BOISE, Idaho – A new bill introduced in Idaho could change the way scholarships are distributed to student athletes at public colleges and universities. Announced Friday, the bill has been referred to the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee.
The legislation would prioritize scholarships for Idaho residents. Additionally, it sets limits on scholarships for non-U.S. citizen athletes. Most sports would have a cap of no more than 10 percent, while football would be limited to 5 percent.
The bill also stipulates that no team can have more than half of its scholarship athletes be non-U.S. citizens at any time.
A key question raised in the discussion is about balancing sports success and education. “How much we want to have a team win versus how much we want to have students graduate with useful degrees that they maybe can put to work here in our country and our state,” said a source.
According to the NCAA, nearly 25,000 international student-athletes are enrolled and competing at NCAA schools. However, the exact number receiving athletic scholarships is unknown.
Importantly, the bill specifies that scholarships awarded to non-U.S. citizens before July 1 will not be affected for up to four years.
