european football
Football is the most popular sport in the world and is a dream for many students. Source: Karim Jaafar / AFP

The Qatar World Cup may be over but the love for football endures. What better way than to work in football starting with a degree funded by one of the following European football scholarships?

Call it soccer, call it football. Whichever name it holds, it is the most popular sport in the world, with over 131 million fans in just Europe alone. As such, it is little surprise that it is Europe that’s considered the best place to kickstart a football career and the home of many great European football scholarships.

With the high tuition fees and the rising cost of living in Europe, studying football here may seem unachievable for many international students. The average tuition fee for non-EU students is estimated at 6,000 euros to 45,000 euros a year for those studying in a public university.

But with European football scholarships, you don’t have to give up on your dreams just yet.

Whether you are in uni, undergraduate or postgraduate, these European football scholarships were created to encourage students studying in Europe to grow in academic excellence while exploring their passion for the sport. These scholarships subsidise the cost of tuition fees while helping students to build their careers in the most beautiful game in the world. 

Here are four European football scholarships available for those looking to turn their passion into a career: 

 

BU Sport Scholarship 

Located in England, the University of Bournemouth created the BU Sport Scholarship to fund students interested in pursuing sports while studying. This scholarship is available to all domestic and international students pursuing an undergraduate or postgraduate programme at the university.

Valued between 500 to 5,000 pounds, the scholarship helps recipients cover the cost of training, equipment, competition entry fees, and travel expenses. It is aimed at high-level athletes in sports, including football. Each applicant will be assessed by the school coach before being accepted. 

Upon receiving the scholarship, students will represent the university in their BUCS programme (League and Individual), as well as their club at the regional, national or international level.

To apply for the BU Sports Scholarship, click here

Soccer Scholarships – Maynooth University 

The National University of Ireland, Maynooth or more commonly known as Maynooth University, is ranked the #1 university in Ireland by the Times Higher Education (THE) “Young Universities” list. 

Here, several European football scholarships are offered to male and female players yearly. Recipients get coaching and guidance, as well as access to excellent sports facilities.

These scholarships were designed to reduce the tuition fees and costs of playing the sport. It is currently available to local and international students pursuing an undergraduate or postgraduate programme at the university. 

Recipients of the scholarships will be guided and trained to the highest category of the national league and compete in different competitions each year. 

Click here to apply for Maynooth University’s Soccer Scholarships. 

european football scholarships

European football scholarships help international students achieve their dreams of pursuing a career in the beautiful game. Source: STR/AFP

“Your Chance” Scholarship 

In 2015, the MSM International Soccer Academy established the “Your Chance” scholarship programme to support aspiring football players in achieving their dreams. 

These European football scholarships are provided by the MSM International Soccer Academy for students every year. It seeks highly talented football athletes with dreams of playing professionally.

Based in the Czech Republic, the academy hosts a summer camp annually for students who wish to become professional football players. Realising that not all students can afford the tuition fees and cost of living in Europe, they launched this scholarship to help them. 

All applicants must first enrol in the summer soccer camp programme. Recipients will receive tuition to study in a Czech or English course at a European university.

Stand a chance to obtain this scholarship by applying here

International Sports Scholarship Programme 

The International Sports Scholarship Programme, established by the University of Stirling, is one of the largest high-performance sports programmes in the UK. The university has supported more than 700 students and even sent athletes to the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games. 

It was designed to provide financial support to talented athletes eager to develop their skills and pursue a career in sports. The campus is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities ensuring that each student is given the opportunity to practise. 

The scholarship is open to all EU and non-EU undergraduate and postgraduate students at the university. Along with financial support, students will receive national standard training and access to the equipment needed. 

Apply for the International Sports Scholarship Programme here