We highly recommend you come join us for a tour of the university as well as an information session and tour of our aviation facilities. The School of Aviation hosts information sessions at the Airport Complex on scheduled Fridays. Consult the OU Admissions and Recruiting web page for specific dates and times.
Students interested in Professional Pilot-Airplane, Professional Pilot-Helicopter, or Aviation Management-Flying concentrations for fall 2025 are encouraged to apply to the University of Oklahoma when the application opens on August 1. Interested students can only apply for the fall term.
The College of Atmospheric & Geographic Sciences offers a bachelor’s degree with a major in Aviation that can help you achieve your career goals. The Bachelor of Science with a Major in Aviation is designed for students who want to take the first step toward a career in Aviation. OU offers five concentrations for students to consider.
For Professional Pilot and Aviation Management - Flying Applicants
If you’re planning to choose the Professional Pilot or Aviation Management – Flying concentration, you should apply as close to or on August 1 to increase your potential for a flight slot. Flight major applications are accepted during the fall term application timeframe only. Due to the limited number of flight slots OU has each fall, the demand for one of these slots is great.
First-Time Freshmen
Incoming freshmen interested in applying to our Professional Pilot—Airplane, Professional Pilot—Helicopter, or Aviation Management – Flying concentration programs must apply to OU during their high school senior year to be considered for a spot within the program. The OU application for admission opens Aug. 1 for Fall 2025. For details on the application process requirements and timeline see Aviation (ou.edu). Aviation cannot guarantee up front which semester you will start flying.
Transfer Students
Please visit the following link for details: Aviation (ou.edu).
Aviation Flying Waitlist
Because of the limited number of flight slots each fall, as well as the very competitive nature of the process to receive a slot, OU maintains a waitlist for these spaces. For Freshmen, those who pay their enrollment deposit after the program has reached capacity are notified of how to join the waitlist. For Transfers, those who complete the commitment process after the program has reached capacity are also notified of how to join the waitlist. The School of Aviation cannot guarantee that any offers of flight slots from the waitlist will be made annually; getting off the waitlist depends on whether eligible students choose later not to accept a flight slot. If space becomes available, you will be contacted by the Office of Admissions and Recruitment (OAR) as they maintain the waitlist. If you have any questions regarding the admission waitlist, please contact their office at admissions@ou.edu or 405-325-2151.
For Aviation Management – Non-Flying and Aviation Management – Air Traffic Management Applicants
If you are interested in an Aviation Management – Non-Flying or Air Traffic Management concentration, we encourage you to submit your application to OU for priority admission. These concentrations are not limited by space and are open to all students, including freshmen and transfer students.
Here are just a few reasons why OU is a smart and affordable choice for your aviation degree:
Only students accepted into the Aviation Management – Flying Concentration or Professional Pilot Concentration AND get a flying spot will be able to fly. Unfortunately, students in other non-flying aviation or aerospace programs will NOT be able to fly.
We invite you to learn more about the School of Aviation by exploring our academic top-five list (pdf).
Once accepted into the flight program, your next item of responsibility is to complete a One Stop packet to ensure you are prepared to begin flying with OU. One Stop is the process by which the University of Oklahoma will obtain copies of your required flight training documents.
U.S. CITIZENS
FOREIGN NATIONALS
The information presented on all forms of ID must match exactly. Common issues include misspelled names, wrong birth dates, wrong eye or hair color, not including “Jr” or “Sr” or “II” or “III”. The driver’s license or US Passport MUST MATCH your birth certificate at the time of ONE STOP processing. If your birth certificate or passport lists your official legal name as “James Robert Smith”, your driver’s license MUST say “James Robert Smith”, not “Jim R. Smith”, “J.R. Smith”, or “Jim Bob Smith”. If it does not match, go to your local DMV and get a corrected driver’s license before showing up for your One Stop appointment.
Ensure when you put data into the web databases for both your FAA medical and your FAA Student Pilot License that YOU USE YOUR FULL LEGAL NAME as it is or will be on your driver’s license or US Passport – you may be disenrolled from the course if your documents do not match.
Additionally, your address on the driver’s license must be a current residential address at which you can receive mail. This may be a parental address if you are living in a temporary location (apartment, dorm, fraternity house, etc.).
Every private pilot student must establish an account on IACRA (IACRA website). The student will use this account when completing an application for any certificate or rating (Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot, Certified Flight Instructor, Multi-Engine Rating, Flight Instructor – Instrument and Multi-Engine Instructor).
Upon completion of training for a particular certificate or rating your flight instructor will assist you to complete the application on IACRA. Select the appropriate link below for detailed instructions on each certificate and rating.
Commercial Pilot (Initial) (pdf)
The Flight Availability form must be filled out completely and will automatically be emailed to the Aviation Scheduler and sent a copy to you. if you have any questions or problems with the form please see the Aviation Scheduler.
