Scholarship Program Information (Last Updated: January 2025)
Program Status: Open – Currently Accepting Applications
Introduction
Each year, EAA Chapter 105 awards a number of youth flight training scholarships that are intended to assist young people in the Oregon/Southwest Washington area in their pursuit of learning to fly and advancing aviation skills. The actual number of available scholarships varies from year to year. Our program’s scholarships are highly-sought-after and we consistently have more applicants than available scholarships. Therefore, a set of formal eligibility criteria determines who may apply, and a selection committee is established to determine to whom the scholarships are awarded.
Previous scholarship recipients have gone on to achieve private, instrument, and commercial pilot certificates and have launched into a variety of aviation careers including mechanical and aeronautical engineering, flight instruction, aviation manufacturing, as well as military and commercial pilot jobs. Many scholarship recipients have gone on to be Young Eagles pilots and have given back to the community that supported them by “paying it forward” and encouraging the next group of young aviators.
Do you have questions? Please review this page first for all the latest information. Most questions can be answered by reading what you’ll find here. We know it’s a lot of information to absorb – just like when you’re in flight training! But, becoming a pilot means studying and learning a lot of details and taking responsibility for finding and acquiring the knowledge you need to be successful. So, consider this practice for the future! After reading the information below, any remaining questions may be sent via email to flightscholarship@eaa105.org.
How Our Program’s Scholarships Are Funded
Funds for the scholarships administered by EAA Chapter 105 come from a variety of generous sources.
- We are fortunate that a number of private donors – both individuals and charitable “giving” organizations – make regular grants to the Chapter, specifically for the purpose of funding youth flight scholarships.
- For the past several years, EAA Chapter 105 has received a grant from the George and Lillian Bogardus Memorial Trust to use for flight training scholarships with the vision of encouraging young aviators. In combination with designated Chapter 105 funds and private donor funds, scholarship grants are awarded each year. George Bogardus, who passed away in 1997, left his estate in trust to EAA Chapter 105. One of his desires was that the chapter would support youth education in the world of aviation. Through these scholarships, EAA Chapter 105 has been able to continue George’s legacy and enable local young people to pursue their dreams of flying.
- In addition, from time to time EAA Chapter 105 partners with other organizations to administer funds for special scholarships under programs similar to our own.
Would you like to contribute by making a donaiton to the Chapter 105 youth activities program and/or youth flight scholarship program? Donations to EAA 105, an IRS 501(c)(3) exempt organization, may be directed to the general fund, the youth activities fund, or to the youth flight scholarships fund, and are generally tax-deductible. Your donations will make a substantial impact on the young people that make up our future aviation community. Please email flightscholarship@eaa105.org and we can assist you with your contribution. Please consult your tax professional concerning the tax deductibility of donated funds.
How to Apply – Getting Started
NOTE: Scholarship applications may be submitted year-round.
TO APPLY: Each young person applying for the scholarship is expected to complete their own application documents, and to make requests for letters of recommendation, etc., on their own. We won’t accept applications prepared by someone else (parents included) on behalf of the young person for whom the scholarship is desired. Flight training is an individual commitment that requires maturity, initiative, organization, and drive. You’ll have to learn to fly solo, so we expect you to apply solo. You can leverage information resources as you construct your application package, but you are to do the work. The applicant should prepare and submit an application package as described below in the Application Process section of this web page. Your application package will be submitted electronically via email to flightscholarship@eaa105.org.
Applicants may submit their applications at any time. The scholarship selection committee periodically considers applications as appropriate given the available funds, number of applicants, and program status. That said, the committee may also decide to make periodic announcements soliciting applications with specific timeframes and deadlines. In other words, please feel free to apply at any time, but also keep yourself aware of any scholarship-related announcements throughout the year. This website and EAA Chapter 105’s Facebook page are the definitive sources of that information when it is communicated.
Eligibility
- To be eligible to apply for a powered aircraft flight training scholarship, the applicant must be between the ages of 15 and 24 years old at the time of application.
