AOPA Flight Training Scholarships

AOPA Flight Training Scholarships is sponsored by AOPA Foundation. Scholarships can be used for flight training expenses in pursuit of a primary pilot certificate or advanced rating, as well as aviation maintenance.

AOPA Flight Training Scholarships - AOPA Get extra lift from AOPA. Start your free membership trial today! AOPA Flight Training Scholarships APPLICATIONS CLOSED — NEXT CYCLE OPENS OCTOBER 1 Missed the Deadline?

Here's What's Next. Thank you to everyone who submitted an application this cycle. AOPA Foundation scholarships help members pursue flight training, advanced ratings and certificates, and aviation career pathways, including aviation maintenance.

Applicants will be notified of award decisions by September 15. Fall 2026 Application Period : October 1–December 30, 11:59 p. m.

ET (all Fall period applicants will be notified of award decisions by April 15) Spring 2027 Application Period: April 1 - June 30, 11:59 p. m. ET (all Spring period applicants will be notified of award decisions by September 15).

Eligibility: Open to current AOPA members who are residents of the United States & District of Columbia, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Not a member? Click here to see our membership options.

High School students qualify for a free membership . Numerous scholarship opportunities ranging from $250 to $14,000 (amounts may vary depending on donor funding) High School Students: At least 90 scholarships of $12,000 each for students aged 16-18 to earn their private pilot certificate. Additional criteria apply.

See our FAQs . Teachers Using the AOPA You Can Fly Curriculum: Apply for one of up to 20 scholarships, at $12,000 each, to earn your private pilot certificate. Additional criteria apply.

See our FAQs . Complete the General Application: With just one application, you’ll automatically be matched to all scholarships you’re eligible for. The total number and value of scholarships will be determined by donor funding, which may be finalized just before the awards are announced.

Upload Required Documents: Transcript, references, and other materials must be submitted before the deadline. Submit On Time: Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted. Didn’t Get Selected?

Don’t worry, your application will be considered for the next application period. Questions? Send your inquiries to: [email protected] .

All applicants will be notified of their status by email—by September 15 for the Spring Application Period and April 15 for the Fall Application Period. Please use an address you check regularly. Scholarship funds are provided via a prepaid expense card.

Flight training must be completed within 12 months of your award date; maintenance training within 24 months. Another Opportunity for Consideration! Not selected in the Spring 2026 application cycle?

Log back into your account and resubmit your application for the Fall 2026 review. You can also make updates before resubmitting. Examples of Past Scholarships Filter by Scholarship Type: The Allyn J.

Caruso Aviation Scholarship Preference is given to active students from Maine currently enrolled at a school pursuing a career in aviation through a course of study to become a Pilot, A&P mechanic, flight dispatcher, airport manager, aircraft engineer, or another discipline directly related to general aviation. Available to those 16 to 26 years of age at the time of award with a minimum GPA of 2. 7.

The friends and family of Allyn J. Caruso. Al was born into an aviation family and considered himself blessed to be in an industry he loved.

He was passionate about flying and enjoyed sharing his skills and knowledge while encouraging others to become part of the aviation family. We honor his life and memory by offering this scholarship to individuals who share his love of aviation and seek an aviation career.

AOPA Foundation Scholarship $2,500 and up; the number of awards will vary (Sport, Recreational or Private Pilot certificate) Must be 16 years at the time of application submission Must hold a student pilot certificate Our flight training scholarships are funded by generous donations to the AOPA Foundation. Miscellaneous donations for scholarships are combined and awarded to help members reach their aviation goals.

AOPA Foundation You Can Fly High School Flight Training Scholarship At least 90 $12,000 scholarships available Private Pilot Certificate High school student, age 16-18 years old Must have passed the FAA Private Pilot written knowledge exam before application submission (see reverse) The Ray Foundation – established by the late aviator, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, James C. Ray.

James believed that life skills are learned through aviation. We are proud to help carry on his legacy by awarding merit-based scholarships to 80 high school students.

Here are some excellent resources to help you ace a $10,000 scholarship and pass the written test: AOPA Foundation Flight Training Scholarship Clinic Scholarship Clinic Presentation FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test Resources AOPA Foundation You Can Fly Teacher Flight Training Scholarship Up to 10 $12,000 scholarships available Private Pilot Certificate Current, paid, full-time teacher utilizing the AOPA Foundation High School Aviation STEM Curriculum in a school or school system in the 2025-2026 school year Must have taken and passed the FAA Private Pilot written knowledge exam before application submission (see reverse) The Ray Foundation – established by the late aviator, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, James C.

