10 University Entrepreneurship Programs for High School Students
If you are a high school student interested in starting your own business venture and exploring advanced academics in the field, a university-level entrepreneurship program is worth considering. University entrepreneurship programs are structured learning experiences (hosted at universities!) that combine instruction and hands-on activities to cover key concepts in the field of entrepreneurship.
These programs often go beyond basic lessons by offering exposure to real-world challenges, case studies, and group projects that simulate what it’s like to run or grow a business.
By learning from faculty or guest speakers with experience in the field, you can build a stronger understanding of how businesses operate. Many programs also emphasize teamwork and problem-solving, which are key parts of business education. If you’re considering studying business in college or want early insight into how startups work, a university-based program can offer useful preparation.
If this sounds like something you would like to explore, here we have come up with a list of 10 university entrepreneurship programs for high school students:
1. Penn State’s Business Opportunities Summer Session (BOSS)
Location: Penn State University Park campus, PA
Cost: $250
Dates: June 15 – 27
Application deadline: March 19
Eligibility: High school juniors in the U.S. and Puerto Rico
The Business Opportunities Summer Session (BOSS) at Penn State’s Smeal College of Business is a two-week, residential program for high school juniors interested in business education. Held on the University Park campus, the program offers you a chance to take college prep and business fundamentals courses and gain knowledge and skills for future business studies. In this residential program, you also get to experience college life while staying in dorms, dining at campus facilities, and interacting with faculty. You will also have the chance to network with peers and mentors. On-campus events, workshops, and field visits are also typically part of the BOSS experience!
2. Harvard Pre-College Summer School Program
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $5,800 + $75 application fee
Dates: Session I: June 22 – July 3; Session II: July 6 – 18; Session III: July 20 – August 1
Application deadline: February 12
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are 16 – 19 years old
The Harvard Pre-College Summer School Program is a two-week, academically rigorous experience that offers high school students the chance to live and study on Harvard’s campus. You will choose from a variety of intensive college-level courses across subjects, including business and leadership-focused subjects. You will also engage in discussions and debates in small, interactive classes with Ivy League professors to explore the field of business in detail. In addition to academics, the program also focuses on creative and social on-campus activities that can offer you a sneak peek into college life. During the program, you will also attend workshops on college application essays, the financial aid process, and navigating the college admissions landscape.
3. UPenn’s Wharton Global Youth Program: Essentials of Entrepreneurship
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (on campus)
Cost: $11,399; limited need-based scholarships available
Dates: June 8 – June 21; June 22 – July 4; July 13 – July 26; July 27 – August 9
Application deadlines: Priority deadline: January 29; Final deadline: April 2
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9 – 11
In this two-week intensive summer program, you will learn the fundamentals of creating a successful startup, including user research, opportunity testing, marketing, scaling, and exiting. With the help of lectures from Wharton faculty and collaborative team-based activities, you will gain hands-on experience in developing a business pitch for an early-stage startup. This immersive program not only teaches key entrepreneurial concepts but also focuses on adopting an entrepreneurial mindset that you can apply across various industries. During the program, you will work in a team to come up with a pitch for an early-stage startup.
4. Future Business Leaders Webinar Series
Location: Online
Cost: $350 for program tuition and fees
Dates: Multiple sessions in the August 3 – 30 period. You can check the precise webinar dates here.
Application deadline: July 1
Eligibility: High school students with a demonstrated interest in business
The Future Business Leaders Webinar Series, hosted by NYU Stern School of Business, is a virtual opportunity for high school students to explore various fields within business. The nine-part webinar series covers topics such as entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, and sports. The webinars feature business executives who share their insights and experiences across various industries, including fashion, management, and entertainment. You will receive a certificate upon completion. This program is designed to provide you with practical knowledge and exposure to different business domains, preparing you for future careers.
5. USC Pre-College Online Program: Entrepreneurship: Exploring What It Takes to Create Your Own Business
Location: Online
Cost: $1,990 + $35 application fee |
Dates: Multiple two- to four-week self-paced sessions between April 14 and August 18
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary by session (e.g., April 9 for April 14 session, July 30 for August 4 session). Check the official website for detailed information.
Eligibility: High school students who are 14 and older; recent graduates and gap-year students can request to apply as well
This USC Pre-College Online Program offers high school students the opportunity to gain essential entrepreneurial skills through flexible, self-paced online courses. Taught by Dr. Glenn Fox from the USC Marshall School of Business, the program covers key topics like developing an entrepreneurial mindset, market analysis, small business finance, and pitching business ideas. The program is conducted through recorded lectures, business case studies, and industry spotlights. As a program participant, you will gain real-world insights from experts in the field and learn how to launch and sustain a business. You will also learn how to raise funds and pitch a business idea to potential investors. The program requires a commitment of 20 to 25 hours over two to four weeks.
