Even though cheerleading scholarship opportunities vary from program to program, they’re still possible to obtain. Generally, the more competitive and established the cheerleading program is, the more funding they have for student-athletes. This section breaks down all the important aspects of cheerleading scholarships, from how to get one to which cheerleading colleges offer them.
While each cheerleading coach has their own set of criteria they look for when recruiting student-athletes, they prioritize scholarships based on a variety of factors. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when it comes to landing a college cheerleading scholarship:
Cheerleading coaches typically use recruiting video and in-person tryouts to evaluate a cheerleading recruit’s full ability, from jumps to stunts to tumbling. While each program comes with its own desired qualifications, many coaches generally look for baseline requirements within each position, including flyers, tumblers, stunters and dancers. The level of cheer stunts needed completely depends on the program. Non-competitive teams will look for basic cheer skills, while top programs in the country want to evaluate advanced skills. Here are some examples:
Tumbling
Coaches look for recruits who can perform both running and standing tumbling skills.
Elite teams may require a standing back tuck, or even standing full twisting layouts. Running tumbling skills at top programs may include specialty passes, such as an Arabian and whips.
Jumps
Coaches evaluate jump height, flexibility, and landing with feet together in complex jump combinations.
Some teams may ask to see a toe touch, tuck, pike, right or left hurdler, and herkie.
Stunts
Being able to stunt with multiple partners is a must and most college cheerleaders should be able to perform a two-part stunt combination. Coaches also look at tosses, common game day stunts their school performs and pyramids.
Basic cheer stunts include extensions, liberties, walk-in stunts and toss stunts. Highly competitive teams might require full up stunts, rewinds and handspring up stunts.
Dance
Some schools also look for dancers who can perform a tumbling pass in addition to common skills.
Common skills needed at top colleges include quadruple pirouette, aerial (preferably both sides), advanced turns, and advanced jumps.
Cheers
Coaches evaluate a recruit’s cheer performance, from voice projection to proper motion technique.
Every school will ask to see the recruit perform their cheer and fight song.
This answer really depends on how competitive the cheerleading program is. Cheer coaches at colleges that place at the NCA or UCA championships are extremely selective in their recruiting. They look for cheerleaders who align with or out-perform the current talent on the team and add consistency to their program. From an athletic perspective, they want recruits to master the fundamentals while being able to develop their elite skillset enough to perform well at competition.
Most importantly, though, a coach’s specific needs could change from year to year. Some squads bring on recruits who specialize in a position, while others are more versatile, such as being a flyer and tumbler. The best way to determine what a coach might be looking for is to visit the team’s college roster and study the athletes’ backgrounds and positions. This should give you some indication of what skills are needed and which positions will be graduating.
Additionally, like every sport, cheerleading coaches want to bring on positive team members who can boost up the squad, be in good academic standing, and responsibly manage their time and college responsibilities. They closely evaluate a recruit’s character, academic background, and leadership skills in addition to their athletic ability.
Once a recruit identifies colleges that are an overall good fit, both athletically and academically, they need to create a recruiting video and send it to cheer coaches. In fact, in order to try out for a college cheerleading team, many coaches require that athletes submit a video first. Typically, the college will lay out the video’s requirements online in their tryout application. These videos and college cheer tryouts are the most common ways college coaches evaluate recruits.
In short, it really depends on the school and the intensity of the program. Some highly-competitive colleges have tumbling requirements that take years of experience to achieve, while non-competitive teams or spirit squads may only require basic fundamentals that you can learn on your own. Usually, gymnasts with no cheerleading experience have the easiest transition as they already have a good foundation of tumbling skills. Student-athletes with no experience, though, should research programs with teams that are split into JV and Varsity, because they’ll have a better opportunity to train and grow at the college level. They may also have a chance of making the squad at schools that don’t compete and only cheer on game day.
If a recruit is interested in becoming a college cheerleader, it’s recommended that they visit an All-Star or gymnastics gym in their area to learn cheerleading fundamentals, such as correct body positioning and tumbling skills, strengthen their core, and improve their flexibility. Sometimes these gyms need alternates on their squads, so it’s also an opportunity to work up to performing. Keep in mind that if you work hard, you have a shot. The majority of cheer coaches discover recruits by evaluating their recruiting video, scouting them at clinics, and seeing how they perform in tryouts. Cheerleaders with no experience can still capture the coach’s attention this way.
A flyer, also known as a top girl, is a crucial part of cheerleading programs as stunts and pyramids bring in the most points during the competition. While there’s a variety of skills flyers perform, coaches look for consistency, proper technique, and overall confidence in each. All flyers need to have body control, balance, flexibility, and strength.
In elite programs, flyers must be able to pull three different body positions, a full down from extended one-legged stunts, and a double down from prep level. In most programs, coaches evaluate flexibility by looking at the recruit’s heel stretch, bow and arrow, and scorpion. One of the most important skills for a flyer is being able to maintain proper lines, meaning the flyer has a strong core and uses her hips to pull up through her belly button so that her center of gravity is fully supported.
If a recruit wants to become a college cheer flyer, they can start by learning at a nearby club, such as an All-Star gym or Pop Warner team. Here, cheerleading is broken down into different levels, starting with the basics. For example, recruits can perfect basic stunting, such as a cupie, a prep level one leg, and tick-tocks. And as they become more advanced, they can incorporate more skills like a double-down from two legs and a double-twisting toss. Elite programs turn to the highest level of skills, such as a single-based cupie, tuck tosses, and a full twist toss.
