Pilot Training Admission Process
Ten steps from 12th to the airline, with the documents and the point where your loan comes in.
Quick answer
Pilot training admission has ten steps: check eligibility, clear the Class 2 medical, choose a route, shortlist schools, take the entrance test, arrange funding, register on eGCA, pass the DGCA exams, fly 200 hours, then get your CPL and type rating. The loan sanction letter often confirms your seat.
Steps 1 to 5: from 12th to your offer
- Check eligibility. 10+2 with Physics and Maths. Pilot eligibility in India
- Clear the DGCA Class 2 medical. Do this before paying any fee. DGCA medical guide
- Choose the route. A cadet programme, or a self-sponsored CPL in India or abroad. Cadet programmes compared
- Shortlist schools. DGCA approved schools, or foreign schools whose licence converts to DGCA. DGCA approved flying schools
- Apply and take the entrance test. The school's or airline's entrance or aptitude test, often with an interview.
Step 6: arrange funding
This is the step that decides whether you get your seat. Many schools and cadet programmes ask for a loan sanction letter before confirming admission.
- With property: a government bank lends at around 9.5% with nothing to pay during training. You pay 15% of the fees yourself (the margin).
- Without property, with an LOI: an NBFC funds 100% of the fees, up to ₹1.5 crore, with a partial EMI during training.
- Without property, no LOI: an NBFC funds 100%, but the full EMI starts from the first payment.
Get your pilot loan sanction plan
Share your programme and its cost. A counsellor will call you with the loan that fits, the amount and what you pay each month.
Compare the pilot loan with collateral and the pilot loan without collateral.
Steps 7 to 10: from exams to the airline
- Register on eGCA. Get your computer number. The BVC comes first. DGCA computer number
- Ground school and DGCA exams. Pass the five theory papers plus RTR(A). DGCA exams for CPL
- Class 1 medical and flying. Class 1 medical, then flying training to 200 hours and the skill tests. Flying hours for CPL
- CPL, type rating, airlines. CPL issue, type rating, then airline applications. Type rating cost
What does each step cost and how long does it take?
| Step | Typical time | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Class 2 and Class 1 medical | 1 to 3 months | About ₹12,000 to ₹22,000 per medical |
| Entrance test and interview | 2 to 8 weeks | Set by the school or airline |
| Loan sanction | 2 to 4 weeks | Free through FundMyCampus |
| Computer number | A few weeks | Small eGCA fee |
| DGCA papers and RTR(A) | 4 to 6 months | About ₹2,500 a paper |
| Flying to 200 hours | 12 to 18 months | Most of the ₹55 lakh to ₹75 lakh CPL cost (India) |
| Type rating | 2 to 3 months | Extra, unless a cadet programme includes it |
Source: Ruby Hall Clinic (medical), DGCA PARIKSHA fees as reported, FMS Aviation Academy and Maverick Aviation (CPL cost, 2026). Checked on 1 Nov 2026.
Which documents do you need?
- 10th and 12th certificates and mark sheets
- NIOS mark sheet, if used
- Board Verification Certificate
- Aadhaar and passport
- DGCA medical assessment
- Loan sanction letter or proof of funds
- For abroad: offer letter, visa documents and the school's fee schedule
Keep the same name and date of birth across every document. Mismatches are the most common cause of delay.
For the loan side, see pilot loan eligibility and documents.
Pilot after 12th: what to do in the first 90 days
| Days | Action |
|---|---|
| Day 1 to 15 | Book the Class 2 medical and apply for board verification |
| Day 15 to 30 | Shortlist 3 to 5 schools or cadet programmes |
| Day 30 to 45 | Apply, take entrance tests, start the loan conversation |
| Day 45 to 60 | Get the offer and loan sanction letter |
| Day 60 to 90 | Register on eGCA, join ground classes |
Source: FundMyCampus suggested plan. Checked on 1 Nov 2026.
No PCM? Add the NIOS step first. See pilot eligibility in India.
