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Public Affairs, Leadership and Language Programs
Most of these programs are funded by government or national organizations, allocate places by state, and often require nomination by a principal or a local organization, so students cannot simply sign up. Almost all accept only US citizens or green-card holders, and some are limited to lower-income families. Some do not run in summer: the Senate Youth Program is held in March, and the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange lasts a full school year.
How students are chosenMostly nomination by a principal or selection within the state; language scholarships apply through the State Department
- Programs listed
- 82 paused, closed or changed
- Open to international students
- 0
- Free or with a stipend
- 6
- Next deadline
- Nov 3, 2026CBYX
Public Affairs, Leadership and Languages: 6 Programs Compared
The five columns show the program, citizenship requirement, cost, the most recent application deadline, and officially published size or selectivity. Select a program for its full page.
| Program | Eligibility | Cost | Deadline | Size and selectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP)Not in summer | Citizens or green-card holders | Free | Oct 7, 2026 | 2 per state |
| American Legion Boys State and Boys Nation | Any status, must study in the US | Free | TBA | 2 per state to Boys Nation |
| American Legion Auxiliary Girls State and Girls Nation | Any status, must study in the US | Free | TBA | 1 per school in California |
| National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) | US citizens only | Free | Nov 12, 2025 | About 750 semifinalists |
| Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX)School year | US citizens only | Free | Nov 3, 2026 | 210 scholarships announced |
| Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA) | Citizens or green-card holders | Free | Dec 9, 2026 | Not published |
Paused, discontinued or changed
These programs are well known and often searched, so we keep them listed and explain their current status and alternatives on each page.
| Program | Eligibility | Cost | Deadline | Size and selectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of America Student LeadersEligibility changed | Any status, must study in the US | Stipend | TBA | Not published |
| Junior State of America Summer School (JSA)Discontinued | — | — | — | Not published |
Program by Program
- United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP)2 per stateThe United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) was created by Senate resolution in 1962. Each state sends just 2 student leaders, and the 104 delegates spend a week in Washington. The Hearst Foundations cover all costs, and each delegate receives a $12,500 college scholarship.Full details →
- American Legion Boys State and Boys Nation2 per state to Boys NationSince 1935, The American Legion has run Boys State: juniors recommended by their schools and interviewed by local Posts spend a week running a mock state government. Each state program then sends 2 delegates to Boys Nation in Washington, where they serve as mock US senators.Full details →
- American Legion Auxiliary Girls State and Girls Nation1 per school in CaliforniaAmerican Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Girls State gives students a week to learn about and run a mock state and local government. California sends only 1 delegate per high school, and each state program then sends 2 students to Girls Nation in Washington.Full details →
- National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)About 750 semifinalistsThe National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) sends US high school students abroad to study Arabic, Chinese, Korean or Russian, with the main costs covered by a State Department scholarship; the summer program lasts 6–7 weeks. The initial screening names about 750 semifinalists, and only US citizens may apply.Full details →
- Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX)210 scholarships announcedThe Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX), created in 1983 and jointly funded by the US State Department and the German Bundestag, sends students to live with a host family and attend a German high school for a full year. The 2027–28 announcement offers 210 high school scholarships, and no German is required.Full details →
- Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA)Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA) runs a free Summer Institute at Princeton and Yale and guides scholars through college applications. It is open only to public high school juniors from households earning $90,000 or less, and 57% of Cohort 21 were admitted to an Ivy League school, MIT or Stanford.Full details →
- Bank of America Student LeadersBank of America Student Leaders has offered paid nonprofit internships and a leadership summit since 2004, and the bank says it connects more than 300 students to employment and service. From the 2026 cycle, applicants must be at least 18 with college credit, so current high school students are no longer eligible.Full details →
- Junior State of America Summer School (JSA)Junior State of America (JSA), a student civic organization founded in 1934, ran a summer school at Georgetown, Princeton and Stanford with courses in political science, economics, history and speech. The organization closed on August 31, 2024, and the summer school ended with it.Full details →
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