15 Free + Online Entrepreneurship Summer Programs for High School Students
If you're a high school student interested in starting a business or learning how startups operate, an entrepreneurship program can offer a pretty great introduction to the field. Most entrepreneurship programs cover the basics of market research, business planning, product development, and pitching ideas.
You’ll have the chance to work on real projects, get feedback from mentors, and understand how businesses grow. Many of these programs are offered online during the summer and are free or fully funded, making them accessible without requiring travel or a financial commitment.
How did we identify the best free + online entrepreneurship programs for high school students?
For starters, we focused on programs that are free or offer full financial aid and are fully online, so you can join from anywhere without worrying about cost, travel, or missing school.
Each program on this list is centered around entrepreneurship. You’ll get a chance to explore how businesses start, how ideas grow, and what it takes to launch something real.
Some of these programs are highly selective, which can look good on a college application. Others are open to more students and focus on giving you tools, mentorship, and hands-on experience.
To help you find a good fit, we’ve compiled a list of 15 free and online entrepreneurship summer programs for high school students!
15 Free + Online Entrepreneurship Summer Programs for High School Students
Young Founders Lab
The Young Founder's Lab is a startup boot camp started by Harvard students. In this program, you build a real startup that solves a real problem and try to make it earn money. You get help from mentors who have worked at places like Google, Microsoft, and X.
You also take part in hands-on classes where you learn how to build and grow a business. There are workshops, case studies, and panel talks with people who’ve done it before. Check out more details here. Apply here!
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students
Program Dates: June 9–29; August 4–24
Application Deadline: There are 3 application deadlines that you can choose between, more details in the brochure!
Ladder Internship Program
Ladder Internships is an online internship program where you work with real start-ups. These start-ups are growing fast and cover fields like tech, AI, health, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. You can see all the available options on their application form here.
As an intern, you’ll be part of a team and work on real projects. You’ll get help from a company manager and a Ladder coach. At the end, you share what you worked on with the company. Most internships last about 8 weeks and are fully online. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
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!
Open Yale Courses: Capitalism: Success, Crisis, and Reform
In this self-paced online course from Yale, you explore how capitalism works by comparing it to biological evolution. You look at how businesses either adapt or fail, and how this process affects areas like public health, poverty, education, and the environment.
The course includes full lecture videos from Professor Douglas W. Rae’s Yale College class, along with the original reading list and assignments. There is no application, and you can start anytime.
Location: Virtual (self-paced, asynchronous)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; no application required
Cost: Free
Dates: Available year-round (self-paced)
Application Deadline: None
Eligibility: Open to anyone; recommended for advanced high school students and above
The Academies by Harvard Student Agencies – Entrepreneurship Academy
The Entrepreneurship Academy by Harvard Student Agencies is a one-week virtual summer program designed to teach you how to launch a business. During the program, you'll experience the entire entrepreneurial process – from coming up with ideas and conducting market research to building a business plan and pitching your startup.
The curriculum focuses on practical skills, like analyzing product-market fit, performing a SWOT analysis, and crafting a strong elevator pitch. Harvard students lead the program, guiding you through case studies, team projects, and mentorship. The program wraps up with a mock investor pitch.
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is moderately selective. Information on the size of the application pool and exact cohort size is not available.
Cost: $679; Extensive financial aid available for all applicants. Students can request financial aid by visiting here.
Dates: Summer week-long sessions: August 12–16, August 26–30 (additional weekend options throughout the year)
Application Deadline: May 4 (Spring II Application Deadline)
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9–12 globally
Venture Validator Program – Colorado State University
The Venture Validator Program is a free, online entrepreneurship program from Colorado State University’s College of Business. It’s designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs test and refine their business ideas. This program takes you through the early stages of launching a business, from identifying customer needs to developing a strong business model.
The program is structured into two levels. In Venture Validator 1.0, you’ll focus on laying the foundation for your idea, including customer discovery and market research. In 2.0, you’ll deepen your understanding of the market and refine your business model.
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is low selective. Information on the application pool and cohort size is not available.
Cost: Free
Dates: Venture Validator 1.0: October 23 – November 6; Venture Validator 2.0: November 13 – November 20
Application Deadline: Rolling until cohort is full (no hard cut-off posted)
Eligibility: Open to high school students, college students, and community members interested in validating a startup idea.
Accelerated Business Program – University of Georgia
The Accelerated Business Program, hosted by the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, is a two-day virtual program designed for high school students who want to explore business careers. You’ll attend live sessions with speakers from top companies like PwC and Charles Aris, learning about key business areas and career paths.
The program also includes insights from current UGA students on college life and professional development. At the end of the program, participants receive a Certificate of Completion from UGA’s Terry College of Business.
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is moderately selective. Information on the size of the application pool and the exact cohort size is not available.
Cost: Nominal fee of $25
Dates: July 17–18
Application Deadline: July 10
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
Young Entrepreneurs Program
The Young Entrepreneurs Program is a two-part experience for high school students who want to learn about startups. First, you'll take part in a free online program where you’ll learn the basics of entrepreneurship. You'll explore how startups work, come up with business ideas, and learn from mentors through challenges and workshops.
The best students from the online part are invited to join the second phase in places like Estonia, Romania, or Spain. This in-person phase lasts 10 days, where you’ll work on real activities, visit companies, and get more training.
