11 Finance Camps for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 3 hours ago
- 8 min read
If you’re interested in finance, camps can give you a way to explore how money, markets, and businesses work beyond what you learn in school. These programs introduce you to topics like investing, personal finance, and financial systems while placing you in structured learning environments. They can also help you understand how financial decisions shape businesses and everyday life.
Why should I attend a finance camp in high school?
Finance camps give you a structured way to learn how money, markets, and businesses work in practice. You might analyze stocks, build investment plans, explore budgeting strategies, or take part in simulations and case studies that reflect financial decision-making. Over time, these experiences can help you develop analytical skills, understand key concepts more clearly, and explore whether you want to pursue finance or related fields.
To help you get started, here are 11 finance camps for high school students.
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Location: University of South Florida (USF), Tampa, FL
Cost: $650 (includes materials and lunch)
Application rate/ cohort size: Selective, 50 students
Dates: 2 five-day sessions on July 14-18 and July 21-25
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Open to students entering 9th-12th grade
The Bulls Finance Camp at the University of South Florida gives you a hands-on introduction to the world of finance. In this five-day, on-campus program, you’ll learn the fundamentals of budgeting, investing, corporate finance, and financial technology directly from USF faculty and industry professionals. Through interactive lectures, group projects, and team challenges, you’ll apply what you learn to real-world financial scenarios. You’ll also get the chance to analyze stocks, create financial plans, and explore USF’s cutting-edge finance labs. Along the way, you’ll connect with finance experts and like-minded students, gaining both practical skills and a real sense of what it’s like to study and work in the finance field.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program; financial aid is available.
Application rate/ cohort size: Selective
Dates: Varies by program and cohort: Spring (March - June), Summer (June - August), Fall (September - December), and Winter (December - February).
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort. Apply here.
Eligibility: Currently enrolled high school students (grades 9-12) with strong academic records (GPA: 3.3/4.0).
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program Finance Track is a remote opportunity where you can explore finance or related fields through one-on-one mentorship with a PhD researcher. Over several months, you will design and complete your own finance-focused research project, such as analyzing market trends or building economic models, under the guidance of academic experts. You will strengthen your skills in data analysis, research writing, and presentation as you prepare a professional paper and share your findings with mentors. The program mirrors the rigor and independence of college-level research while remaining flexible and accessible for high school students. It is a meaningful way to explore your interest in finance and experience what real academic research feels like.
Location: Western Kentucky University (WKU), Bowling Green, KY
Cost: $299 (early-bird) or $399 (regular). Includes all meals, dorm housing, activities, and a camp t-shirt. Need-based scholarships are available.
Application rate/ cohort size: Selective, 30 students
Dates: Five days, June 15-19
Application Deadline: Early bird deadline is May 10. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until spots are filled.
Eligibility: Rising 10th-12th graders (entering 10th-12th in fall)
WKU’s Personal Finance Camp is a five-day residential experience at Western Kentucky University, where you’ll live on campus and explore the essentials of money management in an engaging, hands-on way. You’ll dive into workshops on budgeting, saving, investing, and insurance, while also building leadership and teamwork skills. In small groups, you’ll take part in a Financial Plan Case Study Competition and visit local financial institutions to see how financial concepts work in practice. With only about 30 campers, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to interact closely with faculty mentors and peers. By the end of the camp, you’ll present a complete financial plan you’ve created, gaining both practical financial literacy and a clearer picture of careers in finance and economics.
Location: London, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo
Cost: Varies according to program. Financial aid available
Application Deadline: Multiple cohorts throughout the summer months with rolling admissions
Program Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Eligibility: Students aged 15-18 currently enrolled in high school
The Career Insights Program is an industry-focused experience for high school students in cities around the world. As a participant, you can expect to engage in practical projects with major businesses across industries. The program connects you with industry experts through interactive workshops, site visits, and hands-on projects. You'll also visit operational sites, including offices, factories, and headquarters. The program culminates in a final presentation to industry professionals. You can explore career paths in subjects such as medicine, engineering, law, business, journalism, fashion, and more. The program also includes weekly 1:1 career coaching sessions and sessions for personalized feedback. You can find more details about the application here!
Location: Bentley University, Waltham, MA (with online option available).
Cost: $3,180 (on-campus commuter session) or $1,490 (online)
Application rate/ cohort size: Small, selective group
Dates: 1-week sessions in June and July (exact dates vary each year).
Application Deadline: Priority consideration by June 1 (applications accepted until full).
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors (11th-12th grade).
Bentley Wall Street 101 immerses you in the world of finance through a competitive and experiential one-week program. You’ll learn about personal finance, stock valuation, FinTech, macroeconomics, and investment research through interactive lectures led by Bentley faculty with industry experience. Working in small teams, you’ll engage in simulations, debates, and presentations by Wall Street professionals. On campus, you’ll gain hands-on experience using Bloomberg, FactSet, and Bentley’s financial trading room to value stocks, bonds, and other assets. The program builds your analytical and presentation skills while giving you a deeper understanding of how macroeconomic policy, behavioral psychology, and financial markets intersect.
Location: Wharton campus/ University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $100 (with fee waiver available)
Application rate/ cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Multiple two-week summer sessions from June through August.
Application Deadline: Priority deadline: January 29. Final deadline: April 2.
