The National Youth Science Camp (NYSC), run by the nonprofit National Youth Science Academy, has been held in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest since 1963 as a free three-week residential science camp. Delegates begin with activities in Washington, DC, then attend two expert lectures a day and small-group directed studies at camp, along with outdoor activities such as hiking, rock climbing, kayaking and caving. The 2026 camp ran July 11 to August 1.
NYSC selects by state, typically two delegates from each state and the District of Columbia; it says only two spots are guaranteed per state, that selection is very competitive, and it does not publish application counts. California students apply online and are chosen by representatives appointed by the governor. Housing, meals, transportation and supplies are free. No citizenship requirement is listed for US applicants, and in recent years international delegates have come from nations in the Americas chosen by the State Department. 2027 dates have not been announced; the last cycle closed on March 30, 2026.
NYSC values academic and STEAM achievement as well as strengths outside academics and a clear case for representing one’s state. The site says about 6,000 students have attended, and exchange with delegates from other states and with scientists is at the heart of the camp.
