Choosing where you’re going to spend the next 2–4 years at college playing soccer is a daunting task. There are so many different academies and college soccer programmes around the world, offering the same product, we understand it’s a difficult decision to make.

However, our programme is here to make it easy for you.

RIASA is the world’s only college soccer programme offering a dual accredited US/UK degree alongside an intense and rewarding 9-month season. We’re the perfect choice for International students, especially Americans who want to study, train and compete at a high standard. If you've found this page, you’re probably already interested in RIASA. You might have seen us on social media, or came across our recruitment profile on NCSA.

If you need to know more specific information about our men’s undergraduate and women’s undergraduate soccer programmes, or you want to know more about RIASA in general, you can find the links below.

You’ve found out more information about how we can help you succeed on and off the pitch, however, you still want to learn more. There are a few options available to you when you are at this stage. 

1. Book a 20-minute call with Sarah Crossland - Head of recruitment at RIASA.

During this call, Sarah will be able to provide more detailed information about RIASA and the application process to join. Although Sarah knows our programmes very well, she is not a coach and can only answer questions regarding fees, the programmes and the application process. If you have spoken to Sarah and you wish to speak with one of our coaching team, this can be arranged.

2. Attend upcoming RIASA college soccer ID Camps in the US

We regularly host RIASA college ID camps across the US. We mainly cover the east and west coast states, as this is where the majority of our roster intake comes from. We are always adding new dates and travelling to new states to attract talented players. 

Our advice is to attend as many soccer camps as possible during the early stages of researching college options. By attending our ID camp, you will instantly get a feel for what it’s like training and competing for RIASA. You will get to meet the coaches and wider team and learn more in depth detail about our unique degree pathway. We urge you to book as early as possible to cement your spot.

Even if you don’t know that much about RIASA, an intense soccer workout is always good for your development.
You can find all of our upcoming US ID camps here.

3. We offer tours and visits which include you joining our training sessions and meeting the coaching team.

This may not be for everyone, but if you want to travel to the UK to come and experience RIASA, we can accommodate this.

You will be able to see all of our amazing facilities, train with our current roster, and explore Leeds to your heart's desire. If you’re interested in visiting RIASA, please contact Sarah, who can provide more details, including discounted hotel accommodation for the duration of your stay.

So now you're at the stage where you know everything you know about RIASA. You may have attended one or several ID camps, and you want to apply. Don’t worry if you haven't attended any of our college ID camps, you can still apply, and we will discuss this in the next step.

Step 1 - It’s time to apply 

You can apply by filling out the RIASA application form. It’s important that you provide all the correct information to make the process easier.

There are two ways we can assess your athletic and playing ability. You can either attend any of our upcoming ID camps as mentioned above or you can provide a highlight video from YouTube within your application. We strongly urge you to attend our ID camps - this is the best way to be seen by our coaches, and it gives you all the answers you need to know.

If you are submitting your application with a video highlight, please make sure that we can easily identify you at all times. The video needs to be high-quality and clear for our coaches to watch back.

If you do attend any of our ID camps, you can select that option on the application form, however we still need you to submit your application to start the process. At this stage we would like to point out that you will only be applying for the soccer side of the programme.

Later down the line you will need to also apply through Richmond American University London for the academic side. Sarah will monitor your progress on both of these and let you know what’s needed at each step of the process. 

Step 2 - You’ve been accepted or rejected onto the soccer programme

After submitting your application form, we usually need 1–3 days to process your application. If you have attended an ID camp, we will have assessed your soccer ability. If you have sent us your highlight, we need to watch this and determine if you meet the requirements.

If you have been accepted, congratulations, it’s time to get excited. Unfortunately, from time-to-time we may decline applications. This may be down to what’s needed for our programme entry requirements, such as GPA, not meeting the required grade.

Step 3 - Apply to the university through CommonApp

After you have been accepted by RIASA, you will then need to apply through Richmond. We spoke about this earlier, this is the stage where you apply to the University. You will need to apply through CommonApp.

