College Volleyball Scholarships vs. Walk-Ons: What Every Athlete Needs to Know

Jason
Aug 22, 2025
3 min read

Curious about college volleyball scholarships, walk-on opportunities, and everything in between? Discover the real differences, financial realities, and how to choose the best path for your recruiting journey.

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The College Volleyball Scholarship Spectrum

Full Scholarships

Full-ride college volleyball scholarships are the dream, but they’re statistically rare.
Full scholarships happen mostly at the P5 and D1 levels.
Even at those programs, not every player is on a full ride. Don’t bank your entire volleyball recruiting journey on this alone.
Fewer programs at the D1 level are fully funded.

Partial Scholarships

Partial scholarships are much more common, especially at D2 volleyball schools.
Partial scholarships do NOT mean a school is less interested. Scholarship dollars are in limited quantities for most of the volleyball programs out there.
You can get a partial athletic scholarship combined with academic scholarships or other financial support.

Academic Aid & Combining Offers

Don’t overlook academic scholarships, grants, and need-based aid.
Many athletes end up with a “full package” by stacking different sources together.
Keep your grades up as sometimes academic money is the difference-maker in volleyball recruiting.

Walk-On College Volleyball Opportunities

What is a Walk-On?

A walk-on is an athlete who joins a college volleyball team without an athletic scholarship.
"But in this other sport..."
- Volleyball at the college level is different than some of the other sports when it comes to walk-ons. Phrases like "preferred" or "recruited" walk-on don't apply.
- There is no secondary tryout for volleyball. Coaches are only recruiting athletes they believe can help them win.

Why Consider Walking On Positions?

Scholarships are not guaranteed at any level.
Even P5 programs will still have walk-ons going forward.
There is always the potential to earn scholarships down the road, but if those are not discussed early on, then the chance is small.

D3, NAIA, and Junior College Volleyball Options

Division III (D3) Volleyball

D3 schools don’t offer athletic scholarships, but don’t let that scare you off.
They often have generous academic and need-based aid.
You’ll still get a serious volleyball experience and a chance to play right away.

NAIA & Junior Colleges (JUCO) Volleyball

NAIA schools can offer both athletic and academic scholarships.
- Similar to what D2 schools offer.
JUCOs are a great stepping stone for athletes. Especially if you’re looking to develop your game, boost your academics, or keep your options open for a transfer.

What Does Your Path Look Like?

Ask yourself:

What are my academic and athletic goals?
- Not everyone can play D1.
What kind of college experience do I want (big school, small school, close to home, etc.)?
What’s realistic for my family financially?
How important is playing time to me?

Bottom line: The “right fit” isn’t about the biggest scholarship or the flashiest program, it’s about finding a place where you’ll thrive on and off the court.

Final Thoughts

Everyone would LOVE a full-ride scholarship, but that's not going to be everyone's situation. Full scholarships, partial scholarships, walk-on opportunities, academic aid, and alternative pathways all have their place. The key is understanding your options and finding the fit that works for you.