15 Economics Programs for High School Students in Canada
- Stephen Turban
- 1 hour ago
- 10 min read
Pre-college academic programs offer high school students a structured way to explore advanced subjects before entering university. These experiences often simulate university learning environments, giving students exposure to college-level academics, research methods, and collaborative learning. Through lectures, workshops, and project-based learning, students can develop analytical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and communication skills.
Why should I do a pre-college program in economics in Canada?
Canada is home to several globally recognized universities and research institutions that offer summer courses, research initiatives, and academic enrichment opportunities for secondary school students. For those interested in economics, such structured economics programs for high school students in Canada introduce you to key topics such as markets, public policy, international trade, and economic development through lectures, case studies, and applied projects.
Below is a curated list of 15 economics programs for high school students in Canada that provide exposure to university-level learning, research, or applied economic thinking. These economics programs for high school students in Canada offer rigorous academics, mentorship and collaborative opportunities, and are affiliated with reputable universities or organizations.
15 Economics Programs for High School Students in Canada
Location: University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
Cost: Canadian students: $4,850 CAD / $3,541 USD | International students: $6,275 CAD / $4,581 USD
Dates: Session I: June 14–July 4 | Session II: July 5–25 | Session III: July 26–August 15
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: High school students aged 15–18 years are eligible to apply
The University of Toronto offers summer pre-university courses for high school students with advanced English proficiency, designed to provide exposure to university-level study while strengthening academic and analytical skills. The World Economics course introduces key economic concepts, including scarcity, productivity, trade-offs, markets, and wealth, and applies them to the realities of an interconnected global economy. It encourages you to examine how economic behavior influences and is influenced by international systems and compare these ideas with perspectives from your own country. Learning takes place through lectures, readings, and structured activities culminating in a final project.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies | Financial aid available
Dates: Multiple sessions, including summer, spring, fall, and winter cohorts, are scheduled each year | Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students with a high level of academic achievement | Accepted students typically have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4.0
This is a rigorous research program designed for high school students who want to explore an area and topic of interest in absolute detail. Here, you will get to work one-on-one with a PhD mentor on an independent research project. You can choose research topics from a wide range of subjects, including economics. You will finalize a research question with support from your mentor and also work with a writing coach to present your findings. At the end of the program, you will have developed an independent research paper. You can find more details about the application and available program formats here, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
Location: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Cost: Canadian and Permanent Resident: $1,940 CAD / $1,416 USD | International: $2,620 CAD / $1,912 USD | Residence (Optional add-on): $2,650 CAD / $1,934 USD
Dates: July 6–17
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: High school students aged 15-18 are eligible to apply
This program examines major dimensions of the global economy, including multinational corporations, international trade, global finance, and development. It analyzes the competing ideologies and structural forces that shape the political economy and the tensions that emerge as governments respond to market pressures. It is well-suited to students interested in political science, economics, public policy, current affairs, or business-related fields. Hosted on the University of British Columbia Vancouver campus, the program runs Monday through Friday with morning academic sessions and afternoon university-preparation workshops designed to strengthen readiness for higher education and support informed academic and career planning.
Location: Oxford, Cambridge, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto, and Boston
Cost: Varies | Financial aid available
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students aged 13-18 currently enrolled in middle or high school are eligible to apply
The Academic Insights Program provides school students with an opportunity to take undergraduate-level classes at universities around the world. You will work with academics from universities like Oxford, Cambridge, and Harvard in classes of 4-10 students. You will attend university-style lectures and 1:1 weekly sessions with your tutor. The program includes practical experiences such as dissections in medicine, building robotic arms in engineering, and moot courts in law. You can choose from over 20 subjects, including economics, architecture, artificial intelligence, business management, computer science, medicine, philosophy, and more. By the end of the program, you will complete a personal project and receive written feedback and a certificate of completion. You can find more details about the application here.
Location: University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON
Cost: $732 CAD / $534 USD
Dates: Session I: July 6–17 | Session II: July 20–31 | Session III: August 10–21
Application Deadline: February 13
Eligibility: Current high school students, entering grade 10 or higher in September, are eligible to apply | Limited to 25 students per session
The Catalyst Summer Program is a two-week interdisciplinary initiative that reinterprets the conventional leadership model, including the Catalyst – Early Entrepreneurs stream focused on innovation, economics, entrepreneurship, and business. Developed in collaboration with the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business at the University of Waterloo, the program provides you with structured exposure to entrepreneurial thinking, practical problem-solving, idea development, and foundational business concepts. You will engage with Waterloo’s established startup ecosystem through guided learning experiences intended to build analytical, creative, and strategic skills relevant to future study and professional pathways in innovation-driven fields.
