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The application program will be live on or after April 1, 2025.
Please return then to view the updated Eligibility and Awards for the upcoming academic year!

USPA Intercollegiate Scholarship Program
Live application window: April 1, 2025 through June 2, 2025 3:00 pm Central Time

U.S. Polo Association has established a scholarship program to assist USPA members who plan to continue their education in college programs.

The program is administered by Scholarship America®, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarships and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations, and individuals. Eligibility for individual programs is determined at the sole discretion of the sponsor and eligible applications are reviewed by Scholarship America’s evaluation team.

Applicants to the USPA Intercollegiate Scholarship Program must meet all the following criteria:

    • Be a current USPA member in good standing.
    • Be a high school senior or graduate, or current postsecondary undergraduate.
    • Be or have been an active team member of an interscholastic polo program at the time of application, competing in at least two of four years of their high school career, with priority going to players who competed in their senior year, as proven by appearing on their team’s USPA official IS Team Roster and on USPA I/I Official score sheets for that team, in an official Qualified game, in which the applicant plays, for each year.
    • Current intercollegiate players must be an active team member with an existing intercollegiate polo program, as proven by appearing on their team’s USPA official IC team roster and appear on at least one USPA I/I Official score sheet for that team, in the current academic year.

*Current intercollegiate players must also meet the interscholastic polo requirement.

  • Plan to enroll in full time undergraduate study at an accredited four year college or university with an existing intercollegiate polo program for the entire upcoming academic year.
  • Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent) and be in good standing with your college or university.

Each applicant’s membership will be pre-verified by the Sponsor before selection process.

Award Information:

If selected as a recipient, the student will receive a $4,000 award. Up to six (6) awards will be granted.

Awards may be renewed for up to three additional years or until a bachelor’s degree is earned, whichever occurs first. Renewal is contingent upon the following criteria:

  • Continue to be a current USPA member in good standing.
  • Active participant on the intercollegiate polo team. Must be an active team member of an intercollegiate polo program, as proven by appearing on their team’s USPA official IC Team Roster and appear on, at least 1 USPA I/I Official score sheet for that team, in an official Qualified game, in which the individual plays, in the current academic year.
  • Satisfactory academic performance (maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or the equivalent).

Player Eligibility: If a player does not choose to be an active member of their polo program after the scholarship has been awarded, that player forfeits their scholarship and further awarding of said scholarship. The player may re-apply in following years.

If a player is in their first semester of their first year of school and does not meet full time status, the committee will review and if the committee approves based on information provided by the student, the committee may elect to place the scholarship on hold for one semester to give the student an opportunity to fulfill the scholarship requirements. If after the allotted semester time frame is up, and the student does not meet full time status, the scholarship will be forfeited. The student may reapply, when they again meet all eligibility requirements.

Awards are for undergraduate study only.

Notification

Applicants will be notified in July. Not all applicants to the program will be selected as recipients. Students may reapply to the program each year they meet eligibility requirements.

Payment of Scholarships

Scholarship America processes scholarship payments on behalf of U.S. Polo Association. Payment is made in one installment in mid-February. Checks are made payable to the school for the student and mailed to each recipient’s home address.

Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of:

  • The applicant’s contribution to the sport including playing ability, horsemanship and sportsmanship
  • Academic record
  • Demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities
  • Character
  • Work experience
  • Statement of educational and career goals and objectives
  • A personal description of a polo experience essay
  • Two letters of recommendation: one from a fellow registered USPA member attesting to the applicant’s polo skills, horsemanship, sportsmanship, and character; the second from a community member such as a teacher or employer

Financial need is not considered.

Selection of recipients is made by Scholarship America. In no instance does any officer or employee of U.S. Polo Association play a part in the selection. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final.

As part of your application, you must upload the following documents:

  • A current, complete transcript of grades. Grade reports are not accepted. Transcripts must display:
    • Student name
    • School name
    • Grades
    • Credit hours for each course and term in which each course was taken.

NOTE: If you are providing SAT or ACT test scores, and those scores are not listed on your high school transcript, you will need to upload a copy of your test score report(s) separately. If you are uploading a college transcript, those scores are not required.

  • Two letters of recommendation from non-relatives: one from a fellow registered USPA member attesting to the applicant’s polo skills, horsemanship, sportsmanship, and character; the second from a community member such as a teacher or employer.

Your application is not complete unless all required documents are submitted electronically through the Scholarship America Student Hub.

The U.S. Polo Association has partnered with Scholarship America. Select the button below to be directed to the Scholarship America Student Hub!

Please make sure to add studentsupport@scholarshipamerica.org as well as the program email address provided below in the footer as safe senders in your email contact list.