How to Join

Note: JLW is no longer accepting Applicant Interest Forms for the 2024-2025 League Year. If you would like to be informed when the process opens for the 2025-2026 League year, please create an account here and you will be contacted when the Form opens again in August/September 2024.

All women who value the Junior League of Washington’s (JLW) Mission are encouraged to join our League. If you are already a member of the Junior League in another city and wish to transfer into JLW, please click here.

JLW accepts new members each League year (June 1-May 31) through a four-step application process. Please read on to learn more about this process, including important application deadlines. If you have questions that are not answered on this page, please feel free to email us at join@jlw.org.

Being a member of JLW comes with many benefits – not only unique opportunities to serve, lead, and connect, but also discounts with local retailers, museums, theaters, fitness clubs, and more. Click here to learn more about these benefits.

**JLW is no longer accepting Applicant Interest Forms for the 2024-2025 League Year. If you would like to be informed when the process opens for the 2025-2026 League year, please create an account here.

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible to join JLW as a new member, you must meet the following criteria by the JLW Membership Application Deadline of March 24, 2024:

  • Be at least 21 years of age
  • Be a resident within the greater Washington, DC, area
  • are enthusiastic about volunteering in your community and developing your potential as a leader

A detailed application process is below. Please contact the Member Recruitment Committee with any additional questions or concerns.

HOW TO JOIN THE JLW?

Note: JLW is no longer accepting Applicant Interest Forms for the 2024-2025 League Year. If you would like to be informed when the process opens for the 2025-2026 League year, please create an account here and you will be contacted when the Form opens again in August/September 2024.

STEP 1: CREATE A JLW.ORG ACCOUNT

Click here to create your account. After creating your account, you will receive a confirmation email with the next steps.  

STEP 2: SUBMIT AN APPLICANT INTEREST FORM

When the process begins for the 2025-2026 League Year, you will be notified that you are able to submit the short Applicant Interest Form (AIF). You must complete an AIF to move forward to the next step.

STEP 3: ATTEND A MANDATORY RECRUITMENT ORIENTATION SESSION AND SUBMIT APPLICATION

All women who have created an account on JLW.org and submitted an AIF will be invited to attend a mandatory Recruitment Orientation Session (ROS).

Recruitment Orientation Sessions give prospective members the opportunity to learn more about JLW, and attendance is mandatory to continue the application process.

2025 Recruitment Orientation Session dates will be announced in Fall 2024. All those eligible for 2024 Recruitment Orientation Sessions have been notified.

STEP 4: APPLY TO JOIN THE JLW NEW MEMBER CLASS

Once a prospective member attends a Recruitment Orientation Session, they will receive a non-transferable link for the JLW membership application and the $35 applicant processing fee that accompanies the application. The non-refundable fee is payable at the time the online application is submitted. Women who submit an applicant processing fee but are not selected in the lottery will have the fee waived if they re-apply the following year.

All applications for the 2024-2025 League Year must be submitted on, or before, March 15, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. After all applications have been reviewed, eligible women will be placed into a lottery and will be notified of their status in early April 2024.

**If you did not complete an AIF by February 15, 2024 you will not be able to submit the final application for the 2024-2025 League Year. Please check back in Fall 2024 about how to join the JLW in the 2025-2026 League Year.

STEP 5: INVITATION TO JOIN THE JLW NEW MEMBER CLASS OF 2024-2025

JLW welcomes about 250-300 new members every year. This means we are not always able to accommodate all women who are interested in joining each year. Every eligible candidate who submits an application on time will be entered into the lottery system to determine who will be invited to join JLW’s 2024-2025 New Member Class. All applicants will be notified of their status by the Member Recruitment Committee in mid to late April 2024. Those accepted must pay new member dues and course fee (approximately $340) by May 1, 2024.There will be the option for dues payment plans and a small number of dues scholarships are available.

 

QUESTIONS?

By becoming one of the Junior League of Washington’s trained volunteers, your service can support pathways to opportunity for our neighbors in the Washington, DC, area. We hope you’ll join us as we transform our community through trained volunteer service. Please contact join@jlw.org for more information regarding becoming a member.