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Scholarships
Top aviation scholarships for you
Find scholarships for aviation majors that can help you pay for college.
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Scholarships for aviation majors
3 days left!
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Richard L. Taylor Flight Training Scholarship
Due: 3/28/26
|No Recommendations Required
$1,500
The Richard L. Taylor Flight Training Scholarship is the newest addition to the National Air Transportation Foundation's scholarship program. The scholarship is offered to a college or university student continuing his or her education in the aviation industry. Applicants must be enrolled in a flight program through the college or university with aspirations to become a professional pilot (general or commercial aviation). They must have a private pilot's license. A senior in high school planning a career in the general aviation field may also apply. Interested students must complete an application and submit it along with the required documents no later than the last Friday in March. If applying as an incoming college freshman, please include an official high school transcript and an acceptance letter from the college or university at which you will be attending. If applying while enrolled in college or university, please include an unofficial college or university transcript showing a 3.0 or greater GPA. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the National Air Transportation Foundation for more information.
7 days left!
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Garmin-Jerry Smith Memorial Scholarship
Due: 4/1/26
|No Recommendations Required
$1,000
The Garmin-Jerry Smith Memorial Scholarship is available to a high school, college or vocational/technical school student who plans to attend or is attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft maintenance program. The scholarship cannot be applied toward previous tuition or debts and cannot be used for any type of flight training or air traffic control programs. The scholarship must be used for the Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 school semester. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Aircraft Electronics Association Educational Foundation for more information.
7 days left!
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Susan T. Friedle Scholarship
Due: 4/1/26
|No Recommendations Required
$1,750
The Susan T. Friedle Scholarship is available to a high school senior or college student who plans to attend or is attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft maintenance program. The scholarship cannot be applied toward previous tuition or debts and cannot be used for any type of flight training or air traffic control programs. The scholarship must be used for the Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 school semester. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Aircraft Electronics Association Educational Foundation for more information. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Aircraft Electronics Association Educational Foundation for more information.
7 days left!
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Sporty's Foundation Private Pilot Training for AEA Technicians
Due: 4/1/26
|No min. GPA Required
|No Transcripts Required
$6,000
Sponsored by The Sporty's Foundation, the Sporty's Foundation Private Pilot Training for AEA Technicians is available to avionics technicians or avionics managers of an AEA Repair Station Member to use toward achieving their Private Pilot Certificate. Applicants must be employed by an AEA Regular Member for no less than one year as an avionics technician or avionics manager. The award money is to be used for achieving a private pilot certificate. The award money is not intended for use in achieving any other rating or certificate. The award money is to be used for flight training costs only. The award recipient must plan to begin pilot training within six months of receiving scholarship. Applicants must submit the attached letter of recommendation as completed by their employer. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Aircraft Electronics Association Educational Foundation for more information.
7 days left!
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Fred E. Machesney Memorial Scholarship
Due: 4/1/26
|No essay
|No Recommendations Required
|No Transcripts Required
Varies
The Fred E. Machesney Memorial Scholarship is available to new or returning students enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours in Aviation Technology or related fields with the intent to transfer to a four-year school in the same field. Applicants must have financial need. Preference is based first on academic performance and financial need second.
7 days left!
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Lee Tarbox Memorial Scholarship
Due: 4/1/26
|No Recommendations Required
$2,500
The Lee Tarbox Memorial Scholarship, given by Pacific Southwest Instruments, is available to a high school senior or college student who plans to attend or is attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft maintenance program. The scholarship cannot be applied toward previous tuition or debts and cannot be used for any type of flight training or air traffic control programs. The scholarship must be used for the Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 school semester. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Aircraft Electronics Association Educational Foundation for more information.
7 days left!
Apply now
Garmin Scholarship
Due: 4/1/26
|No Recommendations Required
$2,000
The Garmin Scholarship is available to a high school senior or college student who plans to attend or is attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft maintenance program. The scholarship cannot be applied toward previous tuition or debts and cannot be used for any type of flight training or air traffic control programs. The scholarship must be used for the Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 school semester. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Aircraft Electronics Association Educational Foundation for more information.
7 days left!
Apply now
Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics Scholarship
Due: 4/1/26
|No Recommendations Required
$1,000
The Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics Scholarship is available to a high school senior or college student who plans to attend or is attending an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft maintenance program. The scholarship cannot be applied toward previous tuition or debts and cannot be used for any type of flight training or air traffic control programs. The scholarship must be used for the Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 school semester. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Aircraft Electronics Association Educational Foundation for more information.
7 days left!
Apply now
Universal Avionics Scholarship
Due: 4/1/26
|No Recommendations Required
$1,500
The Universal Avionics Scholarship is available to high school seniors and/or college students who plan to or are attending an accredited school in an avionics program or aircraft maintenance program. The scholarship cannot be applied toward previous tuition or debts and cannot be used for any type of flight training or air traffic control programs. The scholarship must be used for the Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 school semester. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Aircraft Electronics Association Educational Foundation for more information. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Aircraft Electronics Association Educational Foundation for more information.
