Guide · Paying for training

Airline cadet programs and paying for training, explained.

Free pilot training exists, but not for everyone. Some airlines pay for training, often for their own citizens or residents. Others select you and you pay. Here is how the models differ and what to check before any money changes hands.

Last checked November 20267 min read

4 models How cadet programs work
5 programs Real examples compared
7 years Bond after training at one airline
Per stage How to pay for training safely

No school, agency or website can promise you a pilot job, and we do not. Read exactly what an airline promises in writing.

01 Cadet programs

Four models

Sponsored by an airline. The airline pays for your training, sometimes with a salary or an allowance. Expect conditions in return, such as a bond, a promise to stay for some years, and rules on nationality or residency.
Pre-financed by an airline. You pay part of the cost before training, and the airline lets you pay the rest from your salary once you fly for it. If you leave early, you repay what is left.
Selected by an airline, paid by you. The airline selects you, you pay the training school, and you may get a letter of intent. Read what it promises and what it does not.
Paying a school directly. Many schools call their courses "cadet" or "airline" programs. Unless an airline is named in your contract, it is a training course, not an airline program.

02 Cadet programs

Five real examples

Five airline cadet programs, as of November 2026. Intakes, terms and prices change, so check the airline's page.
Program	Who can apply	Who pays	Training	Worth knowing
Emirates National Cadet Pilot Programme	UAE nationals with a UAE passport	Emirates, fully sponsored, including accommodation, with a salary during training	Emirates Flight Training Academy, Dubai	Age 18 to 21 after high school, 22 to 26 with a degree
Singapore Airlines Ab Initio Cadet Pilot	Applicants with A levels, a diploma or a degree, or five O level credits including English, mathematics and a science; check the nationality rules with the airline	Monthly allowance during training; check the fee terms with the airline	Singapore Flying College, in Singapore and overseas	You commit to serve during training and for 7 years after becoming a first officer
Cathay Pacific Cadet Pilot Programme	People aged 18 or older with the right to live and work in Hong Kong or the Chinese Mainland	Sponsored training up to the commercial license	About 80 weeks, with ground training in Hong Kong and abroad	Applications open all year
IndiGo cadet pilot program	Ages 18 to 40, Class 12 with at least 51% in physics, mathematics and English, eligible for a US M-1 visa	You: USD 132,000 in five payments, the first one not refundable	Ground school in India, flying training in the USA, then license conversion in India, multi-crew course and A320 type rating	A letter of intent after selection; read what it promises
Wizz Air Pilot Academy	Nationals of Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Hungary, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania and Serbia	You, mostly later: EUR 61,460 for the ab initio training, EUR 13,950 of it before you start, the rest in monthly payments over five years once you fly as a first officer	Ab initio training, then advanced training for EUR 40,000, reduced to EUR 25,000 if you stay five years	The last EUR 5,000 of the ab initio fee is waived if you stay five years; if you quit, you repay the rest

03 Cadet programs

If you pay yourself

Families usually combine savings, education loans and school payment plans. Before the first payment:

Pay per training stage, not the whole course upfront, and know what happens to your money if you stop.
Read the refund terms, especially for deposits that are not refundable.
Get a written list of what the price includes: exams, checkrides, accommodation, visa, insurance and extra hours if you need them.
Ask what happens if you need more hours or fail a check, and what that costs.
For a loan: does the lender cover flight training abroad, and when does repayment start?
Check the currency you pay in. Exchange rates can change the price over a course that lasts two years.

What training costs in each country: compare the prices.

04 Cadet programs

What is a bond?

A bond is a promise in your contract to work for the airline for a set time after training. If you leave earlier, you usually repay part of the training cost. Read how long it lasts, how the repayment is calculated, and whether it starts when training ends or when you join the airline.

05 Cadet programs

Which license does the program lead to?

Some airline programs train you for a multi-crew pilot license (MPL) instead of a commercial license with an instrument rating. The training is built around one airline's operation, and the license lets you fly as a co-pilot in aircraft flown by two pilots. To fly single-pilot aircraft, you need extra training. Ask which license a program leads to, and what you could do with it if the airline does not hire you.

06 Cadet programs

Warning signs

A "guaranteed" job or a "placement" promise.
Pressure to pay today, or a large deposit that is not refundable before you have seen the full contract.
No written list of what the price includes.
The school cannot tell you which aviation authority approves it.

07 Cadet programs

If you are not eligible or not selected

Most people who want to fly cannot join a sponsored program, because of nationality rules or because places are few. Training at an independent school is the usual way. You choose the country, the school and the pace, and a commercial license with an instrument rating keeps your options open. Many people apply to airline programs and plan this route at the same time.

Compare training costs by country Find schools that fit your budget and goals

08 5 questions

Questions about cadet programs and paying for training

Is pilot training ever free?

Some airlines pay for training, often for their own citizens or residents, and they expect you to fly for them afterwards. Places are limited: British Airways, for example, funds up to 160 places in its 2026 round and says more than 25,000 people apply. Expect a selection process with tests and interviews.

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Can I join a cadet program from another country?

It depends on the program. Some only take nationals, for example the Emirates National Cadet Pilot Programme, which asks for a UAE passport. Others ask for the right to live and work in a place, as Cathay Pacific does.

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Does a self-funded cadet program guarantee a job?

Read the contract. A letter of intent is not the same as a job offer, and no school or agency can promise you a pilot job.

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Should I pay the whole course upfront?

It is safer to pay per training stage, so you do not lose everything if you stop or the school runs into trouble. Read the refund terms first.

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Can I get a government student loan for training abroad?

US federal student loans are only for citizens and eligible non-citizens, so students on an F-1 or M-1 visa do not get them. Australia and New Zealand do not offer their government student loans to international students either. Most international students pay with family savings, bank loans in their home country and payment plans.

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