Scholarships for Student Pilot

Info & Lists of Scholarship Opportunities

Part Time Pilot provides scholarships for Student Pilots! We give out 4 scholarships a year. One in the winter, spring, summer and fall. And in the spring. Read more below or scroll down to view lists of more scholarship opportunities from around the US.

4 Yearly Scholarships

Want to be kept up to date on when the scholarship applications will open and close? Sign up to our newsletter below:

Keep Me Updated

Enter your email below to get updates on the scholarships, podcasts & more

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Privacy Policy: We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe

We give out a $1000 scholarship 3 times a year funded by none other than Part Time Pilot. Once in the summer, once in the fall and once in the winter. And now, each spring, we are going to donate $1000 to a crowd-sourced Go-Fund me fund to try and make the biggest student pilot scholarship in the United States!

Sponsors or our Spring Scholarship!

For our spring GoFundMe scholarship we have started to accept sponsorships! In exchange for a sponsorship, an aviation company, organization, website, social media influencer will get promoted on Part Time Pilot's website, podcast, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and/or TikTok. If you would like to be a sponsor, please email us at team@parttimepilot.com

We GREATLY appreciate all our awesome sponsors. These include:

PlaneEnglish

Master Radio Comms with in just minutes a day. Practice talking to ATC outside of the cockpit with ARSim Aviation Radio Simulator by PlaneEnglish. ARSim uses a conversational learning approach to simulate radio communications in all phases of VFR and IFR flight. Download ARSim today here and use code PARTTIME10 to get 10% off lessons & learn the comms skills necessary for a lifetime of safe and enjoyable flying.

Kore Aviation

Kore Aviation is a family business with over 30 years of experience in aviation and communications equipment manufacturing. They launched a series of headsets with a simple belief that all pilots and passengers alike should have access to their own quality headsets at affordable prices.

If I were to tell you that you could get a $200 aviation headset you would probably assume that it lacks reliability and quality. But neither is the case with Kore! And that is why I have been promoting them for years now. I still have my first pair of Kore headsets that I bought over 8 years ago. Still work like a charm!

Use PARTTIMEPILOT

Scholarships for student pilots and scholarship opportunities for flight training

Fly Like a Local

The ultimate mobile app for general aviation in the USA. They provide all the tools pilots need to access vital information and connect with the local aviation community.

You can download the Fly Local App on your phone or find out more information at flylikealocal.com

Katana Aviation Foundation

A 501(c)3 non-profit founded by a pilot to give back to the aviation community. They have no paid employees, so they are able to use your tax deductible donations to the fullest.

They offer a range of aviation scholarships throughout the year. Scholarships can be used for things such as fixed wing and rotor wing training, ground schools, FAR exams, pilot supplies, A&P School, etc.. Find them on Instagram at Katana_Aviation_Foundation or their website www.katanaaviationfoundation.org/

The goal for our Spring GoFundMe scholarship is $10,000

We will track our progress to this goal here!

Track the progress with us to our goal of $10,000:

0 %
  • How will the GoFundMe scholarship work?

Once a year, we will donate $1000 start a GoFundMe campaign. We will promote the campaign throughout the year leading up to the scholarship deadline to get individual and sponsor donations.

ALL of the money raised (minus GoFundMe fees) will go to the winner(s). I will not take a single cent.

The amount(s) we give out to winners will depend on how much is raised. For example, if we raise $5000 I will combine it with $1000 from Part Time Pilot and give out two $3000 scholarships. But if we raise $10,000 I will combine it with the $1000 from Part Time Pilot and give out maybe three $3667 scholarships or two $5500 scholarships.

  • When is the scholarship given?


The next annual GoFundMe scholarship will have a deadline in May of 2024 and we will do this once a year in the spring. Sign up with the button above to get email updates on when the scholarship application will open up again!

  • How do you apply?

