Best Summer Programs for High School Students Interested in Business
Updated: Oct 17
Updated October 2026
TL;DR
Business summer programs can help you explore entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, and management before college. This list covers nine options, including a free week at UT Austin and a Cornell credit course you can take online. You’ll find the costs, dates, deadlines, and eligibility requirements, along with two tables to help you compare programs and plan for summer 2027. If you’d rather spend your summer developing your own business research question with a PhD mentor, take a look at the Lumiere Research Scholar Program.
A business summer program can show you what finance, strategy, or entrepreneurship feels like before you choose a college major. Some programs put you on a team that builds and pitches a startup in two weeks. Others look more like a college course, with lectures, problem sets, and a grade. The right choice depends on how you like to learn, how much you can spend, and how early you start planning.
This guide covers nine programs on campuses across the country and online. Each entry lists the quick facts first, then explains what the program is and what makes it different. If you're mainly drawn to startups, our list of prestigious entrepreneurship programs for high school students goes deeper on that side of business.
What makes a business summer program worth your time?
Start with format. Team startup programs teach you to move fast, divide work, and pitch under pressure. Course-style programs build a stronger base in economics and finance. Credit courses add a college transcript, which also means a grade that stays on your record.
Next, look at who teaches. Some programs bring in business school faculty and industry speakers. Others use current undergraduates as instructors, with faculty guidance on the curriculum. Undergraduate instructors can make a program cheaper and easier to approach, and faculty-led programs usually go deeper into theory.
Then think about what you leave with. Depending on the program, that might be a pitch deck, a business plan, a certificate, an evaluation letter, or college credit. A concrete result gives you something to talk about in essays and interviews.
Finally, weigh the full cost against the aid on offer. Tuition is only part of the bill once you add travel, application fees, and course materials. For a closer look at one lower-cost option taught by Harvard undergraduates, read our guide to the Harvard Student Agencies Business Academy.
Which program fits what you want to learn?
Most of these programs cover business in general, but each leans toward one kind of work. Use this table to match your main interest to a short list. It also points to a few related options within the same schools that don't have their own entry above.
If you want | Consider |
To build and pitch a startup idea with a team | |
To keep working on a venture after summer ends | |
To learn finance, markets, and valuation | |
To work with data and analytics | |
To earn college credit | |
To learn from home | |
To live on a business school campus for a week or more |
Business summer programs you should consider for 2027
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, or online
Cost: 8,299–11,899 (on-campus); 2,099–4,799 (online), plus a $100 application fee. Need-based scholarships available.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: June 6–August 7, 2027 (on-campus); June 14–25 and July 5–16, 2027 (online). Varies by program.
Application Deadline: Priority deadline: January 27, 2027. Final on-campus deadline: March 19, 2027. Online applications reviewed on a rolling basis.
Eligibility: Current 9th–11th graders (on-campus) and 9th–12th graders (most online programs). Typically, a minimum 3.3 unweighted GPA is required; Leadership in the Business World requires 3.5.
The Wharton Global Youth Program is a set of one- to three-week summer programs where students study a single area of business with Wharton instructors. Programs include entrepreneurship, finance, leadership, data science, sports analytics, and product design. You will take part in case studies, team projects, and lectures. You finish with a certificate of completion and a digital badge.
Why it stands out: You can study a narrow business topic, such as sports analytics or product design, at a top business school.
Location: UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, Berkeley, California
Cost: TBA. Tuition and fees for summer 2027 will be announced in fall 2026, and tuition differs for California residents and out-of-state students
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 10%
Program Dates: TBA (2026: July 5 to 18 or July 19 to August 1)
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Rising 10th to 12th graders. International applicants with strong English are welcome, and you may be asked to interview.
The B-BAY High School Entrepreneurship Residency is a two-week residential program where students learn the basics of starting a business from Haas faculty, mentors, and guest speakers at UC Berkeley. Topics include business vocabulary, core business frameworks, business models, research, and pitching. You will work on a team to research a business idea and live in the Berkeley dorms, which all high school participants are required to do. You finish by presenting a full business plan and pitch with your team at the end of the session.
Why it stands out: You build and pitch a business plan in a program that admitted about one in ten high school applicants in 2026.
Location: Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Cost: $6,465 for residential tuition and meals, or $5,075 for commuter tuition. The application fee is waived if you apply by January 31
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: TBA (2026: June 7 to 19)
Application Deadline: Summer 2027 offerings and applications open November 16, 2026. Georgetown lists an early bird deadline of January 31 and a final deadline of May 15, with later applications reviewed case by case.
Eligibility: Current 8th to 12th graders with at least a 2.0 GPA
The Georgetown University Entrepreneurship Academy is a two-week summer program where students learn how to start and run a business on Georgetown's campus in Washington, D.C. Topics include design thinking, prototype testing, market research, social innovation, global entrepreneurship, and risk management and finance. You finish by presenting a business plan and pitch with your team in a final pitch competition and receive a Certificate of Participation.
