Competitions in Washington DC 2026 | Debate, Model UN & Academic Contests

Discover top academic competitions in Washington DC for high school students. Explore debate tournaments, Model UN conferences, policy competitions, and academic olympiads in the nation's capital.

Featured Extracurricular Opportunities

Browse our curated list of 8+ programs for high school students:

  • National Japan Bowl - Japan-America Society of Washington DC : Compete in the National Japan Bowl to showcase your Japanese language and cultural knowledge. Build key skills, earn scholarships, and enhance your co
  • National Invention Convention and Entrepreneurship Expo - USPTO : Showcase your invention at a national competition for grades 4-12! Gain hands-on STEM experience, boost creativity, and stand out on college applicati
  • Future City Competition - DiscoverE : Design city of the future. Teams create models, essays, and presentations for national finals in DC.
  • Congressional Art Competition - U.S. House of Representatives : Showcase your talent in this national art competition for high schoolers. Winners' artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol—boost your skills and college
  • Academic WorldQuest National Competition - World Affairs Councils of America : Flagship quiz-bowl on global affairs for high school teams with national finals in Washington, DC.
  • We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals - Center for Civic Education : Compete in a prestigious civics competition with simulated congressional hearings. Build critical thinking, public speaking, and constitutional knowle
  • Capitol Forum Debate & Speech - Capitol Forum : Master debate and public speaking skills in this national competition for high schoolers. Boost college applications while gaining hands-on experience
  • We the People National Competition Champion - Center for Civic Education : Congressional hearings simulation. Test constitutional knowledge. National finals in DC.

About ExtracurricularHub

ExtracurricularHub helps high school students discover over 1,600 extracurricular activities, internships, summer programs, research opportunities, and competitions. Our platform makes it easy to find programs that match your interests and boost your college application.