At-Large Contestants

What is an at-large contestant?

APPLY BELOW (opens Jan 1, 2026)

An At-Large contestant is someone who enters the Miss California or Miss California's Teen Competition either 1) directly without first winning a local competition, or 2) after having competed but not winning a crown, enters the competition. She competes on the same level playing field as those titleholders who have won a local competition, for the same awards, the same scholarships, with the same opportunity to win the state title and advance to Miss America or Miss America’s Teen. In fact, Miss California 2024 and 2023 both entered as at-large contestants and won the Miss California title.

While there is so much value and experienced gained in going through a local program, there are many reasons for entering Miss California as an At-Large contestant. Maybe there isn’t a local competition available to you unless you travel hundreds of miles. Or, you might not win a local competition because you could have been having a bad day; your talent or interview might have been “off” that day; maybe that particular panel of judges was simply looking for someone else. It happens, and you should not be discouraged.

At-large contestants work with our at-large directors in the build up to the Miss California competition; to ensure that their paperwork is submitted and to help with coaching and preparation for this experience.

A list of titles will be made available exclusively for At-Large contestants, and upon completing the application form (linked below), she will be connected with our at-large director team to further guide her in the process.

At-Large Titleholder responsibilities

1. Full participation in the Miss California competition week is required. An At-Large Titleholder who does not complete competition week forfeits her title and her payment is non-refundable. We may grant an exception on an individual basis for a teen to attend her high school graduation.

2. At-Large Titleholders must sign the delegate/applicant contract and submit required paperwork (Fact Sheets and Statements, eligibility documents, etc.) on time, the same as local titleholders. This process is completed in her delegate portal.

3. At-Large Titleholders may use her MCO created social media accounts to promote her titles, her community service initiatives, and the Miss California Organization after she completes payment.

4. At-Large Titleholders may make appearances in her communities subject to current policy, with the acknowledgment of her At-Large director. More details of titleholder expectations/policies will be given by her At-large director.

5. An At-Large titleholders end of service term ends on October 1, regardless of when she applied.

Enrollment Window

We are only accepting a limited number of at-large contestants in 2025. The enrollment window for at-large contestants opens January  1, 2025, and closes no later than March 7, 2025. But you'll want to enroll early to ensure the title you want is available and you get a spot before spots fill up or the enrollment window closes.

Upon applying as an at-large contestant, we will get you in touch with one of our at-large directors who will give you all the information you need to get started.

Registration fee

• No completed participation in a 2025 local competition = $1,800

• 1 completed participation in a 2025 local competition = $1,400

• 2 completed participations in a 2025 local competition = $1,000

*above registration fee includes sash and crown. Completed participation means completing the interview and all onstage phases of competition at a local competition.

**does not include:

• $49.99 Miss America Opportunity registration fee

• $330 Miss America Opportunity / American Heart Association fundraising (spotfund, instructions provided upon registration as an at-large contestant).

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