Best Extracurriculars for Future International Relations and Global Studies Majors

Author: Extracurricular Hub

Article Summary

Best extracurriculars for international relations and global studies majors. Model UN, NSLI-Y, Yale Young Global Scholars, Critical Languages, and a 4-year roadmap.

Full Article

International relations and global studies are some of the most competitive humanities majors at top universities. Programs at Georgetown's School of Foreign Service, Johns Hopkins, Tufts, Harvard, Princeton's School of Public and International Affairs, and Columbia admit students who have already engaged seriously with the wider world — through Model UN, foreign-language study, international experiences, and policy writing. (Note: schools like the Fletcher School, SAIS, and SIPA are graduate-only; for undergraduate IR you apply to the parent university and major in international relations or a related field.) The best part: many of the most prestigious summer programs and language opportunities for future international relations students are completely free, fully funded by the U.S. government. This guide covers them, plus the competitions, clubs, and project ideas that build a coherent global-studies profile. What International Relations Admissions Officers Want Top IR programs consistently look for the same signals: Genuine global awareness — Sustained engagement with international affairs through reading, writing, and discussion Foreign-language proficiency — Real ability in at least one language beyond English, ideally a Critical Language Cross-cultural experience — Time spent learning across cultural contexts, whether through exchange programs or local immigrant-community engagement Debate, policy, and writing skills — Demonstrated ability to construct policy arguments and write about complex global issues Civic engagement on global issues — Service or advocacy related to international issues like refugees, climate, human rights, or development Browse global-affairs opportunities in our full directory — filter by Leadership and Competition categories. Model UN: The Foundation Model UN is the central extracurricular for future IR students. Delegates represent assigned countries in simulated UN committees, researching international issues, writing position papers, drafting resolutions, and negotiating with delegates from other schools. The most prestigious circuits include: NHSMUN (National High School Model UN) — One of the largest and most respected high school conferences, held in New York HMUN (Harvard Model UN) — Highly selective conference run by Harvard students BMUN (Berkeley Model UN) — The oldest continuously running Model UN conference NAIMUN (Georgetown North American Invitational) — Strong international relations focus, hosted at Georgetown YMUN (Yale Model UN) — Selective committees with deep policy focus Best Delegate also runs summer institutes that significantly raise students' Model UN skills before competitive seasons. Find Model UN and related competitions in our Competitions section. Free, Fully Funded Government Language and Exchange Programs The U.S. State Department funds several flagship programs specifically aimed at developing the next generation of internationally fluent Americans. They are completely free and competitive on merit. NSLI-Y — National Security Language Initiative for Youth Fully funded summer or academic-year language immersion abroad in Critical Languages: Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Persian, Russian, Tajiki, and Turkish. Living with host families and studying intensively. NSLI-Y is one of the most prestigious things a high school student interested in IR can do. CBYX — Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Fully funded year-long high school exchange to Germany. Students live with German host families and attend German schools. CBYX has run for decades and is a powerful credential. YES Abroad — Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Abroad Fully funded year-long high school exchange in countries with significant Muslim populations. Builds language skills and direct cross-cultural experience. U.S. Senate Youth Program Two students per state are selected for an all-expenses-paid week in Washington, D.C., meeting senators, Supreme Court justices, and Cabinet members, plus a $10,000 college scholarship. Highly competitive and highly prestigious. Bank of America Student Leaders Eight-week paid summer internship at a local nonprofit plus a leadership summit in Washington, D.C. Available in select cities. Builds civic and policy experience. Top Selective Summer Programs Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) Two-week residential program at Yale with multiple session tracks including International Affairs and Security and Politics, Law and Economics. Strong financial aid available. Stanford Pre-Collegiate International Relations Summer Intensive study of global affairs at Stanford. Both residential and online options available. Georgetown International Relations Program for High School Students Two-week intensive at Georgetown, the country's leading IR school. Particularly relevant if you are considering Georgetown for college. Johns Hopkins Pre-College Programs Johns Hopkins offers credit-bearing summer pre-college programs for high school students with course offerings that include international studies, political