Study first. Play at the next level.
StudyNPlayUSA is a free community for student-athletes in the GCC and Middle East who want to play their sport at a US college. Create your athlete profile, learn how US college recruiting works, and get seen by US college coaches.
Started by Daniella, who went to the US on a full tennis scholarship in 2015 and did every step herself.
Three steps, and you can start today
Most families in the Gulf don't know where to begin. We keep it simple.
Discover
Learn how US college sports work. There are different levels, like NCAA, NAIA and junior college (two-year colleges). On Instagram and in the community we cover what grades you need, when to start and what coaches look for.
Connect
Create your athlete profile with your sport, results, grades and video. It's free. Your profile joins our athlete community, and we share it with US college coaches who are looking for players like you.
Compete
When a coach is interested, we put them in touch with you and your family. From there it's about finding the right school for your sport, your studies and your budget.
Built for athletes and their families. Open to coaches.
Athletes and parents
Free while we build the community- Your own athlete profile, shared with US college coaches
- Clear answers about eligibility, scholarships and timing
- A community of Gulf families going through the same thing
- Straight advice from someone who has done it
US college coaches
Always free- Find motivated athletes from the GCC and Middle East
- Clear profiles with sport, results, grades and graduation year
- Tell us who you're looking for and we'll connect you with the athlete and their family
I did this on my own. You don't have to.
me, 2015 ↘In 2015 I moved to the US on a full tennis scholarship to Valdosta State University, a Division II school in Georgia. Nobody helped me get there. I filmed my own practice videos, emailed coaches one by one, and figured out the paperwork by myself.
It worked, but it took a lot of guessing. Looking back, the hardest part was never knowing what the next step was.
Today there are very few people helping athletes from the Gulf and the Middle East with this. So I started StudyNPlayUSA to share what I learned and to give families here a clear place to start.
DaniellaEvery sport has a way in
US colleges offer scholarships in many sports, not only the big ones.
Play something else? Join anyway and tell us your sport.
What parents ask us most
Yes. Right now we are building the community, so creating a profile and joining costs nothing. If we ever add paid features later, we'll tell you clearly before anything costs money.
NCAA Division I and II, NAIA and most junior colleges can offer them. Division III schools don't give athletic scholarships, but about 8 in 10 of their athletes still get other money, like academic scholarships. Most sports scholarships are partial, so it helps to look at every level, not only Division I.
Student-athletes in the GCC and the wider Middle East, usually between 14 and 18, who want to play their sport at a US college while getting a degree. And their parents, who usually make the final decision.
No, and you should be careful with anyone who does. Coaches decide who they offer. What we can do is help you understand the process, build a strong profile, and put it where coaches can see it.
No. We focus on the sports and college side. For the student visa, we'll point you to the official resources, but we don't give legal advice or file any paperwork for you.
The earlier the better. Grade 9 or 10 is a good time to start, because most recruiting happens from Grade 11. Older students can still join, but timing matters more now. Under a new NCAA rule for Division I and II, athletes who start college in fall 2027 or later get 5 seasons of play within 5 years. That clock can start the school year after they turn 19, even if they haven't started college yet. So a gap year after 19 now uses up playing time.
Coaches get a lot of messages, and it's hard for families to know which schools really fit. With StudyNPlayUSA you create one profile with your results, grades and video. We share it with US college programs that match your level, and we connect you when a coach is interested.
Create your free athlete profile
Tell us about your sport, your grades and your goals. We'll add you to the community and get back to you personally.