US Senate Youth Program Scholarships
Scholarship Sponsored by Hearst Foundation
How to Apply
High school juniors and seniors obtain a USSYP application through their school principal, counselor, or social studies teacher, or by contacting their state selection officials via the program website. All student delegates are selected by state-level education officials; the United States Senate and The Hearst Foundations do not supply individual state applications or select delegates. Application procedures and deadlines vary by state, so applicants must consult their state selection contact for specific requirements and timelines. Schools and state selection administrators verify eligibility and leadership positions during the application review.
Description: Applications are distributed locally or via state selection contacts listed on the program website; follow the state-specific process and deadline.
Application Timeline: Deadlines differ by state—applicants should confirm the state deadline well before submission.
- Apply through your school or state selection contact.
- State education officials select delegates, not the Senate or Hearst.
- Deadlines vary by state—check your state contact early.
Selection Process — How to Qualify
Selection is based on demonstrated leadership in elected or appointed positions that require representing a constituency and serving others. Candidates must be actively serving in a qualifying leadership position and enrolled in a high school located in the state they will represent for the entire 2026–2027 school year. Alternates are named to replace delegates who cannot participate; attendance for the entire Washington Week is required to receive the scholarship. Students who have previously been a delegate or received a USSYP scholarship are not eligible.
Eligibility: Candidates must hold a qualifying elected or appointed leadership role representing a constituency during the entire 2026–2027 academic year and be currently enrolled in high school.
- Leadership must involve constituency representation and service.
- Service must cover the full 2026–2027 academic year.
- Attendance at the full Washington Week is required to receive scholarship funds.
Residency and Citizenship Requirements
Applicants must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents (I-551/“green card” holders) at the time of application. Students must live in and attend a public or independent high school in the state they will represent for the entire academic year; at least one parent or guardian must currently reside in that state. Home-educated students must be approved by their state department of education to apply. Military-dependent applicants have special residency rules described in the exceptions section.
Residency: Must be living in and enrolled in a high school within the state represented for the full academic year; noncitizens must hold lawful permanent resident status at application.
- U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents only.
- Enrollment and residency in the represented state required for the full academic year.
- Home-educated students need state education approval.
Qualified and Non-Qualifying Leadership Positions
Qualifying leadership positions are elected or appointed roles that require representing a constituency and providing service to others, such as student body or class officers, student council representatives, National Honor Society officers, or student representatives on civic or educational boards. All positions are subject to verification by state selection administrators. Roles primarily intended for individual enrichment—such as conference participation, academic competitions, internships, or membership-only roles—do not qualify. Specific non-qualifying examples include participation in Boys/Girls Nation, Model UN, debate teams, and general National Honor Society membership unless the student serves as an elected officer for the entire year.
Qualified Positions: Examples include student body officers, class officers, student council representatives, NHS officers, and student representatives appointed to civic or educational organizations.
Non-Qualifying Positions: Examples include conference or competition participation, club membership without elected constituency representation, internships, sports teams, and founder/chair of a self-created group.
- Qualifying roles must be constituency-focused and year-round.
- Many leadership activities do not qualify if they are individual enrichment.
- State administrators verify and judge all leadership positions.
Exceptions to Residency Requirements
Residency exceptions are limited and specific. Military dependents attending overseas military-connected schools will represent the state where their parents or guardians are legal voting residents; military dependents attending U.S. schools must reside in the state where the school is located for the academic year. Students enrolled in a single designated public high school that crosses a contiguous state border by legal interstate agreement must apply through and represent the state where the high school is located. These exceptions are applied only under the stated conditions and require documentation as determined by state selection administrators.
Exceptions: Military-dependent overseas students represent their parents’ U.S. voting residence; contiguous border school students represent the state where the school is located.
- Exceptions are narrowly defined and require proper documentation.
- Military-dependent rules differ for overseas versus U.S. schools.
- Students in interstate-designated schools apply through the state where the school is located.