Scholarship opportunities

Previously, the application window was open for five months, which was followed by several months of processing and selecting recipients.

Now, there will be two shorter application windows each year, with award decisions announced soon after. The application period that opened October 6 closes on December 31, with notifications to recipients beginning in February.

The next scholarship application period runs from April 1 to June 30, with notifications to recipients beginning in August.

“The AOPA Foundation scholarship program is more popular than ever. Earlier this year, we awarded more than $2 million to nearly 400 people. With these changes, applicants will learn their results sooner and move forward with their training faster than before,” said AOPA Scholarship Manager Taz Thomas.

There are a wide variety of scholarships available through the AOPA Foundation. With generous support from the Ray Foundation, up to 100 scholarships are offered annually to high school students and teachers. Each year, up to 90 students and 10 teachers receive $10,000 or more toward training for their private pilot certificate.

Other scholarships include funding for primary flight training, such as a sport or private pilot certificate, or to help pilots obtain additional ratings and certificates such as instrument, commercial, flight instructor, or multiengine. The AOPA Foundation also offers several scholarships for nonflying pursuits, including mechanic and flight dispatcher training.

Applicants must meet scholarship-specific criteria and hold a current AOPA membership, which is free for high school students.

aopa.org/scholarships