10 Summer Business Programs for Middle School Students
- Lydia Park
- 49 minutes ago
- 8 min read
Exploring summer business programs for middle schoolers can be a meaningful way to deepen your understanding of entrepreneurship and business basics long before high school. These opportunities often provide exposure to college‑level academics and life, help you build practical skills like financial literacy, teamwork, and pitching ideas, and introduce you to industry professionals—all without the hefty price tag of full pre‑college programs. Many programs focus on hands‑on learning, project‑based work, and collaboration, giving you a taste of what studying business in college or launching your own venture might feel like. For students genuinely interested in business, a well‑chosen summer experience can also expand your network and help you connect with mentors and peers who share your interests.
We’ve narrowed down top summer business programs for middle schoolers by looking at factors such as academic rigor, networking opportunities, scholarship availability, selectivity where applicable, and the prestige or quality of the hosting organization. Some options below include programs with structured curricula taught by university faculty or experienced instructors, while others offer immersive camps that strengthen your business thinking and entrepreneurial confidence. Whether you’re looking for something competitive or simply enriching, this list gives you objective details to help you find a strong fit.
10 Summer Business Programs for Middle School Students
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: 8 weeks, varies by cohort
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8
If you’re looking for an online guided program, Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program may meet your needs. You will be paired with PhD mentors from prestigious universities, such as Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Princeton, who are experts in their fields. You can study a subject of your choice, including medicine, engineering, business, economics, history, and so on. The program helps you learn to read and interpret academic literature, build research questions, and create outputs such as a high school-level research paper or case study. You can expect to develop critical thinking and scientific communication skills through feedback sessions. Lumiere also offers a Junior Research and Publication Program for students who wish to publish their research in academic journals in 16 weeks.
Location: Virtual (hosted by UC Berkeley Haas School of Business)
Cost: $1,895 plus $85 non-refundable application fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; rolling admissions
Dates: February 1 – April 15 (Mondays & Wednesdays, 4:00–5:00 PM PT)
Application Deadline: December 20
Eligibility: Students currently enrolled in grades 6–8
This after-school program explores entrepreneurship and business fundamentals through an engaging online format. In the 2026 cycle, you'll focus on Artificial Intelligence — learning its history, business impact, and future potential. You’ll use tools like the Business Model Canvas to brainstorm innovative AI-based solutions to real-world problems, while also developing your communication, collaboration, and presentation skills. All sessions are interactive and designed to build confidence in leadership and teamwork. If you’re interested in the intersection of tech and business, this virtual experience offers foundational knowledge through a UC Berkeley lens.
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies; Full financial aid is available
Acceptance rate or Cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Various cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by the cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8; no coding or technical background required
Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers program introduces you to key concepts in artificial intelligence and machine learning through live instruction and collaborative learning. Over 25 hours, you learn Python programming, explore data analysis, and build models using regression and classification techniques. You receive personalized guidance through small-group mentoring, with a five-to-one student-to-mentor ratio. As the program progresses, you explore more advanced topics such as neural networks and AI ethics. A central part of the experience is the team-based capstone project, where you and a few peers apply your new skills to solve a real-world challenge and present your findings at the end.
Location: University of California, Berkeley, CA
Cost/Stipend: $710–$1,320 depending on course; financial aid available during early and standard deadlines
Acceptance rate or cohort size: Selective; class sizes capped at 20–24 students
Dates: June 22–July 31
Application Deadline: Early: February 25; Standard: March 23; Extended (no financial aid): May 29
Eligibility: Students currently in grades 7–11; strong 6th grade applicants with prior ATDP experience may apply
At the UC Berkeley Academic Talent Development Program (ATDP), you can enroll in a single advanced academic course that aligns with your interests and grade level. The Secondary Division includes options like “Introduction to Innovation and Entrepreneurship,” designed to build foundational business thinking through interactive, college-prep level instruction. You’ll attend small, seminar-style classes either online or in person on Berkeley’s campus, working with expert instructors and a motivated group of peers. Coursework includes hands-on projects, homework assignments, and independent study hours between class meetings. With a mix of UC-approved and AP-aligned classes, this is one of the more rigorous summer business programs for middle schoolers offering academic depth and college readiness.
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; includes meals and MTA transportation
Acceptance rate or cohort size: Selective; open to eligible NYC students
Dates: July 6 – July 31
Application Deadline: March 31 at 11:59 PM
Eligibility: Students in 7th or 8th grade enrolled in a New York City public school
The College and Career Lab at NYU is a free, multi-year summer and academic-year program that helps you explore college-level academics and future careers through hands-on learning. During the summer Exploratory Stage, you’ll attend daily workshops and classes at NYU covering topics like business, neuroscience, and philosophy, all taught by university faculty. In the business track, you’ll be introduced to core areas such as marketing, entrepreneurship, and accounting through lectures, field trips, and meetings with professionals from companies like Facebook and Google. You’ll also receive college readiness mentoring and career exposure through year-round Saturday sessions known as Practice Labs. This summer business program for middle schoolers emphasizes real-world experience, community building, and long-term academic development.
