YOUR LAUNCHPAD TO A GLOBAL AVIATION CAREER

Global pilot training group with academies across Europe, Australia, the UAE and India.

Airways Aviation is an international training group with pilot academies in several countries. It also trains cabin crew, engineers and ground operations staff.

- Commercial pilot training (ATPL and CPL) - Bachelor's degrees and diplomas linked to training - Cabin crew, maintenance and ground operations courses - Academies in Italy, Portugal, Finland, Australia, the UAE, India and more

Its academies train to EASA, CASA and ICAO standards and have worked with airlines including Qatar Airways and Etihad. Check that any course gives you the licence you need to work in the UK.

Varies by academy. Usually 18 or over, secondary education and a Class 1 medical.

Varies by course and country.

Self-funded. Fees vary by location.

UK applicants should check whether a course leads to a UK CAA or EASA licence. Converting a foreign licence costs time and money.

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Paid air traffic controller training with the UK's main air traffic service.

NATS controls most UK airspace and many major airports. Its trainee air traffic controller scheme is a paid job: NATS pays you while it trains you, and you don't pay for the course.

- Online ability tests, situational judgement and listening tests - Assessment centre with interview and ATC knowledge tests - College training at Whiteley, Hampshire, or Global ATS at Gloucestershire Airport - Posting to an operational airport or area control centre - On-the-job training until you're fully validated

You train straight into a controller job. After college you're posted to a NATS unit, such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Swanwick or Prestwick, and validated there.

18 or over, five GCSEs at grade 4 including English and Maths, indefinite right to work in the UK, able to pass SC security clearance and a Class 3 medical.

Around 12 to 15 months of basic training, then unit training. 1 to 2 years in total.

Free to you. 2026 trainee pay is about £34,600 a year including an accommodation allowance, rising to about £50,000 to £56,000 once fully validated.

Fail any selection stage and you wait for the next campaign. You can be posted anywhere in the UK, so be ready to move.

Air Traffic Control

Integrated airline pilot training in Jerez, Spain, trusted by major airlines.

FTEJerez is a residential flight training academy in southern Spain. It runs integrated airline pilot training with all ground school and flying on one campus, and trains cadets for several airlines.

- Airline First Officer Programme (integrated ATPL) - Modular CPL/IR and APS MCC - A320 type rating - Upset prevention and recovery training - Optional degree alongside the ATPL - Air traffic control training

FTEJerez is a training partner for programmes including British Airways and Jet2's funded pilot scheme, and lists Aer Lingus, easyJet, Iberia and others as partners.

Usually 18 or over, good secondary education including Maths and Physics, fluent English, and a Class 1 medical. Check FTEJerez's admissions pages.

Around 18 to 22 months.

Self-funded unless you're on an airline-funded scheme. Check FTEJerez for current fees.

The weather in Jerez means fewer cancelled flights, which keeps training on schedule.

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Aerospace and aviation engineering degrees in west London, near Heathrow.

Brunel runs aerospace and aviation engineering degrees in Uxbridge, close to Heathrow. Some courses add pilot studies alongside engineering.

- Aerospace engineering degrees - Aviation engineering, including a pilot studies option - Lab and design project work - Optional placement year

Engineering graduates move into aerospace design, maintenance and airline engineering roles. Being near Heathrow helps with placements at airlines and airport firms.

A-levels including Maths and usually Physics. Check Brunel's course pages for current grades.

3 years (BEng), 4 years (MEng), plus an optional placement year.

Standard UK undergraduate tuition fees, covered by Student Finance for eligible students. Pilot studies options can carry extra flying costs.

Check exactly what flying the pilot studies option includes. It's not the same as an airline training course.

Aerospace Engineering

Aviation management and aerospace courses with a practical focus.

Coventry runs aviation management and aerospace engineering degrees aimed at people who want to work in airlines, airports and aerospace firms.

- Aviation management degree covering airline and airport operations - Aerospace engineering degrees - Industry-led projects - Optional placement year

Aviation management graduates go into airline operations, airport management, planning and safety roles. The placement year is the main way in.

A-levels or BTEC equivalents. Check Coventry's course pages for current requirements.

3 years, plus an optional placement year.

Standard UK undergraduate tuition fees, covered by Student Finance for eligible students.

Airline and airport graduate schemes often take any degree, so a placement in operations counts for more than the degree title.

Aviation Management

Space and aerospace engineering, home of the Surrey Space Centre.

Surrey is known for space engineering. Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), one of the UK's best-known satellite makers, started at the university, and the Surrey Space Centre still runs research there.

- Aerospace engineering degrees - Space systems options through electronic engineering - Surrey Space Centre research - Professional Training placement year

The space sector hires engineers who understand satellites, electronics and systems. Surrey's placement year and space links put graduates in front of UK space employers.

