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What Type Of Scholarships Do Division II, III And FCS Football Players Get?

What Type Of Scholarships Do Division II, III And FCS Football Players Get?

The Football Championship Subdivision, Division II and Division III have their own identities and rules, beginning with scholarship opportunities.

Aug 21, 2024 by Kyle Kensing
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The common football fan probably knows the college game has a variety of groupings. NCAA college football features three divisions and four subdivisions, the latter quality making it unique among all sports. 

The key defining feature of each is set in scholarships, both in terms of monetary value and availability. But even within the divisions and subdivisions, there are differences based on conferences and individual university regulations. 

Below is a quick primer. 

FCS Scholarships Explained

Div. I football was split into two subdivisions in the late 1970s, originally classifying the subsections as I-A and I-AA. The latter became the Football Championship Subdivision in 2006, thusly named for its tournament-formatted postseason. 

One of the key differentiators between the subdivisions of Div. I is that FCS programs are allowed up to 63 scholarships — 22 fewer than their Bowl Subdivision counterparts. Not every conference utilizes the full 63, however. 

Ivy League: A debate settled among the Ancient Eight before they ever formally came together, Ivy League programs do not offer athletic scholarships. The Ivy is one of two FCS conferences that spurn scholarships altogether. 

Pioneer Football League: The other conference that opts out of offering athletic scholarships is the Pioneer. As a result, there's some non-conference scheduling crossover between PFL members and the Ivy League; the University of San Diego plays Princeton in 2023, for example. 

The PFL has been an attractive landing spot for programs transitioning from successful Div. III tenures, like St. Thomas and former Div. III national champion Dayton. 

Northeast: The NEC was a non-scholarship conference until the latter half of the 2000s, originally concluding each season sending its champion to face a representative from the now-defunct MAAC in the ECAC Bowl; and later, the Pioneer champion for the Gridiron Classic. By the end of the 2000s, however, the NEC authorized its members 30 scholarships and has since increased its allotment to 45. 

Patriot League: Not long ago, the Patriot League was a non-scholarship conference but began to allow scholarships after Fordham first made the move in 2010. The league now allows 60 scholarships. 

According to estimates from the Education Data Initiative, the average FCS scholarship is worth a monetary value of $20,706 per player.

Div. II Football Scholarships Explained

Like the distinction between FBS and FCS Div. I football, Div. II football differs from its counterparts with a limit of 36 full scholarships — 27 fewer than the FCS limit. However, the NCAA reports that Div. II's "partial-scholarship model" allows programs to offer athletic financial aid to more than just the 36. 

The actual rules regarding Div. II scholarships are uniform across conferences. 

NCAA Div. II football scholarships average about $6,000 in monetary value. 

Div. III Football Scholarships Explained

Div. III is non-scholarship across all sports, including football. Don't confuse that with meaning anyone can suit up, however. Div. III football is highly competitive, and an attractive option for recruits with lofty scholarly resumes who qualify for academic aid. 

When Do The 2024 D2 College Football Playoffs Start?

The D2 college football playoffs begin on November 23, 2024.

The 2024 Division II College Football Championship game will be played December 21 at the McKinney ISD Stadium in McKinney, Texas.

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