Niek in action

College Soccer


You dream of continuing to play at a high level even after finishing high school. But you know that life is more than just sports.

You stand at the crossroads of your future, where you have to choose a further study that prepares you for a successful career. So what's next?

Explore the opportunity to play college soccer in America.

Combine College Soccer and academics in the USA

Here, you train every day at the best facilities in the world. You travel throughout the country to play games with the ultimate goal of becoming national champions.

At the same time, you are studying at a top university in America.

Here, you push yourself every day to eventually graduate with a degree that you can build your future upon.

Femke Pietersma at Iowa State
Men Soccer Team at Creighton University

It's more than just playing soccer and school..

This is a journey, an adventure, an unforgettable experience that will enrich your life in many ways.

You'll share unique moments with your teammates, build lifelong friendships, and meet inspiring classmates from around the world. You'll get to know new cultures, explore new places, and discover new perspectives that broaden your view of the world.

This is the ultimate opportunity to combine your passion for soccer with your studies, to gain unforgettable experiences, and to develop yourself in ways you could never have imagined.

want to play college Soccer in the USA?

Start now with a free evaluation of your opportunities.

Explore the college soccer

Facilities

To perform at your best as a college soccer player, you will be pampered and well taken care of.

You will have access to top-notch facilities, personal physiotherapists, sports meals, various sets of sports clothing, and even your laundry will be taken care of. If hockey is your passion, this is the perfect environment for you.

Some universities have budgets of hundreds of millions of dollars for their sports department. You can see this money flowing into the facilities to ensure athletes perform at their best.

If you want to feel like a professional player, America is the right place for you to continue your soccer career.

Soccer divisions

The soccer system in the U.S. is different from Europe. Especially at the college level.
In America there are different organizations that offer competitive college soccer.
The universities play under one of the following organizations:

Division 1
348
Teams
Division 2
258
Teams
Division 3
432
Teams
212
Teams
274
Teams

NCAA & NAIA

The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) and the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) govern college soccer in the U.S. for four-year institutions.

The NCAA, with its three divisions (DI, DII and DIII), offers a wide range of competitive levels and scholarship opportunities, catering to diverse athlete needs and institutional sizes.

The NAIA is an association on its own with only one division. It's comparable to the NCAA DII in terms of the size of the universities and level of play.

NJCAA

The NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) represents two-year colleges, offering student-athletes a chance to begin their collegiate sports careers.

Junior colleges can be a stepping stone to NCAA or NAIA programs, allowing athletes to develop their skills and academic credentials in a competitive environment.

The NJCAA also has three divisions that offers a range in levels and scholarships opportunities.

Why is football called soccer in America?

When the sport was introduced to America, the name "soccer" was adopted to avoid confusion with American football, which is a completely different sport.

How To Get A Soccer Scholarship?

To get a soccer scholarship, you must be a talented soccer player and excel in academics. You must also understand different college levels and their requirements and actively engage in the recruitment process.

Soccer scholarships

You may have heard of soccer scholarships, but what are they exactly?

A scholarship is a grant that covers a significant portion (or even all) of the costs associated with studying at a university.

The amount of your scholarship is determined by your hockey level and academic record (GPA and test results).

There are both soccer and academic scholarships available. The combination of both can make it financially possible to take the step to play college field hockey in America.

Soccer scholarships

Pim van Hilten

Cost of university

In America, the costs of studying (and living) are much higher than anywhere in the world. That's why scholarships are so important.

Here, you not only pay tuition fees (which are approximately 10 times higher), but you also pay the university for housing, food and beverages, insurance, and books.

The total cost of university in the USA is called cost of attendance. The average cost of attendance is around $50,000 per year.

Learn more about the costs of university in America below.

cost of University

Girl holding up a bottle with money

Can I play college soccer?

Whether you qualify to play college soccer depends on multiple factors. It's important to understand exactly what you're looking for.

As you have read, there are different levels of hockey and academic programs.

Before we begin the process, we will conduct an evaluation together to assess your possibilities. Here are the factors we consider to determine if you qualify:

A men's and women's soccer player together

Soccer level

Your soccer level is arguably the most important factor to determine whether or not you qualify for a soccer scholarship. College coaches only recruit top international players to their programs.

