Financial Aid
Save Time and Money at American Winds
Charting your course to the Captain’s seat takes time, dedication and, you guessed it, money. But the pilot programs and courses at American Winds can get you there faster and for a fraction of the cost than other paths.
Achieve your dream career of getting paid to fly by making the most of these financial aid options – and glide through clear skies en route to your highest earning potential!
Aviation Industry Scholarships
From philanthropic organizations to advocacy groups to aviation enthusiasts, there are a lot of people in this industry who want to help you become a pilot.
Check out this sampling of available scholarship and grant programs – and apply for some free aviation school money!
- $2,000 Nitro Scholarship
- AOPA Flight Training Scholarships
- Aviation Scholarships (via CollegeScholarships.com)
- Aviation Scholarships & Grants
- Dick Hannah Dealerships Scholarship
- EAA Scholarships
- ECOPA Education & Safety Foundation, Inc.
- FAA Aviation Scholarships
- General Aviation Manufacturers Association
- James C. Ray Scholarship Program
- Leroy Homer Foundation Scholarships
- National Business Aviation Association
- NGPA Education Fund
- Ninety-Nines, Inc.
- Sisters of the Skies Scholarship
- WPS Neurodiversity Scholarship
- WPS Scholarship for Student Diversity
American Winds Installment Payment Plan
You don’t have to pay for your American Winds associate degree program all at once! We can set up an installment plan that spreads your payments out over a set period of time. Note that we can only support payment plans for academic and ground school courses, not for flight courses.
Meritize Loans
Meritize is a financial institution focused on helping students, educational institutions and industry employers build opportunities for skills-based careers. MeritizeConnect can help you secure wider financing options by including your military experience, academic transcripts and work history in the approval process.
Stratus Financial
Founded by FAA-certified flight and ground instructors during the COVID-19 public health crisis, Stratus Financial has set its sights on helping you achieve your dream of becoming a professional pilot. Find funding for flight school training AND academic courses with these aviation industry pros.
AOPA Finance
The nonprofit Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is the largest aviation community in the world, spanning 75 countries – and you can apply for a line of credit to use for your flight school training. From your PPL to your instrument rating and all the way to your restricted ATP, you’ll go further faster with AOPA Finance options.
Flight Training Finance
The FAA reports national dropout rates from aviation programs at a consistent 70% – but students who finance flight training through Flight Training Finance have a dropout rate of 8-12%. That has a lot to do with your personal dedication to your career goals, but the affordable, easy, safe financing options with this private lender can help keep you focused.
Private Loans
Have a solid relationship with a bank or credit union? Feeling confident in your credit score and financial history? You might be a candidate for personal loans to finance your education and training at American Winds. Our Fast Track Pilot program gets you ready to apply to airlines in 12 to 18 months – which means a steady income for paying them off. Contact your financial institution directly.
Veteran’s Benefits
American Winds is honored to support military veterans in their pursuit of a civilian pilot career. The state of Ohio has approved American Winds to administer VA benefits for flight training courses above the Private Pilot License level. Contact the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to determine your benefits package. Then reach out to our admissions office (admissions@teachmetofly.com) for next steps. Thank you for your service!