Extracurricular Deadlines in September — Programs to Apply to

September starts the school-year cycle: fall research programs, club-adjacent national programs, and early competition registration.

Most programs listed here run on annual cycles, so the September deadline pattern repeats every year — check each listing for the exact current date.

56 verified programs match this page; 22 of the featured listings are completely free; 5 can be done online.

Featured programs

Browse 30+ curated programs for high school students:

• Mathematical Olympiad for Girls — Mathematical Olympiad Foundation: Elite math competition for high school girls to tackle USAMO-level problems. Boosts problem-solving skills, stands out on college applications, and in
• CSAW High School Forensics Competition — NYU Tandon: Compete in a free high school cybersecurity competition! Analyze digital evidence, develop forensic skills, and boost your college application. Hybrid
• Meta Hacker Cup — Meta: Global programming competition for high school students to master algorithms and coding. Build problem-solving skills and boost college applications.
• NASA Student Launch — NASA: Design and launch high-power rockets in this exciting STEM competition. Gain hands-on aerospace experience, boost college applications, and explore en
• NASA HUNCH (High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware) — NASA: Design and build aerospace hardware used on the ISS in this hands-on high school STEM program. Boost engineering skills and strengthen college applica
• United States Senate Youth Program — Hearst Foundations: Explore leadership and civic skills in this prestigious high school program. Includes a week in Washington, D.C. and a $10,000 scholarship to boost co
• Cameron Impact Scholarship — Bryan Cameron Education Foundation: Earn a full-ride scholarship for college by showcasing leadership and community impact. Perfect for high school seniors building standout college appl
• Wharton Global High School Investment Competition — Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania: Test your investment acumen in this prestigious global competition. Teams manage a $100,000 virtual portfolio and compete against schools worldwide.
• Harvard-MIT Math Tournament (HMMT) — HMMT Organizing Committee: Compete in the prestigious Harvard-MIT Math Tournament! High schoolers tackle proof and speed challenges, build teamwork skills, and boost college app
• 4-H National Congress — National 4-H Council: Annual national conference for top 4-H members from all 50 states, featuring leadership workshops, career exploration, community service, and national
• From the Top / NPR Performance — From the Top: Perform on NPR's From the Top radio show. National exposure for young musicians.
• Net Impact High School Chapter Leadership — Net Impact: Lead social impact chapter at your school through Net Impact. Drive sustainability and social change.
• World Youth Forum — World Youth Forum Foundation: International forum bringing together youth from 160+ countries for discussions with world leaders. Fully sponsored including travel and accommodation
• U.S. High School Policy Debate — National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA): Team-based high school debate focused on a yearly policy resolution, emphasizing research, argumentation, and public speaking.
• YMCA Youth Governors Conference — YMCA: Develop leadership skills and gain hands-on government experience at this in-person state conference simulation for high schoolers. Boost your college
• MTNA National Competition Finalist — Music Teachers National Association: Finalist at Music Teachers National Association national competition. Top young performers in piano, strings, voice, and chamber music.
• Music Teachers National Association Student Competitions — MTNA: National music competition for high school students in grades 9-12. Enhance performance skills, gain recognition, and boost college applications. Hybr
• Columbia University PreCollege Programs — Columbia University: Pre-college program at Columbia University for high school students focusing on real world experience in variety of classes at ivy league.
• NASA Internships - High School — NASA: Gain hands-on STEM experience through a paid NASA internship. Perfect for high school students in grades 10-12 to boost college applications and build
• Slamdance Screenplay Competition (Student Division) — Slamdance Film Festival: Screenplay competition at filmmaker-run festival known for discovering new talent. Winners receive industry recognition and festival access. Alternati
• USAD (United States Academic Decathlon) National Champion — United States Academic Decathlon: National championship team in the premier scholastic competition covering 10 subjects. Individual and team awards available. Demonstrates broad academ
• The Gates Scholarship — The Gates Scholarship: Full ride scholarship for exceptional Pell-eligible students. Covers full cost of attendance at any US college.
• NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge — NASA Marshall Space Flight Center: An annual NASA engineering competition where student teams design, build, and race human-powered rovers over simulated extraterrestrial terrain.
• Youth America Grand Prix — YAGP: Compete in the world’s largest student ballet competition! Showcase your talent, earn scholarships, and boost your college applications. Open to grade
• ESU Schools' Mace Debating Competition — The English-Speaking Union: The ESU Schools' Mace is a UK-wide debating competition for secondary students run by the English-Speaking Union.
• Texas High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS) — NASA Johnson Space Center: Explore aerospace and engineering through a free hybrid program for Texas high school juniors. Build STEM skills, gain hands-on experience, and boost
• International Observe the Moon Night — NASA: A yearly global public event inviting people to observe, learn about, and celebrate the Moon through organized in-person and online activities.
• Beach Cleanup Initiative — Ocean Conservancy: Join coastal cleanup events to protect marine life and preserve beaches. Collect data on ocean trash while serving your community.
• Cambridge AICE Diploma — Cambridge Assessment: Earn an internationally recognized diploma that strengthens college applications and builds academic skills. Ideal for high school students seeking gl
• Gallaudet National Deaf Academic Bowl — Gallaudet University: A national quiz bowl competition for deaf and hard of hearing high school students hosted annually by Gallaudet University.

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