Video gaming and poker were once dismissed as the pastimes of wastrels and no-goods, but the glitz of these activities is shared by well over 700 million people globally. That’s the regular sort of man and woman and not the cliched world view of people who love card games and esports. The number of esports fans alone in 2019 is 556 million, according to Newzoo, a marketing researching company.
In light of the growing popularity of the market, we have decided to explore a little-known side of these exciting past times: that they actually pave the way to higher education. We sat down and drew the most comprehensive map to esports and poker scholarships in the United States.
After studying the offer of 370+ colleges, universities, and high schools that provide varsity programs and poker education, we have put together a list of all the top venues that offer to help you along on your way to becoming a dab hand at poker, a dead shot in Overwatch, or the world’s best solo mid player in League of Legends.
What you will find in this blog:
- College Esports Scholarships in the US
- Recommended Universities with (Esports) Varsity Programs
- Esports Scholarship Investment Throughout the Years
- List of Varsity Esports Programs in North America (Updated)
- Eligibility Requirements for Esports Leagues & Scholarship
- Esports Jobs of the Future
- Esports Education for Girl Gamers?
- The Connection between Esports and Poker?
- Can You Study Poker in Higher Education?
- Not Enough Poker Scholarships? Try Magic: The Gathering
- Knowledge is Power
College Esports Scholarships in the US
Today, there are well over 300 schools, colleges and universities all across the United States that offer varsity esports programs. High school esports is also shaping up as an important supplement of this education, with experts agreeing that much like regular education, talent should be nurtured in colleges.
As the Lebanon Valley University (PA) puts it, the key to success in varsity program is to help players “stay ahead of the meta”
If you are looking for the country’s top esports schools you have come to the right place. Around 376 of institutions of higher learning in North America are now fully committed to creating exciting new opportunities for their students to storm the world of competitive video gaming, and varsity programs and scholarships are just a small part of the equation.
The number of actual esports players and school is much bigger. Tespa, an official collegiate league for Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm, Overwatch, Rocket League, and StarCraft II has a network of over 850 schools in the United States.
It’s important to note that not all of these school offer scholarships to their students. Tespa alone accounts for 30,000 collegiate esports players. Estimated 70% of all college students are playing competitive video games, whether recreationally or with the ambition of going pro.
Recommended Universities with (Esports) Varsity Programs
Have you heard of Full Sail University (FL)? Well, this private university recently opened “The Fortress,” the largest on campus esports facility in the United States to date. Other learning institutions that are taking their esports very seriously include the University of California, Irvine (CA), which started with a modest scholarship offer for League of Legend ($5,610) and Overwatch players ($2,500).
Here are some of the other universities that presently run varsity programs and are ranked as some of the best esports destinations for would-be college students:
The University of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
The University of Harrisburg (PA) is quite keen on topping off their esports potential with valuable expert hires in the face of Joe “Joemeister” Gramano who played professionally in the Overwatch League for Philadelphia Fusion and former Team SoloMid and Team Liquid League of Legends player Alex “Xpecial” Chu.
More about Harrisburg’s varsity program here.
Robert Morris University, Pennsylvania
Robert Morris University (PA) is one of the first institutions to offer young adults an opportunity to hone their esports skills and pursue professional video gaming as a career. The League of Legends team goes back to 2014 and since that time, the University has expanded its ranks of gamers to Overwatch, Dota 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO).
More about Robert Morris’ varsity program here.
Georgia State University, Georgia
Georgia State University (GA) hasn’t waited too long to join the esports fray themselves. The university has decided to go the full Monty with its varsity program, providing scholarships to talented players who are keen on competing in the staple League of Legends, but also those who are interested in titles that go slightly off the main grid, such as Smite and Brawlhalla.
More about Georgia State University’s varsity program here.
University of California, Berkeley, California
University of California, Berkeley (CA) is definitely committed to creating a place where esports athletes can find opportunities to study and continue growing in their video game of choice. The college is also one of the best places to be a female gamer, as they run a dedicated women’s gamer squad.
There is a dedicated Open Play Gaming Arena which houses the growing esports talent on campus and the team is not shying away from any League of Legends challenge.
More about California Berkeley’s varsity program here.
Becker College, Massachusetts
Next on the list we have Becker College (MA), a school that has decided to become the torch bearer in Massachusetts, offering the first state scholarships for gifted esports players. With an yearly funding of $1,000 up to $5,000, students have an opportunity to do what they love, pursuing a career in League of Legends, Smite and Paladins.
