Becoming a Pilot While Still at School, Aged 15 to 17

You are 15, 16 or 17, you want to fly for a living, and you wonder whether you can do anything now or simply have to wait until school is over. Quite a lot is worth doing at this age, and almost none of it costs much.

This article shows which step becomes possible at which age, how to time the DLR certificate and which skills you can build at school, plus a section for parents. All information is as of September 2026 and sourced below. Rules change, so the official pages of the DLR, the European Flight Academy (EFA) and SPHAIR have the final word.

From what age can I take the DLR test, and when is the right time?

According to the DLR, the minimum age for the DLR pilot certificate (Zertifikat Cockpit) is 16. As it is only valid for 2 years, the earliest possible date is rarely the best one.

The key age limits at a glance (as of September 2026):

Gliding rules have since moved into a separate EU regulation. Any gliding club can tell you the current age limits.

Three facts matter for timing the DLR certificate:

• Valid for 2 years. Take the test on your 16th birthday and it has expired at 18, possibly before you have left school.
• You can apply before finishing school. According to the EFA FAQ you can apply with your DLR certificate first. The school-leaving certificate must be submitted no later than the start of training.
• You can repeat it. The DLR recommends a waiting period of 6 months, and all areas have to be retaken. If your first certificate turns out better, you can keep using it. More on the page Can you repeat the DLR test?

So work backwards from the earliest date you could start training. For most people, a good test date falls in the final or penultimate year of school. That leaves time for preparation and a possible second attempt while the certificate stays valid. Details are on the page DLR test minimum age.

ImportantThe certificate has no pass or fail, only ratings, and the airline or flight school decides which ratings it requires. A rushed early attempt gains you little.

Which school subjects and skills really count?

English, maths and physics help you most, together with a well-trained working memory. You do not need a particular grade average: the EFA has no numerus clausus (grade cut-off). The qualification itself does count. In Germany the EFA requires the Abitur or Fachhochschulreife, in Switzerland the Matura, vocational baccalaureate, admission to a university of applied sciences, or a federal vocational diploma (EFZ).

Get your English to B2. The EFA requires fluent English, shown by a rating of A or B in the DLR English test or by a B2 certificate (for example Cambridge, IELTS, TOEFL or TOEIC). School English gets you there if you actually use the language: series, books, podcasts, perhaps an exchange. What the test covers is in the article on the English test (ENS) and on the page DLR test English level. For Switzerland you also need German at B2 or better, and French or Italian is an advantage.

Take maths and physics seriously. In the DLR test both subjects sit at roughly GCSE to A-level standard: percentages, units, speed-time-distance, and formulas such as F = m·a, U = R·I or p = F/A. If you understand the material properly at school, you will only need to refresh it later.

Practise mental arithmetic playfully. In the test, arithmetic problems are read aloud and you calculate without paper. Practise on the side: estimate the total while shopping, work out discounts, estimate journey time from distance and speed, learn your square numbers. Strategies are in the article on mental arithmetic (KRN).

Working memory and concentration. Tests such as digit sequences backwards or visual memory make you hold and update information continuously. Everyday training helps: phone numbers backwards, memory games, a musical instrument, sports with quick decisions. To see the test formats, you can try four modules of the DLR Test Trainer free of charge, permanently. The app is independent of the DLR. Intensive training only pays off once a test date is in sight.

How can I get my first flying experience while at school?

The cheapest routes are a gliding club or a trial flight, and in Switzerland, from 17, also SPHAIR. None of it is compulsory, as the EFA requires no previous experience, but you find out whether flying suits you.

Gliding. Under the European licensing rules a first solo flight in a glider is possible from 14, and the sailplane licence from 16. In gliding clubs everyone also helps on the ground, and you learn about weather, airspace, radio and teamwork. Costs vary, so ask a club near you.

Trial flight. Many flight schools and clubs offer trial lessons in which you take the controls yourself alongside a flight instructor.

