AirAsia Cadet Pilot Programme (MPL)
Read this before anything else
Malaysian citizenship is required, and the age window closes at 28. If you are not Malaysian, this programme is not a long shot — it is closed.
Cost to you
Self-funded, around MYR 250,000, arranged through partner financing
Current statusreported
Between intakes — the May 2025 window closed on 31 May 2025 and no 2026 intake is confirmed on the careers portal
The hard gates
Fail one of these and nothing else matters. Check them before you spend anything.
Malaysian citizens only
18 to 28 in the year of application (one aggregator states 18–32; treat 28 as the planning number)
SPM route: A in Maths and English, B in Physics (or A in General Science) plus B in two others. Degree route: engineering/science with CGPA 3.0+ and SPM credits including English, Maths and Science.
CAAM Class 1 medical (about MYR 880, at your cost); minimum height 158 cm; BMI 30 or below; refractive error within 5 dioptres
How selection actually runs
Online application, then a Harrison Assessments personality questionnaire
Quantitative Critical Thinking test — computer-based maths, scientific calculator permitted, 45–60 minutes
SkyTest — psychomotor, spatial and physics battery
Face-to-face panel interview with four interviewers — typically two pilots and two HR
A joystick keeps a crosshair centred on a simulated flight display against turbulence while you memorise 5–6 digit numbers, judge odd/even audio sequences through a headset, and hit illuminated tiles on a keypad
CAAM Class 1 medical, followed by the financing arrangement
The training
Multi-crew Pilot Licence (MPL) — tied to the airline; it does not transfer like a frozen ATPL
CAE Kuala Lumpur (the former AACE, an AirAsia/CAE joint venture)
18–24 months; AirAsia's own 2023 announcement describes a 24-month specialised course
What happens afterwards
Second/First Officer on the A320 family
CAE has publicly announced that its first MPL-trained AirAsia cadets are now flying as captains
Reported entry first-officer earnings around MYR 8,000–12,000 a month including flight and sector pay — secondary sources only
The money
Self-funded at roughly MYR 250,000, financed through partner institutions
A long service bond has historically applied — a 10-year commitment was described to 2017 cadets at the loan briefing. Confirm the current term in writing before you sign.
How competitive it is
About 7,500 applicants, roughly 150 through the first stage
Around 11,000 applicants for roughly 270 places — about 2.5%
Repeat applications are normal; one recent cadet needed four cycles
The part you can actually train
Nationality and age are fixed. The aptitude battery, the group exercise and the competency interview are not — and that is where most candidates are lost, including strong ones. Our aptitude papers are generated fresh every run, and the divided-attention drill measures the thing capacity tests are actually built to find.
Compare with the others
Sources
- Official: newsroom.airasia.com (2023 programme relaunch), CAE press releases (MPL agreement, first cadets to command).
- Candidate-reported: published first-hand cadet debriefs of the 2017 and 2023–24 intakes; May-2025 intake listing.
Facts marked Official come from the airline or academy’s own published material. Facts marked Reported come from candidate accounts or secondary coverage and are not airline-confirmed — useful for preparation, never for a decision you cannot reverse. Requirements change; confirm anything decision-critical against the live advert. Rotate is not affiliated with AirAsia.