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-11 with strong academic records and a demonstrated interest in finance, investing, or accounting. A background in economics or business is a plus. Minimum unweighted GPA of 3.3 required. Applications are evaluated based on thoughtful essays and strong recommendation letters.
Essentials of Finance gives you an immersive two-week on-campus experience to discover both personal and corporate finance. You’ll start by mastering key concepts like the time value of money, risk and return, equity valuation, interest rates, and capital structure. Working in teams, you’ll apply these ideas to evaluate a real company, build valuation models, and present a market recommendation. Through lectures, case studies, and guest sessions from Wharton faculty and the Global Youth Speaker Series, you’ll connect financial theory with real-world decision-making. By the end, you’ll earn a Wharton Global Youth Certificate of Completion to strengthen your academic and career profile while deepening your understanding of how finance drives the world of business.
Location: Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
Cost: $3,200 (tuition; room/board included)
Acceptance rate/ cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Sunday-Friday, one-week residential format
Application Deadline: To be announced (program applications open November 1)
Eligibility: Current 9th-12th grade students
Wake Forest Finance and Investing Institute gives you an immersive on-campus experience to explore finance, investing, and business strategy. You can learn how the stock market works, analyze financial statements, and understand key concepts like compounding, risk, and investment strategies. The program includes hands-on experiences such as visiting a financial institution and trading floor, creating your own investment portfolio, and participating in a mock investment competition. You may attend lectures and workshops led by Wake Forest faculty and industry professionals to connect theory with real-world practice. By the end, you will have developed analytical and decision-making skills, gained practical investing experience, and earned a Wake Forest University Certificate of Completion to support your academic and career goals.
Location: New York Institute of Finance (NYIF), NY
Cost: $3,599 for one week and $6,399 for two weeks (plus airfare)
Application rate/ cohort size: Up to ~100 (large program).
Dates: July 13 - July 26 (choice of 1-week or 2-week format)
Application Deadline: Rolling basis.
Eligibility: High school students (grade 9 - 12)
Wall Street Stock Market & Investment Experience (NYIF) gives you a front-row seat to the world of finance right in New York City. Over one or two intensive weeks, you’ll explore how markets work through hands-on simulations, portfolio management exercises, and live trading sessions led by NYIF instructors. You’ll dive into topics such as investment strategy, equity and bond markets, venture capital, and macroeconomic trends, all while managing your own virtual portfolio using real-time data. The program also takes you into the heart of the Financial District, where you’ll tour Wall Street landmarks, meet finance professionals, and present your investment plan to peers and mentors. By the end, you’ll walk away with a stronger understanding of how financial systems operate and what it takes to thrive in the fast-paced world of investing.
Location: Various U.S. cities
Cost: $199 (covers all four days and materials)
Application rate/ cohort size: Camps operate in small classes, with 30 students per class.
Dates: 4 days, starting in July, August, and September
Application Deadline: Early registration closes on August 2, with rolling admissions until spots are filled.
Eligibility: Students aged 13 - 18
My Money Camp gives you a fun, four-day hands-on immersion into financial literacy tailored for teens across the U.S. You’ll spend each day learning about how money works, from earning and spending to saving, investing, and understanding credit, through interactive, real-world exercises instead of lectures. You won’t play a stock market game; instead, you’ll explore how much different jobs pay, create a budget, see how small amounts grow over time through compound interest, and learn how debt can become a trap. In small groups led by licensed instructors, you’ll take part in team challenges, debates, and simulations that make these lessons come alive.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free (including digital materials and certificate)
Application rate/ cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 5 days, July 21 - 25 (Monday - Friday)
Application Deadline: July 1
Eligibility: Rising 9th-12th graders
SFEPD Financial Literacy Camp invites you to join a fully virtual, week-long experience designed to deepen your understanding of money and financial responsibility. During 5 days, you’ll attend daily live sessions where you and your peers across the country collaborate on team challenges, exploring budgeting, investing, credit, and professional growth. You’ll learn not just financial concepts but also communication, leadership, and teamwork through interactive exercises and friendly competitions. Throughout the week, you’ll compete for individual and team prizes, earn a certificate of completion, and receive a shirt and a token gift. This free virtual program gives you a chance to build confidence in money management skills, interact with motivated students across states, and see how financial literacy can shape your long-term goals and career path.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $200 - $997 per course (varies by topic and duration)
Application rate/ cohort size: Up to 30 students per class (with breakout groups of 8-10 students per instructor).
Dates: Multiple 5-day Summer sessions (June-August) and Winter sessions (December-January) held on Saturdays or Sundays over several weekends
Application Deadline: Rolling basis until full
Eligibility: Open to high school students (9th-12th grade)
You can choose from three week-long programs (Wall Street 101, Investing & Trading, and Budgeting & Beyond), each designed to help you build real-world money skills. Led by seasoned Wall Street professionals, you’ll join live virtual sessions where you analyze markets, explore investing strategies, and take part in simulated trading challenges. You’ll also learn how budgeting, credit, and compound interest work together to shape long-term financial success. Whether you want to understand how Wall Street operates or gain confidence managing your own money, this program helps you develop practical skills that last far beyond camp week.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program in which students work one-on-one with a research mentor to develop a research paper.
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