01 · Short answer
Can you play college soccer in the US from Mexico?
To play college soccer in the US from Mexico you need your level on video, your grades from tercero de secundaria onwards with a valid bachillerato certificate, an English test, a clean amateur record and an F-1 visa, processed at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City or one of nine consulates. You do not need the SAT for NCAA eligibility. Start 12 to 18 months before you want to travel.
02 · Your school years
Your Mexican school years, in American
Mexico has 6 years of primaria, 3 of secundaria and 3 of bachillerato: 12 in total, like the US. The NCAA counts your high school years from tercero de secundaria:
3º de secundaria
= 9th grade. The NCAA asks for your grades from this year, and only the final average counts.
1º de bachillerato
= 10th grade (sophomore). From June 15 after it, Division I coaches can contact you.
2º de bachillerato
= 11th grade (junior). The key year: video, shortlist, first offers.
3º de bachillerato
= 12th grade (senior). Sign, close the paperwork, visa. Travel in August.
The calendar changes by subsistema (SEP, UNAM, CONALEP and others), and some bachilleratos finish in July. Preseason in the US starts in early August, so close your decision in the spring of your last year and check when your certificate will be issued. See the recruiting timeline →
03 · Grades
What the NCAA asks for from Mexico
Grades from tercero de secundaria (the final average) and every bachillerato semester after it.
Proof of graduation: Certificado de Bachillerato, Bachillerato Tecnológico or the Prep@net diploma.
A certified, word-for-word English translation in the same format as the original, by a qualified translator not related to you or to the university, always sent together with the Spanish original.
Your 0-10 grades are converted: for the NCAA, 9-10 is an A, 8 a B and 6-7 a C. Below 6 is an F.
No SAT, and no evaluation agencies. Since January 2023 NCAA Divisions I and II no longer use standardized test scores such as the SAT for initial eligibility. Some universities may still ask for them for admission or academic aid, so check each one. The NCAA does not accept third-party credential evaluations: send the original documents and their translations.
04 · Which certificates count
Which certificates count, and which do not
They count: the Certificado de Bachillerato, the Bachillerato Tecnológico and the Prep@net diploma. If you finished by exam (Bachillerato General por Examen), the NCAA treats it like a GED: it only works as proof of graduation, and only if you get it on or after your expected graduation date. They do not count: the Preparatoria Técnica, Carreras Cortas, the Certificado de Estudios Preparatorios or Egresado Pasante. The NCAA also does not accept subjects such as Desarrollo Humano or Lógica as core courses.
Careful if you have already started university in Mexico. For the NAIA, enrolling as a regular student and taking even one course at a university, tecnológico, politécnico or any institution that requires the bachillerato counts as terms of attendance: you would arrive as a transfer student. The NCAA also reviews your time after school. Talk to us before you enroll.
05 · Your level
Which level fits you
There is no table that turns a Mexican league into a US division. Coaches look at your video, your minutes and your position. As a reference from our evaluations: players who compete regularly in the Liga MX academies (Sub-17, Sub-19, Sub-21), in the Liga de Expansión or, for women, in the Liga MX Femenil or its Sub-19, usually have options in NCAA Division I and II. From the Liga Premier, the Tercera División or school football, the realistic routes are usually Division II, the NAIA or a junior college.
06 · Amateurism
Liga MX academies, contracts and payments
For the NCAA, receiving actual and necessary expenses from a club (meals, lodging, travel, equipment, medical insurance) is allowed. What gets reviewed closely is a professional contract, a salary or payments above your expenses. Playing in a Liga MX academy does not close the door, but tell us exactly what you have signed, whether you trained or played with the first team and whether you were ever paid. And if you plan a year between school and university, check first how it affects your NCAA five-year clock.
The golden rule: do not sign anything from a club before you ask us. A professional contract is not always the end: Yves Vaage signed one in Norway and plays NCAA Division I at Xavier today. Read his case
07 · Scholarships
What a scholarship covers
An athletic scholarship can cover part or all of tuition, housing, meals and books. Division I schools in the House settlement decide how much aid to give a roster of up to 28. Division II allows up to 9.0 for men and 9.9 for women, the NAIA up to 12, almost always split, and Division III gives no athletic scholarships. Good grades can add academic aid on top.
The useful question is not «will I get a scholarship?» but «how much will a year cost us?»
08 · The visa
The F-1 visa from Mexico
I-20
The university sends it when you accept an offer and show you can cover the costs.
SEVIS
You pay the I-901 fee online.
DS-160
The online visa application, then you book your appointment.
Embassy or consulate
Interview at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City or at the consulates in Ciudad Juárez, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Matamoros, Mérida, Monterrey, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo or Tijuana.
Two appointments, not one. Most applicants in Mexico first go to a CAS (Applicant Service Center) for fingerprints and photo, at least one day before the interview, and the DS-160 number must match your appointment. F-1 applicants are also asked to set all their social media accounts to public for the review. Check wait times on the State Department's website before you book.
09 · Checklist
Your checklist from Mexico
Tick off what you already have. It stays saved in this browser.
10 · Why GSX
Guidance in Spanish, from people who did it
Carlos Moreno, GSX founder, is from Spain and played NCAA Division II at Quincy University; the founding team guides families in Spanish and English. Lucca Barbero, from Brazil, followed the junior college route to Quincy University, one of the paths that also works for many players from Mexico.
11 · Questions
Quick answers
Which bachillerato certificates does the NCAA accept from Mexico?
The Certificado de Bachillerato, the Bachillerato Tecnológico and the Prep@net diploma. The Bachillerato General por Examen counts like a GED. The Preparatoria Técnica, Carreras Cortas and the Certificado de Estudios Preparatorios do not count.
Do I need the SAT?
Not for NCAA eligibility: Divisions I and II removed standardized test scores in January 2023. Some universities may ask for it for admission or academic scholarships.
How are my 0-10 grades converted?
For the NCAA, 9 to 10 is an A, 8 a B and 6 to 7 a C; below 6 is an F. If your certificate shows a promedio general, the NAIA converts that average directly.
Where do I do the visa interview in Mexico?
At the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City or at one of nine consulates: Ciudad Juárez, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Matamoros, Mérida, Monterrey, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo and Tijuana. Most applicants first visit a CAS for fingerprints and photo.
Can I play college soccer in the US if I am in a Liga MX academy?
Yes, in most cases, but the NCAA reviews contracts, payments and time with the first team. Tell your advisor exactly what you have signed before you talk to any university.
Who helps Mexican players who want a soccer scholarship in the US?
GSX (gsxmanagement.com) is a college soccer recruiting advisory service built by former college players, with guidance in Spanish. Its founder, Carlos Moreno, played NCAA Division II at Quincy University, and it guides men's and women's players from Mexico and other countries.