I am a tennis player
Seize the opportunity offered by tennis scholarships in the USA and take your tennis to new heights.
I am a tennis player
Seize the opportunity offered by tennis scholarships in the USA and take your tennis to new heights.
I am a tennis player
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.
TENNIS
TENNIS
Keystone Sports consists of 8 strong 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!
Application
Fill out the form and get a free evaluation of your chances by our experts
Signing
Contract with Keystone Sports and a customized college action plan
Preparation
Test prep and grade evaluation, college admission profile, choosing college and division
Planning
Visa, travel arrangements, and assistance with the application process
Support
Ongoing college support and assistance
See our step-by-step guide of the process, from the first free assessment to enrolled student-athlete.
Tennis scholarships:
play college tennis and study in the US
Improve your tennis skills while securing an academic degree as a student-athlete thanks to tennis scholarships. 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!
Top 5 of our players studying in the US:
Milan Markowitz
Princeton University
Alicia Barnett
Northwestern University
Ida Clement
Purdue University
Coque Plans
UCLA university
Ruth Seaborne
University of Iowa
What is College Tennis?
Playing college tennis means you will be a student while representing the university’s tennis team. You will study your chosen major as a regular student but also practice and compete against other schools.
College tennis is among the top ten popular college sports in the US. It serves as a platform for skilled players to enhance their tennis abilities while pursuing a college degree and get financial support through tennis scholarships.
Difference between “regular” tennis and college tennis?
College Tennis Rules
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.
Team vs Individual Competition
In tennis on a collegial level, 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.
College Tennis season vs Regular Tennis 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.
What Does a Tennis Scholarship Cover?
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, fees for competitions and traveling expenses.
Women’s Tennis Scholarships
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. For the NCAA, each team has a number of scholarships. This number may vary depending on which division, as for Division 1 there are 8 scholarships, while in division II there are 6 scholarships for female teams. NAIA is a different association and instead has different rules with 5 scholarships per team.
Remember that this is for full scholarships, meaning that coaches often distribute them as partial scholarships to support more players on the team.
Men’s Tennis Scholarships
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. For the NCAA, the scholarship limits per team vary by division: Division I men’s teams can offer up to 4.5 scholarships, same limit for Division II teams. In the NAIA, each men’s team can provide up to 5 scholarships.
Once again, these numbers represent full scholarships and coaches can distribute them as partial scholarships.
5 Pro Players who are Former College Athletes
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:
Ben Shelton
University of Florida
John McEnroe
Stanford University
Danielle Collins
University of Virginia
Nicole Gibbs
Stanford University
Jimmy Connors
UCLA university
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!
A Day in Life as a Student on a Tennis Scholarship
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.
Nicolas Jubera
Jasmin Hauska
Marta Falceto Font
Joan Crespo
NEW YORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Finance
SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE
Biochemistry
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
Mathematics
LAMAR UNIVERSITY
Exercise Sports Science
Sport scholarships was the catalyst for my professional success, enabling me to secure a job in Wall Street and ultimately pursue an MBA at an Ivy League school.
Sport scholarships allowed me to play the sport I love while studying and obtaining a degree in Mathematics.
Sport scholarships helped me a lot and made it much easier and comfortable for me finding an university which fits perfectly
FAQ: About College Tennis and Tennis Scholarships
If you want to combine the sport you love with studying in the US, becoming a student-athlete is a great opportunity. As a student-athlete, you have access to college tennis coaches and staff who will help you to improve your game, on and off the court. Moreover, you get the chance to travel and compete around the country and usually compete on a higher level than you normally would be able to. Lastly, thanks to tennis scholarships you can receive help to cover the costs associated with studying and playing tennis in the US. Tennis is one of the most difficult sports for progressing to the professional level. But with the help of college tennis scholarships, you can fund your tennis career as a student-athlete.
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:
Start recording your matches, as the coaches will ask for a highlight video. To further increase your chances of getting discovered, attend tennis showcases with invited US tennis coaches. These scouting events give you the opportunity to show your skills and talent on the court, talk to coaches in person, and establish connections.
Coaches look for student-athletes who can balance sports and academics, which means you need to maintain your academic record. Keep your grades high and perform well on standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT. If you’re not from an English-speaking country, you may need to take a language test such as TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test.
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.
Ready to Become a student-athlete?
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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:
