Current Samford students may apply after completing one semester at Samford, provided space remains available.
Requirements for Current Students
- Overall Samford GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Character references that speak to integrity and professionalism
- Statement of purpose outlining educational and career goals within sports business
- Extracurricular experiences that demonstrate interest and potential in the sports industry
Applications Evaluated On:
- Academic performance
- Strength of character references
- Clarity of purpose
- Engagement in relevant activities
Program Investment
Students accepted into the Sports Industry Program will be assessed a $250 Sports Industry Program Fee each semester, beginning the first semester of program participation. This fee supports experiential learning, networking opportunities and professional development activities.
Ready to Apply?
Email Marshal Smith, Assistant Director for the Sports Industry Program,
to request an application.
Entering freshmen and transfer students are eligible to apply for early assurance into the Sports Industry Program.
Steps to Apply
- Submit The Common Application or the Samford University Application, declaring “Pre-Business” as your major
- Once admitted to Samford with a declared major of “Pre-Business”, the Sports Industry Program application will appear on your Application Status Page checklist.
- Complete all materials by the deadlines below.
Application Timeline
- Application Opens: August 1st, 2026
- Priority Deadline: November 1st, 2026
- Final Deadline: March 1st, 2027, if positions remain available
The Sports Industry Program uses a monthly review admission process. This means applications are reviewed monthly, in the order they are received. Rather than making decisions one at a time as applications arrive, we group them into monthly review windows and evaluate each group together.
The Sports Industry Program uses a monthly review admission process. This means applications are reviewed monthly, in the order they are received. Rather than making decisions one at a time as applications arrive, we group them into monthly review windows and evaluate each group together:
- Applications submitted before November 1st, 2026, are reviewed during the first week of November.
- Applications submitted November 1st – 30th, 2026, are reviewed during the first week of December.
- Applications submitted December 1st – 31st, 2026, are reviewed during the first week of January.
- Applications submitted January 1st – 31st, 2027, are reviewed during the first week of February.
- Applications submitted February 1st – March 1st, 2027, are reviewed during the first week of March.
Important Notes
- Within each monthly review window, applications are evaluated in the order they were submitted. For this reason, it is still to your advantage to apply as early as possible.
- The earliest that applicants will hear back will be the first week after the review window in which the candidate submitted their application. After that, applicants may still be admitted at any point based on the size and competitiveness of the candidate pool.
- Candidates who have previously attended our Sports Business Summer Camp AND submit their application before November 1st will receive an admission decision by end of day November 3rd.
- The program will close to new applicants once all positions are filled, even if that occurs before March 1st.
- March 1st, 2027, is also the deadline for any student who has already been offered a position to confirm whether they are accepting or declining it.
- Students not accepted during their senior year of high school may apply again during the second semester of their freshman year at Samford. This will place them on a waitlist to be selected from should spots in the program become available.
Program Investment
Students accepted into the program will be assessed a $250 Sports Industry Program Fee each semester, beginning their first semester in the program. This investment funds experiential opportunities, networking events and professional development programming.