Keen on finding out more? Check Becker Colleges’ esports program here.
Bloomfield College, New Jersey
Esports are in full bloom at Bloomfield College (NJ), one of the latest signées with the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE), the insittuion has quite some way to go before it build itself into a powerhouse of competitive gaming, but the foundations have been laid.
Learn more about Bloomfield College’s esports efforts here.
Shenandoah University, Virginia
Shenandoah (VA) is the latest instituion of higher learning to join the esports fray. Make no mistake when we say that the university is going the full distance, with the team already having its own custom made logo to proudly emblazon players’ jerseys with.
Plus, Shenandoah is all about crunching some solid data as well. The university knows that the esports industry needs a new workforce, and SU is prepared to train it. Esports is an understandable first step. Jump to our “esports jobs of the future” section to get the latest stats on the industry.
Learn more about SU’s esports program and get a chance to apply here.
Cornell College, Iowa
Forget League of Legends, Cornell College (IA) is mounting a powerful offensive across the entire esports vertical, with the newly-inaugurated esports team showing interest in quite a few titles out there, including: CS: GO, Rainbow Six: Siege, Super Smash Brothers, Hearthstone, and yes, League of Legends.
Having hired professional coach Mayson Sheehan, the college is prepared to storm some of the highest summits of the esports competition.
Want to be part of Cornell College’s efforts? Make sure to check out their esports program here.
Esports Scholarship Investment Throughout the Years
Investing in esports scholarships has started timidly, but with the industry hitting an important milestone of $1 billion in 2019, and the flow of sponsorship money reaching $456.7 million over the period, more schools are eager to attract top talent and reap the benefits thereafter.
Today, North America offers the largest opportunity for college students to be part of a professional scene that is quickly developing and nurturing talented young men and women to participate. Some $32 million has been awarded in varsity scholarships since 2014.
The Updated List of Varsity Esports Programs in North America
| School | City and State | Region | League |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene Christian University | Abilene, Texas | Mid South | Tespa |
| Academy of Art University | San Francisco, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| Albright College | Reading, Pennsylvania | North East | NACE |
| Algonquin College | Ottawa, Ontario | Canada | Tespa |
| Amarillo College | Amarillo, Texas | Mid South | Tespa |
| Appalachian State University | Boone, North Carolina | Mid East | Tespa |
| Arizona State University | Tempe, Arizona | South West | Tespa |
| Ashland University | Ashland, Ohio | Great Lakes | NACE |
| Augustana College | Rock Island, Illinois | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Averett University | Danville, Virginia | Mid East | NACE |
| Ball State University | Muncie, Indiana | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Bates College | Lewiston, Maine | New England | Tespa |
| Bay State College | Boston, Massachusetts | New England | NACE |
| Baylor University | Waco, Texas | Mid South | Tespa |
| Bellevue University | Bellevue, Nebraska | Mid West | NACE |
| Berklee College | Boston, Massachusetts | New England | Tespa |
| Boise State University | Boise, Idaho | North West | NACE/Tespa |
| Boston College | Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | New England | Tespa |
| Boston University | Boston, Massachusetts | New England | Tespa |
| Bowling Green State University | Bowling Green, Ohio | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Brescia University | Owensboro, Kentucky | Mid East | NACE |
| Brigham Young University | Provo, Utah | South West | Tespa |
| Brigham Young University-Hawaii | Laie, Hawaii | West Coast | Tespa |
| British Columbia Institute of Technology | Burnaby, British Columbia | Canada | Tespa |
| Brown University | Providence, Rhode Island | New England | Tespa |
| Butler University | Indianapolis, Indiana | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| California Polytechnic State University | San Luis Obispo, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | Pomona, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| California State University-Chico | Chico, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| California State University-Fresno | Fresno, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| California State University-Fullerton | Fullerton, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| California State University-Long Beach | Long Beach, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| California State University-Los Angeles | Los Angeles, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| Campbellsville University | Campbellsville, Kentucky | Mid East | NACE |
