What Stripes to Bars publishes
15 awards in 2025 cycle
Not published: the award amount. Listed as missing rather than guessed.
Amounts, dates and eligibility change between cycles. Always confirm on the provider's page before applying.
Applications open January 1, 2027.
Leave your email and we'll flag it once this window is live, so you can apply early instead of scrambling at the deadline.
What this award leaves to fund
- Median awardThis provider publishes no figure
- $10,000
- Private certificatePilotBound national estimate
- − $18,257
- Left to fund
- $8,300
All six lenders in our comparison lend this much. Stack whatever else you can win first, then price only what is left.
Compare the six lenders →Who this is for
Open to current and former members of any US federal uniformed service with other-than-dishonorable discharge status, who hold a valid FAA medical certificate appropriate to their training goals. Funds may be applied toward any FAA pilot certificate at any flight school nationwide.
How to apply
- Read the full requirements on Stripes to Bars's official page. Applying is free.
- Line up the slow pieces early: recommendation letters, transcripts, and any medical or student pilot certificate the provider asks for.
- Write the essay with numbers, not passion: name your certificate goal, your school, your hours so far, and exactly what this award covers. Build your plan so every figure in the essay is real.
Price the school you'll name in the essay
Selection boards fund plans with a school and a number in them. Every figure below is what the school itself publishes, with the source and the date it was checked.
Local flight schools
1168 flight schools across 50 states, with the hourly rates each one publishes.
Accelerated academies
94 zero-to-career academies and the fixed program prices they publish.
Degree programs
47 aviation colleges, with tuition and flight fees summed into one estimate.
Also worth a look
Stripes to Bars Scholarship: quick answers
How much is the Stripes to Bars Scholarship?
Stripes to Bars doesn't publish a single figure for this award (Varies by award; the 2025 cycle distributed $52,500 across 15 recipients (roughly $3,500 per award on average)). Check the official page for the current cycle's amount.
When is the Stripes to Bars Scholarship deadline?
The deadline on the provider's official page is February 28, 2027. Applications open January 1, 2027. Opens Jan 1, closes Feb 28 each year; awards announced starting May 1.
Who is eligible for the Stripes to Bars Scholarship?
Open to current and former members of any US federal uniformed service with other-than-dishonorable discharge status, who hold a valid FAA medical certificate appropriate to their training goals. Funds may be applied toward any FAA pilot certificate at any flight school nationwide.
How do I apply for the Stripes to Bars Scholarship?
Apply for free on Stripes to Bars's official page. There is no application fee, and no legitimate aviation scholarship charges one or asks for your Social Security number. Have your essay, recommendation letters, and any required certificates ready before the window opens.