Internespo > Guide > Recruiting > Recruiting for Internationals

The recruiting process for international student-athletes is quite similar to US students. The main difference however is exposure, it is much harder for coaches to find and recruit international athletes, so the key is to take action.

Key Takeaways

• The biggest challenge for international student-athletes is to get noticed
• Research colleges and teams and connect with players and coaches
• Attend college sports camps and sign up for online recruiting services

Recruiting for International Students

It may seem like the recruiting process for international students-athletes would look a lot different to US students, but the process is actually quite similar.

The main difference however is exposure, it is much harder for coaches to find you in your home country, whereas in the US they are able to scout high school athletes from an early age at tournaments and camps. If you are an international student-athlete and want to get recruited to college teams in the U.S., you have to take action!

1) Research Colleges & Teams

Use the resources available to you online to research colleges and universities. Additionally, think if you know any friends or family that have studied in the U.S and reach out to them for advice or to learn about their experience.

Explore Internespo: You can explore internespo to find academically ranked colleges, teams from different divisions, and universities in beautiful locations.

2) Reach out & Connect

Once you have identified some desirable schools, you have to actively get yourself noticed. Start writing emails to coaches including your highlight videos and stats. Some coaches may not reply, and some may say they aren’t interested, but don’t get discouraged. Many schools are happy to recruit international talent, so keep searching!

You can also try and make connections through people you know who currently play or played on a college team in the U.S. Sometimes by reaching out to a friend on a college team and expressing your interest, they can help you get in contact with their coach.

3) College Sports Camps

International student-athletes can attend college sports camps where they can meet college coaches, receive training, and showcase their skills. These camps are often hosted by several companies at different times in your home country, or at colleges in the United States. Coaches fly in to see players they found online, or to scout new talents.

4) Recruiting Agencies

Some international student-athletes may work with recruiting agencies that help them connect with college coaches and teams. However, many of these agencies are expensive, charging up to $10,000 dollars and more for their services.

3) Online Recruiting Services

International student-athletes can use online recruiting services  to create profiles that showcase their skills and connect with college coaches. Sign up and create a profile to increase your exposure. Coaches use these platforms to seek out talent, and if you create multiple  profiles on different platforms you are more likely to get discovered.

Once you have made contact with coaches and begun to be recruited, the rest of the process will follow a very similar structure as for domestic students, where you have to meet different requirements to become a student-athlete.

4) NCAA Eligibility Center

International student-athletes who want to play in the NCAA must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center and meet eligibility requirements. See more information on NCAA Eligibility.