College Esports Scholarships: The New Trend in Higher Education

Colleges with esports scholarships are the new trend in higher education. College campuses across America have started to offer esports scholarships, and some even go so far as to provide full-time housing for their players! This article explores how these colleges came about with this idea, what it means for gamers who want a college scholarship, and whether or not other schools will follow suit.

What are esports scholarships and why do they exist?

Esports scholarships are exactly what they sound like: college-sponsored scholarships for students interested in competitive video games. Colleges that currently offer esports scholarship programs include universities such as Robert Morris University, the University of Pikeville, and Boise State.

How did colleges start offering these scholarships?

What prompted these schools to get into esports? Their answer is simple: research has shown an increasing number of students are interested in competitive video games. In fact, the number of college esports players has more than tripled between 2013 to 2017!

Boise State University’s president had this to say about why they started offering scholarships for gamers: “I think it was last spring when we first noticed there were some collegiate tournaments going on and one of my fellow presidents brought it to my attention…We looked into the landscape of collegiate esports and we saw there were about 40 or 50 schools that were starting varsity programs. We thought, ‘Well, why not us?'”

These colleges noticed an opportunity to get students interested in attending their school by offering competitive games like League of Legends , Overwatch , StarCraft II , and Heroes of the Storm.

However, only a handful of colleges currently offer esports scholarships. But many schools are starting to take notice of this growing trend. Many believe that more universities will soon follow their lead; some even going so far as offering full-time housing for gamers!

The benefits of esports scholarships for gamers, schools, and colleges

Esports scholarships are a win-win for both gamers and colleges. It provides an incentive to study, offers students the opportunity to connect with other like-minded individuals in their classes, and gives them another way of demonstrating their passion for video games.

Colleges that currently offer esports scholarship programs say that one of the main benefits is seeing how the gamers handle themselves in the classroom. In Robert Morris University’s esports program, players have to maintain a GPA of at least a minimum requirement or risk losing their scholarship.

For colleges, an added benefit is seeing how students who are passionate about video games perform against other students with similar interests and skillsets on campus . It also works as a great recruiting tool for these schools.

For gamers, an esports scholarship is certainly a dream come true! It’s not uncommon to see college students working part-time jobs after class while attending school full time just to put themselves through school – it can be very stressful and difficult work/life balance . Esports scholarships offer players the chance to pursue their passion in the gaming world while attending school full-time.

Of course, there are also financial benefits for gamers who receive a college esports scholarship as well. Esports scholarships typically offer students money towards tuition and housing fees . Robert Morris University’s League of Legends scholarship covers half the cost of in-state tuition, which is around $21,000/year!

Will other schools follow suit in the future ?

Many colleges and universities are starting to catch on. In fact, the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) now offers a certification program for schools interested in offering esports scholarships! Many experts believe that more schools will soon follow suit since it’s such an effective recruiting tool as well as being helpful in attracting students who love video games .

In conclusion,

colleges are starting to realize the benefits of offering esports scholarships . These programs not only bring in students who love video games and eSports but also provide a great way for schools to recruit talented gamers.

Although these college esports scholarship opportunities are currently very limited, they’re growing more popular every year! If you have a passion for competitive gaming and are interested in attending college, you may want to look into these scholarship programs as well.