High school students (and college students too!) who love drones — here’s a major opportunity to jumpstart your career in the drone industry, for free.
Drone Pilot Ground School offers two generous scholarship programs that provide financial support to aspiring drone pilots. Whether you’re in high school or college, here’s how you can get involved and potentially save hundreds on your FAA Part 107 certification and drone education.
Related read: Part 107 test: everything you need to know (except the answers)
*Pssst!* Scroll down to the bottom of this post to get $100 off a Drone Pilot Ground School course!
How to land a scholarship for your drone education
For high school students: High School STEM Scholarship for Aspiring Commercial Drone Pilots
This program is specifically for U.S.-based high school students aged 16 or older who are interested in becoming FAA-certified commercial drone pilots. Scholarship recipients receive:
- Free access to Drone Pilot Ground School’s online Part 107 test prep course (a $299 value)
- FAA Part 107 test fee reimbursement (a $175 value)
- Total value: over $450
This is a serious opportunity to earn your Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA — a credential required for any commercial drone work, from aerial photography and videography to agricultural mapping and home inspections.
“We know the drone industry has the potential for creating new jobs for young people, and can help students get excited about STEM subjects,” said Drone Pilot Ground School’s founder, Alan Perlman.
2025 application windows
- Semester 1: January 1 – February 28 (notified end of February)
- Semester 2: August 1 – September 30 (notified end of September)
Up to 100 students are awarded scholarships each semester.
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- Be at least 16 years old
- Be currently enrolled in a U.S. high school
- Submit three short essays (100–200 words each)
- Upload a letter of recommendation from a school educator or sponsor on official school letterhead
How to apply
You’ll need to complete an online application (note: you cannot save your progress), so gather everything before you begin. The application includes:
- Applicant details (use a personal email address to avoid school firewalls)
- Three essay questions
- How you got into drones
- Your drone involvement to date
- How you plan to use your Remote Pilot Certificate
- Letter of recommendation from a school sponsor
Successful applicants will provide thoughtful, well-written answers and demonstrate genuine interest in earning their FAA certification. Essays with poor grammar or AI-generated responses may be disqualified.
For college students: Drone Technology College Scholarship
Are you a current or rising undergraduate student with a passion for drones? You might qualify for Drone Pilot Ground School’s Drone Technology College Scholarship, which awards two students with $1,000 each in cash.
This scholarship recognizes students who are helping advance the drone industry through their education, innovation, and career goals.
2025 application window
- April 1 – June 13
- Winners notified: third week of June
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- Be enrolled as an undergraduate in a U.S. college or university at the time of award (high school seniors may apply)
- Submit an original essay (750–1,000 words) on one of the following topics:
- How drones can be used to do good
- How drones will change the world in the next 10 years
- How drones can be used for STEM education
- Provide a short personal background paragraph
- Explain how the scholarship money will be used
- Upload a letter of recommendation from an educator on school letterhead
Winning essays will be published on the Drone Pilot Ground School website, and by applying, students give permission for their submitted materials to be shared on dronepilotgroundschool.com or uavcoach.com.
Why getting your Part 107 certification matters
Passing the FAA Part 107 exam is required for flying drones commercially in the U.S. With this license, you can legally work in:
- Aerial videography and photography
- Drone inspections and mapping
- Construction site monitoring
- Search and rescue operations
- Real estate marketing
- Agricultural drone spraying and more
“Commercial drone pilots can make anywhere from $40 to $75 an hour,” said Matt Ernst, founder of the drone club at Taft High in Cincinnati. “I want our students to have the opportunity to work in this emerging field.”
I personally used Drone Pilot Ground School to study for my own Part 107 exam, which I passed on my first try! Read about my test experience here.
Not eligible for the drone education scholarship? Still save $50
If you’re not a high school or college student but still want to take the Drone Pilot Ground School course, use this link to get $100 off any Drone Pilot Ground School course.
The post Drone scholarships for students: Get certified for free appeared first on The Drone Girl.