PLEASE NOTE THAT THE APPLICATION DEADLINE OF OCTOBER 16, 2009 FOR THE 2009-10 U.S. SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM HAS PASSED. THEREFORE, THE APPLICATION SUBMISSION PROCESS HAS BEEN CLOSED.

The New Jersey United States Senate Youth Program is for junior or senior high school students who have shown outstanding abilities and demonstrated qualities of leadership while serving in an elected or appointed high school office for the current school year and rank academically in the top one percent of New Jersey students.

The United States Senate unanimously passed a resolution in 1962 creating the United States Senate Youth Program, a national initiative to provide a yearly opportunity for talented young people with demonstrated leadership abilities to deepen their understanding of America’s political processes and encourage them to consider careers in public service.

The program was created and authorized by Senate Resolution 234 and has been reauthorized ever since. The original resolution specified that the program be "supported by private funds with no expense to the federal government". As a result, The William Randolph Hearst Foundation assumed financial support of the program and continues its sponsorship today.  Fully funding this program is part of the foundation’s commitment to preparing young people for citizenship and leadership in our participatory democracy.

The Annual United States Senate Youth Program authorizes the selection of 104 student delegates, two from each state, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity. The program brings the highest-level officials from each branch of government together with this competitively selected group of delegates during a week-long educational program held in Washington D.C.

The William Randolph Hearst Foundation pays all expenses for the week-long Washington stay including transportation, hotel accommodations, and meals.   In addition, each student receives a one-time $5,000 undergraduate college scholarship with encouragement to pursue coursework in history and political science.