UPDATE: the opening date for bursary applcations is 1 November and the closing date is 31 December. No applications can be accepted after that date. Potential applicants should read the Bursaries Terms and Conditions carefully before completing and application.
The scheme and the bursaries comprise all types of air sports and aviation-related activities including: paragliding, gliding, hang-gliding, parachuting, microlight aircraft, helicopter, ballooning, light aircraft and the designing, building and flying model aeroplanes (including multi-rotary wing - eg drones).
Applicants for these bursaries must hold British Citizenship and be permanently resident in UK and aged 14-21 years; and for an Advanced Bursary an upper age limit of 24 years applies).
The Royal Aero Club Trust, as part of its Flying for Youth programme administers a Bursary Scheme for young people.
Bursaries awarded include:
The Pooleys Flight Equipment Bursary
The Lord Peter Cruddas Foundation Scholarship
The Andrew Brownsword Bursary
The Bramson Bursary
The George Farha Bursary
The John Downer Bursary.
The Crocker Family Bursary
The Lord Graham Kirkham Bursary
A number of additional bursaries worth up to £500 each to suitable candidates were also granted.
Bursaries must be used in the calendar year they are granted.
The scheme is divided into four categories of Bursaries:
Flying Bursaries/Grants for those wishing to advance from one recognised level of air sport to the next higher level and wish to upgrade their existing qualifications;
Flight Simulator Bursaries/Grants for Computer Flight Simulation enthusiasts wishing to gain practical experience of flying or an air sport.
Aeromodelling and Drone Bursaries to enable flyers upgrade equipment or to gain further qualifications.
Advanced Bursaries to enable well qualified air sports persons enter international or national competitions or other prestigious events or to advance their existing qualifications to a higher level to the benefit of the sport (eg to gain an instructor qualification).
Application Forms and Bursary Terms & Conditions are available to download on this site but cannot be submitted until 1 Novenber with a closing date for Application Forms to reach the Bursary Administrator of 31 December. Successfull applicants will be notified by 27 February to allow training to be completed by the end of the calender year.
Applications should download the sport specific form and submit the completed application to the Bursaries Administrator as an email attachment to bursaries@royalaeroclubtrust.org
Bursary Advanced Application Form
Bursary Flight Simulation Application Form
Bursary Aero Modelling and Drone Application Form
Bursary Flying Application Form
Bursary Skydiving Application Form
2025 Bursary Winners
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