EAA Chapter 35 is dedicated to introducing youth to aviation and supporting the advancement of their aviation education through scholarships. Every year, since 2020, EAA has selected our chapter to administer prestigious Ray Aviation Scholarships of up to $12,000 for eligible youths 16-19 to assist them in obtaining their Private Pilot certificate, and thanks to the generosity of the Ray Foundation and our Chapter 35 members, we are applying for two scholarships in 2026.
Starting December 15, 2025, (and NOT earlier) EAA Chapter 35 will be accepting applications for youth flight training scholarships to be awarded in 2026. An application must be received, and prerequisites met, by 11:59 PM (Central Time) on February 28, 2026, to be considered for a scholarship.
In 2026, EAA Chapter 35 expects to offer two competitive Scholarships covering a substantial portion of the costs associated with earning a Private Pilot Certificate. We have applied for two Ray Aviation Scholarships (for $12,000 each), and we should be notified in early January 2026 if we are selected to award these scholarships.
Note that Chapter 35 only offers scholarships for training for a Private Pilot - Airplane certificate; any information on the EAA's Ray Aviation Scholarship website about training for licenses for glider pilots or sport pilots, or about applicants who are 15 years of age, does not apply.
Our Prerequisites/Eligibility Requirements for the award of scholarships are:
- Age 16-19 (as of date of award of scholarship).
- Possession of a student pilot certificate.
- Possession of an FAA medical certificate.
- Be able to begin their flight training within 60 days of receiving the award.
- Commit to two hours (or more) of Chapter activities per month, such as:
- Volunteer at Young Eagles rallies.
- Volunteer at Chapter pancake breakfast/lunch fly-ins.
- Chapter build project support.
- Chapter gathering/meeting participation.
- Contribute to the Chapter's social media and website maintenance.
- Commit to reaching designated flight training milestones on or before the deadlines. This will require a substantial amount of preparational study time each week, along with flight training.
- Submit a Completed Application so that it is received by the deadline.
Additionally, successful applicants will be required to:
- Write and submit chapter newsletter articles each month.
- Submit monthly progress reports promptly, at the end of each month.
This means an applicant will need to complete the following by at least February 28, 2026 (and we recommend doing so MUCH earlier):
1. Schedule and pass a medical exam with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) to get at least a 3rd Class medical certificate. If you don’t know an AME, perhaps choose one that supports EAA Chapter 35 by advertising in our Chapter newsletter, usually on the next-to-last page of the newsletter.
2. Obtain a Student Pilot Certificate. This is now a more involved task than in the past. Currently, a prospective student pilot must find a Certified Flight Instructor to be a “recommending instructor” who will work with the prospective student to complete the online paperwork and sign as the recommending instructor. Then the application is submitted electronically. The application takes some time for the FAA to process; however, if the student pilot certificate is not physically received by the time the scholarship application is submitted, we will accept a copy of the filing receipt in lieu of the required copy of the student pilot license.
3. Obtain and complete the chapter scholarship application and ensure it is transmitted to and RECEIVED BY the Chapter.
To GET a copy of the application, prospective applicants should write (on or after December 15, 2025, and hopefully well before February 28, 2026) an email to the EAA Chapter 35 Scholarship Coordinator, Allen Inks, at scholarships@eaa35.org. Please include the following statement and information:
“I request a copy of the 2026 EAA Chapter 35 Flight Training Scholarship Application.”
My name is:
My birthdate is:
My email address to use (THAT I CHECK FREQUENTLY) is:
If you are a minor (less than age 18 right now) also include:
A parent/guardian's name:
Parent/guardian's mailing address:
Parent/guardian's email address:
Parent/guardian's telephone number:
If you have questions, are unsure of requirements, etc., email the same address: scholarships@eaa35.org.
Please note: Completing the application will require naming adult references from your school, sport, clubs, or other activities attended, and references who will submit a letter of recommendation when contacted. One reference should be fully immersed in aviation, such as a pilot, aviation mechanic, or the like. In the past, some applications were endangered because references couldn’t be contacted and respond with their letter of recommendation in a timely fashion, so plan ahead.
Please also note: While we understand that you might be involved in other projects or activities, this scholarship opportunity will take up much of your free time. In addition to the time required for the actual flight training and associated study, you will be REQUIRED to average at least 2 hours of Volunteer Activities and other engagement with Chapter 35 each month, and to provide a timely accounting of your training and expenses every month on the required monthly progress reports. Please understand that your pursuit of an EAA Flight Scholarship and a Private Pilot License is a major commitment. Decide if your time will permit this challenge to your personal schedule prior to signing up for this scholarship opportunity.
HINTS:
If an applicant has completed a ground school course (such as, but not limited to, the Sporty’s Learn to Fly course - which is free for youth who have taken an EAA Young Eagle 2 flight – which is also free), this would be something that we would view as a positive when evaluating the application. And such a course does NOT take 2 months to complete if one is diligent about it.
After successfully completing that ground school course, a person can take the FAA Written Exam for the Private Pilot - Airplane license. If they pass and are an EAA (national, not just Chapter 35) student member (student membership is free for Young Eagles), EAA will reimburse the test fee (currently $175 for the successful test attempt).
Passing the written exam is one of the major MILESTONES we set for our scholarship recipients. If an applicant has ALREADY passed the Written Exam at the time they apply for the scholarship, that would be something we would view as EXTREMELY positive, because if selected, that applicant would start significantly ahead, and be more likely to complete their training on time and get their license. Passing the Written Exam prior to the award of the scholarship will not affect the total amount of the scholarship awarded.
If an applicant has begun flight training, and has already soloed in an airplane3 this would be something that we would also view as a positive when evaluating the application. However, per the rules of the Ray Aviation Scholarship, this would result in a 40% reduction in the amount of Ray Aviation Scholarship funds awarded to such an applicant should they be awarded that scholarship (since they have much of their flight training done already).
End Notes
(1) Please do not contact us in March and explain the last minute mistake or emergency or power outage, etc., that prevented you from filing by the end of Feb. 28, 2026. We will only be able to confirm you missed the deadline. Instead, file earlier than the deadline and keep the email response we will send acknowledging that you filed on time. If you don’t get that acknowledgement within 24 hours, CONTACT US AND REQUEST IT.
(2) Learn more about Young Eagle Flights here and here. The next organized Young Eagle event at EAA Chapter 35 is not scheduled until after the application filing deadline, but other opportunities exist, including individual Young Eagle flights with Young Eagle Pilots.
(3) Soloing in a glider or balloon has not (in the past) caused a reduction in scholarship amount for Ray Scholarships for aspiring AIRPLANE pilots.
Again, if you have questions, are unsure of requirements, etc., please email our Scholarship Coordinator at: scholarships@eaa35.org.
Scholarship Funding Relies On Generous Donors
Like what you see? Want to Contribute?
We appreciate donations of any amount to our scholarship fund. Donate online here, or in person at a Chapter event. Any questions about donating to Chapter 35, or to make other arrangements for donations, please contact our Treasurer, Dee Brame, via email at: treasurer@eaa35.org. EAA Chapter 35 is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and your donations will be recognized with a letter acknowledging the donation. Please check with your income tax professional as to how best to monetize and deduct the donation.