A great tool to learn ATC communications or hear your flying buddies flying high over the skies of Oklahoma. Listen to traffic on both ground and tower frequencies.
To listen off campus to KOUN Tower or Ground not using the OU network or OU WIFI.
In order to begin the PLA:
We know you have questions. So, here is a collection of frequently asked questions, ranging from program accreditation to general considerations regarding why you should proactively pursue aviation.
Yes, currently OU’s School of Aviation's four bachelor of science degree concentration programs (professional pilot; air traffic management; aviation management - fly; aviation management - non-fly) are accredited by AABI . These programs were originally accredited by AABI in 2005 and have been continuously accredited every five years since. Currently each program is accredited through July 2025. OU is one of approximately 40 institutions worldwide with aviation academic programs accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI). This ensures each student will be earning a degree from a nationally recognized institution with impeccable program standards and a reputation with specialized aviation accreditation. Here is the link to AABI accredited programs:
Boeing Aircraft Company’s 2013 future aviation demand study estimates that global growth of aircraft in the world will increase from the current total of 18,000 to 36,000 by 2027. Boeing made a record delivery of the most aircraft ever manufactured in the history of the company in the year 2013, with plentiful future aircraft orders for the next decade. Boeing estimates the U.S. pilot population will grow from a current 232,000 to 445,000 by 2030, and there will be a global need to train nearly 50,000 pilots by 2030 to replace retirements and the growth of aviation airlines, cargo and corporate air traffic.
Over the next 12 years, pilots at the major U.S. airlines will rapidly start to retire, with an average of about 300 per year per major airline in 2014, climbing to 750 to 1,000 pilots per year by 2020. By the year 2025, the major U.S. carriers will lose 25,000 seasoned professional pilots to retirement. Although the ups and downs of the global and U.S. economic cycle will always impact pilot hiring in any particular year, the long-term prospects over the next 20 years due to known forthcoming mandatory retirements and forecast aviation passenger traffic growth is all pointing to the fact that it has never been a better time to pursue a professional pilot career. Become a Flying Sooner today and “Let Your Dreams Take Flight!”
Yes! Another big reason to take a good look at the University of Oklahoma is that we can get you into the right seat of a regional airline jet faster. The FAA recently implemented a rule requiring First Officers at the airlines to have 1,500 flight hours and an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate for employment. This rule included a provision that collegiate programs approved by the FAA can certify their graduates to earn an R-ATP at 1,000 flight hours.
OU has been given the authority for an Institution of Higher Education to certify its graduates for an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate with reduced aeronautical experience. This savings of 500 flight hours allows our graduates to be eligible for a First Officer position at a regional airline up to one year earlier than those who must accrue the full 1,500 hours for the ATP and is a considerable savings in terms of cost. Come to OU and Start Flying SOONER!
OU has a long established bridge and now pipeline agreement* with Envoy Airlines (formerly American Eagle) with a follow-up career interview guarantee with American Airlines. This partnership gives qualifying OU aviation students the opportunity to launch their regional or major airline careers with Envoy. The program provides recruitment, screening, selection, training and placement strategies for students to be employed by Envoy. Qualified students may be interviewed by Envoy once they obtain their instrument rating at OU. After students in the pipeline program obtain their CFI and graduate from OU, Envoy will place the candidate in a CFI position until they obtain the required flight hours mandated by the FAA. Once hired as a Pipeline Instructor, the graduate will be eligible for health benefits and travel privileges as an Envoy employee. The OU Aviation/Envoy Pipeline Program is one of the smartest, most affordable, quality training and education pathways to launch your professional pilot career and is a true flight plan for success!
*The Pilot Pipeline Agreement is subject to change at the discretion of Envoy and the University of Oklahoma.
The difference is the flying time required to obtain a Commercial Pilot Certificate, which enables you to be compensated for flying. As a Part 141 student, you will earn a Commercial Instrument Certificate with 195 flight hours. Part 61 requires 250 flight hours. The OU School of Aviation is FAA certified under Part 141. The program has examining authority for most flight courses. This means that students do not have to pay an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner at the end of the flight course for their practical flight evaluation. This will save the student more than $2,000 over the course of a degree major or minor.
The FAA expects to lose 40 percent of air traffic controllers to retirement in the next few years. OU developed the new major and minor as a proactive approach to fill these positions. The FAA accepted OU as an approved Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative school in 2007. This program provides training in every possible ATC venue, meeting the criteria for top-tier schools from the FAA Administrator’s blue ribbon panel on ATC training.
The Air Traffic Management degree path also includes a broad-based curriculum in Aviation Management and general business principles that are useful in aviation careers outside of ATC.
Only students accepted into the Aviation Management – Flying Concentration or Professional Pilot Concentration AND get a flying spot will be able to fly. Unfortunately, students in other non-flying aviation or aerospace programs will not be able to fly.
