International Recruits

Key differences for international recruits include:

• College Research: Research whether the coach has international players on the roster

• Coach Communication: Make sure to ask whether the coach recruits internationally

• Eligibility: Separate and more cumbersome NCAA eligibility process for international recruits

• Testing: Plan to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or an equivalent test

• Admissions: I-20 form after admission and the need for a student visa

• Tournaments & College Visits: Consider a "US swing" to play in US tournaments and visit colleges

The road to college golf can often be long and complicated. This only intensifies for prospective recruits from outside the United States. There are more regulatory hoops to jump through, it can be harder to get noticed by college coaches, and of course traveling to the US for tournaments or college visits is expensive. Nevertheless, the opportunity to play college golf is worth it, and many college golf programs field teams with international players!

Here at The Hub we want to be a resource for all college-bound golfers. The good news is that a large proportion of the advice we've given in our recruiting manual applies to international recruits. For example, our articles on coach communication, college visits, scholarships, college research, evaluating your offer, and more apply to all recruits irrespective of nationality. There are, however, a few tweaks to the standard process that are important for international recruits. Here is our list, organized by category:

College Research: When researching programs, take a close look at the roster to see whether the coach recruits international players, and if so, from where. Seeing international players on the team can be a good sign that the coach is receptive and open to recruiting from outside the U.S.

Coach Communication: Consider tweaking your initial outreach to the coach in a few ways. First, feel free to ask whether the coach recruits international players. If so, see if they ever make a recruiting trip to your home country. Next, make sure to explain the caliber of events you are playing in your home country. Coaches recognize the AJGA in the US, for example, as the premier junior golf tour but may not recognize your specific tour or the caliber of play. Lastly, carefully coordinate your calendar if you are making a U.S. trip. Let the coach know where you'll be, or better yet, where they'd like you to be to get noticed.

Eligibility: The NCAA eligibility process is different for international student-athletes and more cumbersome. Depending on which schools you're targeting, you may need to register with more than one eligibility center — NCAA D-I, NCAA D-II, and NAIA each maintain their own, each with its own small registration fee — so it's worth checking early which one(s) apply to your target schools. Coaches who recruit internationally regularly recommend registering as early as age 15. For NCAA-bound recruits specifically, before you enroll at a school you'll have to go through the following eligibility checklist:

1. Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center, pay the registration fee, and complete the NCAA application for international students.
2. Submit all original secondary school transcripts (with English translation) directly from your educational institution to the NCAA Eligibility Center.
3. Submit "Proof of Graduation" showing you completed upper-level or secondary schooling.
4. Submit ACT/SAT scores directly from the testing agency to the NCAA and Admissions Office (use code 9999 to ensure scores are automatically submitted to the NCAA). 
5. Submit TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores directly from the testing agency to the Admissions Office.

Note with regard to all the steps above: the NCAA (in characteristic fashion) is very specific about what needs to happen, by whom, and when. There are even guidelines and requirements that differ and vary on a country-by-country basis. Please visit the NCAA Eligibility Center for key details on the international eligibility process and follow it closely.

International Recruiting Timeline: To help you plan ahead, here's a general checkpoint-by-checkpoint timeline for the international recruiting process, based on guidance from college coaches who regularly recruit internationally. Keep in mind individual school and NCAA/NAIA deadlines can vary, so use this as a planning guide rather than a hard rulebook.

A couple of practical notes on this timeline:

• Registering with an Eligibility Center as early as age 15 gives you a head start, but note that NCAA D-I, D-II, and NAIA each have their own separate eligibility centers and fees — check which one(s) apply to your target schools, since some students end up registering with more than one.

• Building your testing and transcript "packet" early — and updating it consistently — makes it much easier to respond quickly when a coach asks for documentation, which can happen faster than you'd expect.

College Admissions: The college admissions process differs for international students in a few key ways, most notably the need to obtain an I-20 form after acceptance and a student visa. Here are a few key steps for international recruits as it relates to admissions:

• Review the admissions requirements at the universities of your choice. Colleges that admit international students have separate pages on their website that give key eligibility parameters. Look through this material carefully and understand the key parameters for your favorite schools.

• Apply to the college or university of your choice.

• Complete proof of financial responsibility.

• If accepted to the school:

  • Obtain an I-20 form. Take the I-20 to your home country's embassy to obtain a student visa (schedule the appointment well in advance — visa appointment wait times have grown longer in recent years in many countries).

  • Complete the International Student Packet from the Compliance Office upon arrival.

Testing: Standardized tests are a fact of life for entering most four-year colleges in the United States. Alongside the core standardized tests like the SAT or ACT, international students should also plan on taking the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or an equivalent test. We recommend you do some research to determine whether the SAT or ACT may be right for you, and consider taking a practice exam to see which one you score better on. The good news is that both the SAT and ACT have an extensive international network of testing centers.

The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is designed to measure the English language ability of non-native speakers wanting to enroll in English-speaking universities. The test consists of four sections that measure English language ability across speaking, listening, reading, and writing. It can be retaken as many times as you'd like if you wish to improve your score. Scoring expectations (0–120) will vary from school to school, so be sure to check with the admissions departments of your favorite college. Learn more about TOEFL at: http://www.ets.org/toefl

Tournaments & College Visits: If you plan to come to the U.S. for college, we recommend you make a US "swing" that includes both campus visits to your favorite schools as well as playing in a few competitive junior tournaments. Coordinate carefully with the coach on both fronts. Also consider that, due to limited recruiting budgets, many coaches may only attend junior tournaments that are either in the home state of the university or nearby, so factor that into your calendar. Also feel free to ask the coach what events they would prefer you to play in, or events where they will be in attendance.

Use The Hub: Remember to use the Hub to help you during your journey! Build an awesome profile and send it over to any college coach in the United States to get your skills noticed. Ask the coach to "Follow" you and track your developmental progress over time. See what coaches are "Following" you or viewing your profile via our notification system. Add a great swing video and a video about yourself and your golfing aspirations. Use our College Finder and Tournament Finder for your "U.S. Swing." Take a peek at our rankings articles to understand junior golf and amateur ranking systems and how to find, register, and play in nationally ranked events. The Hub is particularly beneficial for international prospects, as it allows U.S. college coaches to keep track of your progress even though you might be a few thousand miles away. Not bad!

Best of luck to all the international recruits out there. Send us a note when you land a spot in a college golf program. We'd love to hear from you!

Enjoy your Journey!