Ryanair pilot hiring requirements
AirlineIrelandEuropeRYR / FR
Registered as Ryanair DAC.
Verified 15 August 2026
Ryanair is Europe's largest low-cost carrier, based in Dublin and flying an all-Boeing 737 fleet across a wide European base network. It recruits both cadets through Approved Training Partners and direct entry, type-rated captains and first officers.
Applications are made on Ryanair's own site. SkyStudy never collects an application, a document or a fee.
- Check carefullyRyanair's own page states that the ab-initio and Gateway 1 programmes include the B737 type rating 'subject to a training costs agreement'. It does not say the rating is free, so establish who pays and on what terms before committing.
Open now
Vacancies we can see at Ryanair
Nothing from Ryanair is on our board today. That means we are not currently reading an open flight-deck advert from their own careers system, not that they are not hiring: open the official careers page above, which is the only complete list. See what is open at other operators.
What the operator asks for
Minimum requirements on record
Only what Ryanair states publicly. "Not stated" means the operator does not publish that figure, not that there is no requirement, and never that the requirement is zero.
- Licence
- EASA licencesource
- Total time
- Not stated
- PIC time
- Not stated
- Multi-engine
- Not stated
- Turbine
- Not stated
- On type
- Not stated
- Type rating
- Not stated
- Medical
- Not stated
- ICAO English
- Not stated
- Age
- Not stated
- Right to work
- Not stated
- Also required
- PPL holders with 100h PIC who have completed their EASA ATPL theoretical exams (Gateway 1 route)
- Also required
- EASA Frozen ATPL licence, CPL and ME/IR holders (Gateway 2 route)
- Also required
- The ab-initio and Gateway 1 programmes include the B737 type rating, subject to a training costs agreement
Any age, nationality, residency, height or vision criterion above is the operator's own stated criterion, quoted from its own page. Some such criteria are lawful where an operator recruits and unlawful elsewhere, including in the EU. SkyStudy reports them factually and does not adopt them as requirements of its own.
Every published profile is checked by hand against the operator's own careers page, and is flagged for a recheck 180 days after that check. Requirements change without notice, so confirm every figure on the operator's own careers page before you apply.
Pay and contract
Contract type: Not stated. Do not assume direct employment; some operators contract through an agency or on a self-employed basis, which changes tax, sick pay and pension entirely.
Pay: Not stated on the operator's own page.
For what pilots earn by region and seat, with its own sources and dates, see the pilot salary guide. Those are market ranges, not an offer from this operator.
Selection process
- 01ApplicationSubmit your application directly to our Approved Training Partners.
- 02Assessment (Gateway 1)One-day assessment consisting of tests in mathematics, physics, an English language test for non-native speakers, group exercises and an individual interview.
- 03Assessment (Gateway 2/3)Airline psychometric and aptitude testing which can be completed online at home.
- 04Online Assessment (direct entry)Candidates who meet the requirements will be invited to an online assessment.
- 05SIM Assessment (direct entry)A one-day assessment at one of our SIM centres.
Simulator assessment: A one-day assessment at one of our SIM centres, for direct entry candidates.
Interview: An individual interview as part of the one-day cadet assessment.
Bases
- Dublin (DUB)
Fleet
- Boeing 737-800
- Boeing 737 MAX 8-200
Worth knowing
Notes on this operator
- ContextDirect entry candidates who pass final assessment are offered a place on a B737 Type Rating course.
- ContextThe figures on this profile come from Ryanair's cadet entry-route page and its direct entry pilots page. Neither states an hours, medical, English or age minimum, so those stay unstated here.
Provenance
Where each figure came from
Each entry is the sentence the value was read from, on the operator's own site. If a figure here is out of date, the quote is what to check it against.
licence.level
Applies to PPL holders with 100h PIC who have completed their EASA ATPL theoretical exams
careers.ryanair.comlicence.level
Applies to EASA Frozen ATPL licence, CPL & ME/IR holders
careers.ryanair.comnotes.caution
All candidates who are successful at the final Ryanair assessment will be offered a place on an upcoming B737 Type Rating course.
careers.ryanair.comselection
Create a candidate profile, upload all required documents and apply
careers.ryanair.comselection
takes place in one day at one of our SIM centres
careers.ryanair.com
Next steps on the way to a flight deck
Every open pilot vacancy on the board
Every operator profile we publish
What airline pilots earn, by region
Build an airline-format CV before you apply
How airline interviews are structured, and how to prepare
How to become a pilot: the complete EASA guide
The ATPL question bank that gets you through theory
Theory first. Every one of these operators wants the exams done.
The SkyStudy ATPL question bank covers all 13 EASA ATPL subjects, with explanations and an adaptive study plan. Free to start, no card needed.
Important information
This page is general educational information for student pilots and may be out of date.
Aviation rules, training requirements, costs, medical standards, and exam details change over time and vary by country, authority, and training organisation, so details here may no longer be current or may differ in your case.
Always confirm the current details with your approved training organisation (ATO) and national aviation authority before relying on them.
SkyStudy is an independent study aid, is not affiliated with EASA or any aviation authority, and does not guarantee any exam or licence outcome.
Last reviewed July 2026