We can help evaluate which Division is a good fit for you.

Academic background

To be able to study in the USA, you need to maintain a GPA of at least 2.0. It's also important that you graduate with your high school degree.

In addition, you may need to take certain tests like the SAT or English proficiency tests. These results also impact your chances.

Finances

Full scholarships are rare and are only reserved for the absolute top athletes.

Based on your soccer level and academic background we can give you a good idea of what scholarship offers you can expect.

This way you're prepared before getting started.

Get a free evaluation

We can determine if you qualify for a soccer scholarship based on your athletic and academic profile.

The experience of

WES Bottenburg

Wes played in the youth team at FC Utrecht while also studying at the Johan Cruyff school. This was a challenging combination. During the recruiting process, Wes got the opportunity to play and study at the University of Tulsa.

"Life as a student-athlete at Tulsa is a dream come true for me. Here, I have the opportunity to develop myself every day in the realms of sports, academics, and personally. Traveling for exciting away games, living independently, and being part of a university family are unique experiences I could never have had in the Netherlands. In our team, filled with diverse nationalities, we are on a promising path to compete for top honors this year. Additionally, I receive excellent guidance to push myself to the fullest academically. I notice that here in America, compared to the Netherlands, I can better balance my studies and high-level football to perform optimally in both areas."

I believe that guidance in the recruitment process is essential to choose the right school. With the assistance of Plus31, I have been able to leverage the company's network in America. Without them, I would never have connected with a school like TU. Their guidance has also been instrumental in helping me navigate conversations with universities. Moreover, I would have struggled with the extensive paperwork on my own, and Plus31 has been invaluable in providing support in this aspect."

Wes Bottenburg in action at University of Oklahoma
More success stories

How can I play college soccer?

If you want to play college soccer it's essential to receive the right guidance and support.

With our years of expertise and extensive network, we lead you effectively through the college field hockey recruiting process that consists of the following steps:

Step 1

Intake & 
Evaluation

Step 2

Recruiting Profile & 
Highlight Video

Step 3

Introduction
to Coaches

Step 4

Scholarship Offers & Decision Making

Step 5

Support with Paperwork and Preparations

About

+31 sports

The name +31 Sports represents our Dutch roots (+31) and the sports in which our country excels globally.

Our goal is to guide our talents in these sports in a personal way throughout this process. You can expect a direct and personal approach from us, where we focus on what your ambitions are in this adventure.

With more than ten years of experience in soccer and hockey recruitment for America, we have built a network and expertise to ensure that our talents end up in the right place.

A picture of Lars & Christoph the founders of Plus31 Sports

The recruiting process

Navigating the journey to receiving a sports scholarship at an American University involves multiple steps that can seem overwhelming.

We're here 24/7 to guide you, ensuring you're noticed by coaches for the best scholarship opportunities, and handling all the necessary paperwork.

Discover more about navigating the recruiting process with us.

Our services

We understand everyone's journey to playing college sports in America is unique, which is why our approach is personalized.

Before starting the recruiting process, we offer a free evaluation of your opportunities to play college sports in America.

We offer different services to help our athletes. Explore our services to see how we can support your aspirations.

FActs and figures

1459
Soccer
Programs
30
Avg. Players on
roster
$17,747
Avg. Scholarship
amount

Meet our soccer athletes

Are you next?

Matthijs van Aartsen

Goalkeeper
2025

Men's Soccer

Matthijs van Aartsen

Goalkeeper
2025
Available
Committed
View Profile

Ties Ponsioen

Defender
2025

Men's Soccer

Ties Ponsioen

Defender
2025
Available
Committed
View Profile

Bas van Baardewijk

Midfielder
2025

Men's Soccer

Bas van Baardewijk

Midfielder
2025
Available
Committed
View Profile

Aidan de Jong

Goalkeeper
2025

Men's Soccer

Aidan de Jong

Goalkeeper
2025
Available
Committed
View Profile

Get in touch 👇

Do you want to know if you can play college sports in the USA?
We want to get to know you first so we can create the right recruitment plan for you.

Start with a free intake.

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