| Carleton University | Ottawa, Ontario | Canada | Tespa |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | North East | Tespa |
| Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland, Ohio | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Cazenovia College | Cazenovia, New York | North East | NACE |
| Central Connecticut State University | New Britain, Connecticut | North East | Tespa |
| Central Methodist University | Fayette, Missouri | Mid West | NACE |
| Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant, Michigan | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Centralia College | Centralia, Washington | West Coast | NACE |
| Centre College | Danville, Kentucky | Mid East | Tespa |
| Cerritos College | Norwalk, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| Champlain College | Burlington, Vermont | New England | Tespa |
| Chapman University | Orange, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| Cincinnati Christian University | Cincinnati, Ohio | Great Lakes | NACE |
| Clemson University | Clemson, South Carolina | South East | Tespa |
| Coconino Community College | Flagstaff, Arizona | South West | Tespa |
| Cogswell Polytechnical College | San Jose, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| Coker College | Hartsville, South Carolina | South East | NACE |
| College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University | St. Joseph, Minnesota | Mid West | Tespa |
| College of St. Joseph | Rutland, Vermont | New England | NACE |
| Collin College-Spring Creek | Plano, Texas | Mid South | Tespa |
| Colorado School of Mines | Golden, Colorado | South West | Tespa |
| Colorado State University | Fort Collins, Colorado | South West | Tespa |
| Columbia Basin College | Pasco, Washington | West Coast | Tespa |
| Columbia College | Chicago, Illinois | Great Lakes | NACE |
| Columbia University | New York, New York | North East | Tespa |
| Concordia University | Montreal, Quebec | Canada | Tespa |
| Cornell University | Ithaca, New York | North East | Tespa |
| Culver-Stockton College | Canton, Missouri | Mid West | NACE |
| Cypress College | Cypress, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| Daemen College | Armherst, New York | North East | Tespa |
| Dakota State University | Madison, South Dakota | North West | Tespa |
| Dalhousie University | Halifax, Nova Scotia | Canada | Tespa |
| De Anza College | Cupertino, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| Defiance College | Defiance, Ohio | Great Lakes | NACE |
| Delaware Valley University | Doylestown, Pennsylvania | North East | NACE |
| DeSales University | Lehigh County, Pennsylvania | North East | NACE |
| Dawson College | Montreal, Quebec | Canada | Tespa |
| Dickinson State University | Dickinson, North Dakota | North West | NACE |
| DigiPen Institute of Technology | Redmond, Washington | West Coast | NACE |
| Douglas College | New Westminster, British Columbia | Canada | Tespa |
| Drexel University | Philadephia, Pennsylvania | North East | Tespa |
| Duke University | Durham, North Carolina | Mid East | Tespa |
| East Carolina University | Greenville, North Carolina | Mid East | Tespa |
| East Tennessee State University | Johnson City, Tennessee | Mid East | Tespa |
| Eastern Oregon University | La Grande, Oregon | West Coast | Tespa |
| Ecole de technologie superieure | Montreal, Quebec | Canada | Tespa |
| ECPI University | Virginia Beach, Virginia | Mid East | NACE |
| Edinboro University | Edinboro, Pennsylvania | North East | NACE |
| Elon University | Elon, North Carolina | Mid East | Tespa |
| Embry Riddle Aeronautical University | Prescott, Arizona | South East | NACE |
| Emerson College | Boston, Massachusetts | New England | Tespa |
| Emory University | Atlanta, Georgia | South East | Tespa |
| Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton, Florida | South East | Tespa |
| Florida Gulf Coast University | Fort Myers, Florida | South East | Tespa |
| Flordia International University | Miami, Florida | South East | Tespa |
| Florida Southern College | Lakeland, Florida | South East | NACE |
| Fontbonne University | St. Louis, Missouri | Mid West | NACE |
| Fort Hays State University | Hays, Kansas | Mid West | Tespa |
| Full Sail University | Winter Park, Florida | Mid East | NACE/Tespa |
| George Mason University | Fairfax, Virginia | Mid East | Tespa |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta, Georgia | South East | Tespa |
| Georgia Southern University | Statesboro, Georgia | South East | NACE |
| Georgia State University | Atlanta, Georgia | South East | NACE/Tespa |
| Grand Canyon University | Phoenix, Arizona | South West | Tespa |
| Grand View University | Des Moines, Iowa | Mid West | NACE |
| Gustavus Adolphus College | St. Peter, Minnesota | Mid West | Tespa |
| Harrisburg University of Science and Technology | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | North East | NACE |
| Hartwick College | Oneonta, New York | North East | NACE |
| Harvard University | Cambridge, Massachusetts | New England | Tespa |
| Hawkeye Community College | Waterloo, Iowa | Mid West | NACE |