- To be eligible to apply for a non-powered (glider/sailplane) aircraft flight training scholarship, the applicant must be between the ages of 13 and 24 years at the time of application.
- Both first-time applicants and prior scholarship recipients are eligible to apply.
- This is a local-area flight training scholarship program, serving youth primarily in western Oregon and southwest Washington.
- Applicants who are selected for an interview as part of the process are generally required to attend their interview in person, somewhere near Hillsboro, Oregon.
- Recipients of scholarships from this program will be expected to be an active member of the EAA Chapter 105 community. This means participating and interacting with the local aviation community at EAA Chapter 105 events and activities.
A Few Helpful Hints
We receive scholarship applications from a wide variety of people, from all walks of life, with a broad spectrum of training desires and needs. We welcome all applicants. We are often asked what makes up the ideal candidate, and while there is no single answer to that question, we can share a few guiding thoughts:
- Has the applicant already completed some flight training, or at least taken the opportunity to fly in a small airplane? The EAA Young Eagles program and local flight schools’ discovery flights are great ways to get the process started. Having participated in a Young Eagles flight prior to applying is a high-value thing to make sure you’ve done.
- Does the applicant have a plan for their training? Have they researched what it will take and mapped out how they think their training experience will flow?
- Does the applicant demonstrate that they are serious and invested? What evidence is there to show this?
- Does the applicant have specific goals established, and does their plan support reaching those goals?
- What is the applicant doing to contribute to the total cost and commitment of their training? Do they have some “skin in the game?”
- How does the candidate represent a solid place for the scholarship program to allocate its funds, where a primary goal of the scholarship program is to invest in the future of aviation?
- How is the candidate involved in contributing to the aviation community?
We consider a wide variety of criteria beyond this list, of course. But, we find that the above points often help guide applicants in their thinking and planning, and we discuss this sort of information in detail with those candidates who are invited to the interview phase of the selection process.
Note that financial need is not an eligibility requirement to apply for the scholarships granted through this program, although it may be considered alongside various other criteria by the committee when making scholarship award selections. Other commonly considered criteria include, but are not limited to: a demonstrated commitment by the applicant to the aviation community and/or their own flight training; investments of time, funds, sweat equity, or other evidence of efforts by the applicant made in furtherance of their training goals; the applicant’s communicated goals and their plan for reaching those goals; the applicant’s passion for and commitment to aviation; and any other items the committee sees fit.
Scholarship Awards
Scholarship recipients receive an award that may be used to pay for flight training:
- Each initial grant generally consists of up to $1,500 to be applied toward aircraft rental for flight training purposes and/or flight instructor fees (for instruction applicable to the required training) at Starks Twin Oaks (the home-base airport of EAA Chapter 105) or another approved flight school of the recipient’s choice. The flight school and/or instructor must agree to directly invoice EAA 105 for the actual aircraft rental and/or instructor fees following each training day/period. Funds will not be distributed to a school, instructor, or individual in advance; payment will only be made in arrears. A portion of the funds may be used, if prior approval was obtained from the scholarship administrator, for a small amount of training-related fees such as FAA tests and similar.
Application Process
There are no forms to complete. Applicants must create and submit a package including:
- Document 1: A short personal autobiography, describing the applicant and their background.
- Document 2: The applicant’s contact information (name, address, phone, email, etc.) and birth date.
- Document 3: A one-to-two-page narrative essay, describing and showcasing the applicant’s interest, desire, commitment, and future plans in aviation. Use the “A Few Helpful Hints” section above while writing your essay. This essay will be a primary tool used by the committee when selecting candidates to move on to the interview phase.
- Documents 4-6: Three letters of recommendation from adults who know the applicant and their character. These letters may not be written or provided by family members.
- Document 7: If the applicant is under 18 years old, a signed letter from the applicant’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) indicating permission to apply for the flight training scholarship and participate in flight training in the event they are awarded a scholarship.
Applications are accepted at any time. The selection committee typically reviews written applications in batches and schedules interviews in blocks. However, they may conduct reviews and interviews as needed based on funds, applicant volume, and other factors.