Why it stands out: You go through a full startup cycle in two weeks, ending in a team pitch competition in Washington, D.C.
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer, fall, winter, and spring
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. You can access the application link here!
The Young Founder’s Lab is a start-up boot camp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a complex problem. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X. Apart from building the start-up itself, you will also participate in interactive classes on business fundamentals and business ideations, workshops and skill-building sessions, case studies, panel discussions, and more.
Why it stands out: You work toward launching your own venture, with a choice between team collaboration and personalized mentorship.
Location: Harvard University campus, Cambridge, Massachusetts; virtual option available.
Cost: $1,800 on campus, with early bird discounts and need-based financial aid. More than 80% of students receive some form of tuition assistance. Virtual pricing is TBA.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: One-week sessions, Monday to Friday, from June 14 to August 13. The Entrepreneurship and Management & Strategy tracks alternate weekly
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: High schoolers in grades 9 to 12
The Harvard Student Agencies Business Academy is a one-week summer program where high school students study business on Harvard's campus with Harvard undergraduate instructors. You pick one of two tracks: Business: Entrepreneurship covers startup fundamentals, financial literacy, and business development, while Business: Management & Strategy covers pricing, market entry, company valuation, mergers and acquisitions, and reading income statements and balance sheets. You finish the Entrepreneurship track by pitching an original business idea to judges on the final day, simulating a startup pitch to investors.
Why it stands out: You can pick a startup track or a consulting track for one week, at a lower price than most campus programs.
Location: University of Michigan, Ross School of Business, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Cost: $5,500, plus a $75 nonrefundable application fee. Full and partial need-based scholarships available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: June 2027 (exact dates TBA)
Application Deadline: January 10, 2027
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Preference goes to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, and the university does not sponsor visas for the program.
The Michigan Ross Summer Business Academy is a short residential program where rising high school seniors explore business through specialized academies led by Ross faculty and industry professionals. Topics include how companies run and how leaders solve problems, and the Data-Driven Decision Lab puts you in the role of a junior business analyst helping a company make data-informed decisions. You finish with team project work on real business problems.
Why it stands out: You learn through team projects led by Ross faculty, with a data analytics option if you enjoy working with numbers.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, New York City; online option available.
Cost: $12,838 residential for three weeks, $6,381 commuter for three weeks, and $4,018 online for two weeks. Need-based aid covering 25% to 100% of the program cost is available to U.S. residents
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Up to 30 students per in-person section and 22 per online section.
Program Dates: TBA (2026: June 29 to July 17 and July 21 to August 7 in person; July 6 to 17 and July 20 to 31 online)
Application Deadline: TBA. The summer 2027 application reopens in late November
Eligibility: Rising 9th to 12th graders. Residential applicants must be at least 16 by December 31 of the program year.
Introduction to Business, Finance, and Economics is a Columbia Pre-College course where students study how companies raise money, choose investments, and behave in financial markets. Topics include stocks, bonds, stock markets, valuation models, investment strategy, accounting statements, and sources of risk. You finish with a Certificate of Participation and an evaluation letter on your performance.
Why it stands out: You connect financial market concepts to real decisions about investment and valuation.
Location: Online
Cost: About $6,039 for summer (three credits at Cornell's posted rate of $2,013 per credit), plus an $85 nonrefundable application fee
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: TBA (2026: July 13 to 31)
Application Deadline: TBA (2026: application form due June 2 and materials due June 16 for the July session; applications opened January 12)
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors aged 15 to 19 at the start of class who have finished sophomore year.
Introduction to Macroeconomic Theory and Policy is a three-week online Cornell undergraduate course where high school students learn introductory macroeconomics alongside Cornell undergraduates. Topics include GDP, inflation, employment, economic growth, simple models of the economy, and where to find economic data. You will take part in live online classes taught by a Cornell instructor and complete graded coursework.
Why it stands out: You earn three college credits and a Cornell transcript without leaving home.
Location: McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
Cost: Free. Educational, food, and housing costs are covered. Travel to and from campus is not covered
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: June 6 to 11, 2027
Application Deadline: February 1, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. Supplemental materials are due February 8, 2027, and decisions are released by mid-April
Eligibility: Current Texas high school sophomores and juniors. Students enrolled in summer school during the program dates can't attend.
The McCombs Future Executive Academy is a free, six-day summer program where Texas high school students explore different fields of business at the University of Texas at Austin. Topics span the major areas of business, taught through hands-on workshops, faculty sessions, and keynote speakers. You finish by putting your skills to the test in a team case competition.
Why it stands out: You get six days of business learning and campus life at UT Austin at no cost.
How much will a business summer program cost you?
Prices on this list range from nothing to almost $13,000.
