US sport scholarships: Grace's soccer scholarship

Becoming a US soccer star sounds like the stuff of dreams – and UK footballer Grace Gillard is living it. In this guide, she shares her insights on how to make a great impression with US colleges and get a place on a scholarship.

Tell us about your journey onto your scholarship

I knew I’d wanted to play football in the US from an early age. At school, I did A levels in biology, psychology, and PE. But while I was studying in the second year, I was also starting my college applications with the support of my dad, who was a professional footballer. He helped me build my portfolio, which included things like my football achievements and the teams I’d played for, and a highlights reel. This is a short video (aim to get it under three minutes!) showing some of your best moments in your sport.

I then reached out to US colleges directly to express my interest, attaching my portfolio and reel. Some of my friends applied through agencies, but although you might get lots of replies, it can be overwhelming having to respond to all of them quickly and set up loads of Zoom calls in a few days. I’d suggest having a look on colleges’ websites for the contact details of the head coach, and emailing them directly. This shows you’re proactive and have done your research.

Syracuse, based in New York state, was one of the colleges which stood out to me, so I was excited when one of the coaches there responded and flew over to the UK to watch me play. Soon afterwards, I was offered a scholarship over a Zoom call. But one thing I really appreciated was the fact that the college encouraged me to come and visit first before making a decision; they didn’t push me. So I flew over, had a whirlwind 48 hours of meeting the friendly team and coaches, and seeing the amazing facilities, and decided to accept!

What has been the best thing and the worst thing about being on a US scholarship so far?

One of the best things is the variety of people you meet. Colleges here are huge – there are probably around 40,000 people at Syracuse – and you don’t have to major in just one subject. So you get to meet lots of different people by studying different things.

Another thing I love is being a part of the soccer team here. When I arrived, I had a ready-made friend group to welcome me! We’re all different ages, but that doesn’t matter; everyone gets on. I’m with them practically every day so you’d think I’d get sick of them, but I haven’t!

It’s hard to pick the worst thing as there is so much I love. But I’d say that for soccer in particular, the season is very short – we play 21 games in eight weeks. That means we have a busy period of playing two matches a week, on Thursdays and Sundays. Having said that, within one week we could be up against two teams who are polar opposites, so I actually really enjoy the challenge!
 

If you could give one tip about applying to US scholarships, what would you say?

When it comes to applying, keep your options open. The US is massive, so take your time to do your research on colleges and their locations. Remember, even things like the weather could be completely different from one region to another!

Before you apply, use networks like Summus College to contact people who have done it already. This can help it seem less of a daunting task. And read interviews like these so you can get familiar with the process!

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