Location: Various locations across Canada
Cost: Free
Dates: Varies depending on location
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: High school students in grades 8–12 are eligible to apply
These interactive seminars present economic concepts through structured activities, such as discussions, collaborative exercises, and simulations, to illustrate how economic principles influence everyday decision-making. Using applied examples, multimedia material, and hands-on tasks, the sessions connect theory to real-world contexts while encouraging analytical thinking and practical understanding. Suitable for students from varied academic backgrounds, the program supports skill development in economics, business, and social studies, and fosters career exploration, with an emphasis on critical reasoning and informed decision-making.
Location: University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
Cost: Canadian students: $4,850 CAD / $3,541 USD | International students: $6,275 CAD / $4,581 USD
Dates: Session I: June 14–July 4 | Session II: July 5–25 | Session III: July 26–August 15
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: High school students aged 15–18 years are eligible to apply
This course introduces high school students to game theory as a framework for understanding decision-making in both human and computational contexts, including how algorithms and artificial intelligence apply strategic logic to games, problem-solving, and adaptive scenarios. Beginning with familiar examples such as board and video games, you will examine how individuals anticipate competitors, cooperate, and optimize outcomes, then extend these concepts to fields such as economics, biology, and public policy to illustrate the breadth of game theory’s applications. Instruction combines lectures, readings, and participatory tasks culminating in a small-scale final project.
Location: Youreka Canada, Calgary, AB
Cost: Check here for updates
Dates: Late January–Late April
Application Deadline: January 6
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12 are eligible to apply
In this 10-week program, you will be paired with undergraduate mentors from seven Canadian universities and collaborate on original research projects, culminating in presentations at regional symposia and a national competition. The curriculum progresses through three stages: foundations of scientific reasoning and experimental design; applied statistics and data visualization using R; and scientific communication, including preparation of research posters and manuscripts. Throughout the program, you will also participate in professional development activities, including workshops, seminars, guest lectures, and collaborative challenges. By working with open-source datasets across fields such as bioinformatics, public health, and economics, you will gain practical research experience, quantitative skills, and academic communication abilities that support future study and professional growth.
Location: University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON
Cost: $7,345 CAD / $5,368 USD
Dates: French program: July 5–25 | English program: July 26–August 15
Application Deadline: Generally in spring (April-May) | Early registration is recommended | Check here for updates
Eligibility: High school students who are 16 or 17 years old | Must have an academic average of 80% (or equivalent) at the time of application | Must meet the University of Ottawa language requirements
University of Ottawa’s Youth Summer University Program is a three-week academic experience that brings together high school students from around the world for university-level study, career exploration, leadership training, and cultural activities. You can earn 4.5 university credits by completing an intensive course in international relations or business and economics and a hackathon, while also attending professional development workshops and structured self-assessment sessions to support academic and career planning. The program offers an exclusive application pathway for early conditional consideration to up to three undergraduate programs in the Faculties of Social Science, Arts, or the Telfer School of Management, and includes visits to major national institutions such as the Supreme Court of Canada and Parliament.
Location: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Cost: Canadian and Permanent Resident: $1,940 CAD / $1,416 USD | International: $2,620 CAD / $1,912 USD | Residence: $2,650 CAD / $1,934 USD
Dates: Session I: July 6–17 | Session II: July 20–31 | Session III: August 3–14
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: High school students aged 15–18 years are eligible to apply
This introductory course examines how businesses operate in practice, from decision-making and product development to profitability and organizational success or failure. You are introduced to core functional areas, such as marketing, finance, accounting, human resources, and strategy, and explore how these components interact to support growth, competition, and innovation. Through applied examples and structured activities, you will analyze business outcomes, evaluate strategic choices, and practice collaborative problem-solving. By the conclusion, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of organizational dynamics and the skills associated with effective leadership and management. The course is well-suited to those interested in business, entrepreneurship, economics, or in understanding how companies influence everyday life.
