Emirates trains its future pilots at the Emirates Flight Training Academy (EFTA), a purpose-built campus in Dubai, through two very different doors: the National Cadet Pilot Programme (NCPP), a sponsored route for UAE nationals, and self-sponsored international cadet places at the academy itself.
The two routes
NCPP (UAE nationals): a bonded, Emirates-sponsored programme running through five phases — ground school (about 12 months), flight training (about 12 months), the type rating at Emirates' training college (about 3 months), line training (about 8 months) and transition to First Officer. Cadets are paid throughout, on a published stipend scale rising from AED 6,365 per month in ground school to AED 52,105 as a First Officer.
EFTA international cadets: self-sponsored training at a published fee of USD 220,500 including VAT — covering the full programme, training materials, student visa, campus accommodation and three daily meals. Living on campus is mandatory for the duration, and Emirates offers no scholarships for international candidates.
Eligibility
EFTA's published criteria: high-school graduates aged 18 to 21 with a minimum 80% score, or degree holders aged 21 to 26 with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in a scientific or engineering major; minimum height 160 cm; BMI of 29 or under; and English at IELTS 6.0 or equivalent. The NCPP adds UAE-national requirements including a valid UAE passport and family book, and completed National Service for male applicants. Selection procedures evolve — verify the current criteria on Emirates' and EFTA's own pages before you apply.
How this course works
The next lesson walks through the EFTA admissions process stage by stage — including the fees at each step and the COMPASS test day in Dubai — and the final lesson covers the NCPP stages for UAE nationals. Both routes converge on the same aptitude families, so the practice mapping applies to either door.