science, and economics topics. Course catalogs vary year to year. Davis Projects for Peace $10,000 grants for self-designed peace projects, available primarily to undergraduates but worth tracking now since the application path begins in college. Browse all summer options in our Summer Programs directory. Critical Languages: The Single Biggest Differentiator Almost every competitive IR applicant has Spanish or French. Far fewer have advanced ability in a Critical Language. The U.S. government's Critical Language list includes Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Persian, Russian, Turkish, Indonesian, Japanese, and Portuguese, among others. Pursuing one of these languages aggressively — through your school if available, through community college, online platforms, summer immersion, or NSLI-Y — significantly differentiates your application. Even reaching the intermediate level (sustained conversation, news comprehension) by senior year is a major credential. Writing and Research Competitions The Concord Review — Quarterly journal that publishes original history research papers by high school students. Publication is genuinely prestigious. World Quest — Team competition on international affairs run by the World Affairs Councils of America. Regional winners advance to the national finals in Washington, D.C. JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest — Annual essay competition on political courage with national prizes. National History Day — Year-long historical research competition with strong international history categories. Academic WorldQuest — Run by World Affairs Councils for high school students nationwide, focused on international affairs knowledge. Build Your Profile by Subspecialty International relations is broad. Showing focus within it strengthens applications. Diplomacy and Foreign Service Model UN at high levels of the circuit U.S. Senate Youth Program or Boys/Girls State + Boys/Girls Nation Critical language study International Development Local refugee resettlement volunteering with International Rescue Committee or similar Fundraising and awareness work for international NGOs (with thoughtful framing — avoid white-savior dynamics) Research projects on health, education, or economic development in specific countries Security and Conflict Studies Policy debate or Public Forum debate on national security topics FBI Teen Academy if available in your area Reading and writing on cybersecurity, terrorism, or military strategy Area Studies (East Asia, Latin America, MENA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe) Sustained study of one region's language, history, and politics Volunteer work with diaspora communities from your focus region Independent research papers focused on the region Global Health Combine pre-med or public-health activities with international focus Volunteer with organizations like Partners In Health student groups Research projects on international health systems or specific disease challenges International Economics and Trade DECA international business events Economics competitions like the National Economics Challenge Reading and writing on trade policy, currency, and development economics Your 4-Year IR Roadmap Freshman Year Join Model UN — start one if your school does not have a team Begin or continue serious foreign-language study, ideally a Critical Language Read at least one international news source daily (e.g. The Economist, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, BBC World) Track everything in the Activities Tracker Sophomore Year Compete at multiple Model UN conferences Apply to NSLI-Y, CBYX, or YES Abroad Apply to Yale Young Global Scholars or Stanford Pre-Collegiate IR Take AP World History or AP European History Junior Year Captain or co-captain Model UN Pursue a research project for The Concord Review or National History Day Apply for U.S. Senate Youth Program (junior-year application for senior selection) Take AP US Government, AP Comparative Government, AP Macro/Microeconomics Pursue an internship with a local World Affairs Council, NGO, or refugee resettlement organization Senior Year Mentor younger Model UN delegates Continue language study and pursue advanced certification (HSK for Mandarin, official Arabic proficiency exams, etc.) Polish your application essays around a coherent international focus Continue substantive writing on global affairs Local Engagement with Global Issues You do not need to travel to engage internationally. Some of the strongest IR applicants do meaningful global work in their local communities. Refugee resettlement — The International Rescue Committee, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, and Catholic Charities all have local affiliates that need volunteers for tutoring, transportation, and cultural orientation work. Diaspora community engagement — Volunteer with cultural organizations from your focus region — for example, helping at a local Chinese American or Iranian American community center. Supporting international students at your school — Many schools have international students who benefit from peer tutoring, host-family arrangements, or social integration support. Cultural exchange programming — Organize cultural events at your school highlighting countries or regions in the news. Foreign-policy podcast or Substack — Pick a focus area and write or talk about it consistently