A-levels including Maths and Physics. Check Surrey's course pages for current grades.

3 to 4 years, plus an optional placement year.

Standard UK undergraduate tuition fees, covered by Student Finance for eligible students.

If you want space specifically, look at electronic and systems engineering options as well as aerospace.

Space

Postgraduate-only aerospace university with its own airport.

Cranfield only teaches postgraduates (Masters and PhDs). It has its own airport and runway and works closely with industry, so courses are very applied.

- MSc courses in aerospace engineering, propulsion, air transport management, astronautics and more - Industry-linked group and individual projects - Access to an airport, flight test aircraft and research centres

A Cranfield MSc is well known across the industry. Many students are sponsored by employers, and the projects often come straight from aerospace companies.

An undergraduate degree, usually a 2:1 or above in engineering, science or a related subject.

Usually 1 year full-time for an MSc.

Postgraduate fees apply. UK students can use a Postgraduate Master's Loan, and some courses have bursaries or employer sponsorship.

Best taken after a first degree, or after a few years in industry if your employer will fund it.

Aerospace Engineering

Top-ranked aeronautics and astronautics, with serious research facilities.

Southampton is one of the UK's leading universities for aerospace. Its Aeronautics and Astronautics courses are research-heavy, with large wind tunnels and close links to the aerospace and defence industry.

- MEng Aeronautics and Astronautics - Specialisms in aerodynamics, structures, propulsion and space systems - Wind tunnel and lab work - Group design projects

Southampton graduates are heavily recruited by aerospace, defence and motorsport engineering employers, and the degree leads towards Chartered Engineer status.

High A-level grades including Maths and Physics. Check the course page for current offers.

4 years for the integrated MEng.

Standard UK undergraduate tuition fees, covered by Student Finance for eligible students.

Entry is competitive. Strong Maths and Physics grades matter more than anything else on your application.

Aerospace Engineering

Aerospace engineering degrees in south-west London, with strong space and aircraft options.

Kingston's aerospace engineering department is one of the most established in London. Its courses cover aircraft and space technology, with hands-on lab work and links to industry projects.

- BEng and MEng degrees in aerospace engineering - Aerospace Engineering and Space Technology option - Aircraft engineering and design modules - Lab, design and flight simulator work - Optional placement year

An accredited aerospace degree is the standard route into engineering roles at companies like Airbus, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and MBDA, and the first step towards Chartered Engineer status. A placement year makes graduate applications much stronger.

Typically A-levels including Maths (and often Physics), or a BTEC/foundation year route. Check Kingston's course pages for current grades.

3 years (BEng), 4 years (MEng), plus an optional placement year.

Standard UK undergraduate tuition fees, covered by Student Finance for eligible students.

Do the placement year. It's the single biggest boost to graduate scheme applications.

Aerospace Engineering

Modular pilot training, from PPL to airline-ready, across several UK bases.

Aeros is a UK CAA approved training organisation that teaches pilots step by step (modular) rather than in one big course. It flies from Cardiff, Gloucester and Wellesbourne, with other bases listed on its site.

- Private Pilot Licence (PPL) - ATPL theory, in the classroom or by distance learning - Multi-engine, instrument rating and CPL - MCC/JOC multi-crew training - Flight Instructor courses - Aeros Fastrack, a full zero-to-airline programme

Finishing CPL, multi-engine IR and MCC qualifies you to apply for first officer jobs. Modular means you can pay as you go and keep working while you train.

Start with a Class 1 medical. A PPL has no academic requirement, but airlines will look at your GCSEs and A-levels later.

Flexible. Modular routes often take 2 to 3 years depending on how fast you can fund and fly.

Pay per module. Modular routes usually cost less in total than integrated ones. Contact Aeros for prices.

Modular pilots compete for the same airline jobs as integrated ones, but some cadet schemes only take integrated graduates. Check before you choose.

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Integrated and modular pilot training from Oxford, with a fair-weather base in Spain.

Leading Edge Aviation (LEA) is an airline pilot academy based at London Oxford Airport, with a second base in Alhama de Murcia, Spain. It runs integrated and modular courses and has links with several UK airlines.

- Integrated pilot training in the UK (LEAP) or Spain - Modular training and APS MCC - Flight Instructor training - Graduate support for airline applications

LEA lists links with British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, Loganair, TUI, Titan Airways, Wizz Air and Aurigny. It's also a training partner for the funded Jet2 FlightPath programme.

Typically 18 or over, GCSEs including Maths and English, a skills assessment and a Class 1 medical. Check LEA's How to Apply page.

Integrated courses typically take 18 to 24 months.