Location: CIC Boston, Boston, MA and The Foundry, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: Tuition required; financial assistance readily available
Acceptance rate or cohort size: Open enrollment; limited capacity per session
Dates: Boston: August 5–9; Cambridge: August 12–16
Application Deadline: Rolling until spots are filled
Eligibility: Students in grades 5–10; Level 1 for grades 5–7, Level 2 for grades 8–10
The Business of Doing Good is a five-day day program focused on social entrepreneurship, giving you the chance to create a business that also aims to solve a social issue. You’ll choose a personal passion or cause, then build a business idea around it with guidance from instructors and exposure to real-life entrepreneurs. Each day includes activities that help you craft a business plan, develop a marketing strategy, and analyze your project's impact. The program ends with an Expo where you’ll present your ideas to others, gaining feedback and practice in public speaking. As a summer business program for middle schoolers, it emphasizes values-driven entrepreneurship and encourages you to think critically about how to make a difference through business.
Location: Walnut Creek, CA (plus select Bay Area locations)
Cost/Stipend: Tuition required; financial aid details not listed
Acceptance rate or cohort size: Open enrollment; space limited per session
Dates: Seasonal programs; next confirmed pop-up shop on May 2
Application Deadline: Registration opens soon; join mailing list for updates
Eligibility: Girls and gender-expansive youth ages 8–18
Girls Crushing It is a multi-stage entrepreneurship program where you’ll build a real product-based business and sell directly to customers at a community pop-up shop. First-time participants go through an “Entrepreneurship 101” workshop, while returning students can join advanced sessions led by corporate partners like Sephora or Nasdaq’s Entrepreneurial Center. You’ll create a product line, plan your marketing strategy, and manage your own booth during the market event. Field trips, mentorship, and pitch days round out the experience, helping you strengthen your public speaking and leadership skills. This summer business program for middle schoolers emphasizes experiential learning and real-world execution over simulation.
Location: University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD
Cost/Stipend: $374 per session; no financial aid listed
Acceptance rate or cohort size: Open enrollment; capacity based on session size
Dates:
Stock Market: June 22–June 26, 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
Techpreneurs: July 27–July 31, 1:00 PM–4:00 PM
Application Deadline: Rolling until sessions are full
Eligibility: Incoming 6th–8th grade students
UMBC’s middle school summer business programs offer two distinct tracks that focus on real-world application of financial and tech-based business concepts. In the “Stock Market: Financial Literacy and Investment Strategy” course, you’ll dive into budgeting, investment strategies, and simulated stock trading, with top competitors earning Amazon gift cards. The “Techpreneurs: Building Business Through Technology” track lets you explore how startups like Tesla and Duolingo succeeded and guides you to build your own digital business idea using tools like Canva and Scratch. Both courses feature hands-on learning and end with practical showcases, such as a stock market competition or a startup expo. These offerings blend financial education and creative technology to help you understand business fundamentals in action.
Location: Dallas College Pleasant Grove Center, Dallas, TX
Cost/Stipend: Free; no tuition listed
Acceptance rate or cohort size: Open enrollment; space may be limited
Dates: June 9 – July 18 (hybrid format)
Application Deadline: May 23
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7–10
The Youth Entrepreneurship Bootcamp at Dallas College is a six-week hybrid program designed to introduce you to business fundamentals through a mix of in-person and virtual learning. You’ll spend the first and last weeks on-site, while the middle sessions combine remote instruction with weekly field trips to local businesses. Each week focuses on a key area such as product development, financial literacy, or pitching, and you'll gain insights directly from guest entrepreneurs. The experience concludes with a business fair where you’ll present your final venture to a live audience. This summer business program for middle schoolers is structured to offer both foundational knowledge and practical, confidence-building experience.
10. Camp BizSmart
Location: Multiple locations in the U.S., primarily Silicon Valley, CA
Cost/Stipend: Tuition required (exact amount not listed; varies by location)
Acceptance rate or cohort size: 30 students per session
Dates: 10-day sessions throughout the summer; runs Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM
Application Deadline: Rolling until full
Eligibility: Students ages 11–15
Camp BizSmart offers a ten-day immersive experience where you'll work in a team to tackle real business innovation challenges provided by CEOs of startups and industry leaders. You’ll select a leadership role—such as CEO, CFO, or CMO—on your team and use that perspective to help solve product design and business model problems tied to companies like Token and Notpla. Over the course of the camp, you’ll write a business plan, collaborate with an industrial designer to develop a product prototype, and pitch your solution to a panel of venture capitalists and angel investors. This summer business program for middle schoolers focuses on core entrepreneurial skills such as public speaking, leadership, negotiation, and financial analysis. It’s structured to simulate the real-world challenges of launching and managing a startup.
Lydia is an alumna from Harvard University and studied Molecular and Cellular Biology & Economics. In high school, she was the captain of her high school’s Academic Decathlon team and attended the Governor's School of Engineering and Technology. She is working as a life sciences consultant after graduation.
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