American football, men's and women's basketball, women's tennis, women's gymnastics and women's volleyball awards must count as a full scholarship. It is likely that only students of the highest sporting standard will be considered, but in some women's sports, good 'club-level' may be sufficient. You must have recognisable achievements in your sport to be considered for an award. Check web sites of the universities you are interested in for results of matches or events to see how your ability compares. There are a number of associations of which a college or university can be a member.
Athletic standards are high and the level of competition is intense.
Only students with the very highest standard of ability tend to be recruited. There are around 350, mostly smaller colleges in the NAIA, organised by districts. Many NAIA colleges have excellent sports programmes and may offer some athletic scholarships. The level of athletic ability is still high, although the standard is not set as high as for NCAA teams. Member colleges are accredited two-year institutions.