| Hofstra University | Long Island, New York | North East | Tespa |
| Huntington University | Huntington, Indiana | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Husson University | Bangor, Maine | New England | Tespa |
| Illinois College | Jacksonville, Illinois | Great Lakes | NACE |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | Chicago, Illinois | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Illinois State University | Normal, Illinois | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | Bloomington, Illinois | Great Lakes | NACE |
| Indiana Institute of Technology | Fort Wayne, Indiana | Great Lakes | NACE/Tespa |
| Indiana State University | Terre Haute, Indiana | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Indiana University | Bloomington, Indiana | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis | Indianapolis, Indiana | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Iowa Central Community College | Fort Dodge, Iowa | Mid West | NACE |
| Iowa State University | Ames, Iowa | Mid West | Tespa |
| James Madison University | Harrisonburg, Virginia | Mid East | Tespa |
| Jarvis Christian College | Hawkins, Texas | Mid South | NACE |
| Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore, Maryland | North East | Tespa |
| Johnson & Wales University-Denver | Denver, Colorado | South West | Tespa |
| Johnson & Wales University-North Miami | Miami, Florida | South East | Tespa |
| Juniata College | Huntingdon, Pennsylvania | North East | NACE |
| Kansas State University | Manhattan, Kansas | Mid West | Tespa |
| Kansas Wesleyan University | Salina, Kansas | Mid West | NACE/Tespa |
| Kennesaw State University | Kennesaw, Georgia | South East | Tespa |
| Kent State University | Kent, Ohio | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| King University | Bristol, Tennessee | Mid East | NACE |
| Lackawanna College | Scranton, Pennsylvania | North East | NACE |
| Lamar University | Beaumont, Texas | Mid South | Tespa |
| Lebanon Valley College | Annville, Pennsylvania | North East | NACE |
| Lees-McRae College | Banner Elk, North Carolina | Mid East | NACE |
| Lehigh University | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | North East | Tespa |
| Lenoir-Rhyne University | Hickory, North Carolina | Mid East | Tespa |
| Lewis University | Romeoville, Illinois | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Liberty University | Lynchburg, Virginia | Mid East | Tespa |
| Limestone College | Gaffney, South Carolina | South East | NACE |
| Longwood University | Farmville, Virginia | Mid East | Tespa |
| Los Medanos College | Pittsburg, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| Louisiana State University | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Mid South | Tespa |
| Lourdes University | Sylvania, Ohio | Great Lakes | NACE |
| Marian University-Wisconsin | Fond du Lac, Wisconsin | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Marianopolis College | Westmount, Quebec | Canada | Tespa |
| Marietta College | Marietta, Ohio | Great Lakes | NACE |
| Marist College | Poughkeepsie, New York | North East | Tespa |
| Maryville University | St. Louis, Missouri | Mid West | NACE/Tespa |
| McMaster University | Hamilton, Ontario | Canada | Tespa |
| McPherson College | McPherson, Kansas | Mid West | NACE |
| Mendocino College | Ukiah, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| Menlo College | Atherton, California | West Coast | NACE |
| Miami University | Oxford, Ohio | Great Lakes | NACE/Tespa |
| Michigan State University | East Lansing, Michigan | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Midland University | Fremont, Nebraska | Mid West | NACE/Tespa |
| Mississippi State University | Starkville, Mississippi | Mid South | Tespa |
| Missouri Baptist University | St. Louis, Missouri | Mid West | NACE |
| Missouri State University | Springfield, Missouri | Mid West | Tespa |
| Missouri Valley College | Marshall, Missouri | Mid West | NACE |
| Montana State University | Bozeman, Montana | North West | Tespa |
| Morningside College | Sioux City, Iowa | Mid West | NACE |
| Mount St. Joseph University | Cincinnati, Ohio | Great Lakes | NACE |
| Murray State University | Murray, Kentucky | Mid East | Tespa |
| Neumont College of Computer Science | Salt Lake City, Utah | South West | Tespa |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology | Newark, New Jersey | North East | Tespa |
| New Mexico State University | Las Cruces, New Mexico | South East | Tespa |
| New York College of Technology | Brooklyn, New York | North East | Tespa |
| New York Institute of Technology | New York, New York | North East | Tespa |
| North Carolina State University | Raleigh, North Carolina | Mid East | Tespa |
| Northampton Community College-Bethlehem | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | North East | Tespa |
| Northeastern University | Boston, Massachusetts | New England | Tespa |
| Northern Arizona University | Flagstaff, Arizona | South West | Tespa |
