The notion of a U-statistic for an n-tuple of identical quantum systems is introduced in analogy to the classical (commutative) case: given a self-adjoint “kernel” K acting on (Cd)⊗r with r<n, we define the symmetric operator Un=(nr)∑βK(β) with K(β) being the kernel acting on the subset β of {1,…,n}. If the systems are prepared in the product state ρ⊗n, it is shown that the sequence of properly normalized U-statistics converges in moments to a linear combination of Hermite polynomials in canonical variables of a canonical commutation relation algebra defined through the quantum central limit theorem. In the special cases of nondegenerate kernels and kernels of order of 2, it is shown that the convergence holds in the stronger distribution sense. Two types of applications in quantum statistics are described: testing beyond the two simple hypotheses scenario and quantum metrology with interacting Hamiltonians.