Many years ago, men dominated specific fields, and the few women involved hardly ever made an impact. But it is not so today, as the equality gap keeps thinning, giving women the leverage to take the lead in some positions.
The aviation industry is not left out of this because there has been a constant growth in the number of females.
Regardless of the level of growth among female aviators, the number is still considerably low. According to Pilotonstitute, only 9.02% of female pilots and 5% of professional females exist globally. One of the reasons for this shortage of women in aviation is finances.
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Some generous individuals and organizations provide various aviation scholarships for females in different categories to bridge the gap.
You can take advantage of this opportunity to land your dream program. We have compiled some of them in this article to reduce the burden of combing the internet.
The Women offer our first pick on aviation scholarships for females in Aviation International (WAI). It provides almost one million dollars annually for over 100 women in the industry. There are many scholarships, and you select up to three most suitable for you.
Also, even if you did not qualify after your first attempt, you can apply for the scholarship again the following year. One of the strongest eligibilities is that you must be a member of WAI. Unless specified, you don’t need to be a US citizen to participate in the scholarship.
In addition, Women in Aviation Scholarships are offered by WAI, a nonprofit that supports women’s career advancement in the industry. Being a member of WAI offers you access to the following:
- An annual conference in aviation
- Educational outreach programs
- Merchandise and service discounts, etc.
Eligibility Requirements for Women in Aviation Scholarships
The following are requirements to be met to be eligible for the Women in Aviation Scholarships. You must:
- Have no fewer than five and over ten years of professional experience in the aviation and aerospace industry
- Be a member of WAI
- Include a written recommendation from your supervisor, essays about your experience, and resumes.
This is a yearly scholarship for qualified members of the association. Amelia Earhart was a Charter Member and the premier President of the Ninety-Nines. She was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
In addition, The Ninety-Nine founded this scholarship fund in 1940 to honor her remembrance. But the Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarship is separate from The Ninety-Nine Inc. These scholarships and awards are of five different categories, which include the following:
- Academic Scholarship (up to $10,000)
- Flight Training Scholarship, which is (up to $20,000)
- Vicki Cruse Memorial Scholarship for Emergency Maneuver Training (fully-funded Scholarship)
- Technical Training Scholarship (up to $20,000)
- Kitty Houghton Memorial Scholarship
The application deadline for this award is January 1 yearly.
Whirly-Girls offer lots of aviation scholarships for females in the field. Each of them comes with its conditions, which the applicants must meet. Here are some of the Whirly-Girls Scholarships to apply for:
- Whirly-Girls Jean Tinsley Memorial HELI-EXPO Scholarship
Whirly-Girls Jean Tinsley Memorial HELI-EXPO Scholarship is offered by the Whirl-Girls Scholarship Fund and the Jean Tinsley estate.
The goal is to commemorate Jean’s love for female aviators. Besides, the scholarship is worth $2,400. Other benefits include show pass access to the EXPO floor, seminars, and events; a $600 travel and meal stipend; five nights’ shared accommodations; and a Whirly-Girls Awards Banquet ticket.
To be eligible, each applicant must be a helicopter pilot with a private pilot license/certificate. She must be a member of the Whirly-Girls before September 25, 2023.
- Airbus Inadvertent Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IIMC) Training Scholarship
This scholarship is sponsored by Airbus and offered to a deserving Whirl-Girl to enable her to attend the Inadvertent Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IIMC) at the Airbus Helicopters North American Regional Training Center in Grand Prairie, Texas. The scholarship value is around $4,900.
Furthermore, you must be a helicopter pilot with a private license/certificate to qualify. She must also be a member of the Whirly-Girls by September 25, 2023.
Others include:
- Anastasia Mosquito Control District Ag Spray Scholarship
- Bell Training Academy Maintenance Scholarship
- Stewart ‘Stu’ Dietrick Memorial Scholarship — Inadvertent IMC and Helicopter Upset Recovery Course
The Hart Aviation Nation offers this scholarship Delivers (HAND) to females in aviation. However, I Hart Flying Scholarships are only available for US/Canadian citizens or residents.
Possibly, they will accept international applicants in the future, but for now, they have yet to do so. Besides, those who have yet to start their flight training or hold a license are still eligible for the scholarship.
The benefits of the scholarship include multiple pecuniary awards and other values. The deadline for the application is August 27, 2024.
Eligibility Criteria for I Hart Flying Scholarships
To apply for this scholarship, applicants must meet the following conditions:
- Applicants must be a female
- They must be a US/Canadian citizen or resident
- They must be at least 16 and above
- Any licensure level is inclusive
- You must sign up for the group’s social media accounts
- Annual Epic Aviation Scholarship Awards
These awards are for male and female high school students passionate about joining the aviation industry.
The sum of the Annual Epic Aviation Scholarship Awards is up to $70,000 for five selected applicants. They include:
- $20,000 Scholarship for Flight Training/Private Pilot License
- 2 (two) $20,000 Scholarships for Aircraft Mechanics Program
- 2 (two) $5,000 Scholarships for Flight Training
Additionally, Epic has awarded over $280,000 to 20 high school students in the past seven years.
Eligibility criteria for the Annual Epic Aviation Scholarship Awards
The applicants must fulfill the following conditions to be eligible for this scholarship. You must be:
- A US citizen or permanent resident
- Attending a high school in the US
- Must be turning 16 or older on or before December 31, 2023, for flight training or 18 by the time of completing the aircraft mechanic program
- Able to start training within one year of obtaining the scholarship or use the scholarship within two years
- Able to present a Third Class Medical for the flight training scholarship
The ESMA Scholarship provided by the Airways Aviation Academy is one of the top aviation scholarships for females who intend to become professional pilots.
It aims to bridge the industry’s inequality gap between males and females.
The academy awards the three best an admission with a partial scholarship of €10,000. However, they are offered in two courses delivered in Montpellier, France. These courses include:
- Bachelors in Aeronautical Management & ATPL Licence- Montpellier Business School
- EASA fATPL Integrated Course
Another top scholarship for females in aviation is the ISA+21 Scholarships for Women. It aims to invest in the future of women airline pilots by providing these various awards for women worldwide, irrespective of the country.
For nearly 50 years, the International Society of Women Airline Pilots has provided these awards up to the tune of $1.4 million in advanced flight training and other programs.
Yearly, the Australian Women Pilots’ Association (AWPA) provides diverse scholarships and awards for all ages and levels of experience in the field. These scholarships are awarded on merit as long you meet the eligibility criteria.
In addition, you can apply as many as possible, although you can only qualify for one. Successful applicants are announced during the presentation event of AWPA during their annual conference.
Some of the AWPA scholarships include the following:
- AWPA Navigation Component Scholarship
- AWPA Flight Training Scholarships
- AWPA Formation/Aerobatic Endorsement (Aeroplane) Scholarship
- The Lady Casey Scholarship
- Merlene Smith (nee Jackson) and Riga Medical Scholarship
Among the top aviation scholarships for females is the AAAE Women in Aviation Scholarship. It was founded in 2015 to help brilliant female pilots meet their dreams of becoming professionals in the industry.
Since its inception, the AAAE Foundation has raised over $1.2 million and created six aviation scholarships for women worth $5000 yearly. Applicants must be full-time students with a junior class standing or above or graduate student enrolled in an aviation program with a GPA of 3.5 or more.
The scholarship value is $5000.
The Association of Female Aviators Sticking Together (FAST) provides a large number of scholarships for budding females in the aviation industry. Citation-In-Flight Scholarship provides FAST members six CE500 or CE525 Initial or Recurrent Simulator Training.
The top eligibility for application is that you must be a US citizen with at least FAA Commercial Multi-Engine Pilot License with Instrument Rating. In addition to that, you must have up to 1,500 hours of flight time or possess your ATP or R-ATP certificate.
The scholarship worth is $12,675 for an initial and $6,750 for recurrent.
The Bill Cowden Memorial Aviation Scholarship is another aviation scholarship for females. However, it is available for both males and females in the industry.
It was established in honor of the living memory of Bill Cowden, a North Dakota Air National Guard F-16 pilot commercial airline pilot and air show performer. Although he died at 47 in an air-show-performance accident in 2014, his memory still lives on. After his death, his wife, Heather Cowden, contacted the Community Foundation of Dunn County to set up the Bill Cowden Memorial Aviation Scholarship.
The scholarship is valued at $5000.
Eligibility Criteria for Bill Cowden Memorial Aviation Scholarship
The eligibility criteria for this scholarship include the following:
- Applicants must hold a current Private Pilot Certificate
- They must submit a letter of recommendation and a professional resume related to aviation skills.
Conclusion on Aviation Scholarships for females
There are numerous aviation scholarships for females, which are readily available for interested applicants.
However, they must meet the eligibility requirements to stand a chance of securing the scholarship.
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