Location: Online (Phase 1); Optional in-person (Estonia, Romania, or Spain)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective entry to Phase 2; open application for Phase 1
Cost: Free for Phase 1 (online); Phase 2 is paid, but offers full or partial scholarships
Dates: May 2 – June 15 (online); July 31 – August 9 (in-person)
Application Deadline: April 30
Eligibility: High school students (typically ages 15–18) interested in entrepreneurship; specific academic prerequisites not required.
Babson Summer Study
Babson College’s Summer Study program is a 3-week virtual entrepreneurship course for rising high school juniors and seniors. This program challenges you to think about entrepreneurship in the context of real-world global issues, aligned with the United Nations Global Goals.
You’ll take the credit-bearing course, EPS 1110: Introduction to the Entrepreneurial Experience, which blends live virtual lectures, group projects, and team assignments. The program includes lectures from Babson faculty, breakout sessions, and work that leads to developing a social impact venture.
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is moderately selective. Information on the size of the application pool and exact cohort size is not available.
Cost: $6,295; Limited need-based financial aid available for online format only. Aid includes full or partial tuition scholarships and potential technology stipends. For detailed information on financial aid, visit here.
Dates: July 7–28
Application Deadline: March 14
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors globally
The Academies by Harvard Student Agencies – Management & Strategy Academy
The Management & Strategy Academy is a week-long virtual program that gives high school students the chance to approach real-world business challenges like a consultant. Through hands-on simulations and Harvard case studies, you’ll work on issues such as profit loss, product launches, and market entry strategies.
This program focuses on building key skills in analysis and problem-solving. You’ll dive into topics like pricing strategies, mergers, acquisitions, company valuation, and reading financial statements. Led by Harvard student instructors, the program includes group projects, discussions, and interactive lessons.
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is moderately selective. Information on the size of the application pool and exact cohort size is not available.
Cost: $679; Extensive financial aid available for all applicants. Students can request financial aid by visiting here.
Dates: Summer week-long sessions: August 5–9, August 19–23 (additional weekend options throughout the year)
Application Deadline: May 4
Eligibility: Open to high school students globally
Kelley Women’s Leadership Institute
The Kelley Women’s Leadership Institute is a virtual program for high school sophomores and juniors interested in entrepreneurship and leadership. You’ll participate in workshops, group projects, and Q&A sessions with top business experts.
Throughout the program, you'll develop key skills like communication, leadership, and problem-solving, all with a focus on starting and running a business. You'll also gain insights into business careers and college life, giving you a head start in your entrepreneurial journey.
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is moderately selective. Information on the size of the application pool and exact cohort size is not available.
Cost: Free
Dates: April 1 & 8; other virtual dates may be added later
Application Deadline: March 18 for April sessions
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors with a minimum 3.5 GPA
More SPARK – Colorado State University
More SPARK is a free, online series for middle and high school students who want to bring their business ideas to life. It runs monthly from November to April, with each session exploring key topics like marketing, business models, and project management.
You'll be guided by community leaders, educators, and fellow students as you shape your idea and learn how to find seed funding through OtterCares. Most sessions are open to any student with a business idea, so it’s a great chance to learn and grow alongside others.
Location: Virtual (Zoom)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open to all
Cost: Free
Dates: Monthly sessions from November to April
Application Deadline: Registration opens early Fall (exact dates TBD)
Eligibility: Open to middle and high school students interested in entrepreneurship
Girl Up Global Leadership Summit
The Girl Up Global Leadership Summit is a fully virtual event designed to help high school students build leadership, advocacy, and global citizenship skills. Hosted by the United Nations Foundation’s Girl Up campaign, it brings young people together to tackle important topics like gender equality, climate justice, education access, and social entrepreneurship. You’ll take part in workshops, hear from inspiring speakers like UN officials, activists, and entrepreneurs, and work on team projects that aim to make a real difference.
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment, not selective
Cost: Free
Dates: October 19
Application Deadline: No formal application; registration required before event
Eligibility: Open to high school students globally, particularly those interested in leadership, advocacy, or launching impact-driven initiatives
Wharton Global Youth: Future of the Business World
The Future of the Business World is a two-week online summer program from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. You’ll work on real business challenges and learn how to solve problems using the same methods top businesses use. You’ll work with students from around the world, dive into product design, explore new technologies, and practice entrepreneurial thinking.
Throughout the program, you’ll build skills in leadership, teamwork, and creative problem-solving. Wharton professors will guide you, and you’ll also learn alongside peers who will help you grow.
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Medium selective. Information on cohort size not published.
Cost: $3,299; Need-based financial aid is available
Dates: Session 1: June 16 – June 27; Session 2: July 7 – July 18; Session 3: July 21 – August 1
Application Deadline: Rolling, until sessions are filled
Eligibility: Open to students currently in grades 9–12 from around the world
LaunchX Online Entrepreneurship Summer Program
The LaunchX Online Entrepreneurship Summer Program is a 5-week, hands-on experience for high school students passionate about entrepreneurship. You’ll identify real-world problems, come up with creative solutions, and build a startup.
With a curriculum that includes core classes, mentor sessions, labs, and electives, you'll learn key entrepreneurial skills and apply them to real projects. The program concludes with a Demo Day, where you’ll present your startup idea to a panel of experts.
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 100 students per cohort
Cost: $6,995; Financial aid is available. For detailed information on financial awards and the application process, visit the LaunchX Financial Awards page.
Dates: June 30 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 5
Eligibility: Open to high school students from around the world