H.R. 9896: Workforce Innovation for Next-Gen in Skies Act of 2026

This bill would change federal higher education rules so that some aviation training costs can be counted as part of a student’s “cost of attendance” for financial aid purposes.

What problem it addresses

Under current law, a college’s cost of attendance is used to determine how much financial aid a student can receive. This bill would let schools include certain aviation-related expenses that are often required for students in aviation programs, such as:

• aviation lab training fees
• instructional time in an aircraft, simulator, or ground instruction
• aviation training materials and equipment
• exam and licensing fees, including practical test costs
• other fees directly tied to aviation training

Which students would be covered

The new rule would apply only to students enrolled in a “qualifying aviation-related program of study.” In general, that means a program that:

• has a specific federal program code tied to aviation or related fields, or is identified by the Education Secretary as preparing students for jobs in aviation
• leads to an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree

How it would affect financial aid rules

By allowing these aviation costs to be included in the cost of attendance, the bill could increase the amount of federal student aid some aviation students are eligible to receive. The bill also updates a related higher education definition so that certain aviation programs can be treated as “professional” programs for federal student aid purposes if they either award a professional degree or provide training under FAA Part 141 regulations.

When it would take effect

The changes would begin on July 1, 2027, and would apply starting with the 2027–2028 award year and later years.

Relevant Companies

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