College Applications

Everything you need to know about US college applications and the application process.

Applying to a university in the United States as an international student athlete can be a complex process, but with the right preparation, it can also be an exciting and rewarding experience. This article will outline the steps you need to take to successfully apply to a US university as an international student athlete. 

What you have to understand is that the process of applying to a university as a student athlete, is much different to that of a general population student. The process can be daunting, and the question you typically ask is "where do I start"! At last glance, data (from Research.com shows that there are over 4,360 higher education institutions in the U.S.A, 2,832 are four-year colleges and 1,582 are two-year colleges. That's an immense amount of colleges to choose from, especially while in your home country, you may just have a handful of options! 

For further perspective as to how difficult the process of applying to a school can be, you have to take into account the other elephant in the room, and that is the voluminous amounts of college athletics programs there are across the USA! In one governing body alone, the NCAA, there are over 1,100 athletics programs across 3 competitive divisions! And to add another layer of complexity to the application process as a student athlete, recent data from the NCAA shows that there are over 520,000 student athletes competing in championship sports as of 2021-22! 

So where do you start the application process, and how do you go about making the process more fluid and less stressful?! Following are some high level tips around how to generally apply to a US university, and we'll add some insight into what you should also be looking to work toward when trying to also uncover and approach college athletics coaches, based on our over 13 years of experience in college sports recruiting in the USA! 

The 7 Step Process

  • Start by researching the universities you are interested in attending. Look at the programs they offer, their location, and the campus culture. Make a list of universities that meet your criteria and start exploring their websites and resources. 

    Upper 90 College makes it easy when it comes to this process. We've created a trusted network of college athletics coaches right across all 50 states and every governing body of 2 year and 4 year college athletics programs. We can marry up your unique academic and athletic abilities, with what a coach is looking for at any specific moment based on their needs and their recruiting cycle. 

  • International students must meet specific eligibility requirements to be admitted to a US university. These requirements may include English language proficiency (commonly known as TOEFL), academic achievement, and financial stability. Check the university's website to see what their specific requirements are and make sure you meet them.

    With our College Connect service, we help guide you through every step of the eligibility process, not just for admissions purposes, though also working with the coaches that are recruiting you via our efforts in promoting you, and making sure we provide all relevant documents to both admissions and the coach. Outside of that, we can guide you through the varying online portals (NCAA, NAIA & NJCAA) and assist you with making sure you are inputting the data required by the major governing bodies to clear you for eligibility, while working with all key parties n your recruiting process, so you have a smooth process overall. 

  • Many US universities require international students to take standardized tests such as the TOEFL, the SAT. or the ACT. Check the university's website to see what tests are required and plan to take them well in advance of the application deadline.

    Making sure that you are preparing to sit any of the standardized tests required for entry into a U.S. university can be daunting, given you may also have to manage your workload at high school, while trying to find an opportune time to sit these exams. Don't stress, Upper 90 has been there before with so many of our clients over the years, and we can guide you through what you need to prepare, share resources with you, and dependent on where you are located, find tutors to assist you to prepare for these standardized tests. 

  • You will need to provide transcripts, test scores, essays, and other documents to complete your application. Make a list of what you need and start gathering the materials as soon as possible.

    You'll soon to begin to realize, that when you are applying to a university, or are working with admissions and the coaches that are recruiting you at any given college athletics program, that there is a lot of paperwork to go through! Some of the hardest aspects for an international student athlete applying to a U.S. college are making sure that your grades through high school, transcripts and key documents are all translated to the U.S. Grade Point Average system (GPA). Upper 90 has  guided 100's of our clients over the years, and also makes sure to be there as a medium between yourself, the coaches you are talking too and admissions to stay on top of the process. 

  • Once you have all the required documents, complete the online application form and submit it to the university. Make sure you carefully review all the information you have provided and that everything is accurate.

    Submitting applications can be a simple process, though as an international student athlete, you may encounter questions around certain information that you have never heard of before, or that is not relevant to you in the application process because you are entering the college athletics system in the U.S. from a foreign country. No need to stress here, as every coach and admissions staff will do their utmost to make sure you only fill in the information that is pertinent to your own situation. Again, Upper 90 helps liaise with coaches and admissions to assist you in managing the process. 

  • After submitting your application, you will receive a decision from the university. This can take several weeks or even months, so be patient and keep an eye on your email and postal mail for updates.

    We always tell our clients, especially for the fact that we mostly recruits student athletes from around the world, that getting started on the recruiting process needs to start early! By early, we mean a year in advance or more. The reason being is that it takes time for coaches to recruit you and for your individual process to unfold, though when you are recruited and sign your NLI (National Letter of Intent), and submit all our documents to admissions, it can take a lot of time to get everything sorted.

    Also, you have to factor in your visa process in your respective country, and you can't do this without your visa form from the institution recruiting you in the U.S.A. Always remember, prior planning prevents poor performance! This saying rings true even in the college athletics recruiting process. If you don't plan ahead, you could end up putting a lot of pressure on yourself to get things done in a very short time!

