Award overview
The AOPA Foundation High School Flight Training Scholarship supports eligible high school students working toward a private pilot certificate. For the 2026 cycle, AOPA lists at least 90 awards of $12,000 each. The scholarship sits within the Foundation's larger flight training program, which uses one general application to match applicants with awards for which they qualify.
This is a cycle-based award, not a standing grant that can be claimed at any time. AOPA lists spring and fall application periods each year. The currently listed fall application period runs from October 1 through December 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. AOPA says fall applicants will receive award decisions by April 15. Confirm those dates on the AOPA scholarship page before preparing an application, because a future cycle can use different dates or requirements.
Eligibility
Applicants must be current AOPA members and residents of the United States, the District of Columbia, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. AOPA says high school students can use its complimentary student membership option. Membership must remain current through the application process.
The high school flight training award is for applicants ages 16 to 18 who are enrolled in high school. The published criteria also require a minimum unweighted grade point average of 2.7 and a passing result on the FAA Private Pilot knowledge test before submitting the application. These are not substitute requirements for the general AOPA member eligibility rules. Applicants should compare their circumstances with the current program page and its 2026 scholarship FAQ.
The main AOPA page lists additional donor awards and criteria alongside the high school scholarship. Completing the general application does not mean an applicant has qualified for every award in the system. AOPA's matching process uses the applicant's responses to identify awards whose criteria appear to fit. Read each specific award description shown in the application portal and answer the eligibility questions accurately.
Award amount and use
The published high school award is $12,000. AOPA describes the scholarship as support toward a private pilot certificate. The page does not promise that this amount will cover every cost of flight training. Before committing to a training plan, ask the scholarship administrator which expenses qualify, when training may begin, and how the recipient should coordinate the award with a flight school.
AOPA states that scholarship funds are issued through a prepaid expense card rather than sent directly to a flight school. Its FAQ says flight training scholarship funds expire 12 months after the award date. The recipient should use the award notice for the controlling terms, including eligible purchases, documentation, and the exact expiration date. Do not assume an unused balance can be carried into another training year.
Application steps
Applications are submitted online through the AOPA Foundation scholarship system. An AOPA website login does not work as the scholarship portal login, so applicants who have not used the portal need to create a separate account. The system starts with a general application and asks questions used to match applicants with applicable awards.
High school applicants need a transcript dated within the current school year. The transcript should show the school name, courses, grades, current school year grades, and cumulative unweighted GPA on a 4.0 scale. AOPA says ninth grade applicants may include middle school grades when needed. Do not mail the transcript. Upload it with the online application as directed.
The application also requires two references. AOPA requires the provided reference form, completed by the reference and uploaded by the applicant before the deadline. At least one high school applicant reference must come from a teacher, counselor, coach, or school official. The second may come from another school official, flight instructor, or supervising adult. Parents, other relatives, and same-age friends are not acceptable references under the posted FAQ. Ask references early enough to complete the form before the portal closes.
What to confirm before applying
Check the current cycle dates, membership status, age rule, school enrollment, GPA, and knowledge test requirement before starting. Make sure every required document and reference is submitted in the portal. AOPA says it will not accept late or incomplete applications, and prior-cycle applicants must submit a new application or resubmit information for each cycle.
Ask AOPA how the prepaid card can be used with the student's chosen training provider and whether any planned expense needs advance approval. Compare the award terms with the provider's payment schedule rather than assuming that the award and training schedule will line up automatically. The sponsor's written award terms control.
Related resources include the flight training cost estimator, the flight school directory, and the scholarship directory.