for a year or more. Browse other opportunities in our Internships directory. Common Mistakes to Avoid Treating Model UN as the entire profile — Model UN is foundational but not sufficient. The strongest applicants combine MUN with language proficiency, an exchange or summer program, and substantive writing. Performing global concern without engagement — Posting about international issues on social media without sustained action is transparent. Pick one issue and engage substantively over years. "Voluntourism" trips — Short paid international service trips (especially the kind that involve teaching or building in a country you have no language proficiency or cultural context for) are increasingly viewed skeptically by admissions officers. They can even be a negative signal. Ignoring quantitative skills — Modern IR is increasingly data-driven. Take statistics, learn basic data analysis, and show you can engage with quantitative evidence. Dabbling in too many languages — Reaching intermediate or advanced fluency in one language signals more than beginner level in three. Putting It All Together The strongest international relations applications combine sustained Model UN engagement, real foreign-language depth (ideally a Critical Language scholarship like NSLI-Y or CBYX), substantive research or policy writing, and a coherent regional or thematic interest. Generic "loves history and current events" applications are crowded; students who can point to two years of Russian, three Model UN awards, and a published policy memo stand out. Apply early to fully funded programs through our Summer Programs directory, find Model UN, We the People, and Ethics Bowl competitions in our Competitions directory, and use the Application Tracker to map NSLI-Y, CBYX, YYGS, and college application deadlines across your four-year plan. Frequently Asked Questions Do I need to study abroad in high school to be a competitive IR applicant? No, but real cross-cultural experience helps significantly. If a fully funded program like NSLI-Y or CBYX is feasible, pursue it aggressively. If not, sustained engagement with local diaspora and immigrant communities provides genuine cross-cultural experience without the cost. Which language should I study? Critical Languages (Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, Russian, Persian, Hindi, etc.) carry significantly more signal than common European languages because fewer applicants have them. That said, depth in any language matters more than which language you choose. Pick one you can sustain to advanced proficiency. Is Model UN really worth the time and money? Yes, especially if you can compete at major conferences. Model UN trains research, public speaking, negotiation, and policy thinking — all directly relevant to IR. The financial cost can be significant, but many conferences offer scholarships and your school may be able to subsidize fees. How important is debate compared to Model UN? Both are valuable but emphasize different skills. Debate builds adversarial argumentation and rapid thinking. Model UN builds collaboration, negotiation, and global awareness. The strongest IR applicants typically have one or the other (or both) at a serious level of competition. Can I be an IR major if I never leave the United States during high school? Yes. The U.S. has substantial diaspora communities, robust international news access, and well-resourced Model UN programs. You can build a strong IR profile entirely domestically, especially if you combine sustained language study with engagement with local immigrant or refugee communities and serious Model UN competition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to study abroad in high school to be a competitive IR applicant?

No, but real cross-cultural experience helps significantly. If a fully funded program like NSLI-Y or CBYX is feasible, pursue it aggressively. If not, sustained engagement with local diaspora and immigrant communities provides genuine cross-cultural experience without the cost.

Which language should I study?

Critical Languages like Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, Russian, Persian, and Hindi carry significantly more signal than common European languages because fewer applicants have them. Depth in any language matters more than which one you choose. Pick one you can sustain to advanced proficiency.

Is Model UN really worth the time and money?

Yes, especially if you can compete at major conferences. Model UN trains research, public speaking, negotiation, and policy thinking. The financial cost can be significant, but many conferences offer scholarships and your school may be able to subsidize fees.

How important is debate compared to Model UN?

Both are valuable but emphasize different skills. Debate builds adversarial argumentation and rapid thinking. Model UN builds collaboration, negotiation, and global awareness. The strongest IR applicants typically have one or the other at a serious level of competition.

Can I be an IR major if I never leave the United States during high school?

Yes. The U.S. has substantial diaspora communities, robust international news access, and well-resourced Model UN programs. You can build a strong IR profile entirely domestically, especially if you combine sustained language study with engagement with local immigrant or refugee communities and serious Model UN competition.