The United States Senate Youth Program sends two delegates from every state to spend a week in Washington, D.C., where they study our government firsthand.  There is also a $10,000 college scholarship for each delegate.

Due to the many uncertainties posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, The Hearst Foundations’ planning for Washington Week 2021 is currently on hold and applications nationwide are NOT being accepted at this time. Please check for updates here that we will post as soon as we have heard from the USSYP with additional information.

Application

High school juniors and seniors are eligible to apply.  Students who are interested should look over the criteria in the USSYP 2020 Brochure​ and then contact their school counselor or system coordinator for an application.

Each school system/private school may nominate one candidate to the state level.  The process by which they select that candidate is up to them.

After the applications are received and scored, each candidate will be given the USSYP Qualifying Exam, which consists of five sections of questions on politics and government and one essay section.

The top-scoring candidates will be interviewed.  Two Delegates and two Alternates will be selected.