| Northern Illinois University | DeKalb, Illinois | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Northern Virginia Community College | Springfield, Virginia | Mid East | NACE/Tespa |
| Northwest Christian University | Eugene, Oregon | West Coast | NACE |
| Ohio Northern University | Ada, Ohio | Great Lakes | NACE |
| Ohio State University | Columbus, Ohio | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Ohlone College | Fremont, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, Oklahoma | Mid South | Tespa |
| Old Dominion University | Norfolk, Virginia | Mid East | Tespa |
| Orange Coast College | Costa Mesa, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| Oregon Institute of Technology | Klamath Falls, Oregon | West Coast | NACE |
| Pace University | New York, New York | North East | Tespa |
| Pacific Luthern University | Tacoma, Washington | West Coast | Tespa |
| Park University | Parkville, Missouri | Mid West | NACE |
| Penn State University | State College, Pennsylvania | North East | Tespa |
| Penn State University-Harrisburg | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | North East | Tespa |
| Penn State University-Hazleton | Hazleton, Pennsylvania | North East | Tespa |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| Portland State University | Portland, Oregon | West Coast | Tespa |
| Principia College | Elsah, Illinois | Great Lakes | NACE |
| Purdue University | West Lafayette, Indiana | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Purdue University Fort Wayne | Fort Wayne, Indiana | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Queen’s University | Kingston, Ontario | Canada | Tespa |
| Quinnipiac University | Hamden, Connecticut | New England | Tespa |
| Randolph-Macon College | Ashland, Virginia | Mid East | NACE |
| Rensslaer Polytechnic Institute | Troy, New York | North East | Tespa |
| Renton Technical College | Renton, Washington | West Coast | Tespa |
| Ryerson University | Toronto, Ontario | Canada | Tespa |
| Robert Morris University | Chicago, Illinois | Great Lakes | NACE/Tespa |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Rochester, New York | North East | Tespa |
| Rowan University | Glassboro, New Jersey | North East | Tespa |
| Rutgers University | New Brunswick, New Jersey | North East | Tespa |
| Saint John Fisher College | Rochester, New York | North East | Tespa |
| Saint Louis University | St. Louis, Missouri | Mid West | Tespa |
| Sam Houston State University | Huntsville, Texas | Mid South | Tespa |
| San Diego State University | San Diego, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| San Francisco State University | San Francisco, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| San Jose State University | San Jose, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| Santa Clara University | Santa Clara, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| Savannah College of Art & Design | Savannah, Georgia | South East | Tespa |
| Schreiner University | Kerrville, Texas | Mid South | NACE/Tespa |
| Shawnee State University | Portsmouth, Ohio | Great Lakes | NACE/Tespa |
| Shenandoah University | Winchester, Virginia | Mid East | NACE |
| Simon Fraser University | Burnaby, British Columbia | Canada | Tespa |
| Siena Heights University | Adrian, Michigan | Great Lakes | NACE |
| South Dakota School of Mines and Technology | Rapid City, South Dakota | North West | Tespa |
| Southern Arkansas University | Magnolia, Arkansas | Mid South | Tespa |
| Southern Methodist University | Dallas, Texas | Mid South | Tespa |
| Southern Methodist University-Plano | Plano, Texas | Mid South | Tespa |
| Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | Edwardsville, Illinois | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| Southern New Hampshire University | Manchester, New Hampshire | New England | NACE |
| Southern Oregon University | Ashland, Oregon | West Coast | Tespa |
| Southern Regional Technical College | Thomasville, Georgia | South East | Tespa |
| Southwest Baptist University | Bolivar, Missouri | Mid West | NACE |
| Southwestern College | Chula Vista, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| Southwestern Oregon Community College | Coos Bay, Oregon | West Coast | NACE |
| St. Ambrose University | Davenport, Iowa | Mid West | NACE |
| St. Clair College | Windsor, Ontario | Canada | NACE |
| St. Louis College of Pharmacy | St. Louis, Missouri | Mid West | NACE |
| St. Thomas Aquinas College | Sparkill, New York | North East | NACE |
| St. Thomas University | Miami Gardens, Florida | South East | NACE |
| Stanford University | Stanford, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| State University of New York-Albany | Albany, New York | North East | Tespa |
| State University of New York-Canton | Canton, New York | North East | NACE |
| State University of New York-Cobleskill | Cobleskill, New York | North East | Tespa |
| State University of New York-Old Westbury | Old Westbury, New York | North East | Tespa |
| State University of New York-Oneonta | Oneonta, New York | North East | Tespa |
