The Complete Guide: Flying scholarships in the UK in 2020
A range of flying scholarships from several providers is available in the UK over the coming year to a wide range of applicants. While some are aimed at young aspiring pilots, others are open to adult candidates and also to those with no experience whatsoever.
Update: Check our list of flying scholarships for 2021, it’s been updated throughout the year!
There are two gliding scholarships:
- The Honourable Company of Air Pilots Gliding Scholarship 2020 (Gliding)
- The Air League Gliding Scholarship (Gliding)
One LAPL scholarship:
Four PPL scholarships:
- ACS Flight Training PPL Scholarship (PPL)
- The Honourable Company of Air Pilots Private Pilot’s Licence Scholarship (PPL)
- The Air League 12-hour Flying Scholarship (PPL)
- The Air League 5-hour Flying Scholarship (PPL)
One time-building scholarship:
And one Flight Instructor rating scholarship:
Read on to find out more about these opportunities and how to apply for them.
1.) The Honourable Company of Air Pilots Gliding Scholarship 2020
The Honourable Company of Air Pilots is also offering the Gliding Scholarship this year. Successful candidates will get a one-week gliding course at British Gliding Association Junior Gliding Centre.
The training will be carried out during the 2020 school summer holidays (July / August) and exact dates and locations yet to be confirmed.
Terms and conditions
The Gliding Scholarship 2020 has a number of pre-entry terms and conditions. You have to reach 16 years old on 1 July 2020, be eligible to satisfy UK medical requirements to fly a glider and there is also height and weight restriction (be under 6’ 4” and 16st 4lb).
The full terms and conditions should be viewed on the website.
Deadlines: Applications can be made now and must be received by 5 March 2020 at 12 noon with interviews taking place in London on 14 and 15 April 2020.
How to apply: Apply for the gliding scholarship completing the form available here.
2.) The Air League Gliding Scholarship
This scholarship offers a 3-day gliding course with 2 hours of flying each day. Successful applicants will be provided with accommodation during the course.
Terms and conditions
The scholarships are open to members of The Air League aged between 16 and 25 who are UK residents or completing a full degree course in the UK. There are also requirements relating to weight (44 – 103 kg) and height (152 – 193 cm).
Please see the full list of terms and conditions on The Air League’s website.
Note: The Air League membership starts at £24 annualy for young applicants under 22 years old.
Deadlines: Applications will run to 31 March 2020. Winners will be notified by May 2020.
How to apply: You can apply by following the instructions on The Air League’s website.
3.) The RAF Association’s Flying Scholarship Programme 2020
The RAF Association’s Flying Scholarship programme is well-established, having been in place for many years.
The scholarships acknowledge the commitment of young people in the RAF Air Cadets, the Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets, the Air Scouts and Air Explorer Scouts to the Association.
The first scholarship on offer is the 35-hour flight training course which leads to a Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL).
There are also at least five opportunities for runners-up to benefit from 12-hour flying scholarships. More details will be released later in 2020.
Terms and conditions
Scholarships are open to applicants who are members of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAFAC), Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets (GVCAC) and Explorer Air Scouts.
In addition, applicants must have been a member of one of these bodies for at least 12 months on 1 January 2020.
You can see the full terms and conditions on the RAF Association website.
Deadlines: Applications for the 2020 scholarships can now be made. The closing date is midnight on 29 February 2020.
How to apply: You can apply on the RAF Association’s website here.
4.) ACS Flight Training PPL Scholarship
ACS Flight Training is keen to grant two student pilots the opportunity to get in the cockpit, take-off, and get 10 flight hours under their belts towards a Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL).
Each winner will also get a brand new Bose A20 pilot headset.
Terms and conditions
Applicants must have the right to live and/or work in the United Kingdom and must be at least 17 years old on 1st March 2020.
The full terms and conditions should be viewed in the separate article we have published last year.
Deadlines: The deadline for applications is 4pm on 21st February 2020. The winners of the scholarships will be awarded on Saturday, February 29 at at the Pilot Careers and Flight Training Seminar.
How to apply: Applicants must create and post a video on their aviation product or idea and why they have the skills, experience and/or passion to get the scholarship. A list of complete steps to apply is available here.
5.) The Honourable Company of Air Pilots Private Pilot’s Licence Scholarship
The Private Pilot’s Licence Scholarships provide the training needed to gain a PPL. They offer up to 45 hours of flying instruction and are suitable for applicants with no experience at all, or someone who has received some prior training.
Candidates can be from the UK or overseas, and training will be carried out at a flying school based in the UK.
The scholarships cover the costs associated with flying instruction and the issuing of a licence only.
Terms and conditions
Applications must be at least 17 years of age on 1 June 2020. Instruction will be carried out at an approved flying school and will begin in June 2020. It should be finished by 1 October 2020.
