# Extracurriculars & Programs in Washington, DC for High School Students Washington, DC offers what no other city can: congressional internships, NIH and Smithsonian research placements, and policy institutes at Georgetown and GW. 54 verified programs match this page; 22 of the featured listings are free; 3 can be done online. ## Programs (54 total, first 30 shown — full list on the canonical page) | Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [U.S. Presidential Scholars Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/presidential-scholars-program) | U.S. Department of Education | Free | virtual | Grade 12 | 2026-10-02 | | [National Student Poets Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-student-poets-program) | Institute of Museum and Library Services | Free | hybrid | Grades 10–11 | 2026-08-01 | | [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 | | [Mathematical Olympiad Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/imo-training) | MAA | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-05-15 | | [United States Senate Youth Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/us-senate-youth) | Hearst Foundations | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2026-09-30 | | [White House Internship Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/white-house-internship) | The White House | Free | in_person | Grade 12 | 2026-08-10 | | [Washington Journalism and Media Conference](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/washington-journalism-media-conf) | George Mason University | $2,500 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2027-02-16 | | [FEMA Youth Preparedness Council](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/fema-youth-preparedness-council) | FEMA | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-03 | | [Future City Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/future-city-competition) | DiscoverE | Free | in_person | Grades 6–8 | 2026-10-31 | | [Capitol Forum Debate & Speech](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/captial-forum-debate) | Capitol Forum | $200 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-15 | | [JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/jrotc-national-competition) | U.S. Military | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-15 | | [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 | | [Youth Ambassadors Program (U.S.)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/youth-ambassadors-program-us) | U.S. Department of State & World Learning | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-30 | | [The Congressional Award Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/the-congressional-award-program) | The Congressional Award Foundation | $25 | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Princeton Model Congress](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/princeton-model-congress) | Princeton Model Congress | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-12 | | [National Science Bowl (High School)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-science-bowl-high-school) | U.S. Department of Energy | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-12-10 | | [National Young Leaders Conference](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-young-leaders-conference) | Congressional Youth Leadership Council | $2,000 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [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 | | [U.S. Senate Youth Program (USSYP)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/us-senate-youth-program-ussyp) | The Hearst Foundations | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2026-12-01 | | [U.S. Presidential Scholars Program in the Arts](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/us-presidential-scholars-program-in-the-arts) | U.S. Department of Education | Free | hybrid | Grade 12 | 2027-03-12 | | [We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/we-the-people-nationals) | Center for Civic Education | $500 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-15 | | [NAIMUN (North American Invitational Model United Nations)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/naimun-north-american-invitational-model-united-nations) | Georgetown International Relations Association | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-26 | | [Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/hispanic-heritage-youth-awards) | Hispanic Heritage Foundation | Free | hybrid | Grade 12 | 2026-11-23 | | [U.S. Senate Page Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/us-senate-page-program) | United States Senate | Free | in_person | Grade 11 | 2026-08-31 | | [National Invention Convention and Entrepreneurship Expo](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/invention-convention) | USPTO | Free | in_person | Grades 4–12 | 2027-05-07 | | [Yale Model Congress (YMC)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/yale-model-congress-ymc) | Yale Model Congress | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-01 | | [Smithsonian Teen Volunteer](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/volunteer-smithsonian-teen-volunteer-smithsonian-institution) | Smithsonian Institution | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Congressional App Challenge](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/congressional-app-challenge) | U.S. House of Representatives | Free | virtual | Grades 6–12 | 2026-10-26 | | [Presidential Scholar in the Arts](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/presidential-scholar-in-the-arts) | U.S. Department of Education | Free | in_person | Grade 12 | 2027-01-01 | ## Frequently asked questions ### How many washington, dc programs are listed for high school students? ExtracurricularHub currently lists 54 verified washington, dc opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. ### Are any of these washington, dc programs free? Yes — 22 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: National Student Poets Program (August 1, 2026); White House Internship Program (August 10, 2026); U.S. Senate Page Program (August 31, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site. ### Do I have to live in Washington, DC to participate? Most in-person programs based in Washington, DC accept applicants from anywhere, though some give preference to local students. Residential summer programs typically accept students nationwide — check each listing's eligibility. ## Related pages - [Summer Programs for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/summer-programs) - [Internships for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/internships) - [Research for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/research) - [Free for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/free) - [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/washington-dc 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.