How to Finance Flight School

scott.fank • Dec 10, 2021

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a student pilot sitting in a plane who was able to get financing for tuition

So, you have decided you want to become a pilot! Whether you want to fly for an airline or you’re a hobbyist who wants to fly their own plane, flight school is a great place to start. The right school can help you learn how to fly a plane of course, but they can also offer help with written tests so you can receive all the certifications you’ll need to put a plane in the sky. Depending on the type of plane you want to fly, there can be multiple qualifications necessary to take to the skies, and with it, different expenses. So how do you pay for flight school? In this article, we’ll tell you all about flight school and how you can finance your dream of becoming a pilot into a reality.

Flight School

Further education can always help to advance your career, and flight school is no different. From teaching you how to fly to help you log more hours in the sky, flight school can provide you with the tools you need to start a career as a pilot. Flight school will provide you mentorship from real airline pilots and the right planes needed for you to complete your flight training.  An exceptional flight school will also make sure they put you on the fastest track to becoming a pilot, saving you money in the long run.

Like any further education institution, flight school gives you access to alumni and connections in the business.  A good flight school will not only make sure you have all your qualifications and certifications necessary to fly, but can also have a footprint in the industry to help you get to where you want to go. This can be instrumental in landing you a job either during schooling or immediately after. Knowing this may make it easier to justify the cost of education, knowing the return on investment is on the horizon. Luckily, in the meantime, there are many different opportunities for financial help.

How to Finance Flight School

Flight school can vary in price based on the program, just like different four-year universities across the nation. However, there are multiple forms of financial assistance and loans that you can be eligible for to help you with the burden of paying for school. Let’s take a look at a few of your options.

  • Private Loans- This will always be a popular way to pay for your education. Loans can offer great variety when it comes to paying back the borrowed money. Whether it is varying interest rates or flexible repayment options, a loan can be a good choice to finance your way through flight school. You will want to make sure you research your options to make sure you’re getting a loan that will help you finish flight school, but not end up costing you once you graduate. Some options like Meritize and AOPA can help provide you with a loan, while giving you someone to work with that understands financing flight school, with experience working with other students.
  • University Financing – Universities can allow for different loans to be used. You can get federal loans which can be subsidized or unsubsidized. Loans like the direct PLUS loan makes the U.S. Department of education your lender and this can bring about different benefits than private loans. By attending a university like Liberty University , which offers a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Aviation, you can also be eligible for scholarships and grants. However, it is important to note that university programs will also accept private loans as well.
  • Veteran Benefits- After getting out of the military, you might’ve realized you want a different career path. Well, if that path is a pilot, you can still put your GI Bill to good use and help you pay for flight school. Most flight schools will accept the GI Bill. For example, JA Flight Training accepts the GI bill for all flight training offered after receiving your Private Pilot License. If you go the university route for flight school, they will also work with veterans to make sure they can get started in their new careers.

These are a few of the most popular options to finance flight school and get you one step closer to becoming a pilot. You’ll want to do your own research to see what kind of financing works best for you to make sure you set yourself up for the future. Now that you have an understanding of how to finance flight school , your next step is picking a program.

J.A. Flight Career Pilot Program

J.A. Flight offers a career pilot program to cater to different students. Choose from two unique career path programs for students out of high school to people looking for a career change with an accelerated training program. Become a commercial airline pilot in as little as 300 hours! J.A. Flight Training is committed to helping graduates of our program further their professional pilot careers and find placement for them upon completion. Regardless of your experience, J.A. Flight will provide the fastest path to becoming a commercial airline pilot.

Are you ready to begin earning your piloting license? If now is the time for you to start flight school, start looking at the next steps! J.A. Flight training is conveniently based in Chicago’s western suburbs. No matter which career path you follow, you can count on experiential learning with the most up-to-date equipment, flight simulators, and aircrafts available. Contact us today to get started!

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