To apply, you just have to be currently involved in flight training or hour building in the United States and fill out a short application here

Donations are not required but if we really want to spread the good karma and change some lives you can donate and share at the GoFundMe here

If you are in the Online Ground School and have already applied to our $1000 scholarship, you will be eligible for the GoFundMe scholarship.

The Part Time Pilot $1000 Scholarship

  • Who is eligible?

Unlike the yearly crowd-source scholarship the $1000 scholarships are only available to any student pilot that has ever enrolled in our Online Ground School IF they simply fill out the short application available to them inside their membership.

  • When is the scholarship given?


The scholarship is not given on a specific schedule. When the scholarship fund reaches $1000 we then select a winner within a couple weeks and give it out as a scholarship. Use the top of this page to know how full the scholarship fund is and when to expect the next scholarship.

  • Who pays for the scholarship?

We do! For every student that signs up for our Online Ground School we donate $20 to the scholarship fund. This is just another way Part Time Pilot is trying to change the pilot training community by showing up for you, the student. We also use donations from our GoFundMe to fill the fund when those donations come in from our awesome, generous supporters.

  • What is the application like?

The application is available on student's membership page inside their Online Ground School memberships. The application is rather short. There are basic questions like name, age and city. There area few long form questions where we give you a chance to explain why you need the scholarship, what got you into flying and more. There are also a few fun questions about your favorite TV shows, music and hobbies.

"HUGE MAHALO NUI LOA to Nick for gracing me as Part Time Pilot's first ever scholarship recipient! Planes have wings and so do angels, but Nick has the greatest wings of em all! For taking us all under his wings, helping us develop our own, and ensuring we all soar! Flying has always been a dream of mine since childhood but never once did I think it was every tangible. However, when COVID grounded all my plans and aspirations last year, I decided to go all in on chasing the very thing that makes me truly happy; flying. With having just completed my solo, currently working on cross-country, and my checkride creeping around the corner, the timing couldn't be more perfect. I even contemplated selling my car and motorcycle simply to keep this dream alive. Being able to afford flight school is easily the biggest hurdle for any student and thus I am grateful for the support. Additionally, I now feel that much more inclined to make Nick and all of those who contributed to this scholarship proud. A commonly known Hawaiian prover is "kulia i ka nu'u" , which translates to "strive for the highest" and that is exactly when I intend to do."

-Ismael Salameh, former Part Time Pilot student and now Private Pilot

ONLINE GROUND SCHOOL

Past Scholarship Winners

Ismael Salameh

Ismael was our first scholarship winner. Ismael flies in Hawaii and was able to use our $1000 scholarship to help him get over the final hurdle of his training. In Hawaii, cross-country flights have to be conducted from island to island which make them pretty long and pretty expensive. Ismael needed to finish his last couple cross-country flights and then pay for his checkride. For a while he even considered selling his car but in the end was able to persevere and pass his checkride to become a private pilot. Ismael also took advantage of the Part Time Pilot Checkride Prep course.

Abby Craanen

Abby was our second scholarship winner and is currently still working through her license. She has been able to use the $1000 to catch up on her finances and allow her to keep flying. Abby is the definition of the people we want to serve at Part Time Pilot. Abby is a physical therapist in the morning and a student pilot each afternoon. Part Time Pilot understands that we all have full plates while trying to achieve our dreams of flight and that's why we give out these scholarships to try and make it just a bit easier.

Michael Uba

Michael is our 3rd scholarship winner is less than 7 months! Michael flies out of Buffalo, NY and has had to endure the harsh winter months and the challenges that go with those low ceilings, bad visibilities and wind shears. It takes a lot of mental grit to remain determined and stay proficient in times where you can't fly very much. Not too mention when you are getting your MBA simultaneously like Michael. Michael is the definition of a Part Time Pilot and we are happy to see him push through the final stretch of his license.

Claire Carr

Claire is our 4th ever scholarship winner! Claire was chosen because her passion for aviation hit me in the face when reading her application. Not only that but I really resonated with her determination and work ethic to have multiple income streams all while training to become a pilot and reach her goals.

