Mar 314 min read

How a scholarship works?

Updated: Apr 29

In Puerto Rico there are four options when a student who participates in sports completes his High School. The student has the option of applying to enter one of the campuses of the University of Puerto Rico, the only public one in the country where there is a wide variety of programs from Associate Degrees to Doctorates. As a second option, you have several private universities, some of which offer several campuses around the island or outside it. As option number three, the student can choose to leave the country either to the United States or anywhere in the world. Finally, you have the option of doing short courses in a short time completely aimed at the world of work.

When we talk about student-athletes in Puerto Rico we are talking about the competition system called the Interuniversity League of Puerto Rico, better known as the LAI, which offers universities and student-athletes an extensive sports program throughout the year. In the United States, students can choose to belong to the NAIA, NJCAA or the NCAA, the latter being the most recognized by the universities that participate in it.

In the United States, the vast majority of universities offer a certain amount of sports scholarships according to the regulations of the organization where athletes from all over the planet compete and join. In Puerto Rico we have limited participation of foreigners and the opportunity to also receive scholarships for sports in the vast majority of educational systems.

How did I get a scholarship at the University? Which are the requirements? What are the benefits?

Therein lies the question of the majority of student-athletes when it comes to deciding. In the United States, a large part of the universities have tables for registration and brand sports that take you from trying to participate in talent acquisitions to obtaining a large percentage of payment according to your brands and the availability of their scholarships according to the university.

Here is a list of questions that you should take into account when receiving a Sports Scholarship offer. This list is based on my personal experience as a retired athlete from the University of Puerto Rico and currently my athletes have received scholarships from several universities and have shared their experiences. Each case is different, you should speak with the counselor at your school or college where you can coordinate appointments with coaches or Athletic Departments to receive offers or simply to orient yourself and perhaps speak with the coach if there is one in the sport or event in which you aspire to participate.

QUESTIONS:

1-What happens to my financial assistance from the Athletic Department if an injury occurs during training or competitions?

2-What are the university requirements to belong to department X in the concentration that interests me? What can I do if my IGS is not enough?

3-What days do you normally train, what time and where?

4-Is program X accredited by which agencies and what is the validity of its accreditation?

5-What experience and certifications do you have as a coach in my sport? Are you currently DRD certified?

6-How many athletes from my sport and modality does the University have?

7-Do your athletes work on weightlifting on their own with assigned training, with you present or with the university weightlifting team?

8-What are the requirements to maintain my financial aid related to sports? If I have financial aid through a veterans benefit or an academic scholarship, how do I benefit from the athletic scholarship?

9-Are there any exclusive educational resources for athletes at the university? Example: Books, Tutorials, Computers, Photocopiers, Etc.?

10-What guarantees do I have that my grants will prevail in the 4 competitive years? What is the process if there is no coach available?

11-Is there any help for lodging, books or diet purposes on a regular basis or in competitions?

12-According to my national ranking and my personal bests in my main and/or secondary sport, what would be the financial aid from the university and why? If my personal record increases, I become a LAI finalist or medalist, do my benefits increase or prevail?

13-What would be the additional benefit of competing in two sports? Is there any additional partial scholarship for playing two sports? Example: Weightlifting and Athletics or Baseball and Athletics.

14-For competitions called by the coach, is there any type of official transportation?

You as an athlete, your father, mother or manager must ask all the pertinent questions and when signing the contract see how long the contract is for and that everything established by the coach or recruiter is written in it. Contracts are not made by verbal agreement, it has to be written. Normally universities make contracts for a season, so it is important that year after year you evaluate that everything is maintained as before and if there is any improvement or a number changes, establish why. In the same way as recruiting an athlete with a superior brand or skills, you must understand that your benefits will probably decrease according to your previously established contract.

It is extremely important to obtain a complete copy of the contract and also read absolutely everything before signing. I hope this guide is helpful to you, the athlete, the parent in charge, or the coach who must prepare for the questions that may arise on the recruiting trail to the institution you represent.