15 Free Economics Summer Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 4 hours ago
- 10 min read
If you're a high school student interested in economics, a free summer program can be a low-risk, high-reward way to deepen your understanding of the field. These programs often replicate the intensity and structure of college-level coursework, giving you early exposure to academic content in economics, statistics, and policy. Beyond the classroom, you’ll also gain transferable skills, quantitative reasoning, research, and data analysis, and connect with peers, professors, and professionals in the field. Many programs include mentorship, lectures from economists or faculty, and opportunities to engage in real-world projects, simulations, or case studies.
For students curious about economics as a major or career path, exploring a free summer program is one of the most accessible ways to test their interest. We’ve put together a list of 15 free economics summer programs that stand out for their rigor, selectivity, and connection to prestigious institutions.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Cost: Varies depending on program type, financial aid available
Duration: Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Location: Remote , you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June - August), Fall (September - December), Winter (December - February), and Spring (March - June).
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler.
The program pairs high school students with Ph.D. mentors to work one-on-one on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
Location: Offered both virtually and at multiple college campuses nationwide
Cost: Different fees for different programs. Check here.
Application Deadline: Not available
Program Dates: Multiple sessions throughout the summer
Eligibility: Open to current high school sophomores and juniors
Foundation for Teaching Economics offers a range of competitive summer programs that teach you courses on the environment and the economy, how to apply economic reasoning to real-world decision-making, and more. For instance, in their Economics for Leaders program, you’ll study foundational economic concepts and leadership theory, with a focus on analyzing public policy issues through both lenses.
Their program combines classroom learning with group-based simulations and case studies. Faculty include university economists and leadership educators, and sessions often mirror the expectations of a college seminar. If you’re interested in how economics shapes the world and want to strengthen your problem-solving and communication skills, this program offers both academic depth and practical application.
Location: Washington, D.C.
Cost: Free (unpaid)
Application Deadlines: Spring: October; Summer: December; Fall: June (exact dates not available)
Program Dates: Spring: January – May; Summer: May – August; Fall: September – December
Eligibility: Students must be U.S. citizens and remain enrolled in or accepted to an accredited institution for the entire duration of the internship. Those who have graduated may not continue volunteering past their graduation date unless they can provide documentation of future enrollment at an accredited college or university.
This internship places you inside the U.S. Treasury Department, offering exposure to federal work in economics, policy, and finance. You'll assist with research, data analysis, and report writing, and may help coordinate events or attend briefings, depending on your assigned office. Interns are placed in departments such as Domestic Finance, Economic Policy, or International Affairs, where you’ll get a close-up look at federal economic decision-making.
As an intern, you will assist in preparing briefing materials, talking points, and detailed reports for senior leaders at the Treasury Department and external stakeholders. You'll have the opportunity to attend and document relevant Congressional hearings, interagency meetings, and public conferences, helping synthesize key takeaways for internal use. In addition, you will also get to work closely with colleagues across the Treasury and other U.S. government agencies on policy matters and initiatives tied to your assigned portfolio.
While unpaid, the program is a strong early stepping stone for anyone considering a career in government, public policy, or economics. Expect to build writing, research, and analytical skills while contributing to ongoing federal projects.
Location: Northern California Kaiser Permanente facilities (closest to your home)
Cost: Free; paid at $23/hour
Application Deadline: Opens November 18
Program Dates: June 16 – August 1 (7 weeks)
Eligibility: High school students (ages 16–19) who live in a designated Northern California Kaiser Permanente service area
KP LAUNCH gives you a behind-the-scenes look at healthcare from an administrative perspective. Over seven weeks, you'll work in a Kaiser Permanente office or medical center, where you'll assist with departmental tasks and attend weekly career and skills workshops. The program includes mentorship, service projects, and opportunities to network with professionals across fields like business operations, communications, and patient support. You’ll gain exposure to healthcare systems, build transferable skills, and earn a competitive hourly wage. This is a strong option if you're curious about healthcare careers beyond clinical roles.
While not strictly economics-focused, it includes roles in areas like finance, accounting, actuarial science, and business strategy. You will gain hands-on experience analyzing budgets, financial reporting, and data-driven decision-making, all core concepts in economics research and analysis.
Location: Local nonprofits in eligible U.S. cities + a one-week summit in Washington, D.C.
