Professional Pilot Financing
Take Flight Aviation’s Professional Pilot Program is financed through Sallie Mae — the largest private student lender in the U.S. — with deferred payment options designed for career-track flight students. Train now, pay when your career begins.
Why financing matters for career pilots
A complete professional pilot training program — Private Pilot through CFI — is a meaningful investment. Spread over the 6–9 months you’ll spend training, then the years you’ll spend building hours toward ATP minimums, the total cost is comparable to a graduate degree. For most career pilots, financing is what makes the path viable.
TFA partners exclusively with Sallie Mae for our Professional Pilot Program financing — specifically because their Smart Option Student Loan® for Flight School is built for flight school students. The structure recognizes a critical reality: you can’t easily work full-time during accelerated flight training, and you won’t be earning airline-level income until your career begins.
The deferred payment option means you can train without monthly payment pressure, then begin repayment once you’re working as a flight instructor or have entered your airline career. The economics align with the training reality.
Our exclusive financing partner
Sallie Mae is the largest private student lender in the United States. Their flight school loan program is offered only at vetted, approved flight training institutions — TFA is one of them.
Provided by Sallie Mae Bank · Not affiliated with the U.S. government
A private student loan designed specifically for career pilot training programs at approved flight schools. TFA is an approved Sallie Mae flight training partner, and our students apply through the school-specific portal using TFA’s school code.
TFA School Code
60962000
Click here for more information
Key Features
• Up to 100% of training costs covered
• No origination fee
• No prepayment penalty
• Variable or fixed interest rate options
• Three repayment options
• 0.25% rate reduction with auto-debit
• Cosigner option available
Three repayment options
Sallie Mae offers three repayment structures. Each has different cost and cash flow implications. Talk to Sallie Mae directly about which option fits your situation.
Option 1
No payments due during training and a grace period afterward. Interest accrues during deferment and is added to the principal balance.
No required payments during training.
Option 2
Pay only the accruing interest during training, which keeps the principal balance from growing during the loan term.
Interest-only payments monthly during training.
Option 3
A small fixed monthly payment during training, plus accruing interest. Total cost over the life of the loan is typically lower than the other two options.
Fixed monthly payment during training.
Application process
Sallie Mae’s process is straightforward. Most applications get a credit decision in about 10 minutes, and the entire process from application to fund disbursement can take as few as 10 business days.
Step 1
Schedule a Professional Pilot Program consultation. We confirm program fit and provide your cost of attendance.
Step 2
Apply at the TFA-specific Sallie Mae portal using school code 60962000.
Step 3
Sallie Mae provides a credit decision in about 10 minutes. Add a cosigner if needed.
Step 4
If approved, you choose your repayment option. TFA certifies your loan amount.
Step 5
Sallie Mae disburses funds directly to TFA. Training begins.
Eligibility requirements
1. U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Student must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident. International students may qualify with a creditworthy U.S. citizen or permanent resident cosigner.
2. Enrolled in TFA’s Professional Pilot Program. The loan is for the career-track Zero-to-Pro program specifically. Individual ratings or single-certificate training programs are not currently eligible.
3. Creditworthy applicant or cosigner. Credit decisions are based on Sallie Mae’s underwriting criteria. Most flight school students apply with a cosigner — typically a parent or relative with established credit.
4. Age of majority. Applicants must have reached the age of majority in their state of residence (typically 18).
5. Other Sallie Mae criteria apply. Income verification, debt-to-income evaluation, and other standard underwriting criteria. Full eligibility requirements are determined by Sallie Mae, not by TFA.
Important disclosures
Loans are provided by Sallie Mae Bank. Take Flight Aviation is an approved Sallie Mae partner flight school but is not a lender, loan servicer, or financial advisor. All loan terms, interest rates, fees, repayment options, eligibility requirements, and approval decisions are made solely by Sallie Mae and are subject to change at any time without notice.
Sallie Mae and the Sallie Mae logo are service marks or registered service marks of Sallie Mae Bank. Sallie Mae is not sponsored by or an agency of the United States government. The Smart Option Student Loan is a registered trademark of Sallie Mae Bank.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes and does not constitute financial advice. For specific loan terms, current interest rates, and complete eligibility requirements, please contact Sallie Mae directly at 1-800-472-5543 or visit SallieMae.com.
Common questions
Is the Sallie Mae loan the only way to finance training at TFA?
It’s our exclusive financing partner for the Professional Pilot Program. Some students self-fund or combine Sallie Mae with other resources (VA benefits, scholarships, personal savings). The Sallie Mae loan is the structured option for career-track training.
How much can I borrow?
Up to 100% of the school-certified cost of attendance for your training program. TFA certifies the cost based on your specific program. Sallie Mae has a minimum loan amount of $1,000 and may approve a lower amount based on underwriting.
Do I need a cosigner?
Not strictly required, but strongly recommended. Sallie Mae’s data indicates applicants with cosigners are approximately 4× more likely to be approved. A creditworthy cosigner also helps secure a better interest rate.
What if I can't qualify?
Options: add a creditworthy cosigner, build credit history and reapply later, explore partial financing combined with self-funding, or postpone the Professional Pilot Program in favor of paying for ratings individually.
Can I use the loan for individual ratings?
No — the Smart Option Student Loan® for Flight School is specifically for the full Professional Pilot Program (Zero-to-Pro career track). Individual ratings are not currently eligible.
When do I start paying back the loan?
Depends on which repayment option you chose. With deferred, you make no payments during training plus a grace period. With interest-only, you pay just the accruing interest. With fixed, you make a small monthly payment during training.
What if my situation changes during training?
Contact Sallie Mae directly — they have provisions for life events, deferment requests, and modifications. TFA cannot modify or pause your loan, but we can help facilitate communication.
Apply through Sallie Mae using TFA's school code 60962000, or schedule a consultation to walk through your specific situation.
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