CESDA

CESDA (Centre d'Estudis Superiors de l'Aviació) is Spain's pioneering university flight school, established in Reus in 2001 as the first centre in Europe to offer a full university degree for commercial aviation pilots. Attached to the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, its 80,000-square-metre campus sits beside Reus Airport on the Costa Daurada, and students graduate with both an official bachelor's degree in Commercial Aviation Pilot and Air Operations and an EASA frozen ATPL.

Training at CESDA

CESDA combines a four-year university curriculum with integrated flight training, taking students from first solo to multi-engine instrument flying with bases at Reus and Lleida. Over the years it has collaborated with Vueling on cadet and career opportunities for its students, part of a wider set of airline and industry relationships that give the degree its professional edge, though applicants should confirm the current shape of any airline scheme directly with the school.

Entry combines Spanish university admission requirements with CESDA's own selection, including a Class 1 medical and aptitude screening covering psychotechnical, English and maths components. Since a pilot degree place, and later the airline assessments its graduates face, both hinge on performing well in structured cognitive testing, dedicated practice on aptitude and psychometric exercises is a sensible investment well before application day.