The Truth About D3 Scholarships
D3 schools can’t give athletic scholarships — but you likely don't have to pay full-price
You have probably heard by now that NCAA D3 schools do not offer athletic scholarships.
It is one reason many feel it is necessary to pursue other levels of college athletics, like D1 or D2, to get an athletics scholarship just to ensure school tuition is affordable.
Today, we will show why that is not the case and how the vast majority of NCAA D3 athletes do not end up paying full price on college tuition.
The Truth About D3 Scholarships
Here’s the truth about D3 scholarships (again, not tied to athletics) and how D3 athletes can pay less for school:
Academic Scholarships (Merit Aid)
D3 schools cannot offer athletic scholarship money, but they can offer athletes academic scholarships.
Most institutions will have clear standards for this form of financial aid on their websites. This is money students can get for having good grades and is often referred to as “merit aid”.
To find the standards needed for the colleges on your list, start out by searching for “School Name + Merit Aid or Academic Scholarships”. Some D3 schools, like Central College in Iowa, will even have a guide or clear table with different amounts based on your GPA.
Central College lists the scholarships available depending on your HS GPA
D3 Coach Support
D3 Coaches have the option to advocate for recruits in the admissions process by using pre-reads, but they cannot directly lobby for more financial aid.
However, if they are strongly recruiting you, you can think of them as your guide in the process and ask them questions about different options for reducing the overall tuition.
At NCAA D3 schools, over 80% of students get some form of aid, and many athletes end up paying far less than the sticker price.1 Coaches will know this and also may be aware of other options like work study, state-specific aid programs, or additional school scholarships that you should be aware of.
Here is some more information about the opportunities available at the D3 level - the largest NCAA division.
Source: NCAA Facts and Figures (2025-26)
Need-based Aid
Finally, we have Need-based aid which is contingent on filing your FAFSA and possibly CSS profile at some D3 schools.
If you haven’t gotten your results yet and would like to determine how much a school might cost, search for the school’s net price calculator, and remember - don’t be afraid to ask coaches how financial aid works at their school.
Want to learn more about FAFSA? Check out this write up we did to help athletes prepare to file the application.
In Summary
A D3 offer might not come with a “athletics scholarship” label, but the result often looks the same — thousands of dollars off of tuition.
Getting an athletics scholarship is a dream for many, but it does not automatically equal free college tuition as only 57% of D1 athletes & 62% of D2 athletes receive athletics aid.
Before you rule out D3 because it does not have athletic scholarships, get the facts. We think more times than not, athletes can get a good financial deal going D3, even if it doesn’t come with an athletic scholarship.
Thanks for reading!