Aviation scholarships could be from colleges with flight training programs, local businesses, nonprofits, and aviation organizations. The Federal Aviation Administration which is a government agency also provides awards and grants. Aviation scholarships and other college scholarships may cover the cost of flight school as well as pilot training.
Some college scholarships may help finance a degree leading to an aviation profession. For instance, plane maintenance, airport management and avionics to list a few.
Others may help offset costs of getting a pilot license or pursuing a specific certification. One example is the William M. Fanning Maintenance Scholarship. It is a $2,500 award from the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).
Who are Aviation Scholarships for?
If the grantor is an organization, you may need to be a current member. However, you may need to show that you are a working professional in business aviation. This includes pilots, maintenance professionals, schedulers, dispatchers, flight attendants and flight technicians.
Also, there are a wide range of scholarships for high school and college students. There are degrees in areas such as:
Aviation maintenance
Aeronautical science
Aerospace engineering
Air traffic management
Aviation business administration
If this is your goal, expect to furnish grades. Additionally, eligibility may depend on financial need and how well you express your goals in an essay.
To stand out as a candidate, you need to show how you merit the award. Aviation focused leadership activities and volunteering since freshman year may help.
Can You Receive Scholarships for Flight School?
One source for aviation scholarships are colleges with flight schools. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certifies many civilian flight schools.
Some are small fixed base operators (FBO). Others are universities with aviation science programs. In addition, there are colleges and universities that offer pilot training. These may be part of a 2- or 4-year aviation degree.
One example is Western Michigan University. They have a large college of aviation. Students here can pursue a bachelor’s degree in aviation flight science and other areas. The Alan H. Conklin Business Aviation Management Scholarship is one to apply for.
Another is available at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. The Lawrence Ginocchio Scholarship offers five awards each year. Recipients get $4,500 to help pay for their education. Applicants usually need to submit grades, references and an essay.
Women in Aviation Scholarships
For instance, Women in Aviation International is a major provider of scholarships in aviation. These awards are for both men and women in aviation. In 2019, they awarded $875,500 to 156 recipients. They offer flight training scholarships and others that fund a college degree.
In addition, another helpful resource for women is the 99’s. An international association of pilots, they offer several scholarships too. These typically cover the following:
Initial flight training
Type rating
Academic scholarship
Technical training
Emergency maneuver training
Also, the 99s offers a research grant and a New Pilot award. You’ll need a recommendation from a chapter to apply.
Why are Aviation Scholarships a Popular Choice?
Aviation scholarships are a popular choice for aspiring pilots. If your goal is to become an airline pilot, you usually need a bachelor’s degree in any subject. Along with the degree, you need a commercial pilot’s license and an ATP certificate from the FAA.
Grants and scholarships are one way to offset costs of tuition, books and flying expenses. The average in-state cost of attending aviation school is $5,861. If you plan to attend an out of state school, the average tuition is $28,746.
This can seem steep and out of reach given the competition for jobs. However, pilots retire every year, growth in the industry is on a slow climb. There should be about 4% more jobs on the market by 2026.
In any case, those who do secure jobs may find they pay well. Lastly, check the average annual salary for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers was $140,340.
Can You Get a Pell Grant for Flight School?
Federal funding may or may not be available for flight school. To receive a Federal Pell Grant, you must attend an accredited school.
Colleges with regional or national accreditation take part in federal aid programs. Furthermore, if you attend a pilot training program at an accredited flight school, you may be eligible for the Pell Grant.
If this is the case, then you should start by filling out a FAFSA. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid figures out how much money you are eligible to get.
In contrast, you do not have to pay this money back. However, you need to abide by the terms.
For students attending an unaccredited flight school, private scholarships and loans are options.
List of Aviation Scholarships
Check out our list of aviation scholarships below. We have awards worth .
The Amelia Earhart Memorial Academic Scholarship was created to assist students pursuing a college degree in an aviation-related field. This scholarship is available for U.S. women who are current or incoming students studying aviation-related field. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Female residents who are members of the Southwest Section of Ninety-Nines (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Utah, Nevada) and are pursuing an advanced certificate or rating are eligible for this award.
We are a private foundation that awards a yearly aviation scholarship to financially support a deserving young person pursuing their Private Pilot Certificate.
There is a common saying that talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not. We are offering opportunity when there might not be one.
Our goal, through our aviation scholarship, is to help give opportunity to those that might not otherwise have the means to pursue aviation as a career path.
Minimum scholarship award is $1500 and up to cover the entire cost of obtaining a private pilot certificate.
Minimum recipients is 1. The Board can consider selecting more the 1 recipient. Funding considerations factor into what the board decides.
Each year, the scholarship window will open on September 16th.
The deadline for applying is 15 January of the following year.
The Scholarship applications will be reviewed by the members of the board, and judged on their merit. The board will come to a consensus and select a minimum of 1 receipent each year for the scholarship.
NetJets, the global leader in private aviation, is proud to support the next generation of aviation maintenance professionals with this $50,000 Scholarship Fund. The NetJets Aviation Maintenance SkillPointe Scholarship will award five (5) $5,000 scholarships in both 2022 and 2023 for aviation maintenance technician education to individuals planning to earn their Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) License and work in eleven NetJets Service Hubs (below).
Globalair.com is now accepting applications for the Calvin L. Carrithers Aviation Scholarship. Globalair.com is passionate about all things aviation, including helping the next generation of college students chase their dreams within the industry. This scholarship will provide $1,000 annually to four American students who are dedicated to blogging on a weekly basis about flight training, flying, school, and their interest in aviation. By partnering with students in university aviation programs throughout the United States, we wish to provide a platform for students to share their experiences, all the while training for a successful career in aviation.
The Amelia Earhart Memorial Academic Scholarship was created to assist students pursuing a college degree in an aviation-related field. The scholarship program is available for U.S. women who are enrolled in or planning to enroll in an aviation or aerospace technical training or certification course.
The Amelia Earhart Memorial Flight Training Scholarship is available for U.S. women who are seeking instruction as a pilot. Awards can be used to pusue an initial pilot license, jet-type rating, or emergency maneuver training.
