Going back to the original question, there are a number of scholarships available to younger (read: under 25) aspiring pilots. I did a load of research into this about 18 months ago, and posted a list on a thread here, but you'll need to dig around a bit to find it.
I believe the Air League run several schemes, and there is a privately-run one around somewhere. That said, the scholarships are few and far between, and there's a fair bit of competition. At 19, you're young enough to consider taking two years out and doing the USA route (with all that that entails), assuming you can find the cash, of course.
I'm in my late 20s and at the post-PPL hour building stage, so if your gf has any specific questions, I'll do my best to answer them.
All the best and good luck!