| State University of New York-Polytechnic Institute | Utica, New York | North East | Tespa |
| Stephens College | Columbia, Missouri | Mid West | NACE |
| Stevens Institute of Technology | Hoboken, New Jersey | North East | Tespa |
| Stevenson University | Pikesville, Maryland | North East | NACE |
| Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, New York | North East | Tespa |
| Talladega College | Talladega, Alabama | South East | NACE |
| Tarleton State University | Stephenville, Texas | Mid South | Tespa |
| Temple University | Philadephia, Pennsylvania | North East | Tespa |
| Tennessee Tech University | Cookeville, Tennessee | Mid East | Tespa |
| Texas A&M University | College Station, Texas | Mid South | Tespa |
| Texas Tech University | Lubbock, Texas | Mid South | Tespa |
| Texas Wesleyan University | Fort Worth, Texas | Mid South | NACE |
| The College of Saint Scholastica | Duluth, Minnesota | Mid West | Tespa |
| The George Washington University | Washington, D.C. | North East | Tespa |
| Trine University | Angola, Indiana | Great Lakes | NACE |
| Union County College | Cranford, New Jersey | North East | NACE |
| Universite de Moncton | Moncton, New Brunswick | Canada | Tespa |
| University of Advancing Technology | Tempe, Arizona | South West | Tespa |
| University of Alabama-Birmingham | Birmingham, Alabama | South East | Tespa |
| University of Alabama-Huntsville | Huntsville, Alabama | South East | Tespa |
| University of Alaska-Fairbanks | Fairbanks, Alaska | West Coast | Tespa |
| University of Alaska-Southeast | Juneau, Alaska | West Coast | Tespa |
| University of Antelope Valley | Lancaster, California | West Coast | NACE |
| University of Arizona | Tucson, Arizona | South West | Tespa |
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, Arkansas | Mid South | Tespa |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock | Little Rock, Arkansas | Mid South | Tespa |
| University of British Columbia | Vancouver, British Columbia | Canada | Tespa |
| University of British Columbia-Okanagan | Okanagan, British Columbia | Canada | Tespa |
| University of California-Berkeley | Berkeley, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| University of California-Davis | Davis, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| University of California-Irvine | Irvine, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| University of California-Los Angeles | Los Angeles, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| University of California-Merced | Merced, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| University of California-Riverside | Riverside, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| University of California-San Diego | San Diego, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| University of California-Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| University of California-Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| University of Central Florida | Orlando, Florida | South East | Tespa |
| University of Central Missouri | Warrensburg, Missouri | Mid West | Tespa |
| University of Central Oklahoma | Edmond, Oklahoma | Mid South | Tespa |
| University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati, Ohio | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| University of Colorado-Boulder | Boulder, Colorado | South West | Tespa |
| University of Colorado-Colorado Springs | Colorado Springs, Colorado | South West | Tespa |
| University of Connecticut | Mansfield, Connecticut | New England | Tespa |
| University of Delaware | Newark, Delaware | North East | Tespa |
| University of Denver | Denver, Colorado | South West | Tespa |
| University of Florida | Gainesville, Florida | South East | Tespa |
| University of Georgia | Athens, Georgia | South East | Tespa |
| University of Houston | Houston, Texas | Mid South | Tespa |
| University of Houston-Clear Lake | Clear Lake, Texas | Mid South | Tespa |
| University of Houston-Victoria | Victoria, Texas | Mid South | Tespa |
| University of Idaho | Moscow, Idaho | North West | Tespa |
| University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign | Urbana-Champaign, Illinois | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| University of Jamestown | Jamestown, North Dakota | North West | NACE |
| University of Kansas | Lawrence, Kansas | Mid West | Tespa |
| University of Kentucky | Lexington, Kentucky | Mid East | Tespa |
| University of Louisiana-Lafayette | Lafayette, Louisiana | Mid South | Tespa |
| University of Louisiana-Monroe | Monroe, Louisiana | Mid South | Tespa |
| University of La Verne | La Verne, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| University of Louisville | Louisville, Kentucky | Mid East | Tespa |
| University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | Belton, Texas | Mid South | Tespa |
| University of Maryland-Baltimore County | Baltimore, Maryland | North East | Tespa |
| University of Maryland | College Park, Maryland | North East | Tespa |
| University of Massachusetts Amherst | Amherst, Massachusetts | New England | Tespa |
