Seize the opportunity offered by tennis scholarships in the USA and take your tennis to new heights.
Seize the opportunity offered by tennis scholarships in the USA and take your tennis to new heights.
Become a tennis student-athlete in the US or Canada.
Take advantage of the college tennis system and lucrative sports scholarships to take your game to the next level.
Keystone Sports consists of 9 leading college sports placement agencies. We make it possible for international students to get recruited and receive sports scholarships in the US and Canada. Do you want to study in the US on a tennis scholarship?
We at Keystone Sports are experts in helping tennis players just like you to become student-athletes in America!
Fill out the form and get a free evaluation of your chances by our experts
Contract with Keystone Sports and a customized college action plan
Test prep and grade evaluation, college admission profile, choosing college and division
Visa, travel arrangements, and assistance with the application process
Ongoing college support and assistance
See our step-by-step guide of the process, from the first free assessment to enrolled student-athlete.
If you want to continue competing at a high level while earning a university degree, tennis scholarships make it possible. American coaches are seeking high-level tennis players abroad to play at their universities.
Discover the incredible possibilities with college tennis and sports scholarships in the USA. Learn more about how this is an excellent path for you as a player—no matter if you aim to go pro or simply want to combine your passion with studying abroad!
Playing college tennis means you will be a student at an American university while representing its tennis team. You will study your chosen major as a regular student but also practice at your campus facilities and compete against other schools.
College tennis in the US is very competitive. You will train daily at a high level and improve your game by facing top talent. Universities have the best facilities and resources allowing you to train like a professional tennis player under coaches with ATP and WTA experience. Many athletes also see big improvements thanks to professional strength and conditioning programs.
As a student-athlete, you will get support from your professors to adjust your academic schedule around training and competitions. US universities understand your athletic commitments; therefore, professors will work with you to make sure you don’t fall behind. You’ll also have access to academic tutors and advisors who can support you with assignments, exams, and time management.
Whether your goal is to become a professional player or you simply want to combine your passion with your studies abroad, you can’t miss this opportunity!
College tennis rules have some unique features compared to regular tennis. Matches on college level consist of best-of-three sets with no-ad scoring, meaning the first player to win four points wins the game. In no-ad scoring, when the game score reaches 40-40 (deuce), the next point wins the game, which speeds up the matches.
Each dual match includes six singles and three doubles matches, with the team winning at least two of the three doubles matches earning one point. While it’s typically not allowed in professional tennis, coaches can provide guidance during changeovers and between points. Moreover, college teams must submit lineups based on player ability to make sure players play in their designated positions. These college tennis rules make the game more strategic while maintaining competitive fairness.
In college tennis, you compete both individually and as part of the college team. It has its own competitions and tournaments with the most well-known being the Nationals—the NCAA’s final championships at the end of each season.
The college tennis season is running from January to May, which means it’s one of spring college sports. During in-season, college players compete in college-specific matches and tournaments. The professional tennis season, containing the ATP (men’s) and WTA (women’s) tours, operates year-round, with various tournaments held globally. This distinction emphasizes the continuous nature of professional tennis compared to the seasonal structure of college tennis.
A tennis scholarship is a financial grant to help tennis players to cover some or even all the costs of studying at college. These costs are tuition, housing, board and other academic fees. College tennis scholarships also cover other costs that are related to your tennis, like equipment, gear and traveling expenses.
There are two types of sports scholarships: full-ride scholarships, which cover all the costs of attending university, and partial scholarships, which cover only a portion of the expenses. The amount you receive depends on several factors, including your skill level and the team’s need and budget. During the recruiting process, you may receive offers from multiple universities. It’s important to carefully evaluate these opportunities to choose a school that matches both your athletic ability and academic interests.
That’s why it’s crucial for tennis players to have the guidance of experts who can help create an appealing player profile, evaluate scholarship offers wisely, and find the option that best fits their goals.
Women’s college tennis is one of the largest college sports. There are more than 1000 college tennis programs in NCAA, and over 100 women’s tennis programs in NAIA. This means you have a large pool of colleges in terms of divisions, levels and locations. East coast, West or maybe South? You will find colleges for women’s tennis scholarships all over the country!
