NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship

The NCAA awards up to 126 postgraduate scholarships annually.  The scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who are at least in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition.

The one-time non-renewable scholarships of $10,000 are awarded three times a year, corresponding to each sport season (fall, winter and spring).  Each sports season there are 21 scholarships available for men and 21 scholarships available for women for use in an accredited graduate program.

All former student-athletes who earned an undergraduate degree from an NCAA member school are eligible to be nominated by that school for an NCAA graduate degree scholarship, regardless of when they received their undergraduate degree.

Mission statement

The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship was created in 1964 to promote and encourage graduate education by rewarding the Association's most accomplished student-athletes through their participation in NCAA championships and/or emerging sports. Athletics and academic achievements, campus involvement, community service, volunteer activities and demonstrated leadership are evaluated.  An equitable approach is employed in reviewing an applicant's nomination form to provide all student-athlete nominees an opportunity to receive the graduate award, regardless of sport, division, gender or race.  In maintaining the highest broad-based standards in the selection process, the program aims to reward those individuals whose dedication and effort are reflective of those characteristics necessary to succeed and thrive through graduate study.

How to apply for the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship

Student-Athletes click here for Application Guide

Overview of nomination process

The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship nomination is to be submitted by the Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) or by a FAR designee.  It is the responsibility of the student-athlete and FAR or FAR designee to ensure all sections of the nomination are submitted to the NCAA national office not later than the sport season deadlines.  

The sport season deadlines are as follows:

• Fall sports: January 10, 2025
• Winter sports: March 21, 2025
• Spring sports: May 23, 2025

FARs or FAR designees must nominate qualified student-athletes using the application in the Program Hub.   System-generated emails will be sent to the student-athlete to notify him or her they have been nominated.

Application Sections

1. FAR nomination.
2. Student-athlete section:  To be completed by the nominee; which includes a formal personal statement.
3. Transcript(s): Applicants must upload official transcripts to complete the application. Official transcripts can be scanned and uploaded to the system as a .pdf document.  You must upload all transcripts at one time.  Transcripts must reflect ALL undergraduate work. [NOTE: An electronic transcript is not needed to meet this requirement.]
4. Letters of Recommendation:
   1. Coach or someone in the position to judge the student-athletes contribution to intercollegiate athletics.
   2. Someone in the position to speak to his or her community service and leadership.
   3. A professor teaching in the discipline of the student-athlete’s baccalaureate degree.

The endorsements tab will appear after an applicant has listed each endorser’s information (name and email address) and after the applicant has submitted his or her application.  The endorser will receive an automated email upon application submission only.  The endorser’s email address provided by the applicant must be used to log in to Program Hub to endorse.  This is the email address to which the notification was received.

[Note:  All recommendations should be viewed as formal recommendations for the nominee.]

Postgraduate Scholarship nomination and selection information

Who is eligible?

Student-athletes at an active NCAA member institution who:

• Must be in final season of NCAA athletics eligibility or must have completed athletic eligibility,
• Must be in final year of undergraduate academic work or received an undergraduate degree.
• Have an overall undergraduate minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.200 (based on a 4.000 scale) or its equivalent, including all undergraduate hours earned at all undergraduate institutions attended. The grade-point average may not include any graduate-level hours.
• Have performed with distinction as a varsity team member in the sport in which the student-athlete is being nominated. The degree of the student-athlete's athletics achievement will be weighed in conjunction with academic performance, institutional involvement, and volunteer community service. Nominators and individuals submitting recommendations should note participation in activities in which the student-athlete serves as an example to other students and demonstrates leadership qualities.
• Must enroll in a graduate degree-granting program on a part- or full-time basis at an academically accredited graduate or degree-granting professional school.
• Must be enrolled in a graduate degree-granting program within one-year after the academic year the scholarship was awarded.  All funds must be used within the same academic year.
• The scholarship cannot be used to fund any undergraduate work.
• Are outstanding citizens and excellent role models for the institution and intercollegiate athletics.

[Note: Student-athletes attending a provisional member institution are not permitted to be nominated.  Additionally, a scholarship recipient may not use more than one NCAA scholarship award for graduate studies. International student-athletes are eligible to receive an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.]

How can I be nominated?

Student-athletes must be nominated by the undergraduate institution's Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) or a FAR designee.

The FAR or FAR designee is responsible for determining the student-athlete's eligibility to be nominated.  Each NCAA member institution may nominate no more than five student-athletes per gender, per season. The nomination and supporting information will be accepted only when it is submitted on or before the sport season's submission deadline.

The FAR or FAR designee must use Program Hub to gain access to the online nomination submission system.  You must create a profile before you are able to nominate.