01 · What it is
The House settlement, in one minute
House v. NCAA was a class action about athlete pay. A federal judge approved the settlement on June 6, 2025, and the new rules started on July 1, 2025. It lets Division I schools pay athletes directly and changed how scholarships and rosters are counted. It applies to the big conferences named in the case and to any other Division I school that opts in.
02 · What changed
From scholarship caps to roster limits
At Division I schools that did not opt in, the old caps of 9.9 and 14 still apply.
03 · Room is not money
More room does not mean more money
This is the part most families miss. The settlement allows more scholarships, but it does not require any school to fund them. Two teams in the same conference can have very different budgets. The only way to know is to ask.
28 spots, not 28 scholarships: each spot is now harder to get.
A team that used to carry 30 or more players now has 28 spots, and coaches want to be sure about every player they bring in.
04 · What did not change
Everything outside Division I stays the same
Division II
Up to 9.0 for men and 9.9 for women, usually split into partial awards.
Division III
No athletic scholarships. Aid is academic or need based.
NAIA
Up to 12 scholarships per team.
JUCO (NJCAA)
Division I can offer full aid, Division II tuition, fees and books, Division III none.
In all of them, athletic aid can be combined with academic aid. For many international players, that combination is what makes the numbers work.
05 · Compare offers
A 70 % offer can cost you more than a 40 % one
The mistake we see most: comparing offers by the scholarship percentage. Change the numbers and compare the final cost per year.
Offer ABest
Offer BBest
Example figures. Use the full cost each school gives you: tuition, housing, meals, insurance, fees and books.
06 · F-1 visa
If you are on an F-1 student visa
Your athletic scholarship is not affected by your visa: tuition, housing, meals and books.
Direct payments and NIL deals are different. On an F-1 visa, being paid can count as work, and work is very restricted. There is no simple rule yet. Ask the international student office before signing anything that pays you, and do not count on that money in your budget.
07 · Ask the coach
Five money questions for every coach
Tick them off as you ask. Ask for the answers in writing: a good coach will be happy to give them.
08 · Questions
Quick answers
Do Division I soccer teams now give 28 full scholarships?
They can, if the school opted into the House settlement and decides to fund it. Each school sets its own budget per sport, so the real number depends on each program. Ask the coach how many scholarships the team funds this year.
Did anything change in Division II or the NAIA?
No. The House settlement is about Division I. Division II keeps 9.0 scholarships for men and 9.9 for women, and the NAIA 12 per team.
Can I receive NIL or revenue-sharing money on an F-1 visa?
It is very limited, because being paid can count as work under F-1 rules. Your scholarship is not affected. Ask the international student office before signing any paid agreement.