Ray. James believed that life skills are learned through aviation. We are proud to help carry on his legacy by awarding flight training scholarships to up to 20 high school teachers utilizing the You Can Fly aviation-based STEM curriculum.

Here are some excellent resources to help you ace a $10,000 scholarship and pass the written test: AOPA Foundation Flight Training Scholarship Clinic Scholarship Clinic Presentation FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test Resources The Alliance Texas AOPA Aviation Scholarships $14,000 for flight training Two flight training scholarships Two aviation maintenance scholarships Available for high school students enrolled in the Northwest ISD or Eagle Mountain Saginaw ISD in Fort Worth, TX.

The flight training scholarships are available for students in 11th grade only, 16+ years of age. The maintenance scholarships are available for students in 10th or 11th grade. H.

Ross Perot Jr. via the AllianceTexas Foundation Ashtabula County Aviation Education Initiative Scholarships Multiple $5,000 awards available Private Pilot Certificate Recipients must be residents of Ashtabula County, OH, and high school students between the ages of 16 and 18 at the time of the award.

The Bill Stroecker Commercial/Instrument Flight Training Scholarship Two $5,000 scholarships available Commercial Certificate or Instrument Rating Must be an Alaskan resident Must have a private pilot certificate and at least 100 hours of logged flight time The Bill Stroecker Foundation - William George "Bill" Stroecker was the best known civic leader in Fairbanks over the 50-year period between 1960-2010, when he passed at age 90.

Born July 31, 1920 in Fairbanks, Stroecker never called anywhere else home. When he passed, he left a legacy through the Bill Stroecker Foundation designed to benefit the community for another 50 years. The Brian Coupe Memorial Flight Training Scholarship Available for females ages 18-24 residing in Maryland, Virginia, or the District of Columbia The friends and family of Brian Coupe.

Because flying meant so much to Brian, he asked that young people be given the same opportunity he enjoyed. Per his wishes, this flight training scholarship has been established in his memory. The Bruce W.

Alatary Memorial Flight Training Scholarship Primary Certification (Sport, Recreational, or Private Pilot certificate) Preference will be given to female applicants training in the Morris County, New Jersey area. The Alatary family in memory of Bruce Alatary. Bruce was a Professional Engineer and throughout his career, he helped educate and mentor young people pursuing similar professional goals.

He came to flying later in life but it quickly became his passion.

In keeping with Bruce’s commitment to sharing skills and knowledge with future generations, we honor his life and memory by offering this scholarship to provide support to those who share his love of aviation either as a hobby or The Carlsbad Jet Center and Sonoma Jet Center General Aviation Professional Scholarships Two awards of $6,000 each Certificate / Rating / Career Path Flight Dispatcher, FBO Manager, Airport Manager, Aircraft Engineer The applicant must be currently employed on a full or part-time basis by an aviation Fixed Base Operator (FBO) in the United States at the time of application and scholarship award.

The scholarship shall be available to someone pursuing a career in general aviation through a course of study to become an A&P mechanic, aircraft pilot, flight dispatcher, FBO manager, airport manager, aircraft engineer, or another discipline directly related to general aviation.

Sonoma Aviation, the owner of Sonoma Jet Center (KSTS) and operator of Carlsbad Jet Center (KCRQ), is an organization that lives its values of Safety, Hospitality, Teamwork, Community, Innovation, and Sustainability. Through these awards, we hope to encourage folks who share these values to pursue fulfilling careers in general aviation so we all can keep our freedom to fly!

The Ceci Stratford Flight Training Scholarship Two $5,000+ scholarships available One scholarship for primary certification (Sport, Recreational or Private Pilot certificate) One scholarship for an advanced rating Must be 16 years at the time of application submission Ceci Stratford of Simi Valley, California, is a former Peace Corps Volunteer (Guatemala) and a retired telecommunications, systems and bank operations analyst who has taken her support of aviation’s future to the next level by establishing the Ceci Stratford Flight Training Scholarship.

