Women in Aviation International Scholarships
Women in Aviation International · National
What WAI publishes
80+ awards per cycle, members may apply to up to three (separate applications)
Amounts, dates and eligibility change between cycles. Always confirm on the provider's page before applying.
Applications close September 1, 2026.
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What this award leaves to fund
- This award$250 to $10,000, priced at the ceiling
- $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 →Every award in the 2027 cycle
WAI funds its whole slate through one application window. These are the awards it lists for 2027, in WAI's own categories and order.
- Awards listed
- 63
- Awards offered
- 80
- Listed value
- $389,487
- Applications
- Up to 3
63 awards are listed, and 80 are handed out, because 13 of them are offered two, three or four times over. WAI publishes the cycle as more than 80 scholarships worth over $400,000; the listed value here is lower because 2 awards publish no figure at all.
Every award on this page requires a WAI membership, and the dates are the part people miss. A new member must join by August 30, 2026. An existing member needs a membership expiring March 30, 2027 or later. This applies to all 63 awards below and is not repeated on each one.
The August 30 deadline to join as a new member has passed. Existing members whose membership runs to March 30, 2027 or later can still apply.
Join or renew at WAIOne exception, and the dates are different. The WAI Harvard Emerging Leaders program applies through this same cycle, but it needs a membership expiring June 30, 2027 or later, or a new membership by August 31, 2026. It is a three-day leadership course for members with at least seven years of career experience, not flight training, so it is not listed below. WAI has its own page for it.
One cycle. Apply for up to three of them.
Members may apply for up to three scholarships per cycle, but each one is a separate application, so pick a shortlist rather than hunting for the single right award.
For Advanced Rating Scholarships
12 awardsAerospace/Aviation Engineering Scholarship
3 awardsAviation Maintenance Scholarships
10 awardsFor General Career Advancements
8 awardsFor Aviation Management
2 awardsFor Career Pilots
12 awardsFor CFI's
2 awardsFor College Students
4 awardsFor Drone Pilots
1 awardFor Helicopter
1 awardFor Student Pilots
8 awardsEvery figure on this page comes from WAI's own WAI2027 scholarship listings, dated July 28, 2026. WAI adds awards during the cycle, so check wai.org/scholarships for anything listed since.
Who this is for
Open to WAI members of any age, gender, or background. New members must join by August 30, 2026; current members need a membership expiration of March 30, 2027 or later. Members may apply for up to three scholarships per cycle, but each one is a separate application. Offerings span private pilot, instrument, commercial, CFI and multi-engine training, plus aerospace engineering, maintenance, aviation management, drone and helicopter paths. Applying requires paid membership in the host organization; the application itself is free.
How to apply
- Read the full requirements on Women in Aviation International's official page, including the membership requirement. 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
Women in Aviation International Scholarships: quick answers
How much is the Women in Aviation International Scholarships?
The published award is $250 – $10,000. Flight training awards run $250 to $10,000 in cash; the largest are the ISA+21 airline type rating and the two Wings for Val Foundation awards at $10,000 each. WAI publishes more than 80 scholarships worth over $400,000 per cycle across all categories, including engineering, maintenance, dispatch and UAS awards that go higher. One application cycle covers multiple awards (80+ awards per cycle, members may apply to up to three (separate applications)).
When is the Women in Aviation International Scholarships deadline?
The deadline on the provider's official page is September 1, 2026. Applications are open right now. Opens June 1, closes September 1 (11:59 p.m. ET) each year. Most recipients of the 2027 awards are notified by December 15, 2026, and awards are presented at the 38th Annual WAI Conference in Savannah, Georgia on February 26, 2027.
Who is eligible for the Women in Aviation International Scholarships?
Open to WAI members of any age, gender, or background. New members must join by August 30, 2026; current members need a membership expiration of March 30, 2027 or later. Members may apply for up to three scholarships per cycle, but each one is a separate application. Offerings span private pilot, instrument, commercial, CFI and multi-engine training, plus aerospace engineering, maintenance, aviation management, drone and helicopter paths. Applying requires paid membership in the host organization; the application itself is free.
How do I apply for the Women in Aviation International Scholarships?
Apply for free on Women in Aviation International'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.