Claire has a fantastic etsy shop that sells really cool pilot related gift items. Let's all support Claire and check it out here

Justin Heath

Justin is our 5th scholarship winner and a very deserving winner at that! Justin showed us that he is super determined to make his dream of flying come true. After almost reaching a Private Pilot License over 20 years ago, he is back at it! I think we can all relate how tough it can be to step away from your dream and then still have the determination to start back up again. Just served in the Navy as well and is now finishing school to work as an RN. We thank him for his service not only in the Navy but as a future nurse as well.

private pilot scholarship winner
aviation scholarship private pilot scholarship winner

Marty Lewandowski

Marty & Zach below were our 6th and 7th scholarship winners! Marty has a sense of humor that I really connected with in his application. He also showed a dedication to becoming a pilot in starting all over from scratch after losing his 40 hours of previous flight training in his log book. Good luck Marty!

Zach Stevenson

Zach was our 6th/7th scholarship winner with Marty (above). I could just really tell that Zach is a determined, ambitious and hard working young man that is easy to root for! He has that go getter attitude that I love.

aviation scholarship winner for pilot scholarship

Stacy Williamson

Stacy fit the mold of the Part Time Pilot students that we like to give money to! Hard working, determined and it is also pretty cool that she likes one of my favorite shows "Lego Masters"!! Haha That's not why she was chosen for the scholarship. Her ability to persevere and go after her dreams really did the trick!

Amy Wilder

Amy Wilder! Amy is a freelance writer who writes for Flying Magazine! She has had the dream to become a pilot since she was just 13 years old and loves everything aviation. The cost of training has always been a hurdle for Amy, like it is for a lot of us, but that did not stop her. She has slowly but surely built up hours and paid her way through flight training. She is just on the cusp of her checkride and becoming a pilot. Congrats Amy!

Carly The Aviator

Carly felt that flying is hard and in a predominantly male industry, it is already "freaking hard work". But she also believed that you have to absolutely love it, trust yourself, be dedicated, leave your ego behind, and be all in to make it happen. Carly invested a lot of emotions and adjustments to make this happen and she also had so much fun or loved something this much that she wants to adjust her whole life around.



Erin Walling

Erin is a founding member and serves on the board of the Huffman Prairie WAI chapter. I am also a member of the Flying Angels (local club), the National EAA, AOPA, AMA, AWAM, Ohio Aviation Association, EAA Chapter 382, the 99’s, and a contributor/volunteer at the Barnstorming Carnival, a local free aviation event. She gained a huge appreciation and obsession with antique aircraft over the last several years. Erin loves breaking the gender mold and showing young women that they can do anything they put their mind to. I think it is vitally important to be a role model and mentor and to share aviation with as many young kids as possible.


Keith Meline

Keith's end goal is to break free of the corporate job that really is not a fit for him and to be a pilot professionally. Like everyone else, Keith has fallen for the same sort of mistakes many students fall into and he wants that knowledge gap filled. Keith's Dad also wanted to be a pilot, and this is something he wants to do for him.



Adam Berlier

Adam has a growth mindset that I really respect and gravitate towards. Not only does he show a determination in becoming a pilot but he also volunteers for search and rescue and is in a Phd program! Holy smokes. He even gave this whole pilot thing an attempt once before but has showed a never give up attitude to accomplish it once and for all. We know this $1000 will be spent wisely and help someone who definitely deserves it.


Ibrahima Barry

Ibrahima had an unbelievable application. After I read that application I knew it was a winner. He portrayed his hard work and determination at following and finding his passions in life which include his love of travel and aviation. Ibrahima works 2 jobs to fund his flight training journey and is in the midst of that training lull where progress has slowed due to weather or other cancellations and I felt he could really use a boost of $1000 to get over the finish line!


Other Scholarships for Student Pilots




More will be added! If you know of one we missed let us know by sending an email to team@parttimepilot.com


ONLINE GROUND SCHOOL