Could you be eligible to obtain a USA university sporting scholarship? Take our free assessment and find out! Study & Play USA are here to support you!

When is the best time to start the process?

As qualified educators and coaches, Study & Play USA staff understand that student-athletes develop at different rates. The same applies to making what is a very important family decision to send one’s son or daughter to the USA for a study and play experience. In our experience, the families that are best educated and prepared about the pathway tend to get the best outcomes for their sons and daughters.

For these reasons, we recommend being informed and educated about all that is involved in the pathway. Some student-athletes start planning as early as Year 8 but do not start the official application process until the commencement of year 11 (recommended). Some student-athletes only discover the pathway late in high school and therefore commence in Year 12. Whilst this is getting a little late to be starting, Study & Play USA will work with any student-athlete who is ready and willing to engage in the exciting process.

Ideal commencement timelines:

• Year 8- engage with Study & Play USA staff to ask any initial questions about the pathway
• Year 9- start to consider what academic markers need to be met, which, for the USA University system, starts in Year 9
• Year 10- meet with a Study & Play USA Talent Coordinator
• Year 10 Term Four – Year 11 Term 1: Ideal time to commence the process with Study & Play USA to maximise scholarship opportunities
• Year 11 and Year 12- The earlier one starts, the less stress for the student-athlete and more time coaches in the USA have to track the progress of our student-athletes

Which colleges do you work with?

This is a very common question, which has a simple answer – Study & Play USA can and will put you in contact with any University in the USA. We do not have special agreements or arrangements with specific Universities. However, if past student-athletes are particularly happy and successful at certain colleges, and the coaches are happy with their past Australian players, then the chances of future students attending that college obviously increase.

What costs do my family need to budget for in this process?

As early as Year 10, student-athletes and their families will meet with a Study & Play USA Talent Coordinator for an obligation free assessment. One of the useful outcomes from the meeting is that families walk away with a comprehensive guide to budgeting for the pathway, both in Australia and then once in the USA on scholarship. This budgeting guide is customised to each family and is based on the student-athlete’s sport, their athletic trajectory, academic level and overall eligibility. For almost all families, the true cost of living in the USA as a student-athlete compares very favourably with staying in Australia beyond high school.