Award overview
The Jay I. Kislak Memorial Scholarship is one of the flight training awards listed by the Experimental Aircraft Association. EAA describes it as support for students with financial need who are pursuing pilot certificates and ratings. The listing does not publish a dollar amount for this individual award, so this profile does not estimate one.
The scholarship uses EAA's shared flight training application. For the 2026 to 2027 cycle, EAA says applications are open and due by December 16, 2026. One application is used for all flight training scholarships, and EAA considers applicants for each award whose individual criteria they meet. The award decision is not automatic based on filling in the general application.
Who may qualify
The listed age range is 16 to 21. EAA identifies financial need as an eligibility requirement. The scholarship can support training toward a private pilot certificate, instrument rating, multi-engine rating, commercial pilot certificate, flight instructor rating, or airline transport pilot certificate.
Applicants pursuing a private pilot certificate must already possess a student pilot certificate and an FAA medical certificate. The EAA listing gives additional preference to applicants who attended National Air and Space's S.H.E. Can STEAM Camp and receive a referral from that program. The listing describes this as a preference, not a universal requirement for every applicant.
The individual criteria are only part of the general application rules. EAA says applicants must be citizens or residents of the United States or Canada, or eligible to work or study in one of those countries, including through an applicable visa. EAA membership is not required, but members and active chapter members receive preference in selection. Applicants should verify the current wording on EAA's flight training scholarship page before submitting.
Training costs and award amount
The public EAA listing does not state a separate dollar value for the Jay I. Kislak award or itemize a private list of eligible purchases. EAA says its flight training scholarships may be used at flight training schools in the United States and Canada, excluding university flight programs. The named award's certificate and rating criteria indicate the training goals it supports, but the applicant should ask EAA how a proposed school and training plan fit the current award terms.
EAA's general flight training scholarship information says flight training awards are disbursed in stages. The first installment is 40 percent of the total award, a second 40 percent follows designated progress benchmarks, and the final 20 percent follows completion of the certificate or rating. The recipient's award notice and current scholarship instructions should specify which benchmarks apply. Do not treat these percentages as a promise of any particular award amount.
EAA also states that scholarship funds have a use period and that flight training awards must be used by the program's stated deadline. Ask the scholarship contact how the current award year interacts with the published March 1 use date, planned checkride timing, and any training interruption. Funding can depend on meeting milestones and submitting progress reports on time.
Application process
Start with EAA's online application and identify the certificate or rating you intend to pursue. Since the shared application matches applicants to multiple awards, provide complete and consistent information about training stage, financial need, education, and aviation activity. The individual award listing should be reviewed alongside the general requirements rather than treated as a complete application checklist on its own.
EAA's current FAQ asks applicants to provide one non-relative character reference. The reference receives a link after the applicant enters their name in the online form. The applicant should ask the reference in advance and confirm that the recommendation is completed before the deadline. Late or incomplete applications are not accepted.
EAA says its reviewers consider the criteria for each individual scholarship and look for applicants with potential to remain engaged in aviation. Participation in aviation and non-aviation clubs, extracurricular activities, and volunteer service can help the reviewers understand an applicant's interests and involvement. Membership is not required, but EAA members and active chapter members are prioritized.
Questions to resolve before submitting
Confirm that you meet the age range, financial need requirement, and certificate or rating criteria. If applying for a private pilot certificate, verify that your student pilot certificate and FAA medical meet the current application requirements. If relying on the S.H.E. Can STEAM Camp preference, ask the camp or EAA what documentation or referral is expected.
Before accepting an award, ask for the individual amount, eligible expenses, payment schedule, progress reporting requirements, use-by date, and treatment of unused funds. The directory does not publish an amount because EAA's individual listing does not provide one. Use the flight training cost estimator to organize a budget, then compare that estimate with EAA's written terms and a training provider's current quote.
Related resources include the EAA scholarship listing, the flight school directory, and the aviation scholarship directory.