Location: Western University, London, ON
Cost: Tuition varies by year | Check here for updates
Dates: July (two-week residential program)
Application Deadline: Typically open in winter and close in the spring | Check here for updates
Eligibility: High school students in grade 11 are eligible to apply
Western University offers the Western Summer Academy in Sustainability, a two-week residential program for high school students entering Grade 12 that allows you to earn a university credit while engaging in interdisciplinary study and research-focused learning. The program emphasizes sustainability through experiential activities, mentorship, and academic exploration aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, while also strengthening critical thinking and university readiness. You will examine themes such as the politics of sustainability, research design, innovation, health sciences, and the relationship between business and economics with social impact, including topics like purpose-driven entrepreneurship and sustainable business models.
Location: Post-secondary campuses in Canada
Cost: Domestic students: $7,495 CAD / $5,487 USD | International students: $11,950 CAD / $8,748 USD | Need-based financial aid is available
Dates: July 5–31
Application Deadline: January 5
Eligibility: High school students in Grades 10 and 11 are eligible to apply
Each Shad program is structured to combine hands-on STEAM and entrepreneurship projects with collaborative community experiences and applied design challenges. In addition to project-based learning, you will engage in excursions that introduce you to aspects of Canada’s natural landscapes and cultural heritage. Over the course of a month at one of 30 participating post-secondary campuses, you will interact with peers from diverse backgrounds while gaining exposure to campus life and exploring a new city environment. The program operates on an intensive schedule that integrates interactive learning sessions, interdisciplinary design challenges, and collaborative teamwork focused on addressing real-world problems. You will also engage with keynote speakers, faculty members, entrepreneurs, and other practitioners who connect academic concepts with practical applications. Overall, the program offers an immersive environment that integrates science, technology, arts, and business.
Location: Virtual and in-person at Schulich School of Business, York University, Toronto, ON
Cost: Free
Dates: July 7–24
Application Deadline: Check here for updates
Eligibility: High school students in Grades 10–12 across Ontario are eligible to apply
The Schulich Business Excellence Academy is a summer business education and mentorship program for high school students across Ontario. The program is delivered primarily through virtual sessions that combine lectures, discussions, and group-based activities led by Schulich faculty, community professionals, and guest speakers. You are placed in small groups and paired with a Schulich undergraduate mentor to encourage collaboration and the development of interpersonal and business-related skills. The curriculum introduces key business concepts through modules such as Strategy for Business for Good, The Language of Business, Managing People, Getting Customers, Think Like a CTO, and Road to University. The program concludes with an in-person session at the Schulich School of Business, where you will take part in a case competition, campus tours, and a graduation dinner, and those who complete all required modules receive a Certificate of Completion.
Location: Ivey Business School, Western University, London, ON
Cost: $450 CAD / $330 USD
Dates: August 3–7
Application Deadline: Applications open on April 1
Eligibility: High school students currently in Grades 9, 10, and 11, motivated to learn about leadership, business, and innovation
The John F. Wood Summer Leadership Program is a multi-day residential experience for high school students interested in developing leadership skills while gaining exposure to campus life. The program brings together approximately 150 students and engages them in hands-on activities, case-based discussions, and collaborative team challenges designed to strengthen critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. You will take part in workshops and case learning sessions led by faculty members, staff, and student leaders, while working in teams on a project developed in partnership with the Morrissette Institute for Entrepreneurship. The challenge, introduced on the first day, encourages you to apply entrepreneurial thinking by identifying a problem and developing a practical solution, with guidance from Ivey student mentors. The program concludes with team presentations evaluated by a panel of Ivey alumni.
Location: Upper Canada College, Toronto, ON
Cost: $4,500 CAD / $3,294 USD | Need-based financial aid is available | A scholarship of $10,000 is provided to top performers
Dates: July 5–18
Application Deadline: January 16
Eligibility: High school students across Canada who are entering Grades 11 and 12 are eligible to apply
The Lang Leadership Lab Summer Institute is a two-week co-educational program designed to help high school students explore leadership development through immersive learning experiences. You will engage in workshops, team-based projects, and discussions focused on self-awareness, strengths-based leadership, and building effective teams, while learning from educators and professionals across sectors such as technology, sports, arts, business, and civic engagement. The program takes place across multiple locations, including Upper Canada College, University of Toronto, and the University of Guelph, where you will experience campus life and participate in activities such as outdoor team development at UCC’s Norval Outdoor School and a case study competition organized with professors from the Rotman School of Management. You will stay in residence at the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics and, upon completing the program, receive a university certificate in leadership.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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