sports participants and recreational ice skaters that demonstrate personal excellence on and off the ice. The scholarships are awarded to ice hockey, figure skating and recreational skaters in June of each year.


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6. Tom Mellis Memorial Scholarship Award 

Amount: Up to $2,500

Provider: The Sportsman of Stanislaus Club

Requirements: High school senior, must have participated in a varsity sport, resident of Stanislaus County, California, provide transcript. 

A $2,500 scholarship will be awarded to one or more high school seniors who actively participate in varsity sports, show outstanding leadership in community service and school activities, and demonstrate scholastic achievement.

7. Deven F. Osborne Athletic Scholarship

Amount: $500

Provider: Osborne Family

Requirements: Applicant must have completed 150 hours of volunteer community service, must attend school in Pasadena Unified School District, CA, Applicant must have participated in a school sport for at least 1 season.

Deven F. Osborne is a college athlete who received an athletic scholarship to attend the college of his choice to play football. However, as an alumni of several Pasadena, CA schools he recognized that some of his peers were not as fortunate. Deven wanted to provide an additional incentive for athletes to attend college recognizing that an education is invaluable to any future in a sports related career.

Going Merry athletic scholarships list

8. Foot Locker Scholar Athletes

Amount: $25,000

Provider: Foot Locker Foundation

Requirements: Must be a U.S. citizen entering college as a Freshman at an accredited four-year institution for an undergraduate degree, GPA ≥ 3.00, provide recommendation letter.

One of Going Merry’s partners, Foot Locker, is encouraging students entering college in Fall 2020 to apply for this scholarship award. If you’re involved in high school sports, intramural sports, or community-based sports and are passionate about empowering the community you live in, then head on over to the scholarship page to apply.


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9. Chi Am Circle 2020 High School Scholarships

Amount: $1,000 – $5,000 

Provider: Chi Am Circle 

Requirements: High school senior of Asian ethnicity, GPA ≥ 3.30, residential address in Santa Clara County, California, ACT Score Report, FAFSA, SAR, 2 Recommendation Letters, SAT Score Report, transcript. 

The organization awards scholarships to Santa Clara County high school seniors of Asian descent who demonstrate academic achievement as well as noteworthy extracurricular activities such as community service, performing arts, work, and athletics. All students will be considered for merit-based scholarships.

10. Thomas “Sarge” Johnson Scholarship Program 

Amount: Up to $3,000

Provider: USA Boxing Foundation

Requirements: Must be a current USA Boxing member and have been a member for the last two calendar years, must have completed at least one semester of a post-secondary program, GPA of 2.0, must have competed in at least two sanctioned bouts this year, and each of the last two calendar years.

The USA Boxing Foundation awards 11 scholarships each year to encourage students to continue their post-secondary education.


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11. Big Sun Scholarship

Amount: $500

Provider: Big Sun Athletic Organization

Requirements: Write an essay describing the impact sports has in your life.

Undergraduate students may apply. Big Sun created these scholarships for students involved with sports. The organization makes it clear that student athletes may apply “regardless of the sport they are engaged in or the capacity in which they participate.”

List of athletic scholarships for students

Ready to start applying for athletic scholarships?

Now that you have a list of solid athletic scholarships you can apply for, sign up for a free Going Merry student profile. You can browse, favorite, and apply for scholarships. You can upload required documents like letters of recommendation, your personal statement, and essays to keep everything organized. Start applying and winning money for college today!

Kelly Lamano

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