College coaches often find recruits through these club gyms, especially All-Star teams, and also by receiving a recruiting video from the athlete before tryouts. If a recruit is interested in being a college flyer, they need to visit the college’s website to review the skill requirements needed and better understand the tryout process. Some tryouts require a video first, while others are open to all student-athletes. Either way, it’s important for recruits to proactively email cheerleading coaches at the schools they’re interested in. Showing personal interest in the program and highlighting cheer skills is the best way to establish a relationship with coaches.
All coaches evaluate cheer tumbling skills when prioritizing their list of recruits, both running and standing. But because cheer programs vary, there isn’t one set of tumbling requirements across the board. Even in the same division level, like junior college or NCAA Division 1, you can have one program looking for elite skills and another accepting basic tumbling.
In fact, if you visit the college’s athletic website, you might even be able to find the list of specific requirements needed. For example, the University of Tennessee is a top competitive cheerleading program, and their tumbling requirements include standing back tuck, standing backhand spring back tuck, and a tumbling pass including three skills or more. Plus, a running pass with a full rotation is highly recommended.
Of course, not all programs require this level of skill. While elite programs look for specialty passes and twisted tumbling skills, many programs stick to fundamentals, like back handsprings, front tucks, and round-off back tucks. The best way to understand the recruiting guidelines for the schools you’re interested in is to visit the team’s website and see if requirements are listed and then watch their competition video. Evaluate their routine, noting the different tumbling skills and experiences of each cheerleader on the roster. Then, decide if your skillset aligns and if you’d meet that coach’s tumbling recruiting guidelines.
The thing about colleges in the US is that training sessions fit around the student-athlete’s schedule. This creates the perfect environment for students to excel in their sport with world-class facilities and equipment. In addition, it encourages and pushes them to excel academically. These programs are designed so that students can succeed in both, providing they have the right mentality and drive to do so. Does this sound like something you would like to be a part of? If so, contact us today!
In short, yes, cheer is a sport. However, it isn’t sanctioned by the NCAA, meaning there aren’t official recruiting regulations in place. That also means there’s less funding available for coaches at these programs, so you often won’t find full-ride scholarships for college cheerleading.
But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get a college cheerleading scholarship. Many colleges provide scholarships worth $500 and $1,000 per year to compensate cheerleaders for their participation on the team. And as the sport has evolved over the last several years, more cheerleading scholarships are becoming available at top programs in the country. Usually the most competitive and recognized programs—those who place well at NCA or UCA championships—have the most funding.
But there’s no standard amount of aid across schools—the scholarship amount an athlete can receive at each college ranges from program to program. For example, the University of Hawaii is known for handing out full-ride scholarships to their athletes, while some schools provide stipends, scholarships based on GPA, or a flat-rate amount, like $2,000 per academic year.
As recruits research the colleges they’re interested in, they should look into that program’s history to see if cheerleaders can receive athletic aid. Also, keep in mind that college cheerleaders often supplement any athletic aid they receive with other scholarships. For example, colleges may award academic scholarships and need-based aid to college athletes, creating competitive financial aid packages.
Having a high enough GPA or SAT/ACT score is the passport to obtaining an Cheerleading scholarship. Achievements on the mat will count for nothing if you do not have the right academic grades. ASM Scholarships team has the ability and the experience to steer you through the qualification process. It is an integral element of our approach to carefully evaluate and fulfill your personal potential by tailoring a college program to improve your grades if necessary.
Full-ride scholarships are not common in college cheerleading. Because cheerleading isn’t a sanctioned sport, coaches in these programs don’t receive the same funding as other sports. Plus, because the average team size is so large, it’s very difficult for coaches to provide full-ride scholarships.
However, highly-competitive programs often have some funding available to award the top cheerleaders on their squads. One of the well-known programs in the country that does offer full-ride scholarships—both in state and out of state—is the University of Hawaii. They provide 12 to 14 full-ride scholarships per academic year. Generally, male cheerleaders have a better shot at landing a full-ride scholarship because some programs will designate a scholarship for male athletes on their team, and there tend to be fewer males than female cheerleaders on each squad.
But even though most programs don’t award full scholarships, several have small cheerleading scholarship budgets available that can bring down college tuition and cover costs like uniforms, dorm, and book expenses. For example, at the University of Delaware, cheerleaders can earn up to $7,500 per academic year; the University of Kentucky awards a $2,500 scholarship to the cheerleader with the highest GPA each year; and the University of Central Florida has a handful of scholarships available for athletes, ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 per year. Plus, many schools cover travel and expenses to away games.
When recruits add these scholarships with those they will receive from the school, such as need-based aid or academic scholarships, they can significantly bring down their total college cost.
Cheer scholarships often work like this: the more competitive the program, the more scholarship funding coaches have available. Therefore, receiving a Division 1 cheerleading scholarship is extremely competitive. Coaches often prioritize their scholarships to the cheerleaders on the team who have the most advanced skills. Some schools score cheerleaders during tryouts and then award the highest three scorers a scholarship.
To get a Division 1 cheerleading scholarship, you need to be able to make an impact on the squad right away, no matter the position. These coaches look for cheerleaders with elite tumbling, stunting, dance and jump skills. Plus, they highly take into consideration a recruit’s GPA. In fact, some college cheerleading scholarships are awarded solely based on an athlete’s GPA. Being able to compete at a high level, coupled with a solid academic background, will improve your chances of receiving a Division 1 scholarship.
Lastly, male cheerleaders on co-ed squads are more likely to earn to a scholarship simply because colleges typically designate some scholarship money for male cheerleaders and there are fewer on the squad, so less competition overall.
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