Pilot CET (Pilot Common Entrance Test) offers merit-based scholarships directly linked to your All India Rank (AIR). The breakdown is as follows:
Topper of Central/State Board: upto 100% tuition waiver (for 10 students)
AIR 1–5: 100% scholarship (5 students)
AIR 6–15: 75% tuition waiver (10 students)
AIR 16–50: 50% tuition waiver (35 students)
AIR 51–200: 25% tuition waiver (150 students)
AIR 201–500: 20% tuition waiver (300 students)
All qualifying candidates: Receive a 10% scholarship
This tiered structure makes high scores in Pilot CET very valuable in reducing course costs.
1. How much can these scholarships actually reduce expenses:
Pilot course fees in India vary widely:
Private Pilot License (PPL): INR 10–20 lakh
Commercial Pilot License (CPL): INR 40–55 lakh
Scholarships can therefore save tens of lakhs—especially for top AIR scorers.
From aviation forums and PILOT CET many note that full rides are rare especially for civilians but partial scholarships do help.
I got a full ride for tuition, and pursued private scholarships outside the university to help with flight costs. Ended up getting like 25k throughout my 4 years, so it definitely helped.
There’s lots of money out there. Doesn’t mean you’ll get it but research and apply everywhere.