Aviation Excellence Scholarship
The aviation industry is facing many challenges right now, testing the capacity of current professionals and inspiring the next generation to get involved.
A growing shortage of pilots and other employees in aviation, largely due to the large baby boomer generation reaching retirement age, threatens the efficiency and safety of the field. Aviation is also particularly impacted by global conflict, impacting fuel accessibility, aircraft supply chains, and flight routes. With these and other hurdles impacting the security and success of the industry, it’s important to encourage the brightest young minds to bring their passion and skill to the field.
This scholarship seeks to support students who are pursuing higher education with the goal of becoming leaders in the field of aviation.
Any undergraduate or trade school student who is pursuing a degree in aviation may apply for this scholarship opportunity if they have financial need, if they’re in good academic standing, if they’re involved in their community, and if they show great interest in growing in the aviation field. However, applicants pursuing aviation management are preferred, as are juniors and seniors in college.
To apply, submit an essay or video telling us about the issue in the aviation industry that most frustrates you, why you care about it, what impacts it has, and how you would use your education to address it. If you choose the video option, write “Submitted via a video link” in the essay box below and submit a link to your video as a public YouTube link or a Google Drive link. Settings should be set to "public" or "anyone with the link can view." If we can't access your video, your application won't be considered.
What is one issue in the current U.S. aviation industry that frustrates you most? Explain why it matters to you, how it impacts passengers and operations, and how you would use your aviation management education to realistically address it.
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FAQ
The application deadline is Aug 30, 2026. Winners will be announced on Oct 1, 2026.
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Award amounts per winner are designated by the donor. Check the award amount for a detailed breakdown.
The winner will be publicly announced on Oct 1, 2026. Prior to the announcement date, we may contact finalists with additional questions about their application. We will work with donors to review all applications according to the scholarship criteria. Winners will be chosen based on the merit of their application.
Award checks will be sent to the financial aid office of the winner's academic institution in their name to be applied to their tuition, and in the name of their institution (depending on the school's requirements). If the award is for a qualified educational non-tuition expense, we will work with the winner directly to distribute the award and make sure it goes towards qualified expenses.
Before we award the scholarship, the winner will be required to confirm their academic enrollment status. Depending on the circumstances, verification of Student ID and/or their most recent transcript will be required.
If you have any questions about this scholarship or the Bold.org platform, just email contact@bold.org and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can.
Yes. The terms and conditions for this scholarship can be found here.
