ATCA Scholarships
SCHOLARSHIPS & APPLICATION LINKS
2026 scholarships have been awarded. Application submissions for next year will open in the Spring of 2027.
Please read our FAQs for a good scholarship application.
Through the generous support of donations from ATCA's members, we award between $5,000 - $15,000 per student annually. Please help us support our future aviation professionals with a donation to the ATCA Scholarship Program.
ATCA is proud to have our scholarships listed in the annual University Aviation Association (UAA) Collegiate Aviation Catalog. Please review the UAA Collegiate Scholarship listing to see other aviation scholarships that you might qualify for and apply to.
ATCA SCHOLARSHIP CATEGORIES
Category A - Gabriel A. Hartl Scholarship
Students enrolled half- to full-time in a two- to four-year air traffic control program at an institution approved and/or licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration as directly supporting the FAA's college and training initiative.
Category B - Lawrence C. Fortier Memorial Scholarship
Students enrolled half- to full-time in a program leading to a bachelor's degree or higher in an aviation-related course of study.
Category C - Full-Time Employee Student Scholarship
Full-time employees enrolled in advanced study programs to improve their skills in air traffic control or an aviation discipline.
Category D - Buckingham Memorial Scholarship
U.S. citizens, children of air traffic control specialists enrolled half- to full-time in a program leading to a bachelor's degree or higher.
Category E - ATCA/Leidos Scholarship for Aviation Innovation
Students enrolled half to full-time in a program leading to a bachelor's degree who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential, and a commitment to advancing the future of aviation.
ATCA SCHOLARSHIP FUND
The ATCA Scholarship Fund awards scholarships to outstanding aviation students and children of air traffic controllers. ATCA's wonderful candidates, exceptional winners, and generous scholarship partners and donors are the ones who make it happen. With the continued support of the aviation community for this industry-sustaining program, we hope to award at least as much in the future. But we need your support to do it.
“Receiving an ATCA scholarship helped me set my career in motion. It allowed me to come to the annual conference, network, and make lifelong connections as well as take part of the financial stress off of myself in college. I am now an air traffic controller at Potomac TRACON in Virginia and the President of the Capital Region Chapter of Women In Aviation, and happy to have those connections I made with ATCA years ago!”
-Natelie Chappell (Scholarship Recipient)
“Thank you for providing the resources I needed to succeed. Your support played a key role in making my dreams a reality!”
-Jen Lewis (Scholarship Recipient)
“I would never have been able to reach where I am today without this kind of support, and I am forever grateful.”
-Alvaro Delgado (Scholarship Recipient)
“I am incredibly grateful and honored to have received an ATCA scholarship. Thanks, ATCA for investing in my future!”
-Lindsay Price (Scholarship Recipient)
2026 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Each year the ATCA Scholarship program awards financial support to outstanding college students pursuing a degree in a field related to ATM or other aviation discipline, or are children of specialists. Since its inception in 2000, ATCA has awarded over $1.3 million in scholarships to deserving students; $60,000 in this year alone.
We are pleased to introduce you to the ATCA Scholarship winners for 2025.
Gabriel A. Hartl Scholarship
Awarded to students enrolled half- to full-time in a two- to four-year ATC program at an institution approved and/or licensed by the FAA as directly supporting the FAA’s college and training initiative.
Wesley Himbrick
Hampton University
Hampton, VA
Emma Woods
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, ND
Abigail Demar
Florida Institute of Technology
Melbourne, FL
Lawrence C. Fortier Memorial Scholarship
Awarded to students enrolled half- to full-time in a program leading to a bachelor’s degree or higher in an aviation-related course of study.
Sebin Malayil James
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX
Julianne Jones
Utah State University
Logan, UT
Andrew McNutt
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Daytona Beach, FL
Grace Simon
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, LA
Zander Hamilton
Rick Aviation, Inc.
Newport News, VA
Buckingham Memorial Scholarship
Awarded to US citizens, children of ATC specialists enrolled in half- to full-time in a program leading to a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Sydney Nickson
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX
Full-time Employee Scholarship
Full-time employees enrolled in advanced study programs to improve their skills in air traffic control or an aviation discipline.
Braxton Brady
Intercept Aviation
Scappoose, WA
ATCA/Leidos Scholarship for Aviation Innovation
Students enrolled half to full-time in a program leading to a bachelor’s degree who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential, and a commitment to advancing the future of aviation.
Makayla Galler
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