Applications are kept on file for up to one year. If you wish to reapply, you must submit a new application with current recommendations and updated information.
Application Review Period and Interview Selection Process
From the applications received, the selection team reviews submissions and determines which applicants will be invited to participate in the next round of the process, which consists of an in-person interview. Applicants chosen to participate in the interview phase will receive an invitation. Applicants are sent an email notice with the status of their application after the committee completes its review.
From time to time, our program may make limited follow-on scholarship grants for recipients who previously received and used all the funds from a prior grant. This occurs when the committee determines that the individual should be considered for a grant of additional funds. There is no application process for follow-on grants during the same year as an initial award. A prior recipient may request they be considered for such a follow-on grant, but they are not guaranteed. Priority is often given to first-time applicants. The identification of repeat-award candidates, the criteria for eligibility, and the decisions around such awards are made at the sole discretion of the scholarship program team.
Interviews
Each applicant selected to participate in the interview phase will be notified of a date and time for their individual, in-person interview with the selection committee. We sometimes conduct online interviews using web conferencing software or conduct multiple interviews with a candidate during the application process.
While the program will attempt to accommodate the schedules of applicants, please realize that the interview selection committee often meets to interview many candidates on one day, and so we appreciate you working to adjust your schedule to make your invitation date and time work.
Participants will be expected to discuss their submitted application materials and help the interview panel better understand the applicant’s commitment, plans, aspirations, and interests. Applicants will also answer questions posed by the selection committee members.
Scholarship Award Notifications
Upon completion of the interview phase, the selection committee will meet to discuss and select scholarship award recipients. Notification of each applicant’s final selection status will be sent to the applicant’s email address upon completion of the committee process.
If you apply and are not awarded a scholarship, don’t be discouraged. We strongly encourage you to apply again in the future. We often have applicants to whom we cannot grant a scholarship in a given year who are successful at a later date. Use the scholarship application and interview process as a learning tool. Ask questions, stay engaged, and come back and see us!
Additional Rules for EAA 105 Youth Flight Scholarships
- To be eligible to apply for a powered aircraft flight training scholarship, the applicant must be between the ages of 15 and 24 years old at the time of application.
- To be eligible to apply for a non-powered (glider/sailplane) aircraft flight training, the applicant must be between the ages of 13 and 24 years old at the time of application.
- Both first-time applicants and prior scholarship recipients are eligible to apply.
- Scholarship awards are non-transferable and may be used only by the award recipient.
- Scholarship funds may be used for actual flight training, including the cost of aircraft rental and flight instructor fees. Any other payments will only be approved if submitted for consideration and approved by the scholarship administrator before charges are incurred. The primary intent of the scholarship is to pay for aircraft and flight instructor time, so only a small portion of the grant is typically allowed for other charges, if any.
- The scholarship may be utilized toward any level of flight training (introductory/primary training, advanced endorsements, ratings, or certificates).
- Time-building flight activity is not typically allowed unless documented specifically and in detail in a training plan written by the student’s flight instructor, which is then reviewed and pre-approved by the scholarship administrator. These approvals are very rare – the answer is usually a “no.” If this is your need, please document your request and be prepared to discuss it in detail.
- Payments for covered training activities are made by EAA Chapter 105 directly to the training organization and/or instructor. An itemized invoice must be received from the training organization and/or instructor for services rendered. Scholarship funds will not be provided in advance to recipients or flight training providers. If a student or family pays out-of-pocket for covered training activities that take place during the scholarship timeframe and wishes to request reimbursement, arrangements must be made and approved by the scholarship coordinator before any reimbursed charges are incurred; itemized receipts or invoices showing the amount paid and specific goods/services received will be required before reimbursement can be approved.
- A scholarship letter will be provided to each recipient, describing the grant and including effective and expiration dates. It is the responsibility of the scholarship recipient to provide a copy of the scholarship letter to the flight school and instructor. The scholarship may be used to pay for training conducted during the valid scholarship time period, as described in the recipient’s scholarship letter. It may not be used to pay any balance due for training conducted prior to the scholarship award. Any unused funds expire at either a) the end of the scholarship period, or b) upon completion of the scope of training approved in the scholarship grant, and will then no longer be available and may not be “banked” for later use.