Ceci is a CFI whose passion for flying extends to her volunteer activities, including serving as former San Fernando Valley 99s Chapter Scholarship Chair, and current Scholarship Co-Chair for the 99s Southwest Section. She has taken many young people on their first flights (over 850) through EAA’s Young Eagles program and serves as an advisor for the Aviation Explorers Post 747.

Ceci has mentored many student pilots in their pursuit of flight training scholarships and careers in aviation and aims to increase the number of women and girls in the aviation field. Cleveland Air Show Foundation Scholarships Two $5,000 awards available Private Pilot Certificate, Instrument, Commercial, Muli-engine, CFI, CFII, or ATP Recipients must be an Ohio resident or student enrolled at Ohio College/University/Flight school.

Cleveland National Air Show Charitable Foundation The Corporate Aircraft Association Preferred FBO Employee Scholarship 200 $2,000 awards available Funds can be used for any aviation education purpose Recipients must be an employee of a CAA-preferred FBO at the time of award One of the required recommendations must come from the general manager of the CAA-preferred FBO The Corporate Aircraft Association was founded to promote the affordable growth of jet-fueled Part 91 general aviation.

CAA serves large corporate flight departments with fleets of aircraft, individual owner-operators, aircraft management companies, and everything in between. CAA promotes loyalty to their member FBOs in return for their industry-leading fuel prices and excellent service, and is excited to partner with the AOPA Foundation to offer these scholarships to employees of our CAA-preferred FBOs. The Daniel T.

Taussig Memorial Flight Training Scholarship (Sport, Recreational or Private Pilot certificate) Must be 16 years at the time of application submission Brenton Taussig in memory of Daniel T. Taussig.

The David & Florence Kleine Flight Training Scholarship (Sport, Recreational or Private Pilot certificate) Must be 16 years at the time of application submission Preference is given to those training in Illinois or Minnesota David Kleine, in memory of his beloved wife, Florence, who loved general aviation and the opportunities it provided for her family and others.

The David and Lisa Barnes Flight Training Scholarship Private Pilot Certificate High school student, aged 16-18 years The Dudley D. and Delores R. Malone Memorial Flight Training Scholarship Four awards of $5,000 each (Sport, Recreational or Private Pilot certificate) Must be 16 years at the time of application submission Two scholarships will be awarded to females Two scholarships will be awarded to males The Dudley D.

and Delores R. Malone Family Foundation, in memory of Dudley and Delores Malone. An avid recreational pilot and member of AOPA for many decades, Dudley earned his pilot’s license when he was in his 20’s.

He was a life-long entrepreneur with a passion for aviation and anything and everything that took to the skies. Dudley’s wife Delores was his “co-pilot” in the air and in life for 54 years. The Edward B.

Shafer Future of Flight Scholarship Currently enrolled at an accredited university or college and pursuing a career in aviation Preference given to applicants in the mid-west United States, females, and minorities Available to those pursuing a career in aviation, including but not limited to aerospace engineering, professional pilot (airline, corporate, etc.) flight instruction, aircraft maintenance and airport management Paul Guse in memory of Edward B.

Shafer. Ed was renowned in the St. Louis-area general aviation community, serving as a flight instructor for over six decades.

A U.S. Air Force veteran, Ed’s enduring commitment to aviation safety was recognized in 2019 with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Wright Brothers Master Pilot award. As owner and operator of St. Louis Metro-East Airport (Shafer Field), he positively influenced hundreds of new and experienced aviators, generously sharing his knowledge and experience with kindness, patience, and humor.

Erral Lea and Glenn Plymate Memorial Flight Training Scholarship (Sport, Recreational or Private Pilot certificate) When Glenn Plymate’s wife, Erral, passed away in 2003, he and his family suggested that in lieu of flowers, gifts be made to the AOPA Foundation (at the time, known as the AOPA Air Safety Foundation).

Glenn and his family pledged to match these and other contributions, coming together to create the Erral Lea Plymate Memorial Endowment, which now funds several flight training scholarships each year. When Glenn passed away in 2015, his name was added to the endowment. We are honored to continue their legacy and passion for aviation.

