RIASA is excited to announce that from September 2024, we will be expanding our UK college soccer offering by launching our first-ever London Roster.
RIASA has been providing student-athletes the opportunity to train and compete at a high level since 2010. Our Leeds campus, which is home to the ‘ultimate college soccer football experience’ has a proven track record when it comes to developing players on the pitch.
Fast-forward to 2023, RIASA is now offering the unique opportunity for student-athletes to experience a high level of coaching for 9-months in London, whilst studying your choice of degree – giving you more flexibility on and off the pitch.
Aspiring student-athletes will have the choice of 29 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, ranging from media, psychology to marketing – all US/UK dual accredited, alongside a challenging and rewarding 9-month soccer development programme.
Your degree will be delivered from Richmond American University London’s architecturally stunning campus which is based at Chiswick Park, South West London. The football element of the programme will be delivered within the Chiswick area of London – offering students the chance to embrace all that the capital has to offer.
RIASA London is launching September 2024, offering students a wide variety of degree choices in the heart of the capital. The football programme will offer students the opportunity to train at a high intensity as they embark on experiencing life in London.
The RIASA London football development programme will be delivered differently to the one available at Leeds. Students who are interested in applying for this brand-new programme in the capital can expect the same ethos around playing, developing and learning on the pitch, however there will be less cohesion between the different aspects of the programme as we look to grow the roster and awareness of our new soccer academy in London.
The ideal student for RIASA London may be particularly interested in their academic studies and may have ambitions of embracing student living in the capital. They also might want to focus on developing their football skills in a new environment under the guidance of UEFA coaches. Having the academic freedom to choose your topic of study and being awarded a dual accredited US/UK degree in your chosen field will help you stand out from the crowd.
RIASA Leeds will still remain the undisputed choice for aspiring student-athletes who want to break into the professional sporting industry. The dual accredited US/UK degree in International Sports Management alongside the 9-month of football development schedule, allows you to reach your maximum playing potential as you work towards securing a career in football.
Students may join RIASA Leeds and pursue their football and academic studies with the intention of transferring down to London after their sophomore year. This is another unique aspect about our offering, USA students can transfer credits in and out of our programme at different times during the 4-years, allowing you total freedom when it comes to your future.
For the launch of RIASA London we will need to recruit a minimum of 18 freshmen. We want to make sure that our first year in the capital is rewarding and therefore we will need this figure to run the football development programme. If we do not succeed this target, the programme may not go ahead.
You may have questions about our new soccer programme in London, we have covered the most common questions below, and if you have something more specific, you can contact us for more information.
What degree options are available?
You’ll have the choice of 21 undergraduate programmes and 8 postgraduate programmes, spread across many popular areas of study from Media, Accounting, International Business, Economics to Political Science – whatever your passion, we’ve got the degree waiting for you.
Where is this programme based in London?
The academic element will be delivered from the Richmond American University London campus, which is located at the Chiswick Park Campus, South West London. We are still arranging where the football facilities will be held. We hope that this will be as close to Chiswick Park Campus as possible. We will update our website with information in the following months to come.
Will the football be similar to the RIASA Leeds programme?
We will be delivering a similar football programme, however it may differ from what students receive at our Leeds campus. We will train across a mixture of days, of which is most suitable for our students based on their degree choice and as we look to grow the awareness of our new offering, opportunities may be limited.
When is this programme launching?
We are launching RIASA London September 2024. You can apply to be part of our first ever London roster.
What are the programme entry requirements?
These vary for some of our programmes, see the relevant programme page on the Richmond American University London website for details.
Our coaches will also need to assess you athletically. We encourage you to book a place on our next RIASA ID Camp in the USA, we will also accept your YouTube highlight video if you can’t wait for any of our upcoming ID camps upon application.
What’s included in the programme fee?
The programme fee will cover the cost of your choice of degree, it will also pay for your enrolment to our soccer academy, your full training kit and match day kit are also included. We will provide transport to away games.
What’s not included?
Your accommodation and food are not included. You will also need to commute on your own to the training venue. This may be from your accommodation or from Richmond University London, depending on the scheduled times of training and competitive matches. London has superb public transport from the tube to buses and the option to Uber anywhere.
Is this for both male and female student-athletes?
The initial launch of RIASA London will only be available for male student-athletes. If we successfully launch and grow our presence in London, we will later open this to talented female student-athletes.
What is the difference between RIASA Leeds and RIASA London?
RIASA Leeds has been the original number one choice for international students in the UK. We started offering a 9-month playing season in the UK in 2010, and since then we have grown our reputation as one of the most rewarding college soccer experiences within Europe.
The Leeds programme allows students to come in and pay one programme fee which covers the degree, your accommodation, and food. You also have extensive use of gym facilities and other incentives that help you develop over the 9-month season.
We classify our Leeds programme as the ultimate, undisputed UK College soccer programme – it gives you the best chance of succeeding on and off the pitch. You’ll have a superb understanding of football, whilst you train under the guidance of our highly qualified UEFA coaching team
On the flip side, we recognise that the Leeds programme currently only offers one dual accredited US/UK degree, and this might not be everybody’s passion. So, choosing RIASA London gives you academic flexibility with 29 undergraduate and postgraduate degree options to choose from.
London will be different to Leeds however, because the relationship and synergy between academics and football will not be the same. Our Leeds programme is a bespoke schedule which gives you all the tools you’ll need to break into the professional sporting industry.
The newly launched London soccer academy will be run differently to Leeds. You will have to commute from your own accommodation to the campus and the venue we will train at.
We see the London programme being more lucrative to international students who might prefer their degree and lifestyle over football, allowing them to live in London whilst studying a topic they are truly passionate about.
Our coaches in London will still have the same ethos and dedication to your development, just like we have in Leeds, however the feeling of cohesion will differ slightly.
It’s time to be outstanding in the capital. Choose your degree, work hard on the pitch, embrace the lifestyle – London is waiting for talented student-athletes, will you be a part of the first roster?