THE HOME OF
THE EAGLES
The Gulf United Scholarship division is a UAE-based consultancy and is the only full time football scholarship provider in the uae.
With over 15 years of experience in college sports, we help talented student-athletes across Asia and Africa receive athletic and academic scholarships to universities in America and Canada. Our goal is not simply to find our athletes any scholarship, but instead to use our fully comprehensive and tailored program to find the right university for each client's needs, based on a number of factors. The right university gives our players the best chance to achieve long-lasting success on the field and academically.
SCHOLARSHIPS
SCHOLARSHIPS explained
Why choose the scholarship route?
A scholarship is much more than just a dollar amount awarded to international students who wish to study in the US. The right scholarship is a stepping stone for your development and future success throughout your career.
Types of scholarships...
One of the most common questions asked is how can I get a full scholarship? the reality is, it is very difficult to achieve a full scholarship in your first year. This is not necessarily because you are not at the level to merit such a large investment from the coach, it is usually because you are unproven at the collegiate level and need to show that you are an integral part of the team first. To better understand, below are the different types of scholarships you can receive.
Academic scholarships
Universities can award academic scholarships to students that excel in high school and achieve the required SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) score, and GPA (Grade Point Average) to be eligible. These scholarships range in dollar amount depending on the institute and are offered on a year-to-year basis. As a result, the coach can ‘stack scholarships’ by combining academic and athletic funding offering an overall bigger scholarship to the student-athlete.
Athletic scholarships
Each university has a certain number of athletic scholarships to award per team, depending on the division it competes in. For example, NCAA Division 2 soccer programs have a limit of 9.9 full scholarships to use. This means the coach has only 9.9 scholarships to work with, to build a squad of 25-30 players, which makes recruitment a challenging task. Only players of exceptional ability or those who have been recruited from the highest level of academy football tend to receive full scholarships.
An incentive-based scholarship (also known as a partial scholarship), is when the coach will offer to cover a large percentage of the total cost of the university, which leaves the players family to pay the remaining balance. This is the most common type of scholarship awarded.
Institutional scholarships
Institutional scholarships are those offered directly through the university and are provided by donors or departments that have distributed the funds. This could range from major (Degree-choice) course-related scholarships, minority scholarships, religious scholarships, tuition waivers, and needs-based.
BENEFITS OF PLAYING COLLEGE SOCCER
elite facilities
The United States is well renowned for its prestigious collegiate sports programs from basketball powerhouse teams like Duke, North Carolina, and Gonzaga, to American football programs like Ohio state buckeyes, Oregon State and Texas university. However, even student-athletes who have no intentions of going pro enjoy playing college sports due to the tremendous benefits that come with being a student-athlete.
SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING
No country in the world can offer the level of scholarship funding that universities in the US can. There are over 2000 universities and colleges offering sports scholarships, meaning players who are good enough can receive a full scholarship. With the cost of education rising, a sports scholarship can be your window of opportunity for a top-class education, and access to the very best sporting and academic facilities.
LEVEL OF COMPETITION
In the US, professional athletes must go through college for at least 1 year before moving into the pro ranks. By playing college sports in the US, it is very likely that you will be competing with and against future professional athletes, or you could be one yourself! You will be entering an environment very close to what a professional setup would be. The intensity of training and games, the attention to detail in preparation and the standards demanded by the coach will help you become the best version of yourself as an athlete and a student.
OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL
The United States is a very big country, traveling between states is sometimes the equivalent of travelling to different countries in the Gulf, Asia, or Africa. During the season it is very common to travel to multiple states to play against different universities, which will allow you to see more of what America has to offer. What better way to travel than with your teammates whom you will spend most of your college life with.
PREPARATION FOR YOUR CAREER
Statistically, student-athletes have higher graduation rates as they develop the necessary skills through playing college sports such as teamwork, accountability, leadership, and time management.
