16 Business Summer Programs for High School Students in Georgia
Explore 16 top summer business programs in Georgia for high school students. Gain valuable experience and insights to kickstart your career in business.
If you're a high school student in Georgia who wants to explore business in a hands-on way, summer business programs can be a solid first step. Summer programs in business are more focused than what you usually study in school and give you a structured way to learn how businesses grow, how money moves, and how products and services are built from the ground up.
Georgia is home to major companies like Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, and Home Depot, so there are plenty of ways to get early exposure to the business world. You’ll explore topics like marketing, finance, entrepreneurship, and data analysis. Being part of a business program shows that you’re serious about learning and can help your college application stand out.
With that, here’s a list of the top 16 business summer programs for high school students in Georgia!
16 Business Summer Programs for High School Students in Georgia
1. Bank of America Student Leaders Program
Location: Various cities and counties across Georgia
Cost: None. Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; over 300 students selected nationally
Dates: 8 weeks, typically beginning after the school year ends
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: Open to high school juniors and seniors in the United States
The Bank of America Student Leaders Program gives you a paid summer internship at a local nonprofit in Georgia, where you’ll work on real projects that support your community and help you understand how nonprofits run. Alongside your internship, you’ll attend a fully funded, week-long Student Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., where you’ll meet students from across the country, take part in workshops, and hear from leaders in business and government. You’ll learn how community work, business, and policy connect while building your skills in leadership, teamwork, and communication.
2. Young Founders Lab
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Cost: The total cost to attend the 4-week program is $2900. There is need-based financial aid.
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer, fall, winter, and spring
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. You can access the application link here!
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students
Young Founders Lab is a virtual startup incubator founded by Harvard student entrepreneurs. You’ll spend a few weeks building a real, revenue-generating startup that solves a real-world problem. Along the way, you’ll join live classes on business fundamentals, take part in case studies, and work through workshops on ideation, market research, sales, and product design. You’ll also get mentored by startup founders and professionals from companies like Google and Microsoft. The program ends with a Demo Day where you pitch your startup to investors and mentors. You can check out the brochure for the program here.
3. Ladder Internship Program
Cost: Varies depending on program type
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
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!
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. 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.
4. Clayton State University College of Business Internship Program
Location: Morrow, GA
Cost: Free. Stipend varies – credit or non-credit internships; some paid, some unpaid, depending on host organization.
Dates: Full semester
Application Deadline: Spring – October 15; Summer – March 15; Fall – June 15
Eligibility: You must be a Clayton State student with at least 60 credits, a 2.0 GPA, enrolled in a business major, and approved by a faculty coordinator with a signed internship agreement.
At Clayton State University’s College of Business Internship Program, you’ll complete around 150 hours per semester, about 10 to 12 hours per week, working in a real business setting while applying what you’ve learned in class. You’ll set learning goals with a site supervisor and Faculty Coordinator, and build skills in leadership, communication, and problem-solving through hands-on projects. To get started, you’ll need to submit a detailed Internship Learning Agreement and make sure your host organization meets academic standards.
5. Emory Pre-College Program
Location: Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
Cost: Varies by course; financial aid available. Check here
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~400 students; selective
Dates: Sessions vary: June 15–28, June 29–July 12, and July 13–26
Application Deadline: Rolling, until courses are full
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors in high school
Emory Pre-College Program gives you a chance to take non-credit college-level courses taught by Emory instructors while living on campus in Atlanta. You can choose business-related subjects like marketing, economics, or public health, and learn in small classes that average around 14 students. Along with your classes, you’ll join sessions on college admissions, explore different majors, and connect with Emory faculty and undergrads. Residential students take part in evening events, campus activities, and trips to places like the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coca-Cola. At the end, you’ll get a Certificate of Completion and a written assessment from your instructor.
6. Summer Springboard
Location: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
Cost: Tuition required, financial aid may be available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; limited cohort per track
Dates: June 15 – June 27
Application Deadline: Rolling (early enrollment recommended)
Eligibility: High school students entering Grades 9–12
Summer Springboard offers high school students a two-week academic immersion program on the Georgia Tech campus, with options to explore tracks like Business & Law, Engineering, or Medicine. In the Business, Strategy, and Decision-Making course, you’ll learn about entrepreneurship, marketing, and critical thinking through case studies and simulations led by business professionals. Courses are designed by educators and industry experts to provide a pre-college experience with real-world applications.
7. Summer Youth Leadership Institute
Location: Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
Cost: $395 registration fee (financial aid available for all accepted students)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 75 students accepted
Dates: June 1 – June 6
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors in high school residing in Georgia
SYLI is a one-week residential business and leadership program run by 21st Century Leaders. You stay on Emory’s campus and join company site visits, panels, and workshops led by business professionals. You’ll work on group projects and explore topics like ethical leadership, corporate responsibility, and team building. Some sessions take place inside Emory’s business school. You must attend a mandatory orientation in April if accepted.
8. Economics for Leaders (EFL)
Location: Multiple residential campuses across the United States
Cost: $2,100; scholarships and financial aid available; a virtual option costs around $800 plus $35 application fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; roughly 2 applicants per spot
Dates: One‑week sessions held between early June and early August, depending on the campus
Application Deadline: Final deadlines are typically in early April
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores or juniors, including international students; for Advanced EFL, you must have completed an economics course (AP or equivalent) documented on your transcript
If you’re in high school and want to understand how economics connects with leadership and real-world decisions, this weeklong summer program gives you that experience. You’ll attend it on a college campus like Yale, UC Berkeley, or Emory, or choose to join online. You’ll study economic principles like markets, scarcity, and inflation, and also take part in leadership workshops focused on decision-making, teamwork, and public policy. Sessions are interactive, and you’ll use simulations and group activities to apply what you learn. If you’ve already taken AP Economics, there’s an advanced version too.
