# World Languages Programs & Competitions for High School Students Language programs include fully-funded immersion abroad (NSLI-Y, CBYX), linguistics olympiads, and university language intensives. Real proficiency in a strategic language is one of the rarest and most fundable skills a high schooler can demonstrate — several programs here pay your way. 31 verified programs match this page; 14 of the featured listings are free; 10 can be done online. ## Programs (31 total, first 30 shown — full list on the canonical page) | Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Khan Academy High School Volunteer Translation Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/volunteer-khan-academy-content-translator-khan-academy) | Khan Academy | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [National Japan Bowl](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-japan-bowl) | Japan-America Society of Washington DC | $200 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-29 | | [Le Grand Concours - National French Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-french-contest) | American Association of Teachers of French | $10 | in_person | Grades 7–12 | 2027-04-09 | | [National Spanish Exam Gold Medal](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-spanish-exam-gold-medal) | AATSP | $6 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-02-01 | | [AFS Intercultural Programs](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/afs-intercultural-programs-exchange) | AFS Intercultural Programs | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Youth for Understanding (YFU) Exchange Programs](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/youth-for-understanding-yfu-exchange-programs) | Youth For Understanding USA | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-12-01 | | [Boren Scholarship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/boren-scholarship) | National Security Education Program | Free | virtual | Grade 12 | 2027-01-27 | | [National Italian Exam](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-italian-exam) | American Association of Teachers of Italian | $10 | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-17 | | [CIEE Global Navigator High School Summer Abroad](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/ciee-global-navigator-summer) | CIEE | $5,200 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-20 | | [National Spanish Examinations Gold Award](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-spanish-examinations-gold-award) | American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese | $6 | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-02-01 | | [Concordia Language Villages](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/concordia-language-villages) | Concordia College | $2,500 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Middlebury-Monterey Language Academy](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/middlebury-spanish) | Middlebury College | $6,500 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-02-15 | | [National German Exam](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-german-exam) | American Association of Teachers of German | $8 | in_person | Grades 7–12 | 2027-01-25 | | [NSLI-Y Creative Content Fellowship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nsli-y-creative-content-fellowship) | U.S. Department of State | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-14 | | [State Seal of Biliteracy](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/seal-of-biliteracy) | Various State Departments of Education | Free | hybrid | Grade 12 | 2027-05-01 | | [World Language Honor Societies (Multiple Languages)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/language-honor-societies) | Various | $30 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-12-31 | | [The Experiment in International Living](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/experiment-abroad) | World Learning | $7,000 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [National Latin Honor Society](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-latin-honor-society) | American Classical League | $20 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-12-31 | | [Paideia Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/modern-greek-studies-essay) | Modern Greek Studies Association | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-02-15 | | [National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-security-language-initiative-for-youth-nsli-y) | U.S. Department of State | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-12 | | [Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) - High School](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/congress-bundestag-youth-exchange-cbyx-high-school) | U.S. Department of State (administered by AFS/CIEE/YFU) | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-10 | | [National Security Language Initiative for Youth Creative Content Fellowship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-security-language-initiative-for-youth-creative-content-fellowship) | U.S. Department of State | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-05 | | [Le Grand Concours National Gold Medal](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/le-grand-concours-national-gold-medal) | American Association of Teachers of French | $15 | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-03 | | [International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL) Team Selection](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/international-linguistics-olympiad-iol-team-selection) | USA Computing Olympiad | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-25 | | [Duolingo Thrive Scholarship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/duolingo-thrive-scholarship) | Duolingo | Free | virtual | Grade 12 | 2027-03-31 | | [National Classical Greek Exam](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-classical-greek-exam) | American Classical League | $10 | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-15 | | [Delta Epsilon Phi German Honor Society](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/delta-epsilon-phi) | American Association of Teachers of German | $20 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-12-31 | | [National Vocabulary Championship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/wordsmyth-vocab-challenge) | Wordsmyth | Free | virtual | Grades 4–12 | Rolling | | [North American Computational Linguistics Open (NACLO)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/north-american-computational-linguistics-open-naclo) | NACLO Organizing Committee | Free | hybrid | Grades 6–12 | 2027-01-10 | | [Dartmouth Rassias Language Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/dartmouth-rassias-language-program) | Dartmouth College | $4,500 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | Rolling | ## Frequently asked questions ### How many world languages programs are listed for high school students? ExtracurricularHub currently lists 31 verified world languages opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. ### Are any of these world languages programs free? Yes — 14 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: Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) - High School (November 10, 2026); National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) (November 12, 2026); NSLI-Y Creative Content Fellowship (November 14, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site. ### Do world languages extracurriculars help with college admissions? Yes — sustained, escalating involvement in world languages (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 - [Summer Programs for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/summer-programs) - [Free for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/free) - [Arts for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/arts) - [Leadership for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/leadership) - [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/language 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.