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American Legion Boys State and Boys Nation

Since 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.

Any status, must study in the US
Free

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Size and selectivity2 per state to Boys Nation

Photo: Stiven Rivera / Pexels

Eligibility: Any status, must study in the US
Cost: Free
Latest deadline: TBA

Boys State at a Glance

Host: The American Legion; the California program is run by its Department of California under the name American Legion California Boys & Girls State
Field: Mock government, elections and civic leadership
Grades and age: The California program is open to students who have completed junior year and have at least one semester of high school left, so selection happens in spring of junior year and the program follows that summer, regardless of gender. Only Boys State participants are eligible for Boys Nation
Citizenship and residency: California has no individual application: students are recommended by their school and selected after an interview by a local American Legion Post. The official pages we read do not state a citizenship or permanent residency requirement; confirm with the local Post. The California program has been coed since 2023, but female participants cannot go on to Boys Nation or to Girls Nation.
Cost: The $550 registration fee for each California delegate is paid by the sponsoring Post, not the student. An optional $50 pre-session package is available, and some Posts pay for it.
Dates and format: The California program is a one-week residential session at California State University, Sacramento. The 2026 session ran from arrival on June 20 to departure on June 27, and the site shows the 2027 session opening June 19. Boys Nation meets in Washington; the 80th session ran July 17–25, 2026, and dates for the 81st session in 2027 have not been announced.
Application dates: There is no individual application. Posts usually interview between late January and late March and finalize delegates and alternates by April 1. Interested juniors should start with their school counselor.
Application materials: No common application form. Schools recommend students to the local Post, which interviews and selects delegates; selected delegates register online and attend one virtual orientation (April 15 to May 9 for the 2026 session).
Size and selectivity: The California program works through school recommendation and Post interviews; participant numbers and admission rates are not published. Each state program sends only 2 delegates to Boys Nation.

Verified against official pages on 2026-10-06 · legion.org/get-involved/youth-programs/boys-state-boys-nation

About Boys State

Boys State is a civic education program that The American Legion has run since 1935. Each state holds its own one-week session in which students form a mock government and take part in campaigns and civic leadership training. The California program, called American Legion California Boys & Girls State, is a residential session in Sacramento, and the 2027 session opens June 19.

California has no individual application: schools recommend students to a local Post, Posts interview from late January to late March, and delegates are set by April 1. Participant numbers and admission rates are not published. The $550 fee per delegate is paid by the Post. The California program has been open to all genders since 2023, but female participants cannot go on to Boys Nation or Girls Nation.

Each state program sends 2 delegates to Boys Nation in Washington, where they serve as mock senators. How competitive the state program is varies by school; Boys Nation, with 2 places per state, is the national-level selection.

How to Apply to Boys State

California has no application form; the way in is through the school. Tell the counselor early in junior year and ask whether the school has sent delegates before. If it has not, the student or the school can contact the local Post directly.
Post interviews usually run from late January to late March. Prepare specific examples of school and community service and explain your interest in how government works.
A girl who hopes to reach Girls Nation should choose ALA California Girls State rather than the coed California Boys & Girls State; Girls State says a student may apply to one of the two, not both.

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Boys State: Frequently Asked Questions

How does an Irvine high school student get into California Boys State?

California does not accept individual applications; delegates are recommended by their school and selected after an interview by a local American Legion Post. An Irvine student can tell the school counselor early in junior year and ask whether the school has a nomination route. Posts usually interview from late January to late March and finalize delegates by April 1.

How does California Boys State relate to Boys Nation?

Boys Nation is the national program: each state program sends 2 delegates to Washington to serve as mock senators, and only Boys State participants are eligible. The 80th Boys Nation ran July 17–25, 2026. The California program has been coed since 2023, but Boys Nation is currently boys only.

Can girls in Irvine attend California Boys & Girls State?

Yes. The California program has been open to all genders since 2023. Female participants, however, cannot go on to Boys Nation or Girls Nation. An Irvine girl who hopes to reach Girls Nation should go through ALA California Girls State, and a student may apply to only one of the two programs.

Does California Boys State cost anything?

The student does not pay the registration fee. The $550 fee per delegate is paid by the sponsoring Post; a $50 pre-session package is optional, and some Posts pay for it.

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Sources5 sources · checked 2026-10-06

Photo from Pexels, illustrating the category.

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