The Whirly-Girls Scholarship Fund, Inc. is proud to announce the opening of the 2026 scholarship season. Over the last few years, the organization has been growing and expanding not only to provide deserving female aviators but also maintainers from across the globe with over $550,000 worth of helicopter flight training, maintenance training and educational scholarships. These scholarships advance the helicopter industry by strengthening the talent pool and increasing diversity. Applications are now open so get excited and start applying. Scholarship applications are available at www.whirlygirls.org/scholarships/ and are due Oct. 1st, 2025. Scholarships will be formally presented on Mar. 8, 2026 at the annual Whirly-Girls Gala at VERTICON in Atlanta, GA. For more information about attending the Gala, please visit www.whirlygirls.org.
Scholarships are available for both experienced and newly certificated pilots, as well as those individuals seeking their initial helicopter ratings. Courses are offered for a variety of training objectives, including turbine transitions, software use, commercial flight training, airline transport licenses, and many more. In addition to this, we now also have an extensive range of maintenance scholarships to offer for both certificate holders as well as you ladies still working towards your licenses, so be sure to check them all out!
Although a lot has changed since the original thirteen members of the Whirly-Girls founded this organization and the number of female pilots has been increasing over the past few decades, there are still relatively few women with Commercial Pilot Licenses (CPL) worldwide and females still comprise fewer than 6% of pilots. The Whirly-Girls organization provides a place where female pilots can find support and camaraderie and help one another succeed. With the support of our sponsors who provide these career-building scholarships we strive to advance women and aid the growth of aviation. For any woman out there, who wants to start or advance her dream in aviation, there is no reason not to apply!
Whirly-Girls International is a non-profit, educational, and charitable organization dedicated to advancing women in the helicopter aviation industry. The Whirly-Girls Scholarship Fund, Inc. (“WGSF”) was incorporated in 1974 to oversee and administer the scholarship funds raised by the Whirly-Girls and their auxiliaries and is a federal tax exempt 501(c)(3) public charity. Initiated in 1968, the scholarship program has grown from a single $500 scholarship to a wide range of training and development scholarships.
For more information on Whirly-Girls International and Whirly-Girls scholarships, please visit www.whirlygirls.org or contact VP of Scholarships, Kitty Seerden, at scholarships@whirlygirls.org.