Self-funded, with some funded and part-funded routes, including Jet2 FlightPath and a funded fATPL plus Flight Instructor scheme. Check LEA for current fees.

Training as a Flight Instructor after your licence is a common way to build hours while you wait for an airline job.

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Integrated ATPL with flying in Florida and airline sim training in Gloucestershire.

Skyborne trains airline pilots from zero experience at Gloucestershire Airport and Bournemouth, with the main flying phase in Vero Beach, Florida. It's one of the UK's main integrated schools and trains cadets for several airline schemes.

- 13 UK CAA ATPL theory exams (Gloucestershire or Bournemouth) - Single-engine flying to CPL in Vero Beach, Florida - Multi-engine instrument rating on the Diamond DA42 - Upset prevention and recovery training (UPRT) - 40 hours of airline-standard MCC on a Boeing 737 MAX or Airbus A320 simulator - Optional BSc with the University of West London

Skyborne trains cadets for British Airways Speedbird, easyJet, Ryanair, Jet2 FlightPath and DHL programmes, and says its graduates fly for 50+ airlines. Those placement figures are Skyborne's own.

Five GCSEs at grade 4 or above including Maths, English and Science, English at around IELTS 5.5, and a UK CAA Class 1 and FAA Class 3 medical before training.

About 18 months.

Listed at £114,950, paid in five instalments, with a £15,000 non-refundable deposit. The optional degree adds £12,880 and can unlock student loans. Jet2 FlightPath places are fully funded.

Selection is free. Apply to the airline-backed schemes first if you're eligible, since some are funded.

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Integrated airline pilot training, now running as Acron Aviation Academy.

The old L3Harris Airline Academy (and CTC before that) was sold in 2025 and now trades as Acron Aviation Academy. It trains pilots for UK and European airlines from zero experience to a frozen ATPL, with theory in the UK and the bulk of the flying in Florida.

- ATPL theory ground school in the UK - Single-engine flying in Sanford, Florida - Multi-engine and instrument rating training - Multi-crew (MCC) and airline-standard simulator work - Integrated ATPL and a Flying Start ATPL route

Acron runs airline pathways with British Airways, easyJet and Wizz Air UK, among others. Graduates finish with a frozen ATPL, which is what UK airlines hire first officers on.

Usually 18 or over, five GCSEs at grade 4 or above including Maths, English and Science, fluent English, and a UK CAA Class 1 medical before you start.

Around 18 to 24 months for the integrated course.

Self-funded. Integrated courses in the UK typically cost over £100,000. Check Acron's cost and funding page for the current figure and any airline-backed places.

Search for Acron Aviation Academy, not L3Harris. Older reviews and forum threads use the CTC and L3Harris names.

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ATPL, CPL, IR and PPL theory you can study online or in Bristol.

Bristol Groundschool (BGS) is one of the best-known UK providers of pilot theory training. It doesn't teach flying. It gets you through the written exams that every licence needs.

- ATPL theory for fixed-wing and helicopter pilots - CPL, IR and PPL theory courses - Online learning software with progress tracking and video lessons - Question bank and mock exams - Revision (brush-up) courses before exams - Exam sittings in Bristol for UK CAA or EASA

ATPL theory is the biggest single block of a modular pilot route. Passing it with BGS lets you pair it with flying at any approved school, which is how most self-funded modular pilots keep costs down.

No formal academic requirement to start theory, but you'll need a Class 1 medical before you commit to a professional route.

Self-paced. Most people take 6 to 18 months for ATPL theory alongside work.

Pay per course. Theory is a small fraction of total pilot training cost. Check BGS for current prices.

Get your Class 1 medical first. There's no point passing 13 ATPL exams if you can't hold the medical.

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One of the largest pilot trainers in the world, with UK training now based at London Gatwick.

CAE is a global training company that runs airline cadet programmes, ATPL theory and type rating training. Its UK pilot training now runs from London Gatwick. The Oxford name comes from Oxford Aviation Academy, which CAE took over.

- Full-time ATPL theory (about 43 weeks, blended online and in person) - Integrated cadet programmes, often linked to a named airline - Simulator and type rating training for qualified pilots

CAE trains cadets for airline-backed programmes, so some courses come with a route to a specific airline. It also trains airline crews, so the company is deeply tied into the industry.

18 or over at the start, completed secondary education, good English, and able to get a Class 1 medical. Selection includes maths, physics and cognitive tests (around £130).

ATPL theory alone runs about 43 weeks. Integrated programmes take longer.

ATPL theory at Gatwick is listed at around £8,000, not including living costs or medicals. Integrated cadet programmes cost far more.

Check which centre a course actually runs from before applying. CAE has been consolidating training sites.

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