In this article, we are going to talk about the differences between American university leagues, something quite confusing and that may raise questions: What happens between the different categories? What options are there when choosing one? scholarship in the United States?

If you prefer to listen rather than read, here is an explanatory video:

How many categories are there in the United States College League (NCAA)?

First of all, starting with the NCAA, there are 3 different categories. It is important to know that there is no difference in level, that is, they are not organized from highest to lowest: there is Division 1, Division 2 and Division 3, but here there are no promotions or relegations. Thus, a Division 3 team can beat one from Division 1, since it is not in the first division due to having been promoted.

• NCAA Division 1: They are normally universities that focus a lot on sports. They are larger, with a larger number of students, and they put a lot of emphasis on having good sports teams.
• NCAA Division 2: here there is a balance between academics and sports. They are universities that have international players, along with the NCAA Division 1, where there are also quite a few.
• NCAA Division 3: There are not so many international ones, because sports scholarships cannot be offered. That is, the only type of scholarships you can obtain are academic, which is determined by grades. That's why normally international players try to go to Division 2 and Division 1.

 What are the differences between Division 2 and Division 1?

Normally, the exhibition. In Division 1, for example, some games are broadcast on television and there is usually more attendance because, as they are larger universities, they have more students. Barring that, there are Division 2 teams that can beat Division 1 teams, so don't go by that. Regarding Division 3, remember that there are no athletic scholarships.

If on the one hand there is the NCAA, on the other hand we have the NAIA. In this type of league there is only one division, and it is very similar to Division 2 of the NCAA.

As for the access requirements, in the NCAA Division 1 they are more demanding with age, academic grades previously obtained, the level of English you need, etc. Divisions 2 and 3 are less so. In this sense, Division 2 can be compared to the NAIA, because the access requirements are similar: there are less requirements than in Division 1.

What the Junior College or NJCAA?

Finally, there is a type of college league that is somewhat different: the Junior College or NJCAA. Since it is “junior”, you can only stay for 2 years. What type of players go there or why could the NJCAA be interesting? Assuming you tried to get into the NCAA and didn't get a good scholarship (whether due to lack of exposure or other reasons), going to Junior college is a very good option. It is usually easier to access there, but you cannot stay more than 2 years. Therefore, you will spend your first 2 years of university studying and playing there, you will grow and make your name. Do you want to know more information about College League in the US look at this article?

Once that time has passed, you will have to transfer because you will no longer be able to continue studying there, and you will be able to access a Division 1 or Division 2 university, which will give you the option to have scholarships that perhaps you had not obtained at the beginning because they did not know you. After going through Junior College, you can now say that you have been playing in the United States and you will have better options. That's why it's a very interesting league.

Without further ado, I hope I have been able to resolve some of your doubts, which tend to be many regarding these types of options. Any questions contact us.