CloudDancer Pilot Scholarship
Pays $17,500 toward pilot training for veterans and active duty service members working on a private pilot certificate.
From Ashton Johnson Memorial CloudDancer Scholarship
- Amount
- $17,500Paid in pieces: $5,000 at selection, $5,000 at first solo, $5,000 at solo cross country and $2,500 at checkride. Five awards for 2026.
- Applications
- Opens ~May 2027Applications normally open May 1 with a July 31 deadline. The 2026 window was reopened through August 19, 2026 and is closed, and the 2027 cycle opens May 1, 2027.
- Who can apply
- Veterans and military, US citizens or permanent residents
- Where the money works
- Depends on the awardYou have to be enrolled or planning to enroll in an accredited aviation program, with preference for programs that line up with FAA standards.
- Pays toward
- Private pilot
Requirements
- Must be active duty, Reserve, National Guard or an honorably discharged veteran.
- Proof of service such as a DD-214 or active duty ID is required.
- Minimum 2.5 GPA or other evidence of aptitude.
- Two letters of recommendation from a commanding officer or equivalent.
- Pilots must have passed the private pilot written test in the last 12 months with at least 80 percent.
- Pilots must hold a current first or second class FAA medical.
- Personal statement of 500 words or less.
How to apply
- Gather proof of service, transcripts, resume, personal statement and two letters of recommendation.
- Pilots also add the private pilot written test result and a current first or second class medical.
- Fill out the online form on the CloudDancer website and upload the documents.
- Wait for committee review and a possible virtual interview.
- If selected, the money is paid out as you hit training milestones.
Opens Ashton Johnson Memorial CloudDancer Scholarship's own page. We never host an application.
Checked Oct 7, 2026 against Ashton Johnson Memorial CloudDancer Scholarship's page. We list scholarships we think are relevant for our program, not every one out there. Deadlines and amounts can change, so confirm them there before you apply.
Scholarships rarely cover all of it.
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