The competitive world of electronic sports (eSports) got big fast. What started as a small community's casual hobby has become a massive spectator event and, for some, even a professional career. In an eSports competition, teams compete against one another in various online multiplayer games, often for an audience. Organizers arrange events that generate advertisement, sponsorship, and merchandise revenue.
Although it may seem impossible to many parents, spending all day on the computer can be good for high schoolers—it could lead to generous scholarships or even a lucrative career. This burgeoning industry is a far cry from its humble beginnings. Analysts estimate the global eSports market will reach $16.7 billion by 2033, up from $2.3 billion in 2023. This change represents a roughly 626% increase in one decade. Let’s explore the world of eSports in college and the skills and benefits you can gain from this popular pastime.
The growth of eSports in college
Despite its popularity, the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) does not govern eSports teams on college and university campuses. The NCAA shelved the topic years ago, citing concerns over the graphic nature of some competitive games, gender disparity, and debates about whether eSports could even be classified as a "sport." Beyond the absence of physical activity, there are concerns about the mental and physical health impacts of competitive gaming, such as prolonged screen time, stress, and burnout. Additionally, the diversity of game formats within eSports makes it challenging to establish consistent regulations.
As a result, other organizations—like the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE)—are leading the development of eSports in collegiate settings. NACE organizes varsity programs and competitions, enforces academic eligibility requirements, and promotes the academic success of student-athletes, ensuring they meet the necessary standards to remain eligible for competition. There’s also National Junior College Athletic Association Esports, the only nonprofit collegiate eSports organization for two-year technical and community schools.
How did eSports become so popular?
Despite all the hurdles, eSports has made it into hundreds of universities worldwide, either in the form of student clubs or varsity teams. While it seems like it became huge overnight, the success of eSports was due to a combination of luck and strategy from the gaming industry as a whole, much like online multiplayer matches are. Competitive gaming has become huge for several reasons:
- Developing legitimacy: As more major universities and well-known brands embrace eSports, it continues to gain credibility as a legitimate sport, academic pursuit, and career path.
- Video game popularity: With so many interested in this field and revenue consistently increasing over time, competitions often have a large audience and bring in a lot of attention for advertisers.
- Worldwide viewership: Platforms like YouTube and Twitch let viewers watch gameplay in real time, helping players catch the eye of recruiters and sponsors.
- Increasing accessibility: In 2023, just 12% of households in the United States didn’t have internet. The more accessible technology is, the more players pursue competitive gaming.
If current trends in the wider world continue, this new kind of college athletics will become even bigger. It’s a good idea for high school and college students to get invested now before leagues become even more exclusive.
Related: Top Questions About eSports and College, Answered
Benefits of joining an eSports team in college
Joining a competitive gaming team offers many of the benefits that traditional college athletics do and then some. If you join an eSports league in college, you can:
- Build soft skills: Playing on an eSports team will help you strengthen your teamwork, communication, and leadership skills while teaching you the value of hard work and diligence.
- Make new friends: Navigating college with a tight-knit group of friends is a lot easier— and much more fun—than going it alone. Being on a team of any kind can help you build a great network.
- Get scholarships: Depending on your skill level, you could earn awards for tuition, room and board, or stipends for playing on an eSports team.
- Start a career: If you’re good enough, you could go on to a professional career in gaming, which opens up many more opportunities.
Whether you go on to become a world-famous player or simply enjoy it as an extracurricular during your college journey, joining an eSports team is a valuable experience.
How to get recruited by college eSports teams
Although you don’t need a toned physique to play competitive online multiplayer games, joining an eSports team in college still takes a special skill set. Do you have what it takes? Let’s find out!
Required qualifications for eSports players
Unlike other college sports, there are virtually no physical limitations to competitive gaming. However, you’re more likely to be recruited if your visual acuity—your eyes’ ability to distinguish details, especially at a distance—is better. Teamwork, leadership, and communication are also essential skills to develop since you’ll be playing with several other people. You’ll need to be able to coordinate movements and attacks with your team if you want to do well in matches. Since building rapport with people can be tough, entering college with these skills already honed is essential.
Of course, you’ll also need to be specifically skilled at video games that are common in competitive gaming, including titles like Call of Duty, Fortnite, League of Legends, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Rocket League, Overwatch, or Rainbow Six Siege. Build a portfolio by recording your gameplay of these competitive multiplayer titles. Being able to show a coach or team captain a highlight reel could convince them to recruit you.
Time spent on training
How much time do you spend practicing your hand-eye coordination? What do you know about the mechanics of the games you play? Even if you’re naturally good at competitive titles, you still need to polish your knowledge and skills. Fortunately, you don’t need a tennis court or football field to train for eSports. If you have a gaming laptop, you can practice anywhere with internet access.
High-quality gaming equipment may seem unnecessary and expensive, but it can improve your movements and communication. It’s hard to play online games with a slow-running computer that isn’t optimized for gaming. Besides, a good gaming laptop can double as a powerful tool for school and your other hobbies, making it an excellent investment.
Before you begin practicing, be sure to take the proper precautions. Just like with any other sport, it’s important to prioritize your health and safety. Computer screens emit blue light, which can cause eye strain. While there’s no evidence to suggest that blue light causes permanent damage, it can come with side effects like dry eyes, headaches, and blurred vision. To protect your eyes and improve your gaming experience, try to manage your screen time effectively, use proper lighting, remember to blink frequently, and maybe even invest in blue light–protective glasses. These habits will help reduce strain and support long-term eye health.
Can you get a full ride to college by playing eSports?
While several universities offer partial eSports scholarships, some now provide full financial awards that cover tuition, room and board, and even a gaming setup. Non-full-ride scholarships typically range from $500–$10,000. Rochester Institute of Technology plans to award 20 eSports scholarships to new students starting in the fall of 2025, offering $2,000 per year. However, if you’re particularly skilled, attend a major university, or are on varsity, you could earn much more. Karlin Oei, the former varsity eSports team captain at the University of Texas at Dallas, won over $80,000 in scholarships.
Connect me with RIT! Connect me with UT Dallas!
There’s also prize money, merchandise sales, and advertising revenue to consider. Depending on the organizer, game, venue, and sponsors, college students could easily earn tens of thousands of dollars playing eSports. The typical financial split is 80% for the players and 20% for the organizers.
Related: Great College Majors and Scholarship Awards for eSports Enthusiasts
Unlike more traditional sports, eSports offers a low barrier to entry, a high opportunity ceiling, and a chance to utilize the tech savvy many high school students already have. If you’re passionate about gaming and have the skills to compete, joining a college eSports team could be a step toward an exciting future—or at least a fun experience to add to your college journey.