  • If you are admitted to a university, you will need to secure funding to pay for your education. This may include scholarships, grants, or loans. Research your options and make a plan to secure the necessary funding.

    College coaches and admissions will typically provide some form of scholarship to you, and if you do secure a scholarship, this is a great achievement, some of your team mates might not have the opportunity to source any scholarship at all! Coaches and admissions staff will guide you and your family through any short fall you may have to pay post the addition of scholarship to your full tuition for the year.

    This means, that typically, admissions will need to see how much affordability your family has to cover the amount remaining post scholarship, and you will need to source banking documents and otherwise. So be sure to prepare financial statements and other key financial documents that the school who is recruiting you will require well in advance. 

Applying to a university in the United States as an international student requires careful planning and preparation. Start by researching universities, checking eligibility requirements, preparing for standardized tests, gathering necessary documents, submitting your application, and securing funding. With the right approach, you can achieve your goal of obtaining a quality education in the United States , and Upper 90 College can assist you through every step of the process. 

Upper 90 College guides you through the complete college application process!

Here's how it works

  • Questionnaire

    The Upper 90 team works directly with each student-athlete and family to identify the right academic, athletic and social fit, considering field of study, geographic locations, size, and other important factors. We do this while ensuring that we are evaluating the proper athletic level where you have a realistic chance to compete for playing time.

  • Media & Video

    Our highly qualified video analysis team work diligently to review, edit, produce & create a superior quality 3-5 minute highlight reel that showcases your talents during the recruiting process. The Upper 90 team knows what coaches are looking for and what catches their attention. We ensure that each student athlete maintains access to all of their raw footage so that each recruit can share with coaches upon their request.

  • Athlete Marketing

    We have a detailed database that provides a window view into the exact positional requirements of each college sports program we interact with across all divisions of college sports. We begin with the extensive marketing of each of our student athlete by emailing and calling coaches to discuss coaches needs, their interest, where each recruit fits into their plans, and most importantly academic and athletic scholarships. We continue the marketing process dilligenbtly, and 1:1 to make sure we uncover as many college program opportunitiues as possible for our clients.

  • Communication

    Being the intermediary between your chosen college sports programs and coordinating communications between parents & athletes is a vital part of the successful placement process we provide our student athletes and families. Our process for you, with each interested school, starts with a conference call with coach, family, & an Upper 90 staff member & continues during the recruiting period.

  • Scholarships

    Upper 90 works for our recruits and not any University, we work directly on your behalf to uncover every scholarship dollars we can. We negotiate with coaches and admissions to ensure that each student-athlete receives as much as they can in their academic and athletic awards, as well as uncover any needs-based funding.

  • Testing & Admissions

    Work directly with parents and student-athlete on all matters regarding standardized testing (SAT, ACT and TOEFL), as well as ensuring that all documentation and paperwork are provided to each institution and their admissions personnel. We keep you informed of all deadline dates and needs to finalize admission.

  • Eligibility

    We assist and ensure that you complete the eligibility process for either the NCAA and/or NAIA, including providing those recruiting you necessary information. This is one the most important parts of the recruiting company, as without eligibility from the NCAA or NAIA, one cannot compete or even practice at the college level.

  • Support

    Once our recruits make their final decision, Upper 90 provides support for all athletes during their college athletic career. Each member of the Upper 90 team has played and/or coached at the college level and is accessible via phone, text, or email to assist to ensure success in the classroom and on the field/court.

FAQ’s

Important questions about the U.S. College admissions process for international student athletes!

  • International student athletes must meet the same academic and athletic standards as U.S. citizens. Additionally, they must have a student visa (F-1) and be certified by the NCAA, NAIA or NJCAA Eligibility Center's. 

  • The NCAA, NAIA & NJCAA Eligibility Center's (these are online portals, not physical places to visit) are responsible for determining the academic and amateur eligibility of all student athletes who want to play college sports in the United States. Making sure you add the right information into any of these eligibility center's online portal is vital. 

  • International student athletes must first be accepted to a U.S. college or university and then apply for an F-1 student visa through the U.S. Department of State. For international students, once they have been accepted by a college athletics program, they will receive their I-20 form and then have to set up an appointment at the U.S. embassy in their home country. 

  • As an international student athlete, you will need to submit academic transcripts, test scores, English proficiency test scores (if you are in a non-English speaking country), and any other required documents. You may also need to provide additional documentation related to your athletic background and achievements.

  • You can search online for schools that have a history of recruiting international student athletes. You can also reach out to the college's athletic department for more information. And of course, if you want to streamline the whole process, you can leverage Upper 90's, decades of experience via our extensive service suite, which you can read up more about here. 

  • International student athletes may be eligible for limited forms of financial aid, such as athletic scholarships. However, they are not eligible for federal financial aid. Academic scholarships are also available based on your high school test results. 

  • The timeline for the college application process for international student athletes varies depending on the school and sport. However, it is important to start the process early to allow enough time for the NCAA, NAIA or NJCAA Eligibility Center's to evaluate your eligibility and for you to obtain a student visa.

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college application process today!

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