| University of Memphis | Memphis, Tennessee | Mid East | Tespa |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| University of Minnesota-Duluth | Duluth, Minnesota | Mid West | Tespa |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Mid West | Tespa |
| University of Mississippi | Oxford, Mississippi | Mid South | Tespa |
| University of Montana | Missoula, Montana | North West | Tespa |
| University of Mount Union | Alliance, Ohio | Great Lakes | NACE |
| University of New Haven | West Haven, Connecticut | New England | Tespa |
| Unversity of Nevada-Las Vegas | Las Vegas, Nevada | South West | Tespa |
| University of Nevada-Reno | Reno, Nevada | South West | Tespa |
| University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Mid East | Tespa |
| University of North Carolina-Charlotte | Charlotte, North Carolina | Mid East | Tespa |
| University of North Carolina-Greensboro | Greensboro, North Carolina | Mid East | Tespa |
| University of North Dakota | Grand Forks, North Dakota | North West | Tespa |
| University of North Florida | Jacksonville, Florida | South East | Tespa |
| University of North Texas | Denton, Texas | Mid South | NACE/Tespa |
| University of Oklahoma | Norman, Oklahoma | Mid South | Tespa |
| University of Ontario Institute of Technology | Oshawa, Ontario | Canada | Tespa |
| University of Oregon | Eugene, Oregon | West Coast | Tespa |
| University of Pikeville | Pikeville, Kentucky | Mid East | NACE |
| University of Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | North East | Tespa |
| University of Pittsburgh-Bradford | Bradford, Pennsylvania | North East | Tespa |
| University of Providence | Great Falls, Montana | North West | NACE |
| University of Rio Grande | Rio Grande, Ohio | Great Lakes | NACE |
| University of Saint Mary | Leavenworth, Kansas | Mid West | NACE |
| University of San Diego | San Diego, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| University of South Alabama | Mobile, Alabama | South East | Tespa |
| University of South Carolina | Columbia, South Carolina | South East | Tespa |
| University of South Carolina-Sumter | Sumter, South Carolina | South East | NACE |
| University of South Carolina-Union | Union, South Carolina | South East | NACE |
| University of South Florida | Tampa, Florida | South East | Tespa |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles, California | West Coast | Tespa |
| University of the Cumberlands | Williamsburg, Kentucky | Mid East | NACE |
| University of Tennessee-Knoxville | Knoxville, Tennessee | Mid East | Tespa |
| University of Texas-Austin | Austin, Texas | Mid South | Tespa |
| University of Texas-Dallas | Dallas, Texas | Mid South | NACE/Tespa |
| University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley | Rio Grande Valley, Texas | Mid South | Tespa |
| University of Texas-San Antonio | San Antonio, Texas | Mid South | Tespa |
| University of Toronto | Toronto, Ontario | Canada | Tespa |
| University of Utah | Salt Lake City, Utah | South West | Tespa |
| University of Virginia | Charlottesville, Virginia | Mid East | Tespa |
| Unversity of Washington | Seattle, Washington | West Coast | Tespa |
| University of Waterloo | Waterloo, Ontario | Canada | Tespa |
| University of Western Ontario | London, Ontario | Canada | Tespa |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | Madison, Wisconsin | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Great Lakes | Tespa |
| University of Wyoming | Laramie, Wyoming | North West | Tespa |
| Upper Iowa University | Fayette, Iowa | Mid West | NACE |
| Utah State University | Logan, Utah | South West | Tespa |
| Utah Valley University | Orem, Utah | South West | Tespa |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond, Virginia | Mid East | Tespa |
| Virginia Tech University | Blacksburg, Virginia | Mid East | Tespa |
| Washington and Lee University | Lexington City, Virginia | Mid East | Tespa |
| Washington State University | Pullman, Washington | West Coast | Tespa |
| Weber State University | Ogden, Utah | South West | Tespa |
| West Virginia University | Morgantown, West Virginia | Mid East | Tespa |
| West Virginia Wesleyan College | Buckhannon, West Virginia | Mid East | NACE |
| Western Carolina University | Cullowhee, North Carolina | Mid East | Tespa |
| Western Kentucky University | Bowling Green, Kentucky | Mid East | NACE |
| Western Washington University | Bellingham, Washington | West Coast | Tespa |
| Wilfrid Laurier University | Waterloo, Ontario | Canada | Tespa |
| Wilmington University | New Castle, Delaware | North East | Tespa |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Worcester, Massachusetts | New England | Tespa |
| Word of Life Bible Institute | Chester, New York | North East | Tespa |
| York University | Toronto, Ontario | Canada | Tespa |
Eligibility Requirements for Esports Leagues & Scholarship
Esports competitions have a very low-entry level in terms of age, allowing talented players to quickly progress and shape themselves up playing against the best and proving themselves as adequate players.
