Division II Athletics Scholarships
Understanding how Division II athletics scholarships can help support your college experience.
Division II schools offer athletics scholarships through a partial-scholarship model, allowing coaches to divide scholarship funds among multiple student-athletes on a team. This approach helps more students receive athletics-based financial support while also creating opportunities to combine athletics aid with academic scholarships, grants and other financial assistance.
Because every school, sport and student-athlete situation is different, scholarship amounts can vary widely. Some student-athletes may receive full tuition support, while others may receive partial athletics aid combined with other forms of financial assistance. The Division II model is designed to provide flexibility while supporting both academic and athletics success.
How Division II Scholarships Work
The Division II partial-scholarship model allows schools to support more student-athletes while maintaining a balanced college experience focused on academics, athletics and campus involvement.
- Coaches may divide scholarship funds across multiple student-athletes
- Scholarship amounts vary by sport, school and roster needs
- Athletics aid can often be combined with academic scholarships and grants
What "Partial Scholarship" Means
A partial scholarship means a student-athlete receives a portion of college expenses covered through athletics aid rather than a full scholarship.
This may help cover:
-
- Tuition
- Housing
- Meals
- Books
- Other educational expenses
Equivalency Limits Per Sport
In Division II, each sport has a maximum number of athletics scholarships that may be awarded across an entire team. These are called equivalency limits.
Instead of awarding full scholarships to every student-athlete, coaches often divide available scholarship funds among multiple players on the roster. This allows more student-athletes to receive athletics-based financial support.
Scholarship distribution varies by school, sport, roster size and recruiting needs. Prospective student-athletes should speak directly with coaches and financial aid offices to better understand available aid opportunities.
The chart below outlines the maximum scholarship equivalency limits for each Division II sport.
Current Division II Scholarship Equivalency Limits
| Men’s sports | Women’s sports | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Baseball | 9.0 | Acrobatics and Tumbling | 9.0 |
| Basketball | 10.0 | Basketball | 10.0 |
| Cross Country/Track & Field | 12.6 | Beach Volleyball | 5.0 |
| Football | 36.0 | Bowling | 5.0 |
| Fencing | 4.5 | Cross Country/Track & Field | 12.6 |
| Golf | 3.6 | Equestrian | 15.0 |
| Gymnastics | 5.4 | Flag Football | 10.0 |
| Ice Hockey | 13.5 | Fencing | 4.5 |
| Lacrosse | 10.8 | Field hockey | 6.3 |
| Rifle | 3.6 | Golf | 5.4 |
| Skiing | 6.3 | Gymnastics | 6.0 |
| Soccer | 9.0 | Ice Hockey | 18.0 |
| Swimming & Diving | 8.1 | Lacrosse | 9.9 |
| Tennis | 4.5 | Rowing | 20.0 |
| Volleyball | 4.5 | Rugby | 12.0 |
| Water Polo | 4.5 | Skiing | 6.3 |
| Wrestling | 9.0 | Soccer | 9.9 |
| Softball | 7.2 | ||
| Stunt | 9.0 | ||
| Swimming & Diving | 8.1 | ||
| Tennis | 6.0 | ||
| Triathlon | 5.0 | ||
| Volleyball | 8.0 | ||
| Water Polo | 8.0 | ||
| Wrestling | 10.0 |
Scholarship limits represent the maximum number of athletics scholarship equivalencies permitted per sport. Individual scholarship offers and aid packages vary by institution.
Athletics scholarships are one part of your financial aid package. Learn how DII scholarships combine with academic aid, grants and NCAA programs.