EAA Scholarship Program Ups The Ante For Pilot Training

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) reported today its EAA Ray Aviation Scholarship program has recorded 600 recipients completing flight training and earning pilot certificates. According to EAA, the completion rate is approximately 80% - nearly an inverse to the national average for flight training.

Funded by the EAA-managed Ray Foundation, established in 1963 to honor James and Joan Ray, the program awards scholarships to qualified applicants to help them achieve aviation ambitions. For 2025, the program has expanded its funding to $2.25 million and boosted each individual scholarship to as much as $12,000.

The program is administered through EAA’s Chapter network. Once a chapter is approved, it nominates a scholarship candidate for final EAA review. All U.S. and Canadian EAA chapters and divisional chapters (Warbirds, Vintage, Aerobatics) are eligible for the full $12,000 grant

Rick Larsen, EAA V-P of Communities and Member Programming said, “EAA and the Ray Foundation continue to see the direct benefit the Ray Aviation Scholarship program has on students with pilot aspirations.”