Women’s College Basketball Scholarships

There are more than 400,000 women’s high school basketball players—and only 1.2% of them will go on to compete at the NCAA Division 1 level. Even though the competition is tough, landing a scholarship to play college basketball isn’t impossible. There are plenty of competitive opportunities to earn basketball scholarships, whether you’re aiming for NCAA D1, D2, NAIA or JUCO programs. Even at the D3 level, where athletic scholarships aren’t offered, schools still have strong financial aid packages that can help cover most college expenses.

In this guide, we’ll break it all down for you, so you can feel more confident in understanding your scholarship options and making the best decisions for your future.

New NCAA Women’s Basketball Scholarship Limits

Starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, the NCAA will eliminate D1 scholarship limits if a proposed settlement is approved, enabling all sports to distribute scholarships more flexibly among athletes. This change is expected to have a significant impact on women’s basketball recruiting. More details and the latest updates here.

These changes would impact women’s basketball recruits in the following ways:  

• D1 women’s basketball programs will continue to offer 15 scholarships, with a roster limit of 15 players.
• D1 women’s basketball will transition from a headcount to an equivalency sport, enabling programs to offer a combination of partial and full scholarships.

Keep in mind, these are the maximum scholarship and roster limits the NCAA allows for each basketball program. Schools are not required to reach these maximums.

Number of women’s basketball scholarships by division level

How to get a women’s basketball scholarship 

Every coach has a specific set of criteria they look for when recruiting student-athletes. Here are the most important aspects families should keep in mind throughout their recruiting journey—and how to get a D1 basketball scholarship: 

1. Compete at the highest level possible: To accurately assess a recruit’s ability to compete in college, coaches want to see them play against high-ranked athletes from across the country. That’s why AAU is so popular among top-tier programs—it provides recruits with a chance to play national elite teams. However, this level of AAU is the most expensive as recruits are often required to travel to several tournaments.
2. Compete in the summer during live periods: Scheduling conflicts make it difficult for college coaches to watch recruits play in-person during the regular season. So, they turn to live periods. These stretches in the offseason allow coaches to hit the road and scout several players at once. Bottom line: playing in front of college coaches in the summer is essential.
3. Attend elite camps: In addition to tournaments, college coaches also evaluate recruits at elite camps. These events, which can be invitation only, attract top talent and college coaches from across the country. Student-athletes should establish relationships with college coaches before attending a camp to improve their chances of being evaluated in person.  
4. Excel academically. Grades and test scores matter to college coaches. First, for divisions that offer equivalency scholarships, academic aid can ease the burden on the coach to provide athletic aid. More importantly, it speaks to a recruit’s character. Coaches know that students who work hard in the classroom are responsible, independent and will have a smoother college transition than those who don’t. 
5. Create a highlight film. The best way to secure an in-depth and in-person evaluation is by sending coaches a highlight video and game film. A highlight video acts as a first impression—it’s a quick way to show coaches a snapshot of the student-athlete’s skill set.
6. Be proactive. Despite what families may think, coaches don’t simply discover recruits. This is especially important in basketball where student-athletes are still allowed to talk to coaches by phone when they’re the ones initiating the contact. Don’t wait: research, email and call coaches.
7. Know your best college fit. Lastly, don’t forget to visit the college roster for every team on your target list. The last thing families want to do is waste their time emailing coaches at schools that aren’t a good fit. Here are a few things student-athletes should look at: the players who are in their position (are they seniors who are graduating?), athletic stats (how do they measure up?) and backgrounds (does the coach recruit from a particular region or tournament?).

How Hard is it to get a women’s D1 basketball scholarship? 

 The odds of making a D1 team are 83:1, and 15:1 for any college team.

But don’t let those numbers scare you – your dream is still possible! Partial scholarships play a big role in D2, NAIA and JUCO programs. By combining them with academic or need-based aid, you can make college more affordable and still chase your basketball dreams.

How many scholarships are there for D1 women’s basketball?

• Division 1 women’s basketball scholarships per team: 15
• Total number of D1 women’s basketball teams: 350
• Average team size: 14.4

NCAA Division 1 scholarships are tough to get – only 1.2% of high school athletes make it to this level. Each D1 women’s basketball program can offer up to 15 scholarships. Currently, these scholarships are all full rides. But starting in the 2025-26 season, D1 women’s basketball will change to an equivalency sport. This means coaches will be able to split those 15 scholarships into a mix of full and partial awards, depending on their budget and what their players need.

How to get a D1 women’s basketball scholarship

NCAA Division 1 coaches recruit early, and we mean early—in some cases middle school. So, if a student-athlete is looking to land a scholarship at this level, they need to be on a coach’s radar before their junior year. Keep these tips in mind:

• Athletic skill. D student-athletes are the best players on their AAU and high school teams. Elite athletes rank nationally, such as making the ESPN Hoopgurlz Super 60 list. Only 1.2% of high school athletes go on to play Division 1 basketball.
• AAU. D1 coaches typically find top recruits through AAU club teams as they roster top talent and compete nationally.
• Summer tournaments and camps. Playing in tournaments over the summer is an important way of getting coach exposure. Another option is to attend an elite camp hosted by the college. Student-athletes want to make sure they’re picking camps where they fit athletically and academically to maximize their chances of being evaluated.
• Excel academically. Remember that academics do matter to college coaches. The higher a recruit’s GPA and test scores, the more doors that will open for them.
• Reach out to coaches. Student-athletes should create a highlight film, obtain game film, and create an online profile showcasing their stats and academic information. Then—and we can’t reiterate this enough—they need to contact college coaches. Send them an introductory email, follow up when relevant and place phone calls (when recruits call coaches, they’re allowed to talk over the phone if the recruit is the one initiating contact).

