2024 Opportunity Profile Now Open!

NGPA members who wish to make a career in the aerospace industry, or who work elsewhere and wish to increase the margin of safety and fun in General Aviation, are invited to apply to the 2024 NGPA Scholarship Cycle, now open here.

If you are not yet a member of NGPA, apply now by clicking the link here. 

Filling out your opportunity profile is your first step in the application process.  Those with competitive Opportunity Profiles will be selected to continue the application process after the OP completion window closes. 

Please read through this page in its entirety before emailing Scholarship Selection Committee with queries. 

Start your Opportunity Profile today!

What’s new for 2024 

Name change from “Scholarship Application” to “Opportunity Profile” --  As applicant numbers increase, the selection process evolves, and NGPA proudly continues to expand its offerings beyond just cash scholarships, a name change has become appropriate.  NGPA’s scholarship application form, located at  SmarterSelect, is now called the Opportunity Profile. 

Returning applicants will use their existing SmarterSelect credentials to access the Opportunity Profile (2023 application) and make updates as required. 

New applicants will create their SmarterSelect credentials and fill out the Opportunity Profile for the first time.  

General Aviation-Only Track Option --   Members who know that they do not wish to pursue an aerospace career may choose the General Aviation track as their aerospace goal.  Selection of this option excludes the applicant from consideration of career-track unique scholarships, and instead opens them to consideration for GA-unique scholarships.  Likewise, applicants who choose other (career track) aerospace goals will NOT be considered for GA-unique scholarships.  This is designed such that scholarships and opportunities designated for the NGPA GA community members are allocated within the NGPA GA community.  

Rest assured -- this question will be clearly delineated.  Applicants will have to actively choose to remove themselves from consideration for career-track unique scholarships.    

Opportunity Profiles stay unlocked until closure of the application window – in previous years, applicants were locked out of their application after opting to submit, unable to make updates.  This year, applicants may submit anytime after all required questions are answered, and may update as often as they like until the closure of the application window.  At the closure of the application window, all applications will be locked, and no further updates can be made.  

After semifinalists are selected, SSC will unlock their Opportunity Profile and send them an inviation with a link to continue the application process.  

No essays in the Opportunity Profile -- only short answer responses remain.  Applicants selected to continue the application process will be invited to complete essays. 

No scholarship preferences in the opportunity profile – these questions will be removed.  Applicants will be asked more detailed questions on their aviation goals instead.  Applicants selected to continue the application process will then be invited to list their scholarship preferences. 

How to prepare for 2024:  

Consider gathering and scanning the following documents NOW for 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;   

  • Other certificates of training from reputable but unaccredited sources (Microsoft trainings, Duolingo, others) 

  • APPLICANTS COMPETING FOR FLIGHT TRAINING SCHOLARSHIPS:   

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

  • Logbook records – covering at a minimum your last 50 hours of flight training (no penalty for providing more) .  If you have fewer than 50 hours, scan and include records of all your flight training.   

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

     

 Consider compiling and polishing the following items NOW for upload and/or insertion 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);   

  • Your LGBTQ+ advocacy, volunteer, or “Q+” centered club membership and participation history 

  • 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 and/or club participation reflects NGPA’s mission