U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) Scholarships Available for 9th-11th Grade Students

For the past 32 years, Junior State of America (JSA) summer programs have served as a place where students from the U.S. Territories and the Freely Associated States build leadership skills, learn civil debate and strengthen their engagement through activism. Thanks to a generous grant from the Department of Interior (DOI), more than 2,300 students from the insular areas have received scholarships to experience JSA summer programs and gain the skills and knowledge to be active and engaged citizens.

The DOI scholarships cover tuition and travel and are awarded annually to students from the insular areas. Students in grades 9 – 11 attending a high school in the U.S. Territories or Freely Associated States are eligible for these scholarships.

Summer Program

The DOI scholarships are available for students to attend the JSA Stern Civics Immersion Program on the campus of Stanford University.

3 Weeks in July
28 Scholarships Available

Important Deadlines

Scholarship application portal will open Dec. 1, 2023
DOI Scholarship application deadline is March 1, 2024
Scholarship winners will be announced on March 15, 2024

DOI Scholarship Eligibility

Must be a high school student in grades 9 – 11
Submit a completed JSA summer program application by the deadline
Students must be accepted into the Stern Civics Immersion Program or Civics Institute Micronesia
Be a citizen of a U.S. Territory or Freely Associated State (American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau and the U.S. Virgin Islands)

Students attending boarding schools will be considered for DOI Scholarships for their respective islands (i.e., Palauan students attending Xavier High School will be considered for the four DOI Scholarships allotted for students from Palau).

How To Apply

Important Note: Be prepared to complete your application for a DOI Scholarship (including current transcript to upload). Once you open the link, you have started the application process and will not have the ability to save the application.

Do not complete and submit a general JSA scholarship application (by doing so, students will automatically become ineligible for a DOI scholarship). Students are encouraged to apply early.

Create a JSA Connect account. Your JSA Connect account will allow you to start, save, and continue your application online, at your convenience. If you already have a JSA Connect account, login and go to step #2. You must complete the ‘My Personal Data’ tab.
Start your application. Once logged in to your JSA Connect account, select the “My Progams” tab, then “Discover Programs” tab and select either the Civics Immersion Program (Stanford, 3 weeks) or Civics Institute Micronesia (NMC, Sapian, 1 week). If you are applying to both, please create two separate applications.
Complete Political Essay (500 words or less). Write about a political issue that is important to you and present a convincing argument supporting or opposing the issue (you MUST cite all sources).
Submit. Once submitted, it will be reviewed by the JSA admissions committee! You will receive an email if you have been accepted, denied, or deferred within two weeks (may vary during the Holiday Season). If accepted you will receive in that email on how to apply for a JSA U.S. Department of Interior Scholarship (DOI).

Mandatory items to submit to be eligible for a DOI scholarship:

Personal Essay (500 words or less). Please tell us about your extracurricular activities and leadership positions held.
Teacher/Counselor Recommendation. A link for your recommender will be provided. Prompts for the recommenders will be included in the instructions.
Official High School Transcripts. Please obtain a current transcript and upload to the application.

Tips to Make Your Application Successful

Ensure that your MyJSA account is complete (be sure to include the best contact information in case the admissions/scholarship committee needs to contact you with questions regarding your application).
Write complete and thoughtful essays (if you feel your class work may be lacking in certain subjects, this is an opportunity to address those issues).
Always cite your sources in your essays. Plagiarized work, not properly citing sources will be automatically disqualified. Students plagiarizing schoolwork during JSA summer programs are subject to automatic dismissal.
If possible, request your letter of recommendation from a guidance counselor, English teacher, social science teacher, etc. Someone who can attest to your writing ability (including proficiency in completing a 12-15 term paper) and interest in government and politics/current events. Inform your recommender that you have indicated them as a recommender in support of your JSA summer school application. Double check with your recommender that you have their current email address that they check often. The Recommendation Form will be emailed to them. DO NOT PROCRASTINATE! The more time to write the recommendation, the more thoughtful and concise the recommendation.
Ensure the most current transcript and that the transcript has your complete academic record so the admissions/scholarship committee has the opportunity to see your complete academic history. Incoming freshmen are strongly encouraged to include the junior high school transcript.

Next Steps After Application is Complete

Students will be notified of their admission within 7-12 days of completion of their application if they have been accepted to a JSA Summer Program.

Upon acceptance, students will receive correspondence instructing them of the “next steps” prior to the program. Please read all correspondence received prior to the program’s start. The correspondence will contain vital information that will ensure their success in the program.

Do not wait until the scholarships are announced to prepare for the JSA summer programs. Students are encouraged to attend one of the many JSA Fundraising Academies along with planning for their departure (i.e., acquiring supplies needed, obtaining necessary documents such as passports, etc., familiarizing themselves with current events, local, national and international along with preparing for being away from home—yes, this includes learning how to do your own laundry if you don’t already know how).

Return forms immediately once completed and before the stated deadlines. Prompt return of the required forms will assist JSA staff in ensuring the safety and well being of the students prior to arrival (i.e., submitting the Transportation Form will enable JSA staff to arrange transportation to and from the JSA Summer Programs).

U.S. Mainland Transportation

JSA works with Creative Holidays Travel based in Honolulu, HI. They can assist you in arranging your travel to and from the JSA Summer School programs. They also arrange the travel for all of the DOI Scholarship recipients, so they are able to group students on the same flight, when possible, so that they do not have to travel alone.

If you are traveling from the Pacific Islands, there is a good chance that your will have an extended layover in Guam or Honolulu, HI. If you are able to spend time with family or friends while waiting in Guam or Honolulu, please be sure to let the travel professionals know this. Please contact Creative Holidays Travel at (808) 596-7447 or by email to lissaleong@gmail.com. Ms. Leong at Creative Holidays Travel has been coordinating travel to and from JSA Summer Programs for several Years. Arranging travel through Creative Holidays travel is not mandatory.

Health Insurance Requirement

Health Insurance is required to attend JSA summer programs. If you do not have health insurance, health insurance must be obtained prior to arrival.

In the past, JSA has referred students to Insubuy at www.insubuy.com to purchase short-term health insurance. You may contact a representative at Insubuy at (866) 467-8289 with any questions that you may have.

Students will not be allowed to attend any JSA summer program without health insurance for the duration of the program. Students arriving to a JSA summer program without health insurance will be immediately dismissed and must return home at their own expense and without refund of tuition.

Ed Banayat, Senior Program Officer
ebanayat@jsa.org
(650) 544-7334