Written and Published by: Eric Tiettmeyer

In the United Kingdom, British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) (BUCS.org.uk) serves as the governing body for university athletics and organizes competition among more than 160 institutions across the UK. It also hosts the national championships, known as BUCS Nationals.
The good news for former U.S. NCAA athletes is that there are no eligibility restrictions based on previous NCAA participation in the United States. Already graduated and still eager to play your favorite sport? While the level of competition in sports such as American football and basketball may not always match their U.S. counterparts, the opportunity to continue competing while pursuing further education can be incredibly rewarding.

Studying abroad also offers the chance to discover new interests. Whether competitively or recreationally, you might find a passion for sports such as archery, badminton, climbing, or rowing as part of your international experience.

In the United States, universities like UCLA and Stanford are well known for their athletic programs. In the United Kingdom, institutions such as Loughborough University and Durham University hold similar reputations. According to BUCS, some of the UK's top sports universities and their athletic websites include:

Loughborough University:
www.loughboroughsport.com

Durham University:
www.teamdurham.com

University of Edinburgh:
www.ed.ac.uk/sport-exercise/sports-clubs

University of Nottingham:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/sport/index.aspx

University of Exeter:
www.sport.exeter.ac.uk

University of Birmingham:
www.sport.bham.ac.uk

University of Bath:
www.bath.ac.uk/sport

Northumbria University:
www.northumbriasport.com

Newcastle University:
www.ncl.ac.uk/sport/performance

Cardiff University:
www.cardiff.ac.uk/sport