10 Online Business Courses for High School Students
If you're a high school student with a passion for business, make sure to explore the courses in this list! These courses provide you with an excellent opportunity to deepen your understanding of fundamental business principles, gain practical insights into various aspects of the business world, and demonstrate your passion for the subject.
Enrolling in courses offered by renowned online institutions with strong business programs can also carry substantial weight in the eyes of educational and professional institutions. Regardless of the course's prestige, what truly matters is how you can highlight your coursework, achievements, and the valuable skills you've cultivated through these courses.
Here are 10 promising online business courses for high school students that offer excellent opportunities to deepen your understanding of business concepts and gain a competitive edge as you prepare for the future:
Cost: $3,700 (4-credits) or $7,400 (8-credits) (Financial aid available)
Eligibility: Students aged 16-18 who Will graduate from high school and enter college in 2024, 2025, or 2026.
Application Deadline: January 10 (Early), February14 (Regular), and April 10 (Late)
Course Dates: 7 weeks (June 22 – August 10, 2024)
Enrolling in the Harvard Summer School's Quantitative Methods in Economics and Business program is an incredible opportunity for you to delve deep into the world of economics and business analysis. This program is meticulously designed to provide students like you with a comprehensive understanding of the quantitative tools and methods essential for decision-making in these fields.
Taught by Harvard faculty and industry experts, you will explore topics such as statistical analysis, econometrics, data modeling, and financial analysis. Through a blend of interactive lectures, hands-on problem-solving sessions, and real-world case studies, you will not only gain a strong theoretical foundation but also develop practical skills that are highly sought after in the business world.
The course focuses on teaching and solving optimization problems faced in modern economics, finance, and business studies. Topics include constrained and unconstrained optimization, contemporary and practical techniques of calculus and probability in economic evaluation, and business decision making.
Cost: Free without certificate and $199 with certificate (financial aid available)
Eligibility: Everyone is eligible to enroll in this course.
Application Deadline: Rolling Basis
Course Dates: Self-Paced
Entrepreneurship For All (Part I): The UC Berkeley Startup Guide for Students by Silicon Valley Insiders offered by BerkeleyX on edX is an invaluable resource for you if you are an aspiring entrepreneur looking to dive into the world of startups and entrepreneurship.
Taught by experienced Silicon Valley insiders, this course typically provides a comprehensive guide to the entire startup process, from idea conception to launch and scaling. You will gain insights into crucial aspects such as identifying market opportunities, developing business models, and crafting effective pitches. The course also typically covers real-world case studies and practical advice, drawing from the rich entrepreneurial ecosystem of Silicon Valley.
It's designed to be highly engaging, including video lectures, readings, hands-on projects, and peer collaboration, allowing you to apply what you learn in a dynamic and interactive manner.
Cost: $4099
Program dates: 2 weeks in June - July
Application Deadline: March
Eligibility: High School Students
Enrolling in the UPenn Wharton Global Youth Program: Future of the Business World is an exceptional opportunity for you to immerse yourself in the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of business and entrepreneurship.
Future of the Business World is a unique online experience for high school students to ask big questions about a world in the midst of dramatic change. The program applies innovative online tools used in Wharton undergrad and graduate classrooms to introduce different business themes in which Wharton’s faculty lead the global conversation.
This intensive two-week summer program is designed for a select group of high school students currently enrolled in 9th to 12th grades. The immersive experience takes you through the framework of design thinking, the business aspects of scenario planning and the strategies to work in a team. This program also features two interactive business simulations to help students practice what they have learned to solve real-world problems.
Cost: Up to $1795
Eligibility: Students aged 13 and up
Application Deadline: Rolling
Course Dates: 1, 2, and 4 Week Sessions
Enrolling in the Georgetown Pre College Online Program in Entrepreneurship is an excellent choice for you if you have a passion for entrepreneurship and a desire to kickstart your journey as a future business leader.
Through this program, you will gain the foundational knowledge and explore the history of entrepreneurship, learn how to identify a need in the marketplace, discover what it means to “fail forward” by adapting to market changes, and develop a fluency in thinking and speaking about how businesses work. You will also learn how to build partnerships and funding sources through networking, develop a timeline and plan to launch your business, and determine if entrepreneurship is something you’d like to pursue in college and beyond.
The course culminates with a special Capstone Project that shares your business idea and explains why the world can’t live without it.
Cost: $329
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12
Application Deadline: Rolling Basis
Course Dates: Self-Paced
The UPenn Wharton Global Youth Program's "Understanding Your Money" course is a valuable and comprehensive educational opportunity for you if you’re interested in financial literacy and personal finance.
This program, often led by instructors from the prestigious Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, typically provides a thorough introduction to key financial concepts, such as budgeting, saving, investing, and making informed financial decisions.
You will have the chance to explore various aspects of personal finance through engaging activities, workshops, and interactive discussions. You will gain insights into managing your own finances, setting financial goals, and making responsible decisions about spending and saving. Additionally, the course may cover fundamental economic principles and the broader financial landscape. For a deep dive into this program, check out this article!
Cost: $3050
Eligibility: 9-12th graders
Application Deadline: March
Course Dates: Two weeks in June or July
Enrolling in the Stanford Pre College Business Strategy program is a great opportunity for you to delve into the world of strategic thinking and decision-making in the business realm.
This program is thoughtfully designed to provide high school students like you with a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental principles and intricacies of business strategy.
Taught by accomplished faculty and industry experts, you will explore topics such as market analysis, competitive advantage, corporate innovation, and effective strategic planning.
