Receiving a scholarship can make a real difference in a student’s life and helping young people get closer to a degree is one of the most satisfying gifts you can give.
Scholarship America, a nonprofit with a mission to mobilize America through scholarships states that, “Smart investments in postsecondary education can help students, especially those from lower-income families, stay in school and complete their degrees. Because these students are traditionally left out of postsecondary education and experience significant barriers on the path to and through college, the public and private sectors need to partner more aggressively to ensure effective support.”
The importance of engaging more students in science, technology, engineering and math to generate a STEM-ready workforce in aviation is a key underpinning of the Foundation’s mission. We want to ensure that those students with the potential and readiness skills to go to college are not restricted by monetary obstacles.
Scholarships will be awarded to students enrolled in a District of Columbia Metropolitan Area Public or Public Charter school headed to an accredited college, university, technical school or flight training program with a passion for aviation/aerospace. Applicants from the following counties and the District of Columbia are eligible to apply: Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Prince George’s and Montgomery.
Scholarship funds may be used to pay for tuition and fees at an accredited college or university for studies in an aviation/aerospace program, technical school (e.g., enrolled in a course of study in the pursuit of an FAA mechanics certificate or other comparable certificated aviation or aerospace position), or flight training.
We will announce the scholarship recipients each spring.
Scholarship Program Eligibility Requirements
BACKGROUND AND GENERAL INFORMATION
The Aero Club Foundation of Washington fosters and promotes interest in the principles and development of aviation and aeronautics by establishing, sponsoring and supporting student education programs at public and public charter schools in the District of Columbia.
The Aero Club Foundation of Washington has established a scholarship program to provide financial assistance to students enrolled in a District of Columbia Metropolitan Area public or public charter high school who demonstrate a passion for aviation with the intent to pursue an education and career in aviation or aerospace and have a financial need for scholarship assistance. Applicants from the following counties and the District of Columbia are eligible to apply: Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Prince George’s and Montgomery.
The standard scholarship consists of an award of $5,000 that is paid directly to an educational institution to offset the cost of the recipient’s aviation/aerospace-focused degree tuition.
Download the Scholarship Program and Eligibility Requirements
TYPE OF EDUCATION COVERED
Scholarship funds may be used to pay for tuition and fees at an accredited college or university for studies in an aviation/aerospace program, technical school (e.g., enrolled in a course of study in the pursuit of an FAA mechanics certificate or other comparable certificated aviation or aerospace position), or flight training.
ELIGIBILITY
The recipients of the scholarship will be restricted to individuals who are seeking aviation/aerospace related education with an established objective to achieve a career in the aviation/aerospace industry.
First-time applicants must be a student enrolled in a District of Columbia Metropolitan Area public or charter school, or alumni of that school, who demonstrate a passion for aviation with the intent to pursue an education and career in aviation or aerospace. D.C. Metropolitan area includes the District of Columbia and the following counties: Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Prince George’s and Montgomery.
Previous award recipients will be considered for future scholarships, provided they re-apply and meet the eligibility requirements.
The Aero Club Foundation of Washington prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, or disability.
Awards are limited to a maximum of four per individual, with a maximum of one award per grant year per individual. In future years, applicants must re-apply for consideration as the award of a scholarship for subsequent years is not automatic.
Scholarship funds cannot be used to pay for personal expenses; they must be applied towards college tuition when enrolled in an accredited undergraduate aviation/aerospace degree program, a technical college, aviation maintenance training at a Part 147 AMT school, or professional pilot training at a Part 141 flight training school.
A scholarship award must be used within two years following the date of award and, if unused, must be returned to the Aero Club Foundation of Washington. Scholarship funds will be disbursed to the educational institution, not directly to the student; any unused funds also must be returned to the Aero Club Foundation of Washington.
Verify that the completed application with all supporting materials is submitted by the deadline. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. The application is quite extensive. Do not wait until the last minute!
Candidates do not have to be U.S. citizens, although all scholarship award payments are made in U.S. dollars directly to the educational institution or school.
All applications must be received by March 31.
SELECTION CRITERIA
An independent selection committee will review the candidates’ applications and rank the candidates according to a set of criteria. The following is a summary of the criteria that the Aero Club Foundation of Washington will use to select candidates for a scholarship:
1. The candidate’s career goals, articulating a passion for an aviation/aerospace career and a commitment to the aviation/aerospace community;
2. The candidate’s overall academic success, motivation, teamwork, history of achievement, community service, attitude, and leadership;
3. The candidate’s demonstration of financial need; and
4. Whether the candidate graduated from, or soon will graduate or received a GED from, one of the District of Columbia’s public or public charter schools that participate in the Aero Club Foundation’s sponsored programs. Participating schools are listed on the Foundation’s website.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND HOW TO APPLY
Eligible applicants should APPLY HERE
Application Requirements:
1. A completed online application;
2. A 300-400-word written essay, which should explain the candidate’s career goals and articulate a passion for an aviation/aerospace career;
3. Minimum of one letter of recommendation, preferably from a teacher or guidance counselor or professor who can articulate the applicant’s career goals in aviation/aerospace and/or financial need;
4. Most recent year of the candidate’s transcript(s); and
5. A copy of your Student Aid Report (SAR) from your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is highly recommended. In the alternative, complete the demonstrated financial need information contained as part of the online application.
If the applicant is unable to submit the application online, please contact Stephanie Griffith, Executive Director, Aero Club of Washington at (703)386-4330.
NOTIFICATION OF AWARD RECIPIENTS
Award recipients will be contacted by an official of the Aero Club Foundation of Washington. Please do not contact the Foundation or the Aero Club or any Board Member before award recipients are announced. The Foundation will strive to notify award recipients no later than April 30.
PUBLICITY
To the best of our ability, names and addresses of applicants will remain confidential and will not be shared with organizations or individuals outside the scope of the scholarship process. It should be understood, however, that correspondence necessary in processing an application (such as follow up requests for letters of recommendation, transcripts, etc.) may be made by the Aero Club Foundation of Washington.
Scholarship award recipients will be asked to allow the use of their name and photograph in a Aero Club Foundation of Washington newsletter, website, public events and press release(s) for publicity purposes. Award recipients will be asked to grant express permission to the Aero Club Foundation of Washington for these purposes.
DEADLINE & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Applications are due on March 31 and must include all required documentation. The Aero Club Foundation of Washington reserves the right to reject any incomplete application.