9. Georgia FLEX (Foundational Leadership and Entrepreneurial X-Perience)
Location: Fitzgerald, GA, and other participating counties across Georgia
Cost: None. Entrepreneurial profits from student-run businesses may be retained
Dates: Six-month program, culminating in a state finals competition
Application Deadline: Varies by school district or participating county
Eligibility: High school students in participating counties in Georgia
Georgia FLEX (Foundational Leadership and Entrepreneurial X-Perience) is a six-month program that gives you the chance to launch, manage, and pitch a real business. You’ll work on community-focused projects, build workforce skills, and prepare for a state-level competition held at Fitzgerald High School College and Career Academy. You’ll get mentorship from business professionals and support from the Georgia Chamber Foundation’s Center for Workforce and Talent Preparedness.
10. University of Georgia Young Dawgs Program
Location: University of Georgia campus and community sites throughout Athens, GA
Cost: Free
Dates: Academic School Year Program (minimum 120 internship hours per semester); Summer Science Program (minimum 120 hours, typically 6‑week internship)
Application Deadline: Varies; school‑based application process
Eligibility: Rising juniors or seniors (or current high school juniors/seniors), minimum 3.7 GPA; open to public, private, and homeschool students
The Young Dawgs Program includes a business track where you can intern in departments like the Terry College of Business, Small Business Development Center, or UGA’s business offices. You will be matched with a mentor and work on real tasks related to business operations, finance, marketing, or management. You complete 120 hours and present your project or experience at the end. This program gives you a close view of how a business functions inside a large institution.
11. Georgia Governor’s Honors Program (GHP)
Location: Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA
Cost: Fully funded
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; approximately 4,000 nominees each year; around 20% or fewer become finalists
Dates: June 15 – July 12
Application Deadline: Local nominations due by November 12–15, Online state application November 15 - January 10.
Eligibility: Rising 11th or 12th graders (current high school juniors or sophomores at nomination), Georgia public, private, or homeschool students exhibiting academic excellence and passion in a specific field
The Georgia Governor’s Honors Program is a four-week, fully funded summer program held in June and July at Georgia Southern University. If you’re selected for the business track, you’ll spend about 4 to 5 hours each day in small-group classes focused on entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, and management. You’ll also take an elective outside your major, join evening seminars, and live in dorms with other high school students from across Georgia. You need to be nominated by your school and go through district and state-level interviews to be selected.
12. Youth Government Leadership Program
Location: Milton, GA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Not specified
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: At least one spot each round is reserved for a Milton student in the Fulton County Schools; other spots are open to any Milton student in public or private school.
Milton’s Youth Government Leadership Program is designed to help students learn how local government works and how to create positive change in their community. You will explore important city issues, develop problem-solving skills, and work on finding real solutions that make a difference. If selected, you will be paired with a mentor who shares your interests and will also have opportunities to spend time with different city departments to gain a deeper understanding of how government operates.
13. USC Online Exploration Programs
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,990 per course + $35 application fee
Dates: Varies by course (typically held between June and July)
Application Deadline: Varies by course
Eligibility: High school students in Grades 9–12
The USC Online Exploration Programs let you explore college-level business courses from home through interactive, faculty-led sessions. You can take courses like Analytics: The Power of Data for Businesses or Building Blocks of Business: Tools for Creating a Dynamic and Sustainable Business. These courses introduce you to business strategy, data use in decision-making, and sustainable business practices. Taught by USC faculty and industry experts, the program combines theory with real-world examples. If you complete at least 70 percent of the course, you’ll earn a Certificate of Completion and a transcript from USC’s Pre-College Programs Office.
14. BerkeleyX: Entrepreneurship For All (Part I)
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free; optional verified certificate available for a fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; self-paced
Dates: Self-paced (approx. 6 weeks; 4–7 hours per week)
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
Entrepreneurship for All (Part I) – UC Berkeley (edX) is a free, self-paced online course where you learn the basics of launching a startup. You’ll go through topics like identifying business opportunities, customer segmentation, pricing models, and funding strategies. The course includes video lectures, interactive projects, and a pitch development module to help you apply what you learn. You’ll also join peer discussion forums to share ideas and get feedback. It’s flexible, fully online, and open to high school students. You can also choose to pay for a verified certificate to add to your resume or college applications.
15. Seattle University Summer Business Institute (SBI)
Location: Online
Cost: Free with a $50 registration deposit
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; priority given to students from underserved communities
Dates: July 19 – July 25
Application Deadline: Priority deadline: April 25; applications accepted from February 1
Eligibility: Rising 9th–12th graders; students from underserved communities are strongly encouraged to apply
The Seattle University Summer Business Institute (SBI) offers a week-long, immersive business experience for high school students interested in management, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Through a combination of lectures, interactive workshops, and hands-on projects, you’ll gain foundational knowledge in business strategy, financial literacy, and marketing. You will work in teams to develop a full business plan, learning practical tools like competitive analysis, revenue modeling, and budgeting. The program concludes with a business pitch presented to local industry professionals. Courses are taught by Seattle University faculty, and both in-person and online options are available.
16. Yale Online: PLSC 270 – Capitalism: Success, Crisis, and Reform
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; self-paced
Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Yale’s Capitalism: Success, Crisis, and Reform is a self-paced online course that offers high school students an in-depth look at the evolution and complexities of capitalist economies. Taught by Yale faculty, the course covers topics such as industrial capitalism, global inequality, financial crises, and possible policy reforms. You’ll explore how capitalism has succeeded and where it has struggled, using interactive modules, case studies, and critical analysis. The course is ideal for students interested in economics, public policy, or business, and offers a flexible schedule that can fit around other summer commitments.