- Clara Mohally and Leyla Hascan received selection through an application process that reviewed academic achievements and passion for aviation.
- The scholarship includes financial support and industry experience opportunities.
- The programme runs for the full four-year undergraduate degree.
- The 2026 expansion adds two additional undergraduate degrees.
- The initiative supports long-term sustainability of Ireland’s aviation sector.
AerCap has awarded the Women in Aviation Scholarship for 2026 to two first-year students at the University of Limerick. Clara Mohally from Rathcormac in County Cork studies Aeronautical Engineering. Leyla Hascan from Limerick studies Financial Mathematics.
The scholarship programme enters its seventh year and provides a bursary of €5,000 per year for four years. Recipients gain summer work, mentorship and an eight-month internship at AerCap. The 2026 edition expands to include BSc in Financial Mathematics and BSc in Engineering alongside Aeronautical Engineering.
The initiative encourages women to pursue STEM-related courses. It builds the pipeline of skilled talent for Ireland’s aviation industry. The University of Limerick Foundation partners with AerCap on the programme.
Vice President, Human Resources at AerCap Deirdre Norris shared “We are very pleased to have extended the AerCap Women in Aviation Scholarship programme to include two additional courses in 2026.”
Director of Development at the University of Limerick Foundation Sarah Hartnett shared “We are deeply grateful to AerCap for their continued commitment to empowering the next generation of women in STEM and aviation.”