You will be introduced to the nature of entrepreneurship through case studies of prominent businesses, such as Facebook and Amazon, and social enterprises, such as Kiva, that now have a global presence and operate at scale. By pulling back the curtain on entrepreneurial initiatives, you will discover how to build a new business from scratch, covering everything from how to develop compelling and sound ideas to tackling the testing and implementation process to handling actual sales and business management.
Cost: $3000-$5000 (2-4 weeks)
Eligibility: 16-18 year old high school sophomore or junior
Application Deadline: January
Course Dates: 2 weeks or 4 weeks in July
This course will help you understand how social entrepreneurs drive innovation and transformation in fields such as health, education, and the environment while considering community needs.
You will examine the opportunities and challenges associated with a variety of types of social enterprises, including social purpose businesses, nonprofits, and revenue-generating enterprises. Innovative guest speakers will give you a unique opportunity to engage with individuals and organizations that exemplify mission-driven values.
The course will also include readings, recorded presentations, and discussions. You will develop a business plan and an elevator pitch for your own idea for a non-profit or for-profit social enterprise as their capstone project.
Finally, you will explore the various types of careers available in “do well and do good” fields and the required education and skills to thrive in these exciting areas. This course will particularly benefit you if you are eager to apply business models to social issues and needs and enjoy the creative process, learning from others and developing their own leadership abilities.
Cost: $3050
Eligibility: 9-12th graders
Application Deadline: March
Course Dates: July 10 - July 21
Enrolling in the Stanford Pre College Innovation and Entrepreneurship program is an extraordinary opportunity for you to dive deep into the world of innovation and entrepreneurship.
This program is thoughtfully designed to provide high school students like you with a comprehensive understanding of the key principles and practices that drive innovation and successful entrepreneurial ventures. Taught by renowned faculty and experienced entrepreneurs, you will explore a wide range of topics, including idea generation, market analysis, product development, and the art of launching and scaling a startup.
Through a combination of dynamic lectures, interactive workshops, real-world case studies, and collaborative projects, you will not only gain a solid theoretical foundation but also develop the critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills necessary to thrive in the competitive landscape of innovation and entrepreneurship.
You will explore a wide range of fundamental business concepts and Silicon Valley companies. The class uses various learning materials, fun exercises, and a team startup final project to bring entrepreneurship to life.
Cost: Up to $1795
Eligibility: Students aged 13 and up
Application Deadline: Rolling
Course Dates: 1, 2, and 4 Week Sessions
Enrolling in the Georgetown Pre College Online Program in Investing is an outstanding choice for you if you're passionate about finance and eager to explore the intricate world of investment strategies and wealth management.
This program is thoughtfully curated to provide high school students like you with a comprehensive understanding of the financial markets, investment principles, and the practical skills necessary to navigate the world of investing successfully. Taught by experienced instructors and industry experts, you will delve into a wide range of topics, including portfolio management, risk assessment, asset allocation, and the intricacies of different investment vehicles.
You will describe financial markets and explain how to make money through investing, determine how stock markets work by explaining the stock trade process in the U.S., and explain the process of wealth creation. You will also identify how valuation models are used to determine a company's value and how that affects the price of its stock, identify fintech opportunities and explore digital and crypto assets, complete a Final Capstone Project to demonstrate what you’ve learned and earn a Certificate of Completion from Georgetown University!
Cost: Free without certificate and $199 with certificate (financial aid available)
Eligibility: Everyone is eligible to enroll in this course.
Application Deadline: Rolling Basis
Course Dates: Self-Paced
The "Foundations of Finance" course offered by the University of Cambridge on edX is a comprehensive and prestigious program that provides learners with a strong understanding of the fundamental principles of finance.
This course is typically structured to cover a wide range of financial topics, including risk management, financial markets, valuation, and investment strategies. It often includes high-quality video lectures, readings, case studies, and assignments. The course is taught by esteemed faculty members from the University of Cambridge, renowned for their expertise in finance and economics.
If you're looking to pursue an internship in the above fields, you could check out Ladder Internships!
Ladder Internship is a selective program equipping students with virtual internship experiences at startups and nonprofits around the world! The startups range across a variety of industries, and each student can select which field they would most love to deep dive into. This is also a great opportunity for students to explore areas they think they might be interested in, and better understand professional career opportunities in those areas. The startups are based all across the world, with the majority being in the United States, Asia and then Europe and the UK.
The fields include technology, machine learning and AI, finance, environmental science and sustainability, business and marketing, healthcare and medicine, media and journalism and more.
You can explore all the options here on their application form. As part of their internship, each student will work on a real-world project that is of genuine need to the startup they are working with, and present their work at the end of their internship. In addition to working closely with their manager from the startup, each intern will also work with a Ladder Coach throughout their internship - the Ladder Coach serves as a second mentor and a sounding board, guiding you through the internship and helping you navigate the startup environment.
Interns are offered one-on-one training in communication, time management and other such valuable skills and will also have the opportunity to attend group training sessions with other interns in their cohort. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
Cost: $1490 (Financial Aid Available)
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application deadline: April 16 and May 14
Program dates: 8 weeks, June to August
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates and gap year students!
If you’re looking for an incubator program that helps you establish a developed startup in high school, consider the Young Founders Lab!
The Young Founder’s Lab is a real-world start-up bootcamp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a real-world problem. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X.
You can access the application link here!
One other option - Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you would like to dive further into business research, another way to stand out on applications and resumes, you should also consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, a selective online high school program for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Jessica attends Harvard University where she studies Neuroscience and Computer Science as a Coca-Cola, Elks, and Albert Shankar Scholar. She is passionate about educational equity and hopes to one day combine this with her academic interests via social entrepreneurship. Outside of academics, she enjoys taking walks, listening to music, and running her jewelry business!
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