How can I get a prototype built with little or no funding?

There's no reason GE Aviation, or anyone, would be excited about your "idea for a hoverboard", or give you credit in any way, because you yourself say that you can't contribute anything to the project intellectually, financially, or otherwise, and the idea itself is not a new one.

The idea was popularized in the 1989 movie Back to the Future Part II, and there are currently several people using their own skills to try to make commercially viable hoverboards (e.g. https://youtu.be/588du55BcAY?t=463 and https://youtu.be/588du55BcAY?t=31 and https://youtu.be/588du55BcAY?t=110)

So your only real option is either to learn the skills to create a prototype yourself, or to have some insightful, patented idea on a unique approach, or to have enough money to pay someone else to do all that for you.

I would strongly suggest obtaining the skills. I think it's extremely likely that very quickly into your education, you will discover all kinds of things that will either vastly improve your idea, or have you realize that it is fatally flawed. Either path will leave you in a much better position to produce something awesome. I think it'll be extremely difficult to find funding or talent if you yourself have no skills applicable to your own idea.

Hello,

I like the notion that you have an idea and want to make it successful, but I am afraid that you are just trying to sell an idea that already exists. This idea has been around for quite a while; the only problem is that no one has made a good proof of the concept.

That is where you can come in, You will need to make a prototype (first having to learn the skills necessary). Obviously, this costs money. So to answer your question, I think that Government Funding would be a good place to start. If you search 'Government Grants/Funds for Entrepreneurship' (or something like that) there will tons of things that pop up. Hopefully, one of these will have the criteria that is similar to your vision, so you can apply for it.

I also think that the application will help you hammer out your thoughts and help you decide if you want to move forward with this and if so, how you can go about it.

I think that is a good place to start, as with talking to the entrepreneurship department at your local university and accessing some of those resources.

I hope that this adequately answered your question. I would love to talk with you more.

Respectfully,

Grant