BofA Student Leaders vs Congressional Award: Which Program Is Right for You?
One is selective, the other is earned: Bank of America Student Leaders is a competitive award that places a handful of students from each market into paid nonprofit internships plus a DC summit; the Congressional Award has no selection at all — any student who logs the service, fitness, development, and expedition hours earns Bronze through Gold. Student Leaders signals selection; the Congressional Award Gold Medal signals four years of documented follow-through.
Below is a side-by-side comparison of Bank of America Student Leaders Program and The Congressional Award. A blank row is a fact we do not hold — not a zero, and not a no.
| BofA Student Leaders | Congressional Award | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Not listed | Varies — see Cost and funding |
| Application deadline | Dates not announced — researched October 12, 2026 | Rolling applications |
| Grade eligibility | Not listed | Up to age 23 |
| Format | In person | Hybrid |
| Location | United States | Washington, DC, United States |
| Program dates | Not listed | September 1, 2025 |
| Application destination | Not listed | congressionalaward.org |
| Organizer | Bank of America | The Congressional Award Foundation |
Bank of America Student Leaders Program
Full BofA Student Leaders details, FAQs, and application link
The Congressional Award
Full Congressional Award details, FAQs, and application link
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, BofA Student Leaders or Congressional Award?
Congressional Award: Varies — see Cost and funding. Confirm each figure on the program's official page before budgeting.
Can I apply to both BofA Student Leaders and Congressional Award?
The application destinations are evaluated independently. Congressional Award: congressionalaward.org. Review each provider's current instructions before assuming either application is open or compatible with the other.
Which is better for college applications, BofA Student Leaders or Congressional Award?
We do not rank enrichment programs by admissions value. Use the comparison to assess whether each program's documented constraints fit your situation, and check the details that decide it for you on each program's official page.
What grades can apply to BofA Student Leaders and Congressional Award?
Congressional Award: Up to age 23. Eligibility can change between cycles, so confirm it on each program's official page before applying.
Related comparisons
BofA Student Leaders vs Congressional Award is 1 of 56 comparison pages. No other comparison page shares either program yet.
How we count
Our comparison list has 56 pairs covering 91 catalog programs. Those numbers count this list only. They are not a ranking or the size of the full catalog.
We don't rank programs or name one of them the best.
When we don't list a cost, it is unknown, not free. Check the official page.
Catalog-wide numbers, and what each was counted out of, are on Statistics.