Senators Push for Increased Loan Aid for Student Pilots

Lawmakers ask the Education Department to define aviation and flight training as ‘professional degree’ programs.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, October 30, 2025 at 07:00 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

The FAA issued 69,503 student pilot certificates in 2023, up 24 percent from 2022. [Credit: iStock]

Key Takeaways:

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is urging the Education Department to classify aviation and flight training as "professional degrees" under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
This reclassification would allow students in these programs access to higher federal loan caps, addressing the substantial costs of pilot training which often exceed $80,000-$100,000 beyond standard undergraduate tuition.
The initiative has strong support from the aviation industry, including regional airlines and major carriers, who emphasize its importance for maintaining a robust pilot workforce and ensuring air service and economic growth.

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A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is pushing to give students enrolled in aviation programs and FAA-certified Part 141 flight training schools increased access to federal loan aid.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law in July, sets up new lifetime borrowing caps for graduate and professional degree students. These limits, which are higher than those used for undergraduate programs, apply to fields such as medicine, law, and veterinary science.