Aviation Scholarships

What Are Flight School Scholarships?

Aviation scholarships are payments awarded to aspiring pilots to support them with financing their training. The difference between a flight school scholarship and loan is that scholarships do not need to be paid back, whereas loans do.

Pilot scholarships are usually awards for exemplary grades, outstanding achievements and commitment to the future of the aviation industry.

Commercial airline pilot scholarships could:

• Cover the full cost of pilot training
• Cover a percentage of your pilot training
• Award you a one off payment towards your cadet fees
• Award you an annual payment if you are completing your training as part of a college degree

Eligibility depends on the type of scholarship as many of them have their own unique requirements.

Each aviation scholarship will also have its own deadline and application process so you need to look at each one carefully to ensure you submit an application in time, as flight school scholarships can be competitive.

L3Harris Airline Academy are unable to help cadets in the application process of scholarships.

How To Find Aviation Scholarships

With so many different types of aviation scholarships available in the U.S., you might be wondering where to start your search. If you are considering applying for an alternative pilot training scholarship, you may find the following external links useful for conducting research and finding flight school scholarships that you are eligible to apply for:

Sallie Mae Scholarship Search

The Sallie Mae Scholarship Search is a free way to get access to more than 6 million college scholarships worth up to $30 billion. With Nitro by Sallie Mae, it couldn’t be easier to find flight school scholarships as they get matched to your profile which means you will only see pilot scholarships that you are eligible for.

University Aviation Association

The UAA offers resources on aviation scholarships, including their own UAA scholarships and a Collegiate Aviation Scholarship Catalog to help you find the right funding for your pilot training.

Fastweb

Fastweb’s scholarship finder helps aspiring pilots to filter funding opportunities based on their own student profile to find aviation scholarships that they are eligible to apply for. The tool is free to use and makes finding flight school scholarships straightforward.

Federal Aviation Administration

The Federal Aviation Administration provides useful information on the latest aviation regulations, policies, licenses, and certificates, as well as a comprehensive guide to the latest aviation school scholarships. As the FAA is the regulatory body for civil aviation in the US, they are a valuable source of information, particularly when it comes to commercial airline pilot scholarships.

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Flight Training Scholarships

While the above databases contain scholarship opportunities for a range of industries, there are also many organizations that exclusively offer aviation scholarships. No matter how far along you are in your pilot training, whether you are completing your Certified Flight Instructor course or building hours, there are flight school scholarships that you could be eligible for.

National Business Aviation Association

Funded by their generous NBAA Charities Scholarship program, the NBAA are able to offer over $100,000 annually to student flight school scholarships. Their aviation scholarships are available to both students and working professionals so you could potentially get a scholarship while already earning a pilot salary.

National Air Transportation Foundation

The National Air Transport Foundation provides flight school scholarships and guidance to students enrolled in full-time aviation courses or college programs. The aim of the NATF is to enhance both the safety and quality of service provided by commercial airlines which is why they offer pilot scholarships, to ensure outstanding candidates have the opportunity to pursue a career in aviation.

Clear to Dream

A project of APLA's Education Committee, Cleared to Dream is designed to inspire the next generation of pilots, providing a range of resources on their website. As part of their resources, they highlight pilot scholarships and other funding options for cadets.

Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association

Spanning 75 different countries, the AOPA provides a useful guide to finding funding and airline pilot training scholarships to suit your experience level and career aspirations. Whether you have no flying experience and want to complete our AAPT, or you have already gained some certifications and are applying for our ATP CTP, the AOPA has plenty of aviation scholarship options for you.

Money2Fly

Money2Fly is a one-stop site for the latest flight school scholarships and grants, providing detailed information on scholarships available exclusively to female students as well as scholarships open to all genders.

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Who Can Apply for Flight School Scholarships?

Most aspiring pilots will be eligible to apply for at least one flight school scholarship. However, there are also some aviation scholarships open specifically to support cadets from marginalized communities. From financial support for women to pilot scholarships for LGBTQ+ cadets, take a look at the additional support that might be available to you:

Women in Aviation, International

Established to empower women in aviation careers, WAI offers flight school scholarships and support to those pursuing careers in both aviation and aerospace.

NGPA Scholarship

The NGPA is the largest LGBTQ+ aviation organization in the world. They support aspiring LGBTQ+ pilots and aviation enthusiasts receive funding support through their NGPA flight academy scholarship program to realize their dream of becoming a pilot.

Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals

Each year the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals offers aviation scholarships to give minorities equal opportunities to study and pursue careers in aerospace, awarding over 15 pilot scholarships last year alone.

The Ninety-Nines, Inc

Each year The Ninety-Nines Inc offers specialized pilot scholarships to encourage more women to pursue careers in aviation. Their Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarship has helped over 750 women train to be a pilot since its creation.

If you have any questions about commercial airline pilot scholarships and how they can support you with financing courses such as our Accelerated Airline Pilot Track or PPL training, please get in touch with us today.

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