Making a “pros” and “cons” list would simply be a mistake regarding the topic. The reason is that the advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad with a scholarship simply do not compare in the same way. A scholarship that enables you to develop athletically and academically is an advantage in itself. The only disadvantage is having to leave home and study abroad.
Studying abroad is not for everyone.
This disadvantage isn't related to the scholarship itself. It all comes down to a student's attitude towards the way of life that studying and training abroad brings.
A realistic downside of scholarships is that the one you get may not cover all expenses. However, it can hardly be considered a downside as you, a future student, have successfully fulfilled all the requirements for a scholarship, be it a smaller one. There are a lot of things when applying for a scholarship that depend solely on you, as the applicant.
What does the amount of a scholarship depend on?
The amount of your scholarship depends on your previous accomplishments, commitments, progress, will, prizes and talents. The sport you play is also a factor in it, as there are higher scholarships offered for certain sports. It is not necessarily about the popularity of the sport, but the cost of education and other factors. Anyways, most scholarships do cover some or most of your living expenses as an international student in the USA.
“Do I want this badly enough?” Think carefully if this is the case.
Success Doesn't Happen Overnight
It is a popular opinion that the biggest problem for an individual in this situation is leaving home. This certainly is a downside to studying abroad as you have to come to terms with the fact that you won't see your family and friends for some time. Nostalgia is a big barrier when it comes to making a decision. Hence, we decided to deal with this problem more as it is the primary and often the only problem you will face when leaving to study abroad.
This is exactly why you need to give yourself time to think about it and not let anyone affect your final decision.
It's important that you sort out your priorities and ask yourself “Do I want this badly enough?”
If you realize you do, you will have done a lot of work already because the decision you made will be your driving force in overcoming every challenge that studying abroad poses.
Working opportunities during studies
If the scholarship doesn't cover all living expenses, there are many work opportunities to compensate for it. The USA is very suitable for students as there is a huge job market exclusively for them. Not to say that something like that doesn't exist here, but it's still significantly less present and paid. And there are few jobs here that fit the busy schedule of a student which makes it harder to work and study simultaneously. International students often opt to work on campus, coach children etc.
America being the land of opportunities is neither an overlooked fact nor a myth. There are many student jobs that don't require working full time and having many obligations, yet can really help you financially.
“It is a great opportunity to get a college education and practice sports in the best possible conditions at the same time”
-Slaviša Jokanović, 2020.
On the other hand, while we are talking about opportunities, it is a great opportunity to get a college education and practice sports in the best possible conditions at the same time. Many career paths can bring you great future achievements, and sport is definitely one of them. Along with great opportunities for academic progress, the USA offers a chance to be recognized as a future professional athlete. Even though this is a possibility here too, the USA is a better option when it comes to certain sports as coaches pay a lot of attention to collegiate league sports. An interesting fact is that the biggest percentage of NBA, NFL and MLS players came directly from collegiate leagues (NCAA and NAIA).
So, when thinking about the “pros” and “cons” of American sports scholarships, you have to keep in mind that a lot of it comes down to your own desires and your own perceptions about what presents an advantage or a disadvantage.
There are more than enough reasons for you to consider taking the opportunities scholarships can offer.