So far as the eligibility age for actual esports scholarships goes, each university and high school is entitled to dictate their own terms. Refer to the list of varsity programs to find out in detail which schools out there offer great scholarship opportunities and what the specific terms of each sponsorship is.
Esports Jobs of the Future
You probably haven’t heard about Lyubomir “Splendour” Kozlovski, a former Heroes of the Storm Bulgarian player educated in the United Kingdom who entered the esports fray in 2015. Then a fresh graduate, Splendour managed to secure his first victory with Natus Vincere in the 2015 HWC – Europe Championship.
Two years later, he had already earned $82,000 and was out on his way to land a job with a game development company, thanks to scientific and technical school and university backgrounds. To put things in perspective, HotS is one of the lowest-paying esports titles, but the segment is highly-profitable.
Esports Education for Girl Gamers?
While female gamers still shying away from stepping into the limelight, the audience is full with girl gamers and fans. Just like men, women love to play games and if that was something unusual going back 15 years, today it’s very much the norm. You would hardly see an esports event where a discernible part of the audience isn’t female.
Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights, Ohio has become the first all-girls school to create its own esports team, promoting competitive video gaming among teenage girls. This is the first such initiative with colleges and universities being generally open to talented players regardless of their gender. Yet, less than 5% of all collegiate esports players are female, even if on a management level the stats is improving quickly.
The Connection between Esports and Poker?
For all their whimsical sides, esports players have a lot in common with actual athletes. Science has proven that an esports player can develop the pulse of the marathon runner in the most intense battles and that nutrition and good regiment are a must to a successful career.
The same is largely applicable to poker players whose pulse is quickening every time the pot grows a little more. Proper mental and physical health has an effect on how well you can perform in a game of poker, whether you play online or at the World Series of Poker (WSOP). The point of intersection between the two activities is trading card games such as Hearthstone and Magic: The Gathering.
Having a poker background has helped on at least two occasions, namely in the cases of Team Liquid’s Randy “Nanonoko” Lew and Adrian “Lifecoach” Koy who both used to play poker before switching to esports.
The opposite is also true, with poker pros such as Eugene Katchalov, Doug Polk, and Betrand Grospellier dominating both the felt and the digital world.
Can You Study Poker in Higher Education?
Knowledge and poker go hand in hand. Iconic new players as Maria Konnikova are the living proof that to succeed in poker, you need an analytical mind and an academic approach to the game. Still, most of the advice Konnikova gives, for example, has mostly to do with how much will power you have to progress from a novice to a professional. This raises the question, are there scholarships designated for poker players?
We know that poker has been used to raise funds for various educational initiatives, but not necessarily to send people to school. The Anne Arundel Community College (MD) wants to change that but approaching the subject differently.
Instead of offering scholarships for poker players, the AACC offers players to train and become casino dealers, a profession that can pay as much as $50,000 a year, the college argues. The college offers a limited number of scholarships.
More about AACC’s scholarship opportunity here.
Not Enough Poker Scholarships? Try Magic: The Gathering
Poker scholarships are indeed not as many and indeed, you would be hard-pressed to find enough institutions that use poker to teach statistics, probabilities, and other valuable skills. True, if you pursue technical sciences, you will most likely pick up the skills you need to win at a game of poker, but there is a fun way to learn the game.
Have you heard about Magic: The Gathering? Yes, the trade card game. Before you get all dismissive, you should know that there are a number of players who have made a successful transition from MTG to poker, including WSOP bracelet winner David Williams (8,769,934), John Parker ($3,780,538), and of course, Phil Ivey (26,398,145).
All of them have been avid MTG fans and made the switch to poker for one reasonably significant reason – the cash flow was better. This may be changing, because MTG recently released a TCG online, allowing players to now compete for $10 million in 2019. This far beats Hearthstone for example.
Plus, a player can be making as much as $75,000 yearly just as part of his streaming deal. True, this is not quite yet in the same area of competition as poker, but it comes close. Plus, it’s spreading like a wildfire, with more tournament opportunities cropping up. Should you become a student of MTG? The choice is entirely yours.
Knowledge is Power
Whether you play competitive poker or esports, knowledge will be your biggest ally. You can change your fortunes by understanding the game, other than developing the right composure for it. More importantly, you don’t have to go out on a limb these days, as there are many opportunities to receive a proper scholarship opportunity to pursue both your poker and esports ambitions.