7. Colorado State University’s Institute for Entrepreneurship Pre-College Programs
Location: Online and in-person (Colorado State University’s College of Business, Fort Collins, CO) formats available
Cost: Varies depending on the program. Scholarships are available for certain programs.
Dates: Varies for each program; Venture Validator Summer Camp and Global Business Academy are typically held between June and August, while SPARK and Venture Validator may be held toward the end of the year (October – December)
Application deadline: Varies by program. Check the program pages for detailed information.
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 – 12
The Colorado State University Institute for Entrepreneurship offers a variety of programs designed to engage high school students in the world of entrepreneurship and innovation. Programs like Venture Validator and the Global Business Academy provide you with hands-on opportunities to test business ideas, collaborate with peers, and learn directly from experienced mentors. The Venture Validator Summer Camp is a one-week opportunity that allows you to identify real-world issues and develop business solutions through a collaborative, team-based approach to address these issues. The Global Business Academy, on the other hand, offers an immersive 10-day international experience, where you will explore how to use business to solve global challenges. Additionally, another event, called SPARK, introduces you to design thinking and entrepreneurship tools that you can use to pitch your ideas to get funding. All the programs offer some exposure to the startup world, business leadership, and real-world problem-solving.
8. NYU SPS High School Academy Career Edge: Entrepreneurship and Business Startups
Location: New York University, New York City, NY
Cost: $2,579 tuition + $50 + optional $640 housing and dining fees (for residential participants)
Dates: Multiple one-week sessions from June 23 – August 8. You can check the precise dates here.
Application deadline: May 15 for residential program applicants and June 13 for commuters
Eligibility: High school students who have completed grades 9 – 11
This is an intensive, hands-on program designed for high school students interested in business and entrepreneurship. During this program, you will learn to analyze the challenges faced by startups and come up with effective solutions. The program covers the lean startup model—a framework for launching businesses using an experimental approach rather than traditional business plans. As a program participant, you will develop skills in problem-solving, innovation, and business strategy through series of lectures, discussions, cases, and exercises. You will learn to analyze real-world startup challenges systematically and develop innovative solutions that have a meaningful impact in the marketplace.
9. Georgetown University: Becoming an Entrepreneur — An Inside Look at Innovation
Location: Online
Cost: $1,795 | Need-based scholarships are available.
Dates: May 4–June 1 (four-week session); May 18–June 1 (two-week session); May 18–June 15 (four-week session)
Application deadlines: April 27 for the May 4 session and May 11 for the other two sessions
Eligibility: Students who are 13 or older
The Becoming an Entrepreneur: An Inside Look at Innovation program at Georgetown University is a pre-college offering meant for high schoolers interested in exploring the field of entrepreneurship in depth. Here, you will explore basics like the history and foundation of entrepreneurship and the various types of business models. This program also covers key aspects of starting and running a business, including identifying market needs, creating a business pitch, and practicing leadership behaviors that inspire teams. During the program, you will also learn about the lean startup model, explore real-world examples of business success and failure, and gain practical skills for navigating the startup landscape. The course culminates in a Capstone Project, where you will pitch your business idea.
10. NSLC Business & Entrepreneurship Program
Location: Multiple sites — Columbia University, New York, NY; Duke University, Durham, NC; UC Berkeley, San Francisco, CA; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; and Yale University, New Haven, CT
Cost: $4,095 – $4,395 (Residential)
Dates: Columbia University: July 8 – 16 and July 20 – 28; Duke University: July 6 – 14 and July 18–26; UC Berkeley: June 13 – 21 and June 25 – July 3; University of Michigan: June 16 – 24 and June 29 – July 7; Yale University: Jul 15–23, Jul 26–Aug 3
Application deadline: Suggested deadlines vary depending on the program and session; however, the program accepts applications as long as it has room for students
Eligibility: High school students
The NSLC Business & Entrepreneurship Program, along with partner Inc. Magazine, offers on-campus business and entrepreneurship programs designed to connect high school students with entrepreneurs from the fastest-growing companies in the U.S. During the program, you will engage in a variety of business simulations that help you understand essential entrepreneurial concepts such as business models, product development, and scaling a company. You will also gain real-world industry perspectives through sessions with guest speakers, including CEOs from the Inc. 5000 list. Field trips and tours are also part of the experience to provide you with behind-the-scenes insights into the field. Additionally, you will get opportunities to develop leadership skills through workshops on communication, resilience, and empathy.
Bonus Option -
These programs are not run by universities, but we’re sharing them incase you’d like more options!
Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Cost: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Founded by Harvard alumni, Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. You can explore all the options here on their application form. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Full financial aid is available!
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
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 1-on-1 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 economics, data science, business, entrepreneurship, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
If you’re looking for an incubator program that helps you build a startup in high school, consider the Young Founders Lab!
The Young Founders Lab is a start-up boot camp 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!