COACH ANDY
BSc sports management
Southern Nazarene University 05-10
Masters in sports management
Southwestern Oklahoma State University 12-14
4 x Conference Championships
3 x Regional Championships
4 x National Tournament Appearances
NAIA Final Four appearance
2 x First Team All-Conference
2 x All-Region Team select
2 x All-American honours
2 years playing Professional Indoor Soccer in the MASL (Major Arena Soccer League) for Sacramento Surge FC
EMAIL: ANDY@GULFUNITEDFC.COM
OUR TEAM
Our Scholarship Team are in contact with 100s of University Coaches in USA & Canada, in NCAA Divison 1, 2, 3, NAIA, Junior Colleges and CCAA
COACH JACK
BA communications studies
West Alabama University 16-18
Furman university 18-20
4x Conference Champion
2x NCAA Tournament Appearance
4x First Team All-Conference
1x First Team All-Region
Gulf South Conference Team of the Decade
Current Captain of Gulf United FC First Team
(UAE Division 1)
EMAIL: JACK@GULFUNITEDFC.COM
THE PROCESS
01
ASSESSMENT
The first step is to get a full assessment. GUFC will evaluate your current athletic ability and review your academic records to determine your suitability. Upon review, we will consult you on your best options and areas you need to work on to achieve the best outcome.
02
PREPARATION
If we believe you are eligible for a sports scholarship, we will start the preparation process right away by building your profile. This will also include assistance with the SAT registration, transcript preparation, and grade translation. Athletically, we will assist you with registering with the NCAA and/or NAIA clearing house and the most important tool, compiling and editing your video highlight footage. We will guide you through each step to ensure you are eligible and marketable to coaches saving you and your parents time to focus on day-to-day tasks.
03
PROMOTION
After taking note of your athletic and academic criteria, we will then release promotional material to the coaches whom we believe will be interested in what you can bring to their team. We will handle all coach communication and negotiation of scholarship offers to put the best options on the table. Throughout this stage, there will be frequent communication and updates on coach interest and official offers. We will advise you on the pros and cons of each offer you receive.
04
APPLICATION
Once you have verbally committed to your chosen college, we will help ensure all the correct paperwork is completed for your application to the college and your US/Canada visa. You will have peace of mind knowing that your application will be submitted correctly and on time with our help and the assistance of the university’s international student advisor.
05
FLYING OUT
The last stage is booking your flight and ensuring you have all the necessary documentation to enter the US. We will check in with you and the coach to make sure you have arrived safely and follow up in the initial weeks to ensure you are settling in well.
We know this can be overwhelming, but GUFC will help you through the entire process taking you on a stress-free journey to securing your scholarship and starting your new life as a collegiate athlete!
Naser Sayed: University of Charleston, WV
“Focus on what you want and have confidence in your ability. If you don’t believe in yourself, nobody will, and when you’re away from home, persevering is the most important thing. You will go through challenges on and off the field, but it has made me a better player and more independent”
Micah Gun- University of North Florida, FL
“Working with Gulf was amazing. I tried to look for scholarships on my own, and after almost a year I gave up. My last shot was working with GUFC, and after a week I had almost a full ride from a division 1 school which I had been emailing all year and getting no response! I guess it shows what a reputation and network the guys at GUFC have. A recommendation from them can go a long way.”
Reuben Hendricks (Father of Joshua Hendricks)
“The support that Gulf United have shown my son Joshua has been amazing. Not only in the process of finding him a university and a scholarship, but also checking up on him, giving him advice, and helping him deal with the challenges that a young athlete faces. In our house, we say that we are happy to be a part of the Gulf United family, and I say family not to sound cliche, but because that’s how my son and I have been treated by the guys at Gulf. I would highly recommend this program to anyone considering it.”
Mohamed Hani: St. Marys University, Texas
“Explore all your options. It's important to consider what you want out of your experience in the US. I was mostly focused on football and good climate, which is how I ended up here in St. Marys University in Texas! Big thanks to Gulf United who helped me further my education whilst continuing to play football at a high level.”