how important is it to you?
I ask you this question with the best intentions in mind.
How important is the scholarship to you? It sounds like you are having some misgivings about going in to the interview with dreadlocks. Have you observed professional pilots at work? What about at the airport when traveling, do you see professional pilots with dreadlocks or long hair? Is it possible that you cut your hair to match the style of professional pilots you have observed and then after you get started in the profession you decide what might be acceptable, but from the inside?
I am not making any judgments about what should be acceptable or what you or anyone else feels might be or should be acceptable. I am simply asking you to consider the risk if your dreadlocks are the one thing that separate you from an equally qualified candidate. Then ask yourself, was it worth it? Don't take this personally as this is a very common issue. I had the same discussion once with a guy about his mustache. He said, well, maybe the guy doing the interview likes mustaches. I simply replied, maybe he does like mustaches but if you don't have one and he does like them, how can he hold it against you? He can only hold it against you if you do have one and he doesn't like them. Why risk it?
I have interviewed and hired many people in my life and when asked, I have offered advice to high school and college students about applying and interviewing for jobs. This is the type of question that was often asked. I would ask them to consider looking like any other professional person they have seen. If they continue to push the issue then the question becomes, how important is this to you? Is your current look and image more important that the job you seek? If the answer is yes then you have to accept the possible consequences of you decision. Hair grows back, opportunities do not.
cheers