SALT LAKE CITY — The University of Utah will begin awarding scholarships to those who make its varsity esports team for the 2017-18 school year.
Utah says it is the first esports scholarship program at a Power 5 university.
The Entertainment Arts & Engineering video game development program will hold tryouts for prospective members of the team. Those who make the cut will receive scholarships worth $1,000, or $500 per semester. The program sponsors the scholarships and is looking for additional sponsors in the future.
Utah currently has a student gaming club and the idea to compete under the university banner spawned from there. The first team will play “League of Legends” and hopes to expand to additional games in the future.
Several non-Power 5 universities already have varsity esports programs.