At the low end, the McCombs Future Executive Academy covers your food, housing, and classes, and the HSA Business Academy charges $1,800 for a week on Harvard's campus. In the middle sit online options and shorter campus programs: Columbia's online course, the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Academy, the Cornell macroeconomics course, and the Michigan Ross Summer Business Academy have recently cost between about $4,000 and $6,500. At the top, Wharton's on-campus programs and Columbia's residential option cost $8,000 to $13,000.
Budget for the extras, too. Application fees run $75 at Michigan Ross, $85 at Cornell, and $100 at Wharton, and Columbia's cost page lists both $80 and $95. Georgetown waives its fee if you apply by January 31. Travel to campus is your responsibility at most programs, including the free one in Austin. Some courses add fees for materials, and residential programs may charge for linens, airport transfers, or gym access.
Aid can change the math a lot. Wharton offers partial scholarships for online programs, typically $500 to $4,000, plus fuller support for Philadelphia public school students and partner organizations, and its admission is need blind. Columbia offers need-based awards of 25% to 100% for U.S. residents in its commuter and online programs, due February 10, 2027. Young Founders Lab offers aid based on need and merit, and HSA gives some tuition assistance to more than 80% of its students. When a program lists a priority deadline for aid, apply by that date, since funding runs out.
For more options at little or no cost, see our list of free business programs for high school students.
When do applications open for summer 2027?
If you want | Consider |
To finish applications before winter break | Michigan Ross Summer Business Academy (deadline January 10, 2027), Wharton and Georgetown Entrepreneurship Academy (both open in November), Columbia Introduction to Business, Finance, and Economics (reopens late November) |
A decision by spring so you can plan the rest of your summer | Michigan Ross Summer Business Academy (decisions at the end of March 2027), Wharton (priority decisions by March 17 to 19, 2027), McCombs Future Executive Academy (decisions by mid-April), B-BAY (10 days to enroll and pay after you're accepted) |
Room to decide later in the school year | Cornell Introduction to Macroeconomic Theory and Policy (2026 deadline for the July session: June 2), Georgetown Entrepreneurship Academy (final deadline May 15), Young Founders Lab (flexible individual start), HSA Business Academy (weekly sessions through August) |
The best chance at financial aid | Wharton (apply by the January 27, 2027, priority deadline), Columbia Introduction to Business, Finance, and Economics (aid deadline February 10, 2027), HSA Business Academy (most students get help), Young Founders Lab (aid based on need and merit), McCombs Future Executive Academy (no cost) |
How can you make your application stronger?
Answer the exact prompt each program asks. B-BAY's essays ask what specific Haas leadership principles mean to you, so a general essay about loving business will fall flat. Pick one story from your life that shows the principle in action, and explain what you learned from it.
Show proof of interest, even if it's small. Selling at a school market, running a club budget, tracking a stock portfolio, or analyzing a company you admire all count. Programs want to see that you went looking for business on your own, beyond your classes.
Prepare for an interview if your program uses one. Young Founders Lab interviews shortlisted applicants, and B-BAY may ask for one. Practice explaining a business idea in two minutes: the problem, who has it, and why your solution works.
Keep your materials organized. Some programs, such as the Michigan Ross Summer Business Academy, accept an unofficial transcript for the decision but need an official copy before you enroll. Make a simple tracker with each program's deadline, fee, essay prompts, and recommendation status.
Apply to more than one program, and mix reach programs with safer ones. If you're weighing a startup incubator, our review of Young Founders Lab explains how its format works.
One more option: Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you want to go deeper into business than a summer course allows, you can write your own research paper. The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a selective online program, founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford, for high schoolers who want to do independent research.
Financial aid based on need is available. If cost is a barrier, the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation runs a nonprofit research program for high schoolers from low-income backgrounds.
What students often ask about these business summer programs
1. Do I need business classes or experience before applying?
No, none of these programs require a business class or prior experience. A few set a minimum GPA, from 2.0 up to 3.5, and the startup incubator says you don't need any entrepreneurship background, so your curiosity and academic record count most.
2. Do I need my own business idea before I apply?
Not at all. In the team-based startup programs, you brainstorm and research an idea after you arrive, then turn it into a business plan and pitch over one or two weeks. If you already have an idea, the one-on-one incubator track lets you develop it with a mentor.
3. I'm only a freshman. Can I apply to any of these?
Yes, most of them. Six of the nine are open to current ninth graders, while the college credit course and two of the residential academies are for sophomores and older, so you'll have even more options in a year or two.
4. How long do these programs last, and will one take up my whole summer?
Not usually. Most run one to three weeks, and the startup incubator offers a flexible start date, so you can fit one around other summer plans. If you'd like a longer project that works around your schedule, the Lumiere Research Scholar Program pairs you one-on-one with a PhD mentor to write your own research paper, fully online.