There is a $50 charge for every application. Try and send all the information required, as accurately and quickly as possible. You will need to send this following documents for the university application process:

- Unofficial high school transcript/college transcript
(we also need a copy of your up-to-date passport)

- IELTs Certificate (You will only need to send this if you are not from any of these major English-speaking Countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom and USA)

- TB Certificate - Do I require a TB Certificate

Once you have submitted your university application, Sarah will be able to monitor this. There may be additional information needed, however this is usually not the case.

Step 4 - Receive your conditional offer letter from University

Richmond American University will process your application. Please bear with us while they check all of the information you have provided.

If for some reason you think this is taking longer than usual, please contact us with your concerns. We would expect this process to take anywhere between 3–6 weeks, depending on application demands. 

Once your application has been processed and all the information has been checked and verified, you will receive your conditional offer - congratulations, you're now one step closer to earning a dual accredited US/UK degree.

Step 5 - Complete the offer acceptance to secure your place on our roster

When you're at the stage of having both applications accepted, one by us and the other by Richmond American University, you will need to accept and secure your spot on our roster as soon as possible.

We will send you an acceptance letter which includes a £1,000 non-refundable housing and kit deposit. Upon your acceptance, you will need to send these funds across to RIASA. This £1,000 payment secures your housing and your kit. It's also your commitment to the programme.

The £1,000 non-refundable charge does not go towards the programme fee.

Step 6 - Understand and sort out your finances

Hopefully, you may have already considered this before you apply.

We will have provided the cost for our programme fee and listed what’s included whilst you study, train and play at RIASA on our website and at any ID camp you attend.

There are different options available for UK and International students to fund their enrolment at RIASA, we use the main providers such as Student Finance England and FAFSA. We find some parents prefer to self fund, which is perfectly accepted. Here are the funding options for enrolling at RIASA:  

- Apply for your FAFSA loans using school code G10594

 - Self Funding - you’ll know the programme fee

 - Apply for your Sallie Mae loan - we accept this loan provider

 - Apply for GI Billing - we accept GI Billing

We are here to help you at every step of the process. If you have any questions about FAFSA or self funding, or any other payment method, please contact us for assistance. We would like to mention that unfortunately Richmond American University does not offer scholarships for international students, however if you're a UK student looking to join RIASA, then you may be eligible for a £3,085 scholarship discount.

Step 7 - Unconditional letter

Once we have received your signed and sealed official high school transcript after your graduation, you will then be sent your unconditional letter of acceptance. At this stage we have to check to make sure you were graded as we thought during your exams and that you still meet the requirements to join.

Step 8 - CAS number issued and VISA application

After your unconditional letter, you will be issued your CAS number. Your CAS number is important, please keep this safe.

You can use this number to start the VISA application. If you're an international student studying in the UK, you are required by law to obtain your Tier 4 Student VISA. This visa entitles you to study in the UK at a higher education level. 

By obtaining your VISA, you will also need to pay a healthcare surcharge, however this means when you’re in the UK with RIASA you will be covered for healthcare on the NHS. Currently, the cost for your VISA and health surcharge for 4 years is approximately £2,500.

You will need to make this payment when you apply for your VISA.If you're a UK born student, you may not need a VISA or have to pay any healthcare surcharges. You can contact us if you need to know more.

Step 9 - See you soon

You’ve nearly arrived in Leeds, and we can’t wait to welcome you into our college soccer program. Don’t forget to follow our social media channels to keep up to date with what we're up to. We look forward to seeing you on the pitch!

PRO SOCCER EXPERIENCE

Choosing where you’re going to spend 4 years of your life can be daunting, we know it’s a scary thought trying to understand which college soccer programme is best for you, that’s why we wanted to share with you the main benefits of joining RIASA.

Start Your UK College Soccer Journey.

Earn a dual accredited US/UK degree which will help you break into today's modern sporting industry. Train and compete for  9-months of the year in world-class sporting facilities. Your time is now!