Talented gamers can now earn a Fortnite scholarship.
As if your kids need another reason to play Fortnite (it’s only the biggest game in the world right now), Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio announced its plans to offer scholarships to talented Fortnite players. Scholarship winners will compete with the university’s esports team, which will kick off its first season this fall.
In addition to Fortnite, the Ashland U esports team will compete in League of Legends, Overwatch, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Rocket League. The program offers scholarships up to $4,000, “based on player skill level and academic requirements.” Excited teen in the room? Have them fill out an application, here.
While it might seem too good to be true — playing video games to help pay for college — this prospect is growing more within reach as esports continues to grow in popularity. Ashland University is the latest in a growing list of roughly 50 colleges and universities that have embraced the esports craze. The University of California, Irvine offers scholarships for both League of Legends and Overwatch, and opened its own esports arena in 2016.
Ashland is currently the only esports program in the U.S. that supports Fortnite, but given the game’s incredible popularity, we can’t imagine it will stay that way for long.
If Ashland University isn’t your kid’s first choice for higher education, check out ESPN’s list of collegiate esports programs that have popped up across North America. And parents, the next time you hear letting your kids play games is a “waste of time,” feel free to point to this.
Brandy Berthelson has been writing about video games and technology since 2006, with her work appearing on sites including AOL Games, Digital Spy, and Adweek. When she’s not gaming, Brandy enjoys crafting, baking, and traveling with her husband.
