College of Aviation

Initial Flight Training Requirements and Applications

These requirements and applications are not for admission into WMU or the Aviation Flight Science degree program. Please refer to the WMU Admissions page to apply for admission to WMU and the Aviation Flight Science program at https://wmich.edu/admissions

The following process is used for students to request the semester they desire to start the flight training portion of their Aviation Flight Science degree program after they have been admitted to that program. Students should pay attention to the posted application availability dates and deadlines for the semester they desire.

Flight course capacities vary by semester and there is no guarantee that all students can be accepted for their desired semester. Decisions on acceptance are typically completed within approximately 3 weeks after the application deadline has passed. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance status via their WMU email. All applications received by the posted deadline are weighted equally, there is no preference given for earlier submissions. Applications submitted after the posted deadline receive a lower priority and are evaluated on a first come first serve basis if space is available.

Students must meet the following requirements for their application to be considered to start flight training courses:

Academic REQUIREMENTS

Math Requirement (All Students)

Math 1100 passed or a Math Placement Assessment of MATH 1110 or higher

Current WMU Students

The minimum GPA requirement is based on the student's University Catalog* year:

(University Catalog 2019/2020 and after) Minimum 2.75 Cumulative WMU GPA and 3.0 College of Aviation GPA
(University Catalog 2018/2019) Minimum 2.50 Cumulative WMU GPA
(University Catalog 2017/2018 or prior) Minimum 2.00 Cumulative WMU GPA

* A student's University Catalog year can be found in Degree Works through GoWMU

Transfer Students

Minimum 3.0 transfer GPA from prior institution(s)

Incoming Freshman

Minimum 3.0 high school GPA

Please Note: To remain on active flight status, all students must maintain the minimum GPA requirements listed under "Current WMU Student" listed above for their University Catalog.

FAA Medical Certificate REQUIREMENT - (click here for more info)

Students must possess a valid FAA First or Second Class medical certificate at the time of application

A copy of your valid FAA First or Second Class medical must be uploaded with this application or your application will not be accepted.
Medicals issued as Third Class medicals are not acceptable for flight training at WMU.
A First or Second Class medical certificate may currently have Third Class privileges as long as it was originally issued as a First or Second Class.
WMU highly recommends all students obtain a First Class FAA medical certificate if they have never held one before to ensure they meet the standards.

Height and Weight Limitations

Due to aircraft limitations, an individual's flight course participation may be limited due to their size and/or weight. It is recommended that individuals heavier than 275 lbs, shorter than 5'2", or taller than 6'6", reach out to the college at @email to discuss limitations.

FAA Pilot Certificates held prior to WMU

Private Pilot Certificate (or higher) Held

You must upload a copy of your pilot certificate with your application for your application to be accepted.
Initial flight training will be in our Transition Flight Course to place you properly into our FAR 141 curriculum.

Currently Working on Private Pilot Certificate

You must provide WMU with a copy of your Private Pilot Certificate by the application deadline to be considered for the Transition Course. Acceptance into the Transition Course after the application deadline is on a space-available basis.
You may request to complete your Private Pilot Certificate at WMU by taking our Private Pilot courses. Please note, due to FAA regulations, WMU is not allowed to credit any prior training time into our Private Pilot curriculum unless that training was completed at another FAA 141-approved flight program with examining authority. Most students will be required to complete the Private Pilot courses in their entirety.

Student Pilot Certificate Held (No Private)

If you have an FAA Student Pilot Certificate you will be required to upload a copy of it during the application process.
If you do not have an FAA Student Pilot Certificate we will assist you in obtaining one from the FAA after you start your training at WMU. A student pilot certificate is not required to apply for Private Pilot training.

International Students and English proficiency

Admission into the Aviation Flight Science program requires a higher English proficiency score than required for admission into the University. For the official policy and requirements, please click here. Both the FAA and ICAO require all pilots to read, write, speak, and understand the English language. The College of Aviation requires the completion of an English evaluation before an applicant may be considered for a flight training slot. The determination for these slots is normally completed 2 months prior to the start of the next semester and is administered in person at the Battle Creek, MI aviation campus (online evaluations are not available at this time).

If you have lived in an English-speaking country for at least 4 years, or are a citizen of a country from the WMU exempt country list, then you may request the evaluation be waived. We may ask you to provide additional details and may request a telephone conversation too.

Additionally, if you are not able to arrive in Battle Creek in time for an evaluation, you may pursue an ICAO English Language Proficiency Test in your own country. You are responsible to pay for this test and send us the official results. The minimum acceptable score to begin flight training at WMU is ICAO Level 4.

To schedule an English evaluation in Battle Creek, click here.

Flight Training Application Submission

The following applications are not for admission to the Aviation Flight Science degree program. These applications are to request the semester that you desire to start taking flight training courses after you have been admitted into the program. Please refer to the WMU Admissions page to apply for admission to WMU and the Aviation Flight Science program at https://wmich.edu/admissions

Click on the appropriate link below to start the application process for the semester you desire to start flight training courses. Please note the application availability dates and deadlines unique to each semester. Applications are not ranked by the time of submission, so all applications received by the deadline have equal consideration.

2025 FALL FLIGHT APPLICATION Not Available Yet - Application opens approximately June 2nd, 2025. Deadline: July 1st, 2025

2025 SPRING FLIGHT APPLICATION Open - Deadline: October 15th, 2024 (Application submission may be available after the deadline but will receive a lower priority. Application may close at any time after the deadline)

2025 SUMMER I/II FLIGHT APPLICATION Not Available Yet - Application opens approximately January 15th, 2025. Deadline: February 17th, 2025