Clemson's Alston awards are for athletes on 3% scholarship or more

Clemson was one of the early adopters in providing Alston awards, which refer to the various education-related financial awards NCAA member institutions provide following the Supreme Court of the United States’ 9-0 ruling in NCAA v. Alston in June 2021. Each institution can determine if, and how, it offers the awards, which are capped at $5,980 annually per athlete.

Schools can also provide other education-related benefits, such as laptops.

Clemson’s Alston awards are referred to as the Clemson Academic Performance Award, or CAP award. On3 obtained a copy of Clemson’s Alston awards policy through a FOIA request.

Clemson athletes who receive at least a 3% athletic scholarship are eligible for an Alston award each term. Clemson’s Alston awards policy says 400 to 500 athletes per term receive at least a 3% athletic scholarship equivalency.

Awards are distributed on the first day of class during the fall term for the previous two academic terms.

In order to earn Alston awards, Clemson athletes not only need to receive at least a 3% athletic scholarship equivalency but they must earn the retention and eligibility points from the Academic Progress Rate (APR) criteria. This is a common policy under many schools’ Alston awards criteria.

Athletes who don’t earn the retention point from the spring term to the fall can still receive an award if they graduated from the university in good academic standing or if they left school to pursue a professional athletic career. Athletes who graduate and exhaust their eligibility, or who graduate and pursue a graduate degree at another institution will receive an award in the term following their graduation.

Athletes must also be in good standing with the university and not subject to disciplinary probation.

The financial impact of Clemson’s Alston awards

The largest award a Clemson athlete can receive per term is $2,990.

The maximum allowable annual amount for Alston awards was calculated to be $5,980 because that’s the most an individual athlete “could receive in an academic year in participation, championship or special achievement awards,” according to the NCAA.

Clemson estimates that providing its athletes with Alston awards will cost between $2.4 million and $2.9 million annually, which will be covered by IPTAY and the athletic department. IPTAY, which is an acronym that stands for “I pay ten a year,” is Clemson’s athletic fundraising organization.

The Clemson University Athletic Department Educational Benefit Plan states that if receiving an award would cause an athlete’s financial aid to exceed the full cost of attendance through the receipt of Title IV Funds, the education-related benefit may be capped.

You can learn more about Alston awards and the various policies around the country by reading the On3 guide to Alston awards.