The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) was established by Senate resolution in 1962 and is fully funded by The Hearst Foundations. It is open to juniors and seniors who hold student leadership positions. Delegates spend a week in Washington, D.C., known as Washington Week, hearing senators and cabinet members speak, and usually meeting the President and a Supreme Court Justice. The 2027 Washington Week runs March 6–13, outside the summer.
USSYP selects 2 delegates each from every state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), 104 in total; admission rates are not published. California students must be nominated by their principal, up to 2 per school, and go through a test and mid-November Zoom interviews before results come out in early December. Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents who already hold a green card. The foundation covers all costs, and each delegate receives a $12,500 college scholarship.
USSYP values positions in which a student represents classmates and serves others, not club titles or competition results. EDUBUS recommends planning a student government or class office in sophomore year so the position covers all of junior year.
