# History & Civics Programs & Competitions for High School Students History and civics extracurriculars include National History Day, mock trial and government programs, and archival research opportunities. They are the natural proving ground for future law, policy, and humanities applicants. 75 verified programs match this page; 20 of the featured listings are free; 8 can be done online. ## Programs (75 total, first 30 shown — full list on the canonical page) | Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [White House Internship Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/white-house-internship) | The White House | Free | in_person | Grade 12 | 2026-08-10 | | [United States Senate Youth Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/us-senate-youth) | Hearst Foundations | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2026-09-30 | | [State Department Student Programs](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/congress-state-dept-diplomacy) | U.S. Department of State | Free | hybrid | Grades 11–12 | 2026-10-15 | | [Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute R2L NextGen](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/congressional-hispanic-caucus-institute-r2l-nextgen) | Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-15 | | [Lincoln Forum Scholarship Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/lincoln-forum-scholarship-essay-contest) | The Lincoln Forum | Free | virtual | Grades 11–12 | 2026-07-31 | | [American Legion Boys/Girls State](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/american-legion-boysgirls-state) | American Legion | Free | in_person | Grade 11 | 2027-04-12 | | [YMCA Youth & Government (State Model Legislature & Court)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/ymca-youth-and-government) | YMCA | $300 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-11 | | [Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation Student Leadership Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/ronald-reagan-presidential-foundation-student-leadership-program) | Reagan Foundation | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | Rolling | | [iCivics Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/icivics-equity-in-civics-youth-fellowship) | iCivics & CIRCLE (Tufts) | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-05-31 | | [National History Bowl](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-history-bowl) | International Academic Competitions | $200 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-16 | | [StudentCam Documentary Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/studentcam) | C-SPAN | Free | virtual | Grades 6–12 | 2027-01-20 | | [Presidential Classroom](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/presidential-classroom-washington-dc) | Presidential Classroom | $2,495 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | Rolling | | [Virginia High School Leaders Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/virginia-high-school-leaders-program) | UVA Cooper Center | $3,500 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2027-03-16 | | [We the People National Competition Champion](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/we-the-people-national-competition-champion) | Center for Civic Education | Free | in_person | Grade 12 | 2027-04-16 | | [FEMA Youth Preparedness Council](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/fema-youth-preparedness-council) | FEMA | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-03 | | [We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/we-the-people-the-citizen-and-the-constitution) | Center for Civic Education | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-12-01 | | [The Concord Review (Publication)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/the-concord-review-publication) | The Concord Review | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-08-01 | | [JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/jfk-profile-in-courage-essay-contest) | JFK Library | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-11 | | [Boren Scholarship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/boren-scholarship) | National Security Education Program | Free | virtual | Grade 12 | 2027-01-27 | | [Lead America Congressional Student Leadership Conference](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/lead-america-congressional-student-leadership-conference) | Lead America | $2,500 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-01 | | [North American Invitational Model United Nations (NAIMUN)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/naimun-georgetown) | Georgetown International Relations Association | $100 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-26 | | [The Concord Review Published Author](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/the-concord-review-published-author) | The Concord Review | $70 | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-08-01 | | [YMCA Youth Governors Conference](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/ymca-youth-governors) | YMCA | $100 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2026-09-01 | | [Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/kennedy-lugar-yes) | U.S. Department of State | Free | in_person | Grades 10–11 | 2026-10-15 | | [National History Day Kenneth E. Behring National Contest Winner](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-history-day-kenneth-e-behring-national-contest-winner) | National History Day | Free | in_person | Grades 6–12 | 2027-02-15 | | [Youth City Council Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/youth-city-council-program) | Local Government | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-05 | | [Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/rho-kappa-social-studies) | NCSS | $30 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2026-10-01 | | [National Young Leaders Conference](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-young-leaders-conference) | Congressional Youth Leadership Council | $2,000 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [CyberCorps Scholarship for Service](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/cybercorps-scholarship-for-service) | NSF / CISA | Free | in_person | Grade 12 | 2026-11-01 | | [We the Students Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/we-the-students-essay-contest) | Bill of Rights Institute | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-15 | ## Frequently asked questions ### How many history & civics programs are listed for high school students? ExtracurricularHub currently lists 75 verified history & civics opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. ### Are any of these history & civics programs free? Yes — 20 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: Lincoln Forum Scholarship Essay Contest (July 31, 2026); The Concord Review (Publication) (August 1, 2026); The Concord Review Published Author (August 1, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site. ### Do history & civics extracurriculars help with college admissions? Yes — sustained, escalating involvement in history & civics (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 - [Debate & Speech Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/debate) - [Model UN Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/model-united-nations) - [Extracurriculars for Political Science Majors](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/political-science-majors) - [Writing Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/writing) - [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/history 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.