Scholarships for video gamers offered by colleges?

I've heard that some colleges offer scholarships for video gamers, which sounds pretty cool. Does anyone have information on which schools provide these scholarships and what games or skills they focus on?

Sure! Esports, or video gaming, has been rapidly growing over the last several years and has indeed moved into the collegiate arena. Many schools are starting to recognize esports as an extracurricular activity and even provide scholarships for talented gamers. There are universities with fully supported esports programs that often offer scholarships as part of recruitment.

To give a few examples, Robert Morris University in Illinois was the first college to offer scholarships specific to esports. They offer scholarships covering up to 50% of tuition and 50% of room and board. University of California, Irvine offers a "UCI Esports Scholarship" where students in the program can receive up to $6,000 towards their academic career for their involvement and success in esports.

Another example is Harrisburg University, where they offer full-ride scholarships (covering tuition, room, and board) for their esports team members. The university competes in games like 'League of Legends', 'Overwatch', and 'Hearthstone.'

In terms of skills, besides being exceptionally talented in your game, you would likely need to be able to work in a team environment, have a competitive nature, and potentially be open to coaching to improve your skills.

I would suggest starting by researching schools that you are interested in to see what, if any, esports programs or scholarships they offer. You might also check out the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE), which is a nonprofit membership association for varsity esports programs and helps to provide structure and resources for colleges starting an esports program. As of 2024, NACE has over 170 member schools and recognizes more than a dozen esports games. Best of luck!