Cost: Free; paid internship plus all-expenses-covered summit
Application Deadline: January 15
Program Dates: June–July (8 weeks); Summit: July 21–26
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors in eligible locations; must be authorized to work in the U.S., and in good academic standing
This eight-week paid summer internship places you with a local nonprofit, where you’ll assist with real-world projects that serve your community.
While not a traditional economics research program, it provides an opportunity to understand how economic principles play out in real-world community settings. During the paid eight-week summer internship, you’ll work with nonprofits such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of America or Habitat for Humanity, gaining firsthand insight into how resource allocation, access to services, and financial structures affect local communities. You’ll also participate in the national Student Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C., where you’ll explore how businesses, nonprofits, and government entities collaborate to address systemic challenges. For students interested in economics from a civic or applied perspective, this program can help build a meaningful foundation in real-world economic problem-solving.
Location: Hybrid in Kansas City, MO
Cost: Free; includes $12-$14/hour pay + $2,500 scholarship per session
Application Deadline: 17 February
Program Dates: Session 1: June 2 – June 27; Session 2: July 7 – August 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
This hybrid summer program connects you with Midwest companies to explore how business ideas move from concept to execution. You’ll contribute to real-world projects while exploring how different fields, such as finance, marketing, data analysis, and technology, intersect to address community challenges. This experience can help you understand how economic, business, and technical skills are applied in nonprofit and public service settings.
Professional mentorship is central to the experience, and the program offers insight into entrepreneurship and workplace dynamics. You can expect to build both technical and leadership skills while earning a stipend and scholarship. Whether you're interested in starting a business or exploring the fundamentals of one, this program offers a hands-on path into the world of entrepreneurship. You will collaborate with companies like Super Dispatch, Bungii, C2FO, Daupler, and more.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $4,454 – $6,238 (financial aid available)
Application Deadline: May 9
Program Dates: June 16 – July 25
Eligibility: Students finishing grades 9–12; must be ages 14–18 by June 15
This online program offers college-level economics courses in a flexible format, with options like Behavioral Game Theory, which explores how people make decisions in strategic contexts. You’ll also have the chance to build technical skills through classes focused on quantitative analysis, such as mathematical modeling in finance, and examine global economic issues through topics like health justice and development. Across courses, you’ll use data to analyze real-world problems and deepen your understanding of how economic theory applies across sectors. Check out their courses here.
Expect to work with models, design experiments, and interpret findings through writing and discussion. You’ll also engage in peer dialogue and receive instructor feedback as you build analytical and problem-solving skills. A digital certificate is awarded upon completion. They offer commuter and residential programs as well.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,299 + $100 application fee (scholarships and waivers available)
Application Deadline: May 1
Program Dates: Session 1: June 23 – June 27; Session 2: July 21 – July 25
Eligibility: High school students currently in grades 9–12
This one-week program introduces you to the fundamentals of sports analytics through statistical modeling, programming in R, and real-world data interpretation. You’ll learn how to use data to make informed decisions, applying techniques that are central to both sports and statistics. Sessions are led by Wharton faculty and include a mix of live instruction, group discussions, and independent work. Projects focus on analyzing real sports datasets, but the skills you build, quantitative reasoning, coding, and critical thinking, are widely applicable in finance, economics, and research. A certificate is awarded upon completion.
Location: University of California, Los Angeles, or online
Program Dates: Virtual: June 24 – July 12; Commuter (in-person): July 15 – August 2
Cost: Virtual – $1,916; Commuter – $2,486 (additional fees may apply); need- and merit-based scholarships available
Eligibility: Current 9th–12th grade students, age 15+ by the program start date
Application Deadline: June 1
UCLA’s Economics Summer Institute is a three-week academic program that introduces you to the tools and reasoning used in economic analysis. Whether attending in person or virtually, you’ll learn how to interpret economic data and examine policy decisions through a quantitative lens. The course emphasizes critical thinking about real-world applications such as rent control, taxation, and international trade, with a focus on data-driven decision-making. You’ll explore topics like market structures, government regulation, and global economic trends, while building foundational skills in economic modeling and statistical analysis. This program is designed to simulate a college-level economics course and prepare you for future academic work in the field.
Location: Washington, D.C.
