Cost of Flight School

• According to the U.S. Department of m Education, which administers the Pell Grant program, the maximum Pell Grant amount as of January 2011 was $5,550 per academic year. Although this will provide some financial aid, it typically will not be nearly enough to cover the total cost of earning private, instrument and commercial pilot ratings, which can amount to tens of thousands of dollars as of January 2011.
  
  

Eligibility

• The Department of Education has several rules determining eligibility for students applying for Pell Grants. Specifically, the Pell Grant program is available to students with financial need or income deficiency, high attendance costs and full- or part-time student status. Individuals attending university flight schools typically have high university attendance costs, but may not qualify based on income or student status. Flight school students should fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form to determine their eligibility for Pell Grants.
  
  

Time Frame

• University flight school students can renew their Pell Grant funding every year, provided they still qualify for the program based on income, student status and program cost. Students must fill out a new FAFSA form before the start of each academic year to re-apply for Pell Grants.
  
  

Considerations and Alternatives

• Typically, the relatively small amount students receive from Pell Grants will not be enough to pay for flight fees at aviation universities, let alone tuition, administrative fees and living costs and other college-related expenses. To make up this difference, many aviation students apply for Stafford Loans, another federally backed college financial aid program. Over the course of a four-year college career, students can borrow anywhere from $31,000 to $57,000 as of January 2011, depending on a student's age, location and financial need.