The Frank and Alison Heilesen Scholarship Preference given to those in the western United States Frank and Alison Heilesen The Fred and Diane Fitts Memorial Flight Training Scholarship by CAA Private pilot certification or instrument rating Age 17-35 years at the time of application submission Preference is given to applicants interested in becoming corporate pilots, members of CAA and their relatives, and employees of CAA-preferred FBOs and their relatives Corporate Aircraft Association (CAA) in memory of Fred and Diane Fitts.

Fred Fitts was a pilot and FBO owner before starting the Corporate Aircraft Association in 1990. Together with his wife, Diane, the couple built the successful fuel and resource purchasing program from scratch. CAA continues to help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Part 91 operators by the power of their membership numbers to negotiate the best possible fuel prices.

Designed to help young people get into aviation, CAA hopes these scholarships will allow future generations to fulfill the Fitts’ goal of providing value and quality to others.

Hurst Foundation Flight Training Scholarship Anthony Hurst through the Hurst Foundation The Julie Walker Ibrahim "Wings of Opportunity" Scholarship for Women in Aviation Private Pilot Certificate or Instrument Rating for Female Student High school or college female students with a GPA of 2. 8 or greater.

Established through the AOPA Foundation, this scholarship supports young women pursuing flight training toward a Private Pilot Certificate or Instrument Rating. The award encourages women to pursue their passion for aviation, discover the joys of flight, and earn their wings.

It especially encourages earning an instrument rating after the private pilot certificate, as Julie's grandfather, Earl Walker, also a pilot, encouraged her and all pilots to pursue an instrument rating for added safety to pilot, passengers and the skies. Julie is the first female pilot in her family, and wants to encourage all women to pursue this lofty and exciting goal. It can open many doors to the future.

The Kenneth Copeland Flight Training Scholarship Five $10,000 awards available Available to high school students Lev Prichard Flight Training Scholarship Must have passed the FAA Private Pilot written knowledge exam before application submission Mark R.

Baker Primary FT Scholarship Peter and Terri Wolfgram Scholarship Preference to those living in Bozeman, MT The Richard McSpadden Scholarship for Advanced Pilot Training Quantity and amount will vary. Advanced training such as tailwheel, upset recovery, or other advanced ratings.

The Richard McSpadden Scholarship for Advanced Pilot Training has been funded through contributions from multiple donors in memory of AOPA Air Safety Institute Senior Vice President Richard McSpadden, who died in an aircraft accident on October 1, 2023. Richard’s work at AOPA centered around providing aviation safety education to all pilots in pursuit of a world without fatal general aviation accidents.

We are proud to carry on Richard’s legacy by providing resources to make better, safer pilots to advance this goal. The Richard Santori Memorial Scholarship (Sport, Recreational or Private Pilot certificate) Dr. Gina Santori, in memory of her husband Richard Santori "I created the Richard Santori Memorial scholarship to honor my late husband, who was an Air Force reserve pilot and loved flying his Bonanza.

I want to encourage and support young people to pursue recreational aviation as well as aviation careers. A life lived helping others is rewarding, and the joy felt when the scholarship recipients earn their private pilot certificate is worth it all!"

Si Robin Foundation Flight Training Scholarship Available to residents of California The Tony Phillippi Seaplane Scholarship Must be 16 years at the time of application submission Must be training at an accredited flight school (not with a freelance flight instructor) Preference given to females of color This scholarship was created in memory of Tony Phillippi to help more pilots discover the art and the joy of water flying.

Tony's passion for aviation, commitment to preserving and flying historic aircraft, and exceptional generosity have inspired countless aviators nationwide. Special thanks to Mark and JoAnn Baker for making this award possible. Senator James M.

Inhofe FAA Knowledge Test Scholarship $250 (multiple awards available) FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Exam or FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Knowledge Exam High schools students in Oklahoma enrolled in the AOPA Foundation You Can Fly STEM curriculum The State Chamber of Oklahoma is excited to establish this scholarship In honor of Senator Inhofe’s numerous contributions to aviation throughout his career.

These awards are available to Oklahoma high school students enrolled in the AOPA Foundation You Can Fly STEM curriculum. The awards cover the testing fee for the FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Exam or FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Knowledge Exam at an FAA-approved knowledge testing center, transportation to the testing center, or additional preparation materials.

We hope this scholarship will help many students in Oklahoma achieve this milestone in pursuing a private pilot or remote pilot certification. Click here for additional aviation industry scholarship opportunities