- Scholarship grants expire one year after the grant date. Each recipient will be required to provide a written training plan to the scholarship administrator, indicating where the recipient intends to conduct their training and a schedule they plan to follow. Recipients may alter their plan as needed with the approval of the scholarship administrator, but an initial plan is required. Note that if the written training plan is not on file from a recipient within three months of the scholarship grant, the grant will be rescinded and no longer available to the recipient.
- Chapter directors, children, and/or grandchildren of chapter directors, Bogardus trustees, directed funds donors, and scholarship selection team members are not eligible to receive scholarships under this program. These relationships are determined on the date of the scholarship grant as documented in the individual scholarship award letter. This clause is not intended to preclude the participation of a scholarship recipient in any activity related to EAA Chapter 105 or any other related organization that benefits the aviation community, at any time after the scholarship award decision has been made and communicated. In fact, we’d love to see scholarship recipients become involved in Chapter 105 leadership roles in the future, as that is one of the goals of our program.
For More Information
For additional information about the scholarship program, please contact the EAA Chapter 105 Flight Scholarship coordinator by emailing flightscholarship@eaa105.org. We will be glad to help answer questions about the process that are not answered here.
Flight Training Opportunities and Choices
The flight scholarship may be used at any aviation training facility approved by the scholarship program coordinator. Many of our scholarship recipients have elected to train at Twin Oaks Airpark, which is EAA Chapter 105’s home airport. Twin Oaks, located just south of Hillsboro, is a family-owned and -operated airport that’s been in business since 1972. Twin Oaks offers both single- and multi-engine aircraft rental, individualized flight training, aircraft maintenance, hangar and tie-down rentals, and fuel sales.
Other recipients have conducted their flight training at Hillsboro Airport, Aurora Airport, and several other local-area airports and flight schools.
Other Aviation Scholarships
In the interest of furthering your aviation training opportunities, a few additional scholarship websites you may wish to review include:
Past EAA 105 Bogardus Trust Scholarship Recipients – Quotes
We always look forward to hearing from scholarship recipients and finding out how they applied their funds to growing in flight! Here are just a few of the letters and emails we’ve received from past recipients:
Connell: “I completed my ten hours of flight training yesterday at Stark’s Twin Oaks. With the help of the scholarship, I was able to perform some local night flying, learn about soft field and short field landings, do a cross-country to Astoria, and a night cross-country to Eugene. Thank you for giving me this great opportunity to advance my flight training. I am honored to have been chosen. I hope one day I can help provide educational opportunities to other young pilots.”
Kyle: “The money from the scholarship got me through a good chunk of flight school, and I was also able to use it for my first solo!!! At this point, I am starting to work on cross-country flights and solo operations. I completed my solo progress check yesterday as well! … I love flying. Without the scholarship, I would not be where I am in my training.”
Micah: “. . . is nearly ready to solo and weather permitting he will do so on December 15th, his 16th birthday. Without the help of EAA 105, he would not have been able to accomplish this. We at Nutsch Aviation thank EAA Chapter 105 for choosing him for this aviation scholarship. We think it made a significant contribution to a lifetime career choice for him.”
Kevin: “I just received an email stating that I got the wonderful scholarship for 10 free hours of flying. I would just like to express my deepest gratitude for this award. I am so thankful for the EAA and this great scholarship.”
Clayton: “Thank you for the flight scholarship. Flying has always been a passion of mine. Thanks to this scholarship, I am only one flight away from becoming a private pilot. I plan to continue my training to become a commercial pilot. This scholarship will be a very welcomed boost to my flight career.”
Athena: “This is so awesome! Please tell the members of the George & Lillian Bogardus Board of Trustees and the members of the EAA Chapter 105 that I am very, very happy to have this opportunity that you have given me!”
E.J.: “Thank you so much! You have no idea how much it means to me to be supported in what I love.”