Applications now open for 2027
The FAAOA Aviation Scholarship Trust (AST) awards gliding scholarships to young people between ages 16 and 23 who, on application, demonstrate an interest in pursuing a flying career in the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy or the Royal Air Force. Gliding scholarships are offered for beginners’ courses that are scheduled to take place during the summer months. These courses are operated by civilian and Naval gliding clubs that operate under the rules and regulations of the British Gliding Association (BGA).
The courses are staffed by BGA qualified instructors and offer 5 or 7 days of comprehensive ab initio ground and air tuition for selected applicants with no previous gliding or flying experience.
The number of scholarships available in any given year is a function of the previous year’s fundraising activity. In 2026, we are hoping to provide 16 scholarships. This allows us to have a final group of 16 and a further reserve group of 4 potential beneficiaries.
What do the gliding scholarships provide?
An intensive gliding course of either five or seven days at one of two locations – Portsmouth Naval Gliding Club (at the Army Aviation Centre, Middle Wallop, in Hampshire) or the Midland Gliding Club (at the Long Mynd, in Shropshire). The training is dependent on weather and the scholarship recipient’s aptitude but can occasionally lead to a solo flight for talented students who are blessed with good weather for the full duration of the seven day course.
In addition to gliding, students are taught teamwork, leadership and what it is like to work in a services environment. An alternative ‘bad weather’ program is provided.
Food and accommodation are provided throughout the course, and certificates of achievement are awarded to all students who attend the full course.
2026 Gliding Courses
Age 16 -17: Five day course at Midland Gliding Club on 27-31 July. (Shropshire)
Age 18 – 22: Seven day course at PNGC Middle Wallop/Upavon on 14-21 Aug 2026. (Hampshire)
Please read the application criteria below and only submit an application if you meet these criteria. Applications not meeting these criteria may be rejected without acknowledgement.
Applications must be submitted using the online form, from February 2026 onwards.
APPLICATIONS STILL OPEN
**(Please note that some gliding clubs cannot accept younger students, and they specify a lower age limit of 18)
Who is eligible?
Young people who match the following criteria may apply.
- Age: Must be over 16 years old, but not older than 22 years, during the planned course.
- Citizenship: Must be a British citizen or hold British dual citizenship.
- Education: Must have achieved (or stated expected achievement by current teacher) at least five GCSEs at grades 4 or above (A* to C), or equivalent Scottish Standard N5 grades (A to C), which must include English and mathematics.
- Ambition: Must be able to demonstrate a strong interest in pursuing an aviation-related career in the Royal Navy or the Royal Air Force.
- Experience: Must be able to demonstrate a passion for, and ongoing interest in, aviation. However, please note that FAAOA Gliding Scholarships are intended only for applicants who have not previously been in receipt of glider or powered flight instruction. The only courses offered to scholarship recipients are introductory/ab initio training programmes.
Applications
Applications must be submitted using the on-line form.
What happens next?
On receipt of an application form, the submission will be reviewed to ensure it meets the published criteria. If the criteria are not met, the application will be excluded. Compliant applications then become ‘under consideration’ and will be graded in a fair and equitable selection process. The number of applications always exceed the number of scholarships available, and the process aims to select those applicants who are deemed to be the most likely to succeed, and who are most likely to benefit from the scholarship.
In the event of a large number of successful applications, interviews by Zoom online platform will be required in order to make a final shortlist. At least 5 days’ notice will be offered to the applicants selected for interview.
The Gliding Scholarship Administrator will notify all applicants under consideration whether or not they have been successful and successful applicants will be required to send a copy of their passport photo ID page with their email of acceptance to the offer of a Gliding Scholarship.
For those applicants who decline their sponsorship offer, they will forfeit their 2026 scholarship opportunity and must restart the process if they still meet the criteria and wish to be considered in 2027.
The successful applicants will then receive guidance notes and an acceptance form which must be read, completed, signed and returned by email. The parents of applicants under the age of 18 will also receive the above documentation, as well as a parental consent form to be returned to the administrator by email in order for the under 18s applicant’s scholarship to be finally confirmed.
Once this process has been successfully completed, the final list of scholarship beneficiaries will be approved and course joining instructions and pre-course reading material will be sent to prepare the applicants for the gliding course.
Anyone on the reserve list that has not been successful will be contacted and invited to reapply in 2027 if they still meet the criteria.
How are the scholarships funded?
Successful applicants are sponsored by the Fleet Air Arm Officers Association through its charitable arm, the Aviation Scholarship Trust. Donations come from industrial and commercial companies and organisations in the aerospace and defence industries, as well as from individual members of the FAAOA.
If you are interested in encouraging young people to join the Fleet Air Arm by becoming a sponsor with a donation or a regular direct debit then you can request information by contacting us here.