As eSports have become more and more mainstream, we see colleges beginning to offer scholarships based on gaming ability in much the same way one might see traditional sports scholarships. My own college even has an eSports team, and EPSN now features eSports competitions. It's no surprise that schools are now starting to offer Fortnite scholarships as the battle royale game continues to dominate the industry.

That's right: you can get a scholarship for your aptitude at Fortnite. Ashland University in Ohio has become the first school in the US to offer a scholarship to students for this particular game. They plan to accommodate a four-player team alongside coaching and squads for Counter-Strike, League of Legends, Overwatch, and Rocket League when the program debuts in the competitive collegiate eSports scene next fall.

Beginning with the fall 2018 semester, the Ashland Eagles eSports team will be holding open tryouts for current and prospective students. Scholarships of up to $4,000 will be offered based on both player skill and academic history.

While Fortnite isn't exactly a powerful force in the eSports world compared to more mainstream eSports games like Overwatch,  League of Legends, CSGO or any variety of fighting games, if it means students can go to school and enjoy their favorite games, I'm happy to see scholarships like this continue. There's also no doubt that Fortnite draws a viewership crowd, so who can say what kind of future is in store for the powerhouse title?

Fortnite is available now on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac, and iOS. It has recently had a v3.5 content update and continues to dominate sales in the industry.