Funding Opportunities

Several sources of funding are potentially available to help towards the costs of learning to fly.

The Scottish Gliding Association offers up to £300 towards bronze / cross-country training. Funding is also available to cover travel expenses for training and provide financial assistance towards sailplane towing ratings and other flying qualifications. The grant application form is available here.

The Caroline Awards are for pre-solo pilots all the way up to bronze. All you need to be eligible is to be a member of a BGA club. The awards operate on a monthly cycle with a fixed number of allocations.

The Honourable Company of Air Pilots provide PPL and gliding scholarships for people aged over 16. The 2024 scholarships give the opportunity to fly on a one-week residential course during the 2024 School Summer Holidays at a youth approved British Gliding Association centre. Closing date for applications is 6 February 2024 at 12 noon.

The Royal Aero Club Trust provide bursaries of up to £1000 for anyone aged 14-21 to achieve greater competence in their particular air sport, with follow-on bursaries available for people up to 24 who have previously received a RAeC bursary. Applications must be sent to Lizzie Pike at the BGA office.

The Fleet Air Arm Officers Association provide intensive gliding courses of up to 8 days to any young person able to demonstrate an interest in a career with the navy in the fleet air arm. The lower age limit is 16 and while they don’t quote an upper limit on the website the BGA notes that applicants should be under 20 years old.

The Ted Lys awards are for qualified glider pilots who wish to develop their flying skills.

The Air League Educational Trust offers scholarships to help people with little or no flying experience to explore career pathway options available within aviation, aerospace, and space. Membership of Air League is required. In 2025 the Air League issued over 100 scholarships and burseries.

The 'Royal Air Squadron' is an association of friends with a common interest in all forms of private light aviation, promoting aviation in the United Kingdom and to develop and maintain aviation links around the world. They have a focus on pilots between the ages of 16 and 26 years old and developing individual flying aptitude, knowledge and experience as well as encouraging professional ambition, the Royal Air Squadron is again generously offering individual bursaries to support BGA assistant instructor training. Those interested can read more and apply here: Royal Air Squadron Young Instructor Bursaries - Pilot & Club Info.

DGC offers 12-months “Block-Time”, which covers all glider-time charges, to Juniors with at least six-months membership, subject to availability in a given year. Eligible applicants will have as minima: twelve flights in the previous 6-months, three log keeper (or equivalent) duties, the Ground Training Progress card completed and signed off as satisfactory, and completed at least seven rows of the Flight Training Progress card. The lower age limit is 18-years. Contact a member of the Committee for more details.