Pilot Training Costs and Financing: Germany & Switzerland

Pilot training is one of the most expensive vocational courses there is. Where is a 19- or 25-year-old supposed to find more than a hundred thousand euros or francs?

On the route through the European Flight Academy (EFA), the Lufthansa Group's flight school, you generally do not need that sum in your account beforehand. In Germany an education fund finances most of it; in Switzerland the federal government and SWISS share the amount. Little of it is a gift, though: you repay from your salary later, and the models come with conditions.

This article explains both models using the figures published by the EFA, SWISS and the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA, BAZL in German), as of September 2026. Terms can change, and this article is not financial advice. Only the current information and contracts from the bodies concerned are binding.

What does pilot training cost in 2026?

At the EFA, airline pilot training costs €130,000 in Germany and CHF 150,000 in Switzerland, according to the EFA (as of September 2026). The EFA's FAQ puts the duration at around 24 months, excluding the type rating that follows.

According to the EFA, the package includes theory and practical training, learning materials, exams, the flight to the USA, accommodation during the US phase and the uniform, plus accommodation in Grenchen in Switzerland. Extras such as the DLR certificate and the medical are not included; more on those below.

In the past (2022), the EFA quoted €105,000 for Germany with a €30,000 own contribution; today the price is higher but the amount needed up front is much lower. What you can earn after training is covered in Pilot salary 2026.

How is EFA training in Germany financed?

In Germany you bring an own contribution of €10,000, according to the EFA, and the education fund Brain Capital provides the remaining €120,000. Repayment depends on your income once you are working.

How does Brain Capital work?

Brain Capital is not a classic loan with a fixed instalment but an income share agreement: later on, you pay a fixed percentage of your gross income. The EFA gives these key terms (as of September 2026):

• Up to €120,000 is financed.
• Payments start only after training, and only once your gross annual income reaches €30,000. In years below that, you pay nothing.
• If the full amount was financed, the rate is 12% of gross income, for a maximum of eleven payment years.
• Payments are capped. If you take a cockpit job with a Lufthansa Group airline, the EFA says an interest rate of 8.0% is not exceeded when compared with a traditional student loan. For a job outside the cockpit, the EFA's FAQ names 14% as the cap.
• All obligations end after 20 years at the latest, however much you have paid by then.

Earn little and you pay little; earn well and you pay more, up to the cap. Whether that is cheaper than a bank loan depends on your future income and cannot be known in advance.

Who covers the €10,000 own contribution?

You raise the own contribution yourself, for example from savings, family or a personal loan. The EFA names Albatros as a financial partner for this. For qualified applicants who can demonstrate financial need, the Lufthansa Group's funding programme can cover the €10,000; the EFA's FAQ refers to BAföG documentation as evidence. According to the EFA, Eurowings additionally offers its own benefits and a prioritised intent to hire.

Can you get BAföG for pilot training?

Yes. According to the EFA, its training in Germany has been eligible for BAföG, the German state student aid, since 1 October 2019. The responsible BAföG office decides whether you qualify and for how much. BAföG does not cover the training fees but can help with living costs. The whole German route is described in How to become a Lufthansa pilot via the EFA.

How is training in Switzerland financed?

In Switzerland, financing combines a federal contribution with a training loan from SWISS. According to the EFA, Swiss citizens with SWISS financing need no own contribution, while citizens of EU and EFTA states need CHF 24,000 (CHF 10,000 before training starts, CHF 14,000 during training).

The CHF 150,000 is due in three instalments: CHF 40,000, CHF 50,000 and CHF 60,000. Cantonal contributions under the intercantonal agreement (HFSV) are already reflected in this price, the EFA says. Training takes place in Grenchen and in Phoenix (USA).

Federal contribution: The Swiss government supports training under its ordinance on financial aid for aviation training (VFAL). According to the EFA, that means CHF 60,000 for Swiss citizens and CHF 36,000 for EU/EFTA nationals. FOCA attaches conditions to the aid. Among other things, employment with a Swiss air operator (AOC holder) must begin within one year of completing training. FOCA recommends obtaining the Class 1 medical before applying and points to processing times of around six months.

