Aviation Scholarships & Grants

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Aviation Scholarships

Virginia offers several scholarships for aviation education and flight training.

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Aviation Education Grants

Virginia offers funding to bring aviation into the classroom.

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Scholarship Catalog

Virginia offers over 10 aviation scholarships. Explore state and national programs below.

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Aviation Start Scholarships

Find opportunities near you for funding and aviation education.

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Virginia Department of Aviation Scholarships & Grants

DOAV offers scholarships and grants to support flight training and aviation education. Explore the awards below and apply to take your next step in aviation.

The Chad Weaver Scholarship offers Virginia residents $1,000 to complete ground school, take flight lessons, or both. This scholarship is available to people seeking their private pilot’s license or their certified flight instructor’s (CFI) endorsement at a Virginia flight school. The Chad Weaver Scholarship may be used once for a private pilot’s license and once for a CFI endorsement.

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The Willard G. Plentl Aviation Scholarship awards $3,000 to a Virginia High School senior who is planning an aviation career in a non-engineering area. Proof of acceptance into a non-engineering, aviation-related postsecondary education program is required. Scholarship applicants must have an unweighted GPA of at least 3.5. One scholarship is awarded each year and may be renewed.

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The Teacher's Grant program offers up to $500 in reimbursement for K–12 Virginia educators who create and implement aviation‑themed lessons. Teachers of any subject may apply using the form below, and, if selected, return a grant agreement and final report with receipts for reimbursement. Past funded projects include model rockets and aircraft, drone builds, aviation field trips, and more.

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Aviation Scholarship Catalog

Virginia offers over ten scholarship opportunities to support aviation education and flight training. Explore our comprehensive scholarship catalog to discover state and national programs that can help advance your aviation career path.

Pathways Flight AcademiesVirginia Space Grant Consortium~$4,000Ground school and flight training up to first solo flightDeadline: January Willard G. Plentl Sr. Aviation ScholarshipVirginia Dept. of Aviation$3,000Non-engineering aviation careers (pilots, AMTs, managers)Deadline: February John R. Lillard VAOC Aviation ScholarshipJohn R. Lillard Foundation, Inc.$3,000Aviation management & aviation sciencesDeadline: February Kenneth R. Scott VAOC Aviation ScholarshipVirginia Airport Operators Council$3,000Aviation-related college programDeadline: February Tidewater Soaring Foundation ScholarshipTidewater Soaring FoundationFull Glider TrainingFAA Glider Certificate (35 instructional flights)Deadline: March Williamsburg Aviation Scholarship ProgramWilliamsburg Aviation Scholarship Program~$12,000 Full TrainingFull private pilot training (ground school + 50 flight hrs)Deadline: March Aviation Summer CampRandolph-Macon Academy~$4,000Two-week flight and drone academyDeadline: March Captain Earle Worley ScholarshipVirginia Aeronautical Historical Society$3,500Aeronautics, aerospace, aviation, or related engineeringDeadline: April Charles J. Colgan Aviation & Aerospace ScholarshipVirginia Aviation Business Association$2,000Aviation-related career at a VA-accredited institutionDeadline: May Chad Weaver Aviation ScholarshipVirginia Dept. of Aviation$1,000PPL or CFI flight training at a VA flight schoolDeadline: Year-round

