Distinguished Young Women Scholarship Program
Offered by Distinguished Young Women (America's Junior Miss)
About This Scholarship
Distinguished Young Women, founded in 1958 as America's Junior Miss, bills itself as the oldest and largest scholarship program for high school girls. It is participation-based rather than application-essay-based: young women register for their local or state program and compete in five judged categories — scholastics (25%), interview (25%), talent (20%), fitness (15%), and self-expression (15%). Participants across the country received more than $2.1 million in cash scholarships in the most recent year, and over 100 partner colleges offer additional scholarships simply for participating.
Programs exist in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. Depending on the state, girls take part during their junior or senior year, and the organization emphasizes that there is no cost to enter. Winners at local and state levels advance toward the national finals held each June in Mobile, Alabama, where finalists most recently competed for more than $136,000 in cash scholarships.
Registration is handled through the organization's online system, with each state setting its own program dates and registration cutoffs.
Eligibility
- Female high school students; participation year (junior or senior) depends on your state program — registration is currently open for the Class of 2028
- U.S. citizen and legal resident of the county and state where you compete
- Compete in all five categories: scholastics, interview, talent, fitness, and self-expression
- No cost to enter — the program states participation is free
How To Apply
- Use the state map at distinguishedyw.org/find-your-program to locate your state or local program
- Register through the Apply/Log In portal on the national site; each state sets its own registration deadline and program date
- Prepare for the five judged categories — scholarships are awarded at local, state, and national levels
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Distinguished Young Women a pageant?
No. There is no swimsuit or appearance category — participants are judged on scholastics, interview, talent, fitness, and self-expression, and the program awards cash and college-granted scholarships.
Does it cost anything to participate?
No. The organization states it costs nothing to enter, and participants become eligible for cash scholarships plus scholarships from over 100 partner colleges.