College Athletics
College athletic opportunities exist at the NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA, Club and Intramural levels
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a member-led organization dedicated to the well-being and lifelong success of college athletes. NCAA schools develop and approve legislation for their own division. College-bound students who want to compete at a Division I or Division II school must meet standards set by NCAA members. For Division III, athletes must meet the admissions standards set by the school.
Division I - 350 schools. Multiyear, cost-of-attendance athletics scholarships available. 57 percent of athletes receive athletics aid.
Division II - 310 schools. Partial athletics scholarship. 60 percent of athletes receive athletics aid.
Division III - 438 schools. No athletics scholarships. 80 percent of athletes receive non-athletics aid.
If you want to play NCAA sports at a Division I or II school, you must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small athletics programs that are dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics. Each sport has an overall limit on the amount of financial aid it can award to students who will compete in varsity contests in that sport.
The National Junior College Athletic Association mission is to promote and foster two-year college athletics.
Division I
Colleges may grant full athletic scholarships (tuition, books, fees, room & board), up to $250 in course required supplies and transportation costs one time per academic year to and from the college by direct route. Each sport has limits on the number of scholarships that can be granted.
Division II
Colleges may grant athletic scholarships, but scholarships are limited to tuition, books, fees and up to $250 in course required supplies. Each sport has limits on the number of scholarships that can be granted.
Division III
Colleges are not permitted to offer any athletic scholarships.
NJCAA schools in Colorado: Colorado Mountain College, Northwestern CC, Lamar CC, Northeaster JC, Otero JC, and Trinidad State JC.