SPHAIR (Switzerland only). SPHAIR is an aptitude assessment programme for young aviation talent that ends with a federally recognised certificate. According to sphair.ch it is aimed at people aged 17 to 23 (officers up to 24) with a Swiss passport who are healthy and fit and speak German, French or Italian. Glasses up to +/- 6 dioptres are possible. The process:

1. A one-day screening at the Aeromedical Institute (FAI) in Dübendorf.
2. After passing the screening, a two-week flight course with 10 flying hours at a partner flight school, held during the school holidays.
3. At the end you receive a certificate, ideally with a recommendation as an airline or military pilot.

According to the Aero-Club of Switzerland, the costs are largely covered by the federal government. For the Swiss Air Force the SPHAIR certificate is compulsory, and for an airline career and the federal training subsidies it is an advantage, says SPHAIR. For the route to SWISS it counts twice: according to the EFA, SPHAIR graduates may apply directly without a DLR test, provided their certificate contains a commercial pilot recommendation and is less than 5 years old. What happens next is covered in how to become a SWISS pilot.

What should I look into early: the medical and financing?

You need not solve either at 15, but it helps to understand both early.

Medical. Airline pilots need an EASA Class 1 medical, which the EFA only asks for after the test and assessment centre. According to the EFA, poor eyesight corrected with glasses is not an automatic exclusion. With strong glasses, doubts about colour vision or a chronic condition, an early conversation with an aeromedical examiner can still make sense. According to Germany's Luftfahrt-Bundesamt, the initial Class 1 examination must take place at an aeromedical centre (AeMC). Discuss with your parents whether that is worthwhile. This article is not medical advice. More context is in the article on becoming a pilot at 30, with glasses or without A-levels.

Financing. Training is expensive but need not be paid in cash. The EFA quotes €130,000 for Germany and CHF 150,000 for Switzerland (as of September 2026), each with financing models in which most of the amount is only repaid from your salary after training. In Switzerland there is also a federal contribution. This is not financial advice. Current figures and terms are in the article on pilot training costs and financing.

What do I NOT need to do at 15?

At 15 you need neither expensive preparation courses nor paid lessons in powered aircraft. These can wait:

• Expensive test courses and seminars. The DLR test invitation includes login details for the official preparation, and the DLR recommends spreading the prescribed sessions over three weeks.
• Taking the DLR test as early as possible. A certificate gained at 16 may well expire before you can use it.
• A PPL as an entry ticket. A private pilot licence is allowed but not a prerequisite.
• A perfect school report. There is no grade cut-off. What matters is that you obtain the required qualification.

What counts today: English, maths, physics, sleep, sport and team responsibility. The Lufthansa Group assessment centre later looks at social competence, personality and group exercises. You learn that in a club or a part-time job, not in a test course.

What should parents know?

Until the candidate turns 18, the parents or legal guardians are the DLR's contracting party, so registering under 18 is not possible without you. Other points for parents (as of September 2026):

• Cost of the test. Booked directly with the DLR, the certificate costs €417.69 plus VAT in 2026. Through the EFA web shop a date normally costs €427, with an autumn offer of €327 (discount code, dates up to 31 December 2026, no rebooking or refund). Travel and possibly a night's accommodation come on top.
• Location and duration. The test is in person only. The DLR lists Cologne and Hamburg, plus Vienna from October 2026. The EFA offers dates in Hamburg, Milan and Zurich. In Hamburg the day runs from about 08:00 to about 17:00.
• No verdict on your child. The certificate contains no selection decision. Everyone receives ratings, and airlines and flight schools set their own minimums.
• Financing. For Germany the EFA quotes a personal contribution of €10,000, with the rest covered by the education fund Brain Capital and repaid depending on income. According to the EFA, the training is eligible for BAföG (German student funding). In Switzerland there is the federal contribution and a training loan from SWISS. Please check current conditions with the official bodies.
• Keep a plan B in mind. A good school qualification stays valuable even if the cockpit does not work out.

Sources

• DLR: Zertifikat Cockpit (minimum age, contracting party, validity, cost; in German)
• European Flight Academy: FAQs regarding pilot training
• European Flight Academy: registration for the DLR test
• European Flight Academy: requirements and selection process, training in Switzerland
• SPHAIR: pilot screening (in German)
• SPHAIR: information for careers advisers, teachers and parents (in German)
• Aero-Club of Switzerland: SPHAIR
• EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, Part-FCL (minimum ages for licences)