EAA Ray Aviation Scholarship

Pays a young person's flight training costs through a local EAA chapter.

From EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association)

Amount: Up to $12,000Awards are granted to EAA chapters, which then pick a local scholar. EAA funds $2,250,000 in scholarships each year.
Applications: Opens ~Feb 2027Scholars nominated by a chapter with a full scholarship apply from February through August 31 each year. Chapters themselves apply November 1 to January 31.
Who can apply: Ages 16 to 19, United States or Canada, since only chapters there are eligible
Where the money works: Depends on the award
Pays toward: Private pilot

Requirements

You must be 16 to 19 for powered flight training, or 15 to 19 for glider training.
You need a student pilot certificate if you are in the United States.
You need at least a third class medical certificate for private pilot training.
You must have taken at least one EAA Young Eagles flight.
You must be able to start training within 30 days of the scholarship start date.
You must volunteer two hours a month with your chapter and send in progress reports.
You must solo in 3 months, pass the written in 6 months, and pass the checkride in 12 months.

How to apply

Find an EAA chapter near you that runs a Ray scholarship.
Contact that chapter's scholarship coordinator to learn how to apply.
Take a Young Eagles flight and get your student pilot certificate and medical.
Apply through the chapter between February and August 31, then complete EAA's screening.

Apply on their site

Opens EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association)'s own page. We never host an application.

Checked Oct 7, 2026 against EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association)'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.

All pilot scholarships How to pay for flight school

Scholarships rarely cover all of it.

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