LeRoy W. Homer Jr. Foundation ScholarshipLeRoy W. Homer Jr. FoundationPPL Training CostsPrivate Pilot License trainingDeadline: January Ninety-Nines Amelia Earhart Memorial ScholarshipsThe Ninety-Nines$10,000+All levels of flight trainingDeadline: January AOPA Foundation ScholarshipsAircraft Owners & Pilots Association$250–$14,000+Pilot certificates, ratings, maintenance, management, STEMDeadline: April & October–December RAA ScholarshipRegional Airline Association$4,000 (3 awards)Airline industry career (pilot, maintenance, operations)Deadline: April National Aviation Explorer ScholarshipsLearning for Life / BSA$3,000–$10,000Pilot cert., avionics, maintenance, aviation managementDeadline: April ATCA Scholarship FundAir Traffic Control Association$5,000–$15,000Air traffic control & aviation bachelor’s programsDeadline: June OBAP Aviation ScholarshipsOrganization of Black Aerospace ProfessionalsVariesPilot training, maintenance, aviation college programsDeadline: June & September–October NGPA Aviation ScholarshipsNational Gay Pilots Association$2,000–$15,000+All levels of aviation training & academic programsDeadline: July EAA Aviation Scholarships (Post-Secondary)Experimental Aircraft AssociationVariesAerospace engineering, ATC, maintenance, professional flightDeadline: October–December NBAA Charities Scholarship ProgramNational Business Aviation Association$10,000+Business aviation: flight ops, maintenance, dispatching, managementDeadline: Year-round EAA Ray Aviation ScholarshipEAA / The Ray Foundation$6,000–$12,000Private Pilot, Sport Pilot, or Glider certificateDeadline: Year-round

AviationStart

AviationStart is your launchpad into the world of aviation.

Whether you’re discovering aviation for the first time or looking for the next step in your journey, AviationStart makes it easy to take off with confidence. Designed to be intuitive, inspiring, and practical, it empowers students, parents, teachers, and career transitioners to take their next step toward a future in aviation.

Visit AviationStart.org

Explore Careers Discover paths across piloting, maintenance, engineering, drones, airport operations, and more.

Find Training & Funding Find training programs, scholarships, and industry resources tailored to your goals.

Connect Locally Connect with aviation organizations and opportunities in your region.

Classroom-Ready Tools Access tools that help educators introduce students to aviation.

Learn by Doing Learn from videos, stories, and hands‑on activities that bring the industry to life.

Programs & Resources

Aviation Mobile Classroom

Educator Resources

Program Applications

Aviation Contests

Contact Information

Point of Contact

Aviation Grants & Program Development

Tess Robertson

tess.robertson@doav.virginia.gov

804-236-3630

Point of Contact

Aviation Scholarships & Outreach Events

Tony Sotelo

anthony.sotelo@doav.virginia.gov

804-774-4634

Point of Contact

Virginia Aviation Contest Submissions

Amanda Cosby

Amanda.Cosby@doav.virginia.gov

804-236-3631

Point of Contact

Aviation Education & External Engagement

Alton Jordan

alton.jordan@doav.virginia.gov

804-236-3644

Women Can Fly

Women Can Fly is a volunteer organization whose mission is to encourage women of all ages to fly, providing hands-on experiences and demonstrations.

EAA Young Eagles

EAA Young Eagles offer first free rides in an airplane for youth ages 8 to 17. The organization encourages those already part of aviation to become a volunteer.

Pathways Flight Academies

The Pathways Flight Academies immerse students in learning to fly while discovering the range of exciting aviation career opportunities available.

Civil Air Patrol Cadet

Through the Civil Air Patrol, youth 12 to 18 can learn about aviation and the military while developing leadership and teamwork skills in a year-round youth program.

Science, Technology, Engineering, Math

STEM Flights is a national nonprofit organization that connects middle and high school students with volunteer pilot mentors to learn about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).

NEXTGEN Aviators

At NEXTGEN Aviator events, students can perform hands-on activities based on real-life aviation applications.

American Rocketry Challenge

The American Rocketry Challenge is the world’s largest rocket contest with nearly 5,000 students nationwide competing each year.

Civil Air Patrol Educators

Civil Air Patrol educators offer free aerospace/STEM lesson plans, activities, textbooks, products, and programs to use in any classroom or afterschool or enrichment programs.

EAA Aero Educate Activities

AeroEducate is a free resource filled with age-based activities and clear pathways to aviation and aerospace industry careers through which K-12 students can discover and ignite their curiosity in aviation.

NASA eClips

NASA eClips is a NASA-supported project that brings together exciting video segments and resources with educational best practices to inspire and educate students to become 21st Century explorers.

AOPA Foundation STEM Curriculum

The AOPA Foundation has created the AOPA Foundation High School Aviation STEM Curriculum, a STEM.org-reviewed educational media.

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