Dates: Certification begins from Feb 4 - March 22, program starts from June 23- August 1
Cost: Free; includes paid stipend (amount varies)
Eligibility: D.C. residents ages 14–24, able to commute to job site
Application Deadline: Typically closes in March
The Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program offers D.C. youth hands-on work placements in both public and private sector organizations. Over several weeks, you’ll gain early exposure to the workplace while developing skills in teamwork, communication, and time management. You’ll also participate in structured training in areas like financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and career planning.
MBSYEP offers a newly added Pathways to Finance Grant, which places students in roles explicitly centered on accounting, economics, international finance, and risk management. Those accepted into this track spend six weeks in finance-focused internships, followed by visits to universities and professional finance institutions, helping interns understand real-world applications of economics and build career-related networks. Internships span sectors such as business, government, and nonprofit work, depending on your age and experience. The program ends with a final presentation, where you’ll share your learning and projects with peers and professionals, simulating a real-world pitch environment.
Location: Seattle, WA
Dates: June – August (varies by role)
Cost: Free; includes paid stipend (amount not specified)
Eligibility: High school students (including recent grads), age 16+, with U.S. work authorization
Application Deadline: May 18
The Port of Seattle’s high school internship program gives you the chance to work within a major public agency focused on transportation, trade, and sustainability. As an intern, you’ll support meaningful projects that connect directly to community development and environmental stewardship. The program includes site tours, skill-building workshops, and exposure to professionals across departments. You'll develop transferable skills in communication, project coordination, leadership, and public sector operations. Placement areas range from aviation and maritime logistics to green jobs, equity initiatives, and public affairs.While not strictly an economics internship, the program gives you insight into how large-scale infrastructure, aviation, and maritime operations influence regional economies and job creation. You’ll work on community-focused projects tied to public services and environmental stewardship, while gaining exposure to how public sector decisions shape economic development.
Location: Miami, FL
Dates: 14 weeks during summer; May 19-August 22
Cost: Free; includes both paid and unpaid placements
Eligibility: High school, college, and graduate students
Application Deadline: March 31
This internship places you inside the Miami-Dade County government, where you’ll contribute to public service projects while learning how different departments operate. You might work in areas like budgeting, data analysis, planning, housing, or communications, developing real-world skills and exploring careers in local governance. Interns receive mentorship from County staff and can be assigned to offices across the government, including the Mayor’s Office. If placed there, you’ll gain experience in policy writing, public outreach, and interdepartmental collaboration.
Location: Penn State Smeal College of Business, University Park, PA
Dates: June 15–27
Cost: $250 registration fee for accepted students
Eligibility: U.S. or Puerto Rico-based high school juniors interested in studying business
Application Deadline: March 19
BOSS is a two-week residential program designed to give you early exposure to college academics and business fundamentals. Hosted by Penn State’s Smeal College of Business, the program combines introductory coursework in areas like management, supply chain, ethics, and entrepreneurship with college preparation workshops. You’ll strengthen your skills in business writing, presentations, and communication while learning from Penn State faculty in a collaborative campus environment. The curriculum is tailored for students considering a future in business, with a focus on practical knowledge and critical thinking.
Location: Harvard University Campus, Cambridge, MA
Dates: Week-long sessions from June to August
Cost: $1,800 (80% need-based financial aid available)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12, age 14+ at the time of the program
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Harvard Student Agencies’ Business Academy offers two distinct one-week programs focused on entrepreneurship and business strategy. In the Entrepreneurship Academy, you’ll explore the startup landscape, build financial literacy, and pitch a business idea in a simulated startup competition. The Management and Strategy Academy immerses you in corporate casework, analyzing business data, interpreting financial statements, and crafting solutions to profitability and market growth challenges. Acting as a consultant, you’ll tackle real-world firm scenarios while learning core business strategy frameworks. Both academies emphasize practical problem-solving and are led by Harvard undergraduates with experience in business and consulting.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced (approx. 4 hours)
Eligibility: Open to high school students
This self-paced Udemy course introduces you to the fundamentals of energy economics, with a focus on how energy systems intersect with policy, markets, and environmental impact. You'll explore how oil, electricity, and renewables affect global economies, and evaluate the trade-offs of various energy choices using economic tools. Topics include carbon pricing mechanisms, regulatory frameworks, and climate investment strategies. You’ll also consider ethical and geopolitical dimensions of energy use, gaining a well-rounded perspective on how economics informs real-world environmental decisions.
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.
Image Source - Bank of America logo