Just 21 of 130 FBS-level schools have put a plan in place to provide academic bonus payments to student-athletes with good grades, according to ESPN.
In August 2020, the NCAA began allowing schools to pay up to $5,980 per year to athletes who performed well in school. This was based on the federal judge’s mandate that year, then confirmed by the Supreme Court in June 2021 during the NCAA v. Alston case. The cash amount is equal to the amount that athletes can earn based on athletic performance as well.
ESPN issued a survey to the 130 schools to figure out what their plans for the 2022—23 academic year would be in terms of paying their athletes with the academic bonus.