Admissions
We welcome cadets from around the world to start their journey to becoming a future leading pilot. Have a look at the entry criteria and the steps you need to take to start your course here at the Emirates Flight Training Academy in Dubai.
Start by checking our entry requirements then apply online, or apply to our scholarship programme if you’re a UAE national.
We take in new cadets every other month, so you could start your training at the next available date throughout the year.
Interested international applicants, as well as UAE residents, can take advantage of competitive tuition fees for the two-year training period, which also cover training materials, accommodation, dining, and uniforms, amongst other expenses.
Check the entry requirements
Create a profile and apply online
We’ll review your application
Join our assessment in Dubai
Start your pilot training
You don’t need any flying experience, but we do have a few other requirements before you apply.
1. High School degree holders
- Age 18-21 years old
- You’re at least 160cm tall and medically fit a BMI of 29 or less
- Minimum high school score of 80%
- You must have graduated with last year of education in Math and Physics and English if non-native English speaker
- IELTS score of 6.0 is required at the time of application
2. Degree Holder (Diploma and above)
- Age 21-26 years old
- You’re at least 160cm tall and medically fit a BMI of 29 or less
- Minimum GPA of 3.0 in a Scientific or Engineering Major
- IELTS score of 6.0 is required at the time of application
- You’re eligible for a UAE student visa if you’re not a UAE national
Note: Ministry of Education attestation is required for certificates.
It’s easy to apply to Emirates Flight Training Academy online. We’ll review your application and keep you up to date on the status.
If you’re a UAE national, check the entry requirements to our scholarship programme.
Begin your application by creating a profile. You’ll need to upload a few documents.
- Passport copy, valid for more than 6 months
- Passport photo
- High School Certificates (high school up to Grade 12 or equivalent) with passes in English, Maths and Physics
We’ll review your application within five working days of your submission. We might ask for some more information or a few clarifications on the documents you’ve uploaded.
Not quite ready? You can save your application and come back to it later. Just log in to your profile to make any changes before you click submit.
If you pass the first round of screenings, we’ll invite you to complete a short video interview through HireVue, our video interview platform. The interview will be pre-recorded, and you can record and submit your responses at your convenience. Your video will be reviewed and you will be advised if you’re progressing to the next stage.
After a successful HireVue interview, we’ll invite you to complete a psychometric assessment. There are no right or wrong answers to this assessment as it aims to build a picture of your personality traits. The traits to be assessed include leadership, decision-making, emotional stability and work attitude. The test also looks at your abstract reasoning - your ability to adapt and learn from new situations and experiences - as well as your spatial reasoning, which is your ability to visualise patterns in three dimensions. Once you’ve completed the assessment, we’ll invite you to an online one-on-one interview.
Online assessment fee - AED 1,000
This fee covers your psychometric test, which includes personality profiling and abstract & spatial reasoning, as well as your one-on-one interview. You’ll need to pay this fee to secure your place for the assessment.
If your online tests are successful, we’ll invite you to meet us at the academy in Dubai. We’ll post the schedule of assessments on our portal and you can select a date that’s most convenient for you. You’ll need to cover the costs of travel and accommodation, as well as the assessment fees.
During the three-day assessment, we’ll test for a few skills to make sure you’re ready for the course. You’ll need to pass each stage to be accepted for training.
Assessment day 1 fee - AED 500
This fee covers your maths, physics, and compass tests. You’ll need to pay this fee to secure your place for the assessment.
Assessment days 2 and 3 fee – AED 4,200
This fee covers your medical and language assessments. You only need to pay this fee if you pass the first part of the assessment.
Your maths and physics assessment will be online and takes one hour for each subject. The assessment consists of 30 multiple-choice theoretical and calculation questions.
Compass is an online aptitude test covering five modules. It involves visualisation and the use of controls. This test looks at your:
- Hand-eye coordination
- Hand-eye-foot coordination
- Spatial orientation
- Multitask management
- Short term memory
On days two and three, we’ll check your reading, listening and spoken proficiency in English to make sure you meet the standard level needed to begin your training.
You’ll also need to meet the criteria for the GCAA’s Class 1 medical certificate, which involves an eye examination, to be accepted to the programme. The assessment must be approved by the aviation medical examiners at the GCAA and Emirates Clinic.
If successful, you will be contacted by one of the Selection team and advised on a timeframe of the course dates, subject to availability at that time. In case of any delays by either party, your file will remain valid for 12 months.
If you can’t join the course yet for any reason, you still have one year to join from the date you received the offer.
Start your application for the Emirates Flight Training Academy
The course training fee is USD 181,650 (including VAT) for the full training period. This covers:
- Your entire training programme
- Training materials
- Student visa
- Accommodation
- Uniform
- Three daily meals
- Your ATPL certificate, Multi Crew Cooperation (MCC) certificate from Emirates Flight Training Academy and your commercial pilot licence with multi instrument ratting (CPL/Multi IR) approved by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority.
The fee excludes medical insurance, but we can recommend a few providers.
There’s a slightly different entry route for UAE nationals joining the National Cadet Pilot Programme.
If you have the passion and commitment to become a world-class pilot, you could be selected for a fully sponsored training programme.
1. High School degree holders (Scientific Stream only):
- Age: 18-20 years old.
- Academic Requirements: Minimum high school score of 80%.
- Subjects: Must have studied Math, Physics or Chemistry.
- Language Proficiency: IELTS score of 6.0 is required at the time of application.
2. Degree Holder (Diploma and above)
- Age: 21-26 years old.
- Academic Requirements: Minimum GPA of 3.0 in a Scientific Major.
- Language Proficiency: IELTS score of 6.0 is required at the time of application.
We’re looking for ambitious UAE nationals with the passion and commitment to train as world-class pilots.
Frequently asked questions
You’re welcome to visit our state-of-the-art facility to ask questions and have a tour. We operate tours on Monday and Wednesday of each week at 11:00am. Please email us to make an appointment: InternationalSelection@emirates.com
The Emirates Flight Training Academy ATPL course duration is approximately 104 weeks and is divided into a theoretical knowledge course and practical flying.