Find the right loan for your training
Tell us where you will train, whether you have property and whether you have an LOI. A counsellor will show you the loan that fits and what you pay each month.
Admission in India vs abroad
- India: no licence conversion, fees in rupees, but weather and aircraft delays at some schools
- Abroad: often faster flying, but a visa, foreign currency fees and DGCA conversion on return
Foreign schools often ask for the full fee plan up front. A loan sanction letter helps with both the school and the visa.
Common admission mistakes
- Paying a deposit before the Class 2 medical
- Starting the loan after the offer deadline
- Not reading the refund policy
- Choosing a school the lender does not fund
- Ignoring hidden costs like uniform, exam fees and extra hours
How to prepare for the entrance or aptitude test
- Maths and Physics: revise 12th level basics
- English: reading and comprehension
- Aptitude: reasoning, spatial and speed tests
- Simulator check: cadet programmes may test basic handling
- Interview: why you want to fly, and your funding plan
Cadet selection is tougher. See what each airline tests in cadet pilot programmes in India.
Documents the lender asks for at admission
- Offer or admission letter with the fee schedule
- Student ID, address proof and academic records
- Co-borrower ID, income proof and bank statements
- Property papers, for a government bank loan only
- DGCA medical results
See the full list on pilot loan eligibility.
Cadet programme admission vs school admission
- Cadet programme: airline led selection with aptitude tests, simulator checks and interviews. Fewer seats and fixed selection windows.
- Flying school: school led admission, often in rolling batches. You choose the school and timing.
Both need a medical, documents and a funding plan before the seat is confirmed.
Key takeaways
- Medical first, payment second
- Start the loan as soon as you have an offer, since the sanction letter often confirms the seat
- Get the computer number early so DGCA exams start on time
- Keep one folder of documents with matching names and dates
- Compare a cadet seat and a self-sponsored CPL on total cost, time and risk before you commit
How to pay for pilot training
Most families use an education loan. There are three ways to do it, and the right one depends on two things: whether you have property for collateral, and whether a sponsoring airline has given you an LOI.
| Government bankWith property as collateral | NBFC, with an airline LOINo property needed | NBFC, without an LOINo property needed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interest rate | Around 9.5%, linked to the RBI repo rate. Around 8.5% if you pay simple interest during the course | Around 11% to 13%, based on income | |
| During training | Nothing to pay (full moratorium), or monthly simple interest for the lower rate | A fixed partial EMI each month | The full EMI on the amount paid out so far |
| After training | Full EMI starts | The same EMI continues | |
| How much is funded | 85% of the fees. You pay 15% yourself (the margin) | 100% of the fees, up to ₹1.5 crore | |
| Processing fee | 1%, refunded later apart from about ₹10,000 | About 1% | |
| Loan insurance | About 1% to 2.5% of the loan | About 2% to 8% of the loan | |
| Co-borrower income | Checked by the bank | A minimum yearly income, set by the loan amount | Monthly income about ₹30,000 more than the EMI |
| Speed | Slow (weeks) | Faster | |
What is an LOI, and why does it matter?
An LOI (Letter of Intent) is a conditional pre-employment letter from a sponsoring airline. It promises you a future role with that airline once you finish training and meet its conditions.
Because a job is lined up, lenders see the loan as low risk. So they offer a partial EMI without collateral: a fixed amount each month during training, with the full EMI only after you finish. Without an LOI, the full EMI starts from the first payment to the school.
Not every government bank gives a full moratorium on pilot training loans, and government banks are usually slow because of property checks. If you need a fast sanction and an easier process, talk to the FundMyCampus team first.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to what students and parents ask us about pilot training
Plan your pilot training loan
Tell us where you will train, whether you have property and whether you have an LOI. A counsellor will call you with the loan that fits and what you pay each month.
FundMyCampus is a loan facilitation platform. Loans are sanctioned by the lending bank or NBFC at its discretion. Rates are approximate and change with the RBI repo rate and your profile. We never promise approval or a rate.