Open · closes in 53 daysExperimental Aircraft Association (EAA)
$6,000 – $12,000
~$2.25M distributed annually through local EAA chapters
NationalYouth 16-18
Open to youth ages 15-19 (16-19 for powered flight) who have completed at least one EAA Young Eagles flight; candidates are nominated by a local EAA chapter and must hold or be able to obtain a student pilot certificate to pursue a Private Pilot, Sport Pilot, or Glider certificate.
Up to $12,000 for Private Pilot, $9,000 for Sport Pilot, $6,000 for Glider Pilot
Open · closes in 54 daysCivil Air Patrol (U.S. Air Force Auxiliary)
Up to $10,000
~60+ awards per cycle via USAF and James C. Ray Flight Training Scholarship funding
NationalYouth 16-18Membership required
Open to current active Civil Air Patrol cadets in good standing who have never previously received this award; priority given to cadets who have completed prerequisites including the Wright Brothers Award, Encampment, Student Pilot Certificate, FAA Medical Certificate, solo endorsement, and passing FAA Knowledge Test score.
Up to $10,000 per recipient toward private pilot flight training costs; funded by USAF and James C. Ray Flight Training Scholarship
Free deadline remindersDeadlines sneak up. We'll email you first.
Most of these open and close on annual cycles. Get a heads-up before a window you care about slips by.
Open · closes in 84 daysEpic Flight Academy
$5,000 – $20,000
12 pilot awards per annual cycle (1 at $20,000, 11 at $5,000)
NationalYouth 16-18
Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are current high school juniors or seniors, at least 16 years old by December 31 of the award year, with no previous pilot certificate. Recipients must be ready to begin training within 12 months of receiving the award and must complete training within 24 months.
Individual awards range from $5,000 to $20,000 per recipient depending on the specific award
Open · closes in 114 daysArizona Pilots Association
Amount varies
ArizonaYouth 16-18
Open to Arizona high school and college students pursuing pilot training or other aviation education. Applicants must rank in the upper half of their class and demonstrate leadership qualities, moral character, and community service involvement.
Award amount not published; varies by cycle
Opens Oct 31LeRoy W. Homer Jr. Foundation
Up to $17,000
NationalYouth 16-18
Open to US citizens or permanent residents aged 16 to 23 as of the January 31 deadline who have not yet earned a Private Pilot Certificate. Applicants must be available for training from May through December and complete a Private Pilot written ground school before mid-May of the training year.
Covers actual flight and ground training costs; total budget is below $17,000 unless circumstances require otherwise
Opens October 31, closes January 31 each year; awards distributed by Memorial Day
Opens Feb 5, 2027Hiller Aviation Museum
$15,000
San Francisco Bay Area, CAYouth 16-18
Applicants must be 16 to 18 years old and reside in one of 11 San Francisco Bay Area counties. Flight training must be completed at a Part 61 or Part 141 school within the Bay Area, leading to an FAA Private Pilot Certificate.
Single award of $15,000 per recipient toward flight training costs
Opens early February, closes early April each year; awards announced in May
Opens Jan 1, 2027Colorado Pilots Association
$2,500
2 awards per cycle
ColoradoYouth 16-18
Open to Colorado residents aged 16 to 22 who are working toward a Private Pilot Certificate. Applicants must submit an essay describing their aviation journey and goals, plus a letter of recommendation from a CFI.
Two $2,500 awards per annual cycle
Opens Jan 1, closes Feb 15 each year
Opens Sep 16The Lyons Aviation Foundation
From $1,500
NationalYouth 16-18
Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents aged 16 to 24 who do not already hold a Private Pilot certificate for airplanes, can obtain an FAA third-class medical, and meet FAA English-language standards. Training is completed at a Foundation-approved local flight center.
Awards start at $1,500 and can cover the full cost of a Private Pilot certificate.
Opens mid-September, closes mid-January each year; funds must be used within eight months.
Before you applyHow much will scholarships actually cover?
The honest move is to stack free money first, then finance only the gap that's left. See your real number in about two minutes.
See my gap →Check datesCommemorative Air Force
Up to $12,000
NationalYouth 16-18
Open to applicants aged 16-19 who hold a valid FAA medical certificate and student pilot certificate and have passed the FAA written exam. Recipients must begin flight training within 60 days of accepting the award and complete their Private Pilot Certificate within one year.
Up to $12,000 toward earning a Private Pilot Certificate within one year
Rolling applications through local CAF units; no fixed annual open or close dates published
Check datesGeneral Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA)
$2,000
2 awards annually
NationalYouth 16-18
Open to U.S. high school seniors graduating in the current spring who have been accepted into an aviation-related degree program (including flight training, aviation management, aerospace engineering, or aviation maintenance) and have at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Two winners selected each year, each receiving $2,000 USD
Annual; 2026 deadline was April 24; next cycle expected spring 2027
Check datesThe Museum of Flight (Seattle)
Up to $14,000
9 awards across 3 named scholarships (Alaska Airlines, Benjamin L. Ellison, Frank and Betty Houston), one application
WashingtonYouth 16-18
High school students who are U.S. citizens residing in Washington state, at least 16.5 years old (as of March 1 of the award year), who have completed or are enrolled in Private Pilot Ground School. Some scholarships additionally require 40 or more hours of participation in Museum of Flight education programs such as Washington Aerospace Scholars or the Aeronautical Science Pathway.
Up to $14,000 per recipient, paid in three stages ($8,000, $4,000, $2,000) as training milestones are reached.
Opens mid-December each year; 2027 cycle opens mid-December 2026
Closed · reopens next cyclePearl Harbor Aviation Museum
Up to $10,000
HawaiiYouth 16-18
Open to Hawaii residents ages 16 to 21 who are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents and plan to pursue a private pilot license; applicants must be able to qualify for an FAA Student Pilot Certificate and pass a third-class medical exam.
Up to $10,000 per recipient; funded by the Ray Foundation
Annual; the 2026 cycle closed June 30, 2026 (per the AwardSpring application page). Next cycle dates not yet announced.
