Scholarships

Eligibility

To be considered for the TBAA/PTA Flight Training Scholarship, you must:

• Be between the ages of 16 and 20 at the time of application.
• Be a U.S. Citizen and be able to read, write, speak, and understand English proficiently.
• Currently live or maintain a permanent address in the Tampa Bay Area.*
• Be enrolled in, or recently graduated from, an approved secondary educational program and have an unweighted GPA of 3.0 or higher. The 3.0 GPA must be maintained throughout the scholarship process. GED recipients may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Hold or be able to obtain a valid FAA medical certificate appropriate to the training sought. At minimum, an FAA Class III Medical Certificate is required.
• Have a demonstrated interest in aviation and reliable transportation to support consistent flight training.

Applicants may apply for either Initial Private Pilot License (PPL) Training or Advanced Flight Training.

Initial PPL applicants must have completed the FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test with a score of 70% or better before applying. They must also complete, at their own expense, a successful Discovery Flight of at least 30 minutes in a small general aviation aircraft with a Certified Flight Instructor before being considered for an award. 

Advanced Flight Training applicants must already hold an FAA Private Pilot Certificate. Applications for training toward an Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot Certificate, or other approved advanced flight training will be considered on a case-by-case basis based on merit, eligibility, training goals, and available funding.

* For the purposes of this scholarship offering, the Tampa Bay Area includes: Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Manatee, Polk, Citrus, Highlands, Hardee, and Sarasota Counties

**IMPORTANT:
Please review the current TBAA Flight Training Scholarship Application and Policies & Procedures for complete eligibility requirements, required documentation, program milestones, and funding provisions.