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What are aviation scholarships?
Aviation scholarships are financial aid for college created specifically for aviation students. Scholarships for aviation majors can help students access higher education opportunities that otherwise may be out of reach because of financial reasons. All scholarships are free money for college that you don’t have to pay back.
Eligibility requirements for aviation scholarships
Before you apply for aviation scholarships, make sure you check the eligibility requirements to see if you qualify. These may include:
- Minimum GPA
- Community service experience
- U.S. citizenship
- Plans to attend an accredited program
- Leadership skills
- FAFSA® submission
Scholarship requirements vary, so don’t assume you won’t qualify. Keep searching for scholarships that best match your qualifications.
Are aviation scholarships worth my time?
If you want to get as much free money as you can for your education, then yes! You’ll find some scholarships are quick and easy to apply for, while others require more time and effort. Typically, fewer students apply for scholarships that require work (like writing an essay) which means you could have better odds of winning if you apply for one of those.
Pro tip: Don’t pass up on aviation scholarships that have smaller award amounts. ($) There’s typically less competition for them—and they add up!
How do I find aviation scholarships?
From your school to national organizations, there are so many places to find aviation scholarships that can help you pay for college.
Scholarship resources
- The financial aid office at a college or career school
- Organizations (such as professional associations) related to your field of interest
- Federal agencies
- Free scholarship search engines, like Scholly Scholarships
- Local libraries, businesses, or associations
Your high school guidance office is a great place to start when looking for local scholarships. You could also try doing a search for your city’s name and “community foundation,” or the county you live in and “foundation.”
Scholly Scholarships
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Find scholarships that are right for you
Easily search through thousands of college scholarships based on your background, major, state you live in, and more.
Hot tip! Smaller scholarships may have less competition, increasing your odds of winning.
What types of aviation scholarships are available?
Need-based scholarships
These are scholarships for students who have demonstrated a financial need. There’s no universal number or set income level that tells you if you qualify. How each scholarship defines what financial need means varies. The federal government as well as specific organizations, corporations, and colleges/universities/schools offer need-based scholarships.
Merit scholarships
Merit scholarships are for students who have shown high academic, athletic, or extracurricular achievement over their high school careers. Not all schools/colleges offer merit-aid—highly selective schools typically don’t. The process for applying for merit scholarships varies. For merit scholarships offered through colleges and universities, you generally don’t have to do anything other than complete the application to the school itself. For some schools, you need to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) to be eligible.
Career-specific grants or scholarships
These are awarded to students who know they want a career in a specific industry. Maybe they know they want to be a teacher, a nurse, or an engineer. To be eligible for grants, students must submit the FAFSA®. To find career-specific scholarships, try searching for your major and “association.”
Community or nonprofit scholarships
Nonprofit and community organizations often receive funding from donors to create scholarship programs for students who need them.
Tips for successful scholarship applications
- Pull together everything you need for the application including transcripts, so you can submit a complete scholarship application.
- You may need a recommendation letter or letters for a scholarship. Ask a teacher, employer, or someone else who knows you to write one for you—and be sure to give them enough time to do it.
- If you’re writing a scholarship essay, follow the prompt, answer the essay question completely, and write from your experience. A few well-written essays that you can reuse for different scholarship applications can really pay off.
- Highlight your strengths and achievements in your application.
- Talk about your financial need and what you would use the scholarship money for if you won. How would it help?
- Have to interview for a scholarship? Dress to impress in a professional outfit. And do your research! Look into how/why the scholarship was created. Try to bring up why it’s meaningful to you. Also, don’t forget to send a thank-you note afterwards.
- Keep track of all the deadlines for the scholarships you’re applying to. If you miss one, they may not extend the due date.
- Apply for scholarships year after year, all through college. As you continue your studies, gain more experience, and try new extracurricular activities in college, you might be eligible for more scholarships you weren’t originally qualified for.
Want more tips to up your chances of winning? Check out our scholarship guide for everything you need to know about finding and winning scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
These tips can help as you get ready to apply for aviation scholarships.
When are scholarship application deadlines?
There’s no standard deadline for scholarship applications. Each scholarship has its own deadline, so be sure to keep track of dates and make sure you don’t miss any deadlines of scholarships that you want to apply to.
Do you need to know which college you’re attending?
You don’t need to know which college you’re going to attend before applying for most scholarships. However, once you’re awarded scholarships, some of them may ask for eligibility verification—which can include proof of college enrollment.
Is there a limit on how many scholarships you can apply for?
Absolutely not, so apply for as many as you can to increase your chances of winning free money. Want to find more types of scholarships? There are so many, check them out!
Pro tip: Apply for scholarships each year you’re in college.
Does every scholarship application require an essay?
Not every scholarship will ask you to submit an essay—different scholarships have different requirements. If you’re applying for a scholarship with an essay and need help writing yours, get tips for writing scholarship essays.
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Fill out the FAFSA®
Learn when and how to apply for the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to maximize your chances of getting federal student financial aid. Get tips now.
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