SWISS training loan: SWISS grants a loan of CHF 90,000. According to the EFA, it can be smaller if you contribute capital of your own. The condition is a positive Pre-Airline-Fit interview during selection. Repayment begins once you are employed: 90 monthly instalments of CHF 1,000 plus interest in line with the guidelines of the Swiss Federal Tax Administration (ESTV).

SWISS announced this model on 11 March 2025: since June 2025, trainees no longer need to pre-finance their training. The airline cites its need for around 110 new pilots a year. According to the EFA's page, the terms of the Edelweiss programme were still being coordinated in September 2026. More on the Swiss route in How to become a SWISS pilot.

What extra costs come on top of training?

On top of the training price, the EFA says you pay for the DLR certificate, the aeromedical examinations, the US visa and an iPad yourself. That applies in Germany and Switzerland alike.

Add food and personal spending during training, plus travel for the DLR test and the assessment centre. Details of the test fee are under How much does the DLR test cost?, and what the certificate is exactly is explained in What is the DLR certificate?.

Germany or Switzerland: how do the models differ?

In Germany you repay an income-dependent percentage; in Switzerland you repay a fixed monthly instalment, and the federal government covers a large share as financial aid.

Which model is open to you is usually decided by citizenship, school qualifications and language. The Swiss requirements include German at B2 level and a height of 160 to 198 cm, among others. For an overview, see DLR test requirements.

What does repayment look like in a worked example?

The following figures are a simplified example using only the published parameters, not a forecast. The starting salaries come from media reports (frankfurtflyer.de, 15 October 2025; Blick, 9 November 2025).

Example Germany (Brain Capital, 12% of gross):

As your salary rises, so do the payments. The total over the eleven payment years depends on your salary path and is limited by the cap; the exact calculation is in your Brain Capital contract.

Example Switzerland (SWISS loan): 90 instalments of CHF 1,000 add up to CHF 90,000 plus interest, spread over seven and a half years. That is CHF 12,000 a year plus interest. On a starting salary of around CHF 89,000 (according to Blick), that corresponds to roughly 13% of gross. The instalment stays the same while your salary rises, so its share shrinks over time.

ImportantThe example ignores tax, social security, interest and salary development. Ask for the contract documents before you sign and run the numbers with your own assumptions, with an independent advice service if needed.

What about private flight schools?

Private flight schools (ATOs) also train up to the airline transport pilot licence, often without a mandatory DLR test. Financing, however, is generally up to you, and there is usually no airline intent to hire behind it.

Prices vary widely by country, school and model. In integrated training you do everything in one go; in modular training you obtain the licences step by step and can work alongside. There are no reliable blanket figures, so we give none. Get specific quotes and check what the price includes: exam and landing fees, extra flight hours, accommodation, type rating.

Financing usually comes from savings, family or a bank loan with a fixed instalment, and the risk of not finding a job straight away is yours. In Switzerland, FOCA says federal aid goes to future commercial pilots who can show employment with a Swiss aviation company; ask FOCA directly whether your route qualifies. When a private flight school is a sensible alternative is discussed in DLR test not good enough: plan B.

Which questions should you settle before signing?

Above all, find out what happens if things do not go to plan. The details are in the contract.

1. What happens if I drop out of training or lose my medical?
2. What applies if I do not get a job with one of the group's airlines after training?
3. What interest rate currently applies to the SWISS loan, and from when?
4. What conditions does FOCA attach to the federal contribution, and what happens if I do not meet them?
5. How does Brain Capital define income, and how exactly does the cap work?

Only the EFA, SWISS, Brain Capital and FOCA can answer these bindingly.

The first step costs little by comparison: the DLR certificate. To prepare, use the DLR's official software and, as a supplement, something like the DLR Test Trainer, an independent iPhone app with ten training modules that is not affiliated with the DLR. What follows the test is covered in Passed the DLR test: what comes next?.

Sources

• European Flight Academy: financing training in Germany
• European Flight Academy: FAQ
• European Flight Academy: costs and services, training in Switzerland
• European Flight Academy: financing training in Switzerland
• SWISS Newsroom, 11 Mar 2025: SWISS removes advance financial contribution requirement
• FOCA (BAZL): financing of aviation training (German)
• DLR: Cockpit certificate (German)
• European Flight Academy: registration for the DLR test