How many D2 women’s basketball scholarships are there?

• Maximum scholarships available per team: 10
• Total number of D2 women’s basketball teams: 306
• Average team size: 16

NCAA Division 2 coaches can award up to 10 scholarships per women’s basketball team. As an equivalency sport, coaches get a set amount of scholarship money and can spread it across as many players as they choose. To make the most of their budget, they often give partial scholarships instead of full rides.

How can D3 athletes get scholarships for women’s basketball?

• Maximum scholarships available per team: 0
• Total number of D3 women’s basketball teams: 425
• Average team size: 15.8

NCAA Division 3 basketball scholarships don’t exist—schools can’t offer athletic scholarships. However, they do leverage other types of aid the recruit might qualify for, such as academic scholarships, merit-based aid and grants, to create a competitive scholarship package. D3 is mostly made up of small private schools, so they tend to have these kinds of funds readily available. In fact, 80% of all D3 athletes receive some form of aid and student-athletes with high test scores and a strong GPA will benefit the most.

How many scholarships can NAIA schools give for women’s basketball? 

• Maximum scholarships available per team: 8
• Total number of NAIA women’s basketball teams: 229
• Average team size: 17 

Previously, the NAIA was home to two women’s basketball divisions (Division 1 and Division 2); however, these two divisions are set to combine in the 2020–21 school year. When this happens, each team can award a maximum of eight scholarships. 

Furthermore, the NAIA will continue using the equivalency model where coaches receive a pool of athletic funds and decide how to distribute scholarships among athletes. Typically, to make the most of their recruiting efforts, coaches award multiple athletes on their team with partial scholarships. That does mean, though, that some student-athletes need to supplement with other types of aid, such as academic scholarships and need-based aid. 

Junior college women’s basketball scholarships

• Maximum scholarships available per team: 15
• Total number of JUCO women’s basketball teams: 381
• Average team size: 13

There are three divisions within the NJCAA, and only Division 1 and 2 can offer athletic scholarships to basketball players. Furthermore, Division 1 is the only division that can offer a full ride. Division 2 can cover tuition, fees and books, but they can’t pay for housing. In addition to JUCO basketball scholarships, both divisions will pay for an athlete’s transportation costs to and from the college by direct route once per year.

What are the scholarship requirements for women’s college basketball? 

All potential NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 college-athletes are required to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center and submit their transcripts and SAT or ACT test scores and answer questions pertaining to their amateur status. To officially secure a roster spot and athletic scholarship, student-athletes must meet the academic requirements and be cleared by the Eligibility Center.

The requirements differ slightly between divisions, but the overall method for determining eligibility is the same: student-athletes must take 16 core courses throughout high school and maintain a minimum GPA in these core courses. Learn more about the specific Eligibility Center requirements to better understand what is needed to qualify.

What are the best colleges for women’s basketball scholarships?

In the search for a scholarship, recruits need to prioritize schools based on the best athletic fit. Think about it this way—coaches offer scholarships to players who can make an impact right away. If a recruit’s athletic ability doesn’t quite match up, the coach is less inclined to award them with athletic aid.

To help your family get started, we’ve compiled a list of the best colleges for basketball scholarships across all the division levels. Recruits interested in these programs should visit the team’s roster to determine if they’re an athletic fit and learn more about the coach’s recruiting method, such as what tournaments and regions they recruit in. Here’s a look into the best colleges within each level: 

• All basketball colleges: University of North Carolina, Stanford, UCLA, Princeton, Harvard, Yale, University of Florida, University of Michigan, University of California, University of Virginia.
• D1 women’s basketball colleges: University of North Carolina, Stanford, UCLA, Princeton, Harvard, Yale, University of Florida, University of Michigan, University of California, University of Virginia.
• D2 women’s basketball colleges: University of California—San Diego, Truman State University, Regis University, Point Loma Nazarene University, Bentley University, Grand Valley State University, St. Edward’s University, Western Washington University, Bellarmine University, California State University—Chico.
• D3 women’s basketball colleges: Johns Hopkins University, Emory University, Amherst College, University of California—Santa Cruz, Franklin & Marshall College, Carnegie Mellon University, Colorado College, Washington University in St. Louis, New York University, University of Chicago.
• NAIA: Loyola University New Orleans, Indiana Wesleyan University, Taylor University, University of St. Thomas—Texas, Concordia University—Nebraska, University of Michigan—Dearborn, Asbury University, Aquinas College—Michigan, California State University Maritime Academy, University of California—Merced.
• JUCO: Wabash Valley, Seward County, South Plains, Trinity Valley, Gulf Coast State, Tallahassee, Shelton State, Hutchinson, Florida SouthWestern State, New Mexico. 

Are there full-ride scholarships for women’s basketball? 

Yes, full-ride scholarships are available for women’s basketball, especially at the D1 level, where all scholarships have traditionally covered full costs. However, starting in the 2025-26 season, D1 women’s basketball will allow scholarships to be split into full or partial awards. This change gives coaches more flexibility, but it’s unclear if it will lead to a big shift from full to partial scholarships. Since D1 teams will still have 15 scholarships to offer, things might not change much.

NCAA D2, NAIA and JUCO scholarships are already split into full and partial amounts. Coaches at these levels often divide their scholarship money among more players, leading to more partial scholarships. These partial scholarships can be combined with other aid, like academic scholarships, to cover the full cost. JUCO teams might offer more full scholarships since they can give up to 15 per team.

Keep in mind that not all college basketball programs are fully funded to offer the maximum number of scholarships. For example, a D2 team might be allowed to give 10 scholarships but only have the budget for seven. The best way to understand your options is to talk directly with coaches. This is also true for Division 3—although they can’t offer athletic scholarships, coaches can help you find other financial aid through the admissions office.

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