US Senate Youth Program Scholarships
Scholarship Sponsored by Hearst Foundation
High school juniors and seniors who are interested in the United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) can obtain an application from their school principals, counselors, social studies teachers, or directly from their state selection contacts via this website (refer to the selection contacts listing on the home page). The selection of student delegates for the USSYP is carried out by state education officials. Neither the United States Senate nor The Hearst Foundations are involved in the application process or the selection of delegates and alternates at the state level.
Eligibility Criteria for USSYP
To be eligible for the USSYP, high school juniors or seniors must demonstrate leadership skills through their service in elected or appointed roles where they actively or previously represented a constituency in student government, education, public affairs, or community service organizations. They must be currently serving in eligible leadership positions, be enrolled in high school, and reside in the state (including the District of Columbia) they will represent for the entire 2025 – 2026 academic year. The validity of all student leadership positions is subject to the discretion and verification of the state selection administrators.
The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) central administrative office will select the DoDEA delegates and alternates who live overseas. Military dependents attending schools in the U.S. should apply for the program under the RESIDENCY rules outlined below.
If a primary delegate is unable to participate in Washington Week, alternate delegates will be chosen as replacements. The Hearst Foundations must be informed in advance if the primary delegate cannot attend. Full attendance during Washington Week is mandatory to receive the financial scholarship. In case a primary delegate cannot attend the program due to emergency circumstances or is dismissed, the program director will decide how the scholarship funds will be allocated.
Selection will be based on the student’s exceptional abilities and proven leadership qualities in an elected or appointed high school student office for the entire 2025-2026 school year. The main functions of the qualifying leadership position should be representation of a constituency and service to others. Students who graduate high school at the end of the Fall 2025 semester/quarter are not eligible to apply for the program. Apart from DoDEA delegates, students must reside in one primary state in the U.S. during the entire 2025-2026 academic year to participate.
High school juniors or seniors are eligible for the program as long as they have not previously been a delegate to Washington Week or received a USSYP scholarship.
RESIDENCY – At the time of application, each student must be a legal permanent resident or citizen of the United States. Non-U.S. citizens must possess their I-551 / “green card” at the time of application to be eligible. Students must be enrolled for the entire academic year in a public or independent high school located in the state (including the District of Columbia) where at least one of their parents or guardians currently resides. Home-schooled students must receive approval from their state department of education to apply.
- For the entire 2025-2026 academic year, the student must hold leadership positions in any of the following student government, civic, or educational organizations. All student leadership positions are subject to the judgement and verification of the state selection administrators:
- Student Body president, vice president, secretary, or treasurer
- Class president, vice president, secretary, or treasurer
- Student Council representative
- An officer of a National Honor Society (including discipline-based Honor Societies such as the National English and Social Studies Honor Societies that include service components)
- Student representative elected or appointed (appointed by a panel, commission, or board) to a local, district, regional, or state-level civic, service, and/or educational organization approved by the state selection administrator, where the student holds a high-level position of representation to a constituency in a year-round capacity providing service to others.
- Participation or holding an officer position in academic clubs and/or educational competition programs/conferences or organizations designed primarily for the student’s personal development and enrichment do not qualify a student for USSYP, although many students who qualify participate in these activities. The positions listed below DO NOT qualify the student for the program:
- Attendance or officer position at Boys/Girls Nation or State summer conference
- Member of the National Honor Society (serving as an elected officer for the organization for the entire school year is acceptable)
- Member or leader of the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, or a sports team
- A founder or chairperson of a self-created group
- A participant, captain, or officer in Mock Trial, Debate Team, Model U.N. or other academic club, mock legislature, conference, or competition where the primary engagement is for the individual educational enrichment or benefit.
- Exceptions to the residency requirement will only be made in the following cases:
- Students from DoDEA overseas will represent the state(s) of which the parents/guardians are U.S. legal voting residents. Students attending DoD schools in the U.S. or students enrolled through U.S. military bases in local schools must be residing in the state in which their school is located for the entire academic year.
- Students may reside in a state other than the state in which they attend school if they are enrolled in the only designated public high school available to them in a school district that crosses contiguous state borders through a legal interstate agreement. Students in these schools shall make applications to the program through the state where the high school is located and shall represent that state if selected.