Team sizes usually range between 8-10 players, with players from many nationalities.
Men’s college tennis is a significant part of college sports. There are more than 750 college tennis programs in the NCAA and over 90 men’s tennis programs in the NAIA. Just like women’s tennis programs and colleges, you have a large pool of options to fit your needs, wishes and ambitions!
College team sizes typically range between 8-12 players.
Many professional players are former student-athletes, playing successfully for college teams. In other words, college tennis is a great option if you aim to go pro in the future! Some former student-athletes are:
College tennis includes various divisions to fit all ambitions as not all tennis student-athletes aim to turn their passion into a full-time career. Still, the experience of playing tennis at college is unbeatable for your future – no matter which path you take after college. Being a student-athlete in the US with a tennis scholarship means you get to elevate your athletic abilities and obtain a recognized college degree. Additionally, you get the opportunity to meet other international students, improve your English skills and grow on a personal level!
The US college system offers a unique blend of sports and higher education that you won’t find in many other countries. This rare opportunity allows athletes to pursue their academic and athletic dreams at the same time! Therefore, it can be difficult for tennis players to picture what the daily life of a student-athlete in the US could be like. A regular day as a tennis player on a scholarship can look something like this:
Your tennis practice will usually be in the mornings before school to avoid scheduling conflicts within the team. The typical duration of a college tennis practice can vary, but generally, it is about 2-3 hours per session. This duration usually includes warm-up, drills, match play, and cool down. Additionally, there will be conditioning sessions, weight training, or specific skill workouts provided. However, the primary on-court practice typically spans 2-3 hours.
You will usually spend most of the day in school just like any other student. In the afternoon, you might have more tennis practice depending on the season, thereafter, you will need to dedicate time to schoolwork. You may have upcoming exams, papers to submit for grading, group projects and literature to read in before the next class.
College tennis is not only practice but also competing. College tennis has different series that can be on regional or even national level. This means you might need to travel for competitions. Competitions may be held on weekends but can also be on weekdays. Here, it is your responsibility to inform your professors that you will be absent from class and check what they will cover in class, so you don’t fall behind.
Does it seem hectic? Being a student-athlete is all about balancing sports and school. You will learn to master time management and planning to make sure you’re ahead of tennis commitments and school.
College tennis in the United States offers different divisions to suit players of varying levels. Whether you’re aiming for highly competitive NCAA Division I, balancing athletics and academics in Division III, or developing your game in NAIA or NJCAA programs, there’s a pathway for every player. Learn more about the differences between college sports divisions in our article.
While tennis is one of the most difficult sports for progressing to the professional level, college tennis gives you the chance to compete at a high level while earning a degree. Many players use this opportunity to grow their game and then successfully transition to professional tennis.
Earning a tennis scholarship requires a combination of strong tennis skills, a proven track record, good academic performance, and engaging with college coaches. Here are some key steps to help you secure a tennis scholarship:
Colleges with tennis scholarships are located all over the US, in all NCAA divisions, NAIA and JUCO. College tennis is one of the most popular college sports and there are almost 20,000 tennis student-athletes in the US.
Tennis scholarships in the US are lucrative and it can be hard to get one for some divisions and schools with strong and competitive college tennis programs. To get recruited, UTR, talent and impressive performance in matches and academics are important, but coaches also look into personal aspects, potential and how you will fit into the team.
The Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) needed for college tennis varies depending on the division and school. For NCAA Division I men’s tennis, a UTR of 12.0 or higher is typically required to be considered for recruitment. Division II programs generally look for players with a UTR around 10.5 to 12.0. For Division III and NAIA programs, the required UTR can range from 8.0 to 10.0. Still, these are just guiding numbers for UTR. For schools well-known for their tennis program and high performing college teams are naturally more competitive and more difficult to get recruited to.
Yes, international students can get tennis scholarships as well. College tennis is the college sport with the largest percentage of foreign players. College coaches are actively scouting for international talent for their college teams.
Are you ready to play tennis, study, and get a firsthand experience of the famous American college life? Fill out Keystone Sports’ free application form to start your college tennis adventure.
Curious about college tennis and what it’s like being a player on a scholarship in the US? Learn more about the exciting life of being a tennis student-athlete in our articles:
