Before emailing the Scholarship Selection Committee with a question, please read through the FAQs to ensure your question has not already been answered.     

When can I apply for a scholarship?

our 2025 Scholarship Cycle will open June 2, 2025 and close June 31, 2025.

Can non-NGPA members receive a scholarship?  

No. You must be a member of NGPA to receive a scholarship award. To become a member of NGPA, visit our website.  Student memberships are available.  

When I log in to ngpa.org and click the "apply" button, I am looped back to the login page and/or I receive an error message.  How do I resolve this? 

Check to see if your membership is up to date.   If your membership has expired, and you haven't yet renewed, you won't be able to start the application process.   

I am a member of NGPA, but I do not identify as LGBTQIA+.  Can I still apply?    

Yes! Allies with a documentable history of advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community are welcome to apply.      

I am not a U.S. citizen (or I don’t live in the U.S.) -- may I still apply?    

Any NGPA-named scholarship is open to everyone regardless of where you live or learn to fly.     Some of our scholarships are eligible to non-U.S. citizens.  Most industry-sponsored scholarships (e.g., “United Airlines” or “Solairus” Advanced Flight Training Scholarships) require that you have authorization to work in the U.S. to receive the scholarship.  You will be considered for all scholarships for which you are eligible. 

I am new to aviation, and I want to work on my private pilot license. Where do I begin, and how do I qualify for a scholarship?    

The first place to start is by getting your student pilot certificate and your FAA medical certificate (or your nation's equivalent) All flight training scholarships require that you have your medical and at least a student pilot certificate to qualify for the scholarship. For more information, see the FAA’s website: https://www.faa.gov/pilots/become/student_cert/    

Where do I apply for scholarships?    

NGPA utilizes SmarterSelect for the application process.  You can access this through the NGPA website, under the scholarships tab when our program window is open.

I am trying to help my son/daughter/relative/friend/agent apply for this scholarship program.  Can you help me fill it out on their behalf, answer a question, explain the process, let me know what makes an application package competitive, etc?  

SSC does not engage or work with mentors or agents of an applicant, as that gives supported and/or privileged scholarship applicants an unfair advantage.    

SSC standing policy is to not reply to any inquiries perceived to be from an agent or advocate of any applicant or potential applicant.  This policy ensures SSC does everything in our power to keep the field of competition as even and fair as possible.  We thank you for your understanding.    

Can SSC help me with my application?    

No. Applicants must fill out their own application and, if selected to continue, other portions of the application process.  The Scholarship Selection Committee will not offer advice to individual inquiries on “how to strengthen an application” other than advice offered through seminars and resources available to NGPA membership as a whole.   Inquiring individually will not yield further nuggets of wisdom.    

Trusted mentors may be able to provide an answer to a question you might have in how to best respond to a question on the Opportunity Profile.  Applicants may seek help from others within NGPA, trusted mentors, or elsewhere to proofread essays and other assistance.  Applicants may not ask others to complete any part of the application process for them.   If you do not have an aviation mentor, consider joining the NGPA ASCEND program.  Click on the link here for more information.      

Is an FAA medical required to apply for scholarships?   

For NON-FLIGHT TRAINING scholarships, no medical is required.   

As of November 2023, ALL FLIGHT TRAINING scholarships require an FAA third, second or first class medical (or your nation’s equivalent) is required.* 

*SSC is considering the merits of allowing member applicants who opt for scholarships unique to General Aviation track to present a Basic Med in lieu of an FAA “classed medical,” but members are cautioned against betting on this coming to pass if they can get at least a third class medical.    

I am looking for additional financial assistance beyond scholarships, can you help me with that?    

NGPA does not provide additional financial assistance outside of our scholarship program. We are exploring offering internships through our scholarship program.  This, of course, depends on sponsor willingness and participation.  Our scholarship application and evaluation process is poised to make these offerings when they arise, and applicants may indicate the “if” and “where” they would like to be considered for such opportunities.  

How do I know that my application was submitted? 

You should receive a confirmation email from SmarterSelect as well as log in to Smarter Select to see confirmation you have successfully submitted your Opportunity Profile.  If you find you need to make corrections or add more information, you may do so up until the closing of the application window.   

Do applications get a better chance of getting a better score if they are submitted early or late within the Opportunity Profile completion window?   

Not at all!  You must of course submit your OP before deadline, but what really matters is the content of your Opportunity Profile, just like “in the real world.”  Furthermore, 2024 OPs will not be “locked” on submission.  You can update your OP as frequently as you like up until the closure of the OP completion window.  All Opportunity Profiles showing “submitted” status will be considered for the next step in the application process. 

I have applied to and/or been accepted into a special school or cadet program that referred me to NGPA for scholarship opportunities.  How do I apply? 

NGPA has a single, universal opportunity profile for ALL scholarships offered under its name.  No extra work is required.  Submit your opportunity profile, and you will be considered for ALL scholarships for which you are eligible.    

In the opportunity profile, indicate your application status as appropriate with all of the special programs listed.  Provide documentation for each program into which you declare you’ve been accepted.  If you are accepted into a special program after the OP completion window, email us at [email protected] letting us know of the status change.  Attach your acceptance letter and/or class date notification as applicable.  

I hit SUBMIT on my application, and I’ve subsequently been ACCEPTED into a special flight training program or have another update to make.  What do I do?  

Simply log in to SmarterSelect and make your changes.  The NGPA Opportunity Profile will not automatically lock after submisision.   

What scholarships are on offer this year?  Is there a scholarship for floatplanes?  Advanced ratings?  Multiengine ratings?  etc etc....   

The Opportunity Profile Completion window has opened early, but the real excitement will occur when we reveal all the fantastic scholarship offerings made possible by generous NGPA members and sponsors.   

You can see a list of generous donors from years past by clicking the link here.  

What are the scholarship requirements?    

Each scholarship has a different set of requirements – and every applicant will be considered for EACH AND EVERY SCHOLARSHIP for which they are eligible.  If you are selected as a semifinalist and invited to continue the application process, you will have an opportunity to prioritize your preferences. If you choose not to list preferences and you are selected for a scholarship, you will be matched with the highest value scholarship available for which you are eligible. 

When will scholarships be distributed and announced?     

We expect to inform recipients in late November, and announce awards to members in December. 

How can I best prepare for the next scholarship window?     

There are plenty of things you can do now to make your OP completion go smoothly. 

1) Gather and scan the following documents and save them in a file on your computer for future upload  

  • Photo ID;   

  • FAA aviation/aerospace industry certificates, or your nation’s equivalent;   

  • High school academic transcripts, or your nation’s equivalent of secondary school academic records;   

  • Junior college, trade school, and/or college transcripts, as applicable;   

  • APPLICANTS COMPETING FOR FLIGHT TRAINING SCHOLARSHIPS:   

  • FAA medical (or your nation’s equivalent);   

  • Logbook records – last twenty flights ;   

  • Logbook records – all checkride flights and comments from your DPE in your logbook  

     

 2) Consider compiling and polishing the following items NOW for upload and/or entry into your Opportunity Profile:

  • One-page resume;   

  • Your entire employment history with dates (accurate to month/year);   

  • Your entire community service history (accurate to month/year);   

  • Consider how you will concisely articulate:   

  • Why you deserve an NGPA scholarship;    

  • 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year aviation related goals, and plans to achieve them;   

  • Your unique financial need, and the steps you have taken to mitigate your financial need to achieve your dreams;   

  • How your record of community service reflects NGPA’s mission 

     

I am not sure about income levels three or four years ago, and I cannot provide documentation.  What do I enter?

Do your best to estimate your household income for a given year.  Documentation proving household income makes a package competitive, but it is not a required item. 

How do I attach multiple certificates and written exam results at the same time in the section?

There are software solutions and websites that allow you to merge and edit documents/scans/PDFs. We suggest searching for and utilizing a tool to merge your documents.

I have set up and formatted "regular" resumes and "aviation" resumes.  I'm just starting out an aviation career though, so I don't have a lot of aviation experience to show.  I have a lot of empty space on an aviation resume.  What format of resume does NGPA want to see?

For the scholarship program, NGPA wants to see your AVIATION RESUME, hands down!  We acknowledge that, for many applicants, this means many of the spaces reserved for aeronautical experience will look empty.  However, those "empty" aviation resumes will demonstrate a lot of things –  that you are pursuing an aviation career, that you know what experience will be expected of you from future employers, and that as you are planning to fill those spaces in!  Plus, as you gain experience, it will be easier for you to simply update the AVIATION resume that future employers will want to see.  Remember – your end goal isn't to just get a scholarship; it is to launch your career.  Show evaluators you are ready to reach that goal.  

Who do I contact with additional questions?    

Additional questions may be sent to [email protected].