The University of Virginia has two cheerleading teams, Coed and All-Girl. Both cheer at every home football game in Scott Stadium and at home basketball games in John Paul Jones Arena. All UVA cheerleaders must keep good academic standing and at least a 2.5 GPA. This guide follows UVA’s official Virginia Cheerleading page.
Academic Requirement
UVA requires every cheerleader to maintain good academic standing and a GPA of at least 2.5. That’s higher than the 2.0 many programs use, so plan your course load with that in mind.
How to Apply
UVA’s cheer page links a Cheerleading Application and Tryout Paperwork. The most recent tryout details posted there are from the 2023-24 cycle, which ran over three days in April at John Paul Jones Arena. UVA hadn’t posted newer dates when this guide was last checked on September 29, 2026. Treat the details below as a guide to what UVA has asked for, not as current dates.
For 2023-24, the paperwork packet had to include:
- The cheer application.
- A medical ID form.
- A physician’s affirmation of physical fitness.
- A sickle cell form or waiver.
- A copy of your insurance card.
- A $30 tryout fee.
What to wear (2023-24):
- Orange, navy, gray or white.
- Athletic T-shirts tucked in, for men and women.
- No hats, and athletic tennis shoes at all times.
- Sport tanks were suggested for women but not required.
What UVA Cheer Does
- Home games: both teams cheer every home football game and home basketball games.
- Travel: members can travel to away football games and postseason play, including the men’s and women’s ACC and NCAA basketball tournaments.
- Community: both teams represent UVA at athletic and community events.
Stipend
All members of the UVA Cheerleading program receive a stipend that increases with the number of years the athlete has been on the team. UVA doesn’t publish the amounts.
How to Prepare
- Protect your GPA. The 2.5 minimum applies all the time, not just at tryouts.
- Decide on Coed or All-Girl and train for that stunting style. Coed bases and flyers should drill partner stunts, and all-girl athletes should be comfortable in group stunts. See our guides on flying and basing.
- Build tumbling and jumps. UVA doesn’t publish skill minimums, so aim for solid college-level basics: a clean back handspring, a standing tuck and sharp jumps.
- Start the medical paperwork early, including the physical and the sickle cell form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does UVA have coed and all-girl cheer? Yes. UVA has both a Coed team and an All-Girl team.
What GPA do UVA cheerleaders need? At least a 2.5, plus good academic standing.
When are UVA cheer tryouts? The most recent posted tryouts (2023-24) were in April. Check the Virginia Cheerleading page for current dates.
Do UVA cheerleaders get paid? Members receive a stipend that increases the longer they’re on the team.
Who do I contact? UVA’s cheer page directs questions about the program and tryout paperwork to the Spirit Coordinator listed there. UVA Cheer is on Instagram as UVACheerleading.
Related Resources
- ACC Cheer Tryout Guides
- Virginia Tech Cheerleading Tryout Guide
- University of North Carolina Cheerleading Tryout Guide
- College Cheerleading Tryout Guides Directory
Source: UVA Athletics, Virginia Cheerleading (program overview, GPA requirement, stipend and the most recent posted tryout information, 2023-24). Last checked September 29, 2026.