Full terms and conditions will be provided to successful candidates later in the process.
Deadlines: Applications can be made now, while the closing date is 12 noon on 20 February 2020. Interviews will be held in London on 23 and 24 April 2020.
How to apply: You can apply by downloading the PPL application form here.
6.) The Air League 12-hour Flying Scholarship
This scholarship offer powered flight training for a total of 12 hours, to count towards a Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL).
Instruction takes place on a residential course lasting between one and two weeks and will be delivered by the Royal Air Force Sport Aircraft Flying Schools and other partners to be announced.
Terms and conditions
The scholarship is open to members of The Air League aged between 17 and 35 who are UK residents.
There are also requirements relating to English language proficiency, academic achievement and the candidate’s medical status.
Please see the full list of terms and conditions on The Air League’s website.
Deadlines: Applications opened on 1 November 2019 and will run to 31 January 2020. Interview dates will take place in March and April 2020, and the scholarships should be fulfilled between May and October 2020.
How to apply: You can apply by following the instructions on The Air League’s website.
7.) The Air League 5-hour Flying Scholarship
This newly-introduced scholarship is aimed at candidates who have an interest in aviation but have not had the chance to develop their skills.
This residential scholarship takes place over five days, with one hour of flying per day.
The course provides an insight into life as a pilot and how to succeed in getting a role as one, as well as information on various training paths to achieve this goal.
Terms and conditions
The 5-hour Flying Scholarships are tailored to young people who wish to follow a career as a pilot or as a crew member in the spheres of aviation and aerospace.
No previous experience of flying is necessary. Applicants must be UK residents, members of The Air League and aged between 16 and 26.
Please see the website for a full description of the terms and conditions.
Deadlines: Applications for the 5-hour Flying Scholarships are currently open up until 2 March 2020. Interviews will take place in March and April 2020, and scholarships must be carried out between May and the last day in October 2020.
How to apply: You can apply on The Air League’s website here.
8.) The Air League Flying Bursary
Successful candidates will receive three to five hours’ flight time with a Flying League bursary. It is available to PPL holders and students who haven’t yet finished their training but would like a helping hand.
Previous bursary recipients have used the funds for instrument ratings and night ratings, for example. Applications from disabled pilots are welcome.
Terms and conditions
To apply for a flying bursary, applicants must be UK residents and a minimum of 17 years of age.
Other terms and conditions relate to English language proficiency, the candidate’s state of health and other considerations. The full list of terms and conditions can be viewed on The Air League’s website.
Deadlines: The last date to submit your application is 2 March 2020. Applicants will be informed by May 2020 whether they have been successful.
How to apply: Apply by following the instructions on The Air League’s website.
9.) The Honourable Company of Air Pilots Flight Instructor Certificate Scholarship 2020
The Honourable Company of Air Pilots is also offering the Flight Instructor Certificate Scholarship 2020. This covers the costs of training and exams for candidates wishing to obtain their fixed wing Flight Instructor rating (FI).
The training will be carried out in the summer of 2020 and completed before the first week of October.
Terms and conditions
The Flight Instructor Certificate Scholarship 2020 has a number of pre-entry terms and conditions. These including holding a current EASA PPL(A), CPL(A) or ATPL(A) licence. This should include an SEP class rating, and fulfilling a minimum of 200 hours’ flying, at least 100 of which should be as pilot-in-command if the candidate is a bearer of an ATPL(A) or CPL(A), or 150 hours as the same if holding a PPL(A).
The full terms and conditions should be viewed on the website.
Deadlines: Applications can be made now and must be received by 12 March 2020 at 12 noon with interviews taking place in London on 6 May 2020.
How to apply: Apply for the Flight Instructor rating scholarship completing the form available here.
More scholarships to come
We expect more scholarships to come in upcoming months, e.g. Bristol Groundschool ATPL Scholarship or Nick Davidson Memorial Flying Scholarship. If you know about any scholarship which is missing, feel free to contact us so we can update the article.
Video: Promoting video of RAF private pilot licence scholarship.
Hello dear I cadet staff Is there is any scholarship, special offer or any discount to study ATPL. I’m Graduated from university of Kirkuk English Department from Iraq.
In our country we don’t had aviation academy and I don’t have enough money to study ATPL out of my country I have just about 17.000£ So please is there a scholarship or any offer
Thank you
Hi Siraj, we don’t expect any scholarships to be opened anytime soon due to covid-19 aviation crisis. Anyway, you normally need a UK or European passport to apply here in Europe. I would suggest to look for scholarships in your country/region. If no scholarships, just work hard to earn enough money so you can pay for training by yourself. That’s what I did. It may take a few years, but it will pay off. Wish you all the best with finding your route. Jacob, iCadet