# Environmental & Sustainability Programs & Competitions for High School Students Environmental programs range from field research and conservation corps to climate-policy fellowships and sustainability competitions. Colleges see plenty of stated passion for the planet; documented fieldwork, data, or advocacy outcomes are what stand out. 54 verified programs match this page; 28 of the featured listings are free; 7 can be done online. ## Programs (54 total, first 30 shown — full list on the canonical page) | Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [NASA International Space Apps Challenge](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nasa-space-apps-challenge) | NASA | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-01 | | [Conrad Challenge: Innovation Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/conrad-challenge-innovation-competition) | Conrad Foundation | Free | hybrid | Grades 6–12 | 2026-10-30 | | [UWC Short Courses (United World Colleges)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/uwc-short-courses-united-world-colleges) | United World Colleges | $500 | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-31 | | [Youth Conservation Corps (YCC)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/youth-conservation-corps-ycc) | U.S. National Park Service (with USFS & USFWS partners) | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-01 | | [Environmental Science & Policy Scholars Program (Duke)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/environmental-science-policy-scholars-program-duke) | Duke University | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | Rolling | | [Student Conservation Association (SCA)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/student-conservation-association-sca) | Student Conservation Association | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Spellman HV Clean Tech Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/spellman-hv-clean-tech-competition) | Spellman High Voltage Electronics | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-30 | | [Young Leaders for Peace at the University for Peace](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/young-leaders-for-peace-at-the-university-for-peace) | University for Peace | $7,000 | in_person | All grades | 2027-03-29 | | [Udall Scholarship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/udall-scholarship) | Udall Foundation | Free | virtual | Grade 12 | 2027-03-03 | | [National Geographic Young Explorers Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-geographic-young-explorers-program) | National Geographic Society | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Beach Cleanup Volunteer](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/volunteer-beach-cleanup-volunteer-surfrider-foundation-south-florida) | Surfrider Foundation South Florida | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Stockholm Junior Water Prize USA](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/stockholm-junior-water-prize-usa) | Water Environment Federation (WEF) | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-15 | | [Shell Eco-marathon Student Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/shell-eco-marathon) | Shell plc | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Climate Generation Youth Summit](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/climate-generation-youth-summit) | Climate Generation: A Will Steger Legacy | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [WCS High School Internship Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/wildlife-conservation-society) | Wildlife Conservation Society | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-02-01 | | [Net Impact High School Chapter Leadership](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/net-impact-high-school-chapter-leadership) | Net Impact | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2026-09-01 | | [Beach Cleanup Initiative](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/beach-cleanup-initiative) | Ocean Conservancy | Free | in_person | Grades 6–12 | 2026-09-19 | | [The Earth Prize (Global Environmental Sustainability Competition)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/the-earth-prize-global-environmental-sustainability-competition) | The Earth Prize Foundation | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-10 | | [Biomimicry Youth Design Challenge](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/biomimicry-youth-design-challenge) | Biomimicry Institute | Free | virtual | Grades 6–12 | 2027-01-31 | | [Ocean Awareness Contest First Place](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/ocean-awareness-contest-first-place) | Bow Seat | Free | virtual | Grades 6–12 | 2027-06-08 | | [Envirothon North America Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/envirothon-north-america-competition) | NCF-Envirothon | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-07-19 | | [Climate Reality Project Campus Corps](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/climate-reality-project-campus-corps) | Climate Reality Project | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [International Young Naturalists Tournament (IYNT)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/international-young-naturalists-tournament-iynt) | IYNT | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-01 | | [Stockholm Junior Water Prize](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/stockholm-junior-water-prize) | Stockholm International Water Institute | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-15 | | [Student Conservation Association (SCA) - National Crews](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/student-conservation-association-sca-national-crews) | Student Conservation Association | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/gloria-barron-prize-for-young-heroes) | Barron Prize | Free | virtual | Grades 8–12 | 2027-04-15 | | [Sierra Club Environmental Leadership Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/environmental-leadership-program) | Sierra Club | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-01 | | [Ocean Awareness Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/ocean-awareness) | Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs | Free | virtual | Grades 11–18 | 2027-06-08 | | [EPA Environmental Justice Youth Initiative](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/epa-environmental-justice-youth-initiative) | Environmental Protection Agency | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [European Bat Night Outreach Events](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/european-bat-night) | BatLife Europe & EUROBATS | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-08-29 | ## Frequently asked questions ### How many environmental & sustainability programs are listed for high school students? ExtracurricularHub currently lists 54 verified environmental & sustainability opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. ### Are any of these environmental & sustainability programs free? Yes — 28 of the programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Free programs are often funded and can be more selective, so apply early. ### Which deadlines are coming up soonest? The next deadlines: Envirothon North America Competition (July 19, 2026); European Bat Night Outreach Events (August 29, 2026); Net Impact High School Chapter Leadership (September 1, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site. ### Do environmental & sustainability extracurriculars help with college admissions? Yes — sustained, escalating involvement in environmental & sustainability (participation → awards or leadership → independent work) reads far stronger than scattered one-off activities. Pick one or two programs from this page and go deep. ## Related pages - [Stem for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/stem) - [Biology Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/biology) - [Community for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/community) - [Research for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/research) - [Browse all extracurriculars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars) - [Find My Fit — 3-minute matching quiz](https://extracurricularhub.com/find-my-fit) --- Canonical page: https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/environmental Source: ExtracurricularHub (https://extracurricularhub.com) — a free directory of 1,826 verified extracurricular programs for high school students. Cite the canonical page above; always confirm binding details on each program's official site.