Babson Summer Study: 6 Things to Consider before Applying
TL;DR
Babson Summer Study is a three-week entrepreneurship course for rising high school juniors and seniors. You take EPS 1110: Introduction to the Entrepreneurial Experience with Babson faculty and earn four Babson College credits when you pass. In 2026, it cost $6,295 online, $9,295 as an in-person day student, and $12,995 as a residential student, plus a $95 application fee. Need-based aid was offered only for the online format, and the in-person version is hosted at a school in Marlborough, not on Babson's own campus. Babson hasn't posted 2027 dates or prices yet. If you want to leave the summer with a startup you can keep building, rather than a course grade, Young Founders Lab runs a fully virtual program built around launching your own venture.
What makes Summer Study different from most pre-college programs is the grade. You're taking a real Babson course, not collecting a certificate of attendance. That also means real work, about 40 hours a week. Below, you'll find what the program includes, how it compares to Babson's newer summer program, and six things to think through before you apply. For a wider view, see our guides to entrepreneurship programs for high school students and what these programs actually teach you.
| Detail | 2026 cycle |
|---|---|
| Course | EPS 1110: Introduction to the Entrepreneurial Experience |
| Credit | 4 Babson College credits |
| Length | 3 weeks (July 8 to 28, 2026) |
| Class time | Weekdays, 8 to 11 a.m. Eastern, plus about 5 hours of assignments a day |
| Formats | Fully online, or in person at New England Innovation Academy (NEIA) in Marlborough, MA |
| Cost | $6,295 online; $9,295 day student; $12,995 residential; $95 application fee |
| Financial aid | Limited need-based aid, online format only |
| Eligibility | Rising juniors and seniors, at least 15 by the start date |
What is Babson Summer Study?
Babson Summer Study is a pre-college course run by Babson College, which is known for teaching entrepreneurship. Babson's site highlights its ranking as the #2 Best College in America from The Wall Street Journal.
Everyone takes the same course, EPS 1110. It uses problems tied to the United Nations Global Goals to teach entrepreneurship, leadership, marketing, finance, teamwork, and business communication. You work on assignments on your own and with a team.
You can take the course online or in person. The in-person format is hosted at New England Innovation Academy in Marlborough, Massachusetts, not at Babson's campus in Wellesley. In-person students are still taught by Babson faculty and visit Babson's campus two or three times during the program.
6 things to weigh before you apply
1. You earn four real college credits
You finish with a graded Babson course and four credits, which is more than a certificate. But other colleges decide for themselves whether to accept those credits. If transfer credit matters to you, ask the colleges you're interested in how they would treat EPS 1110.
2. The format changes the price a lot
In 2026, all three formats included the same Babson tuition of $6,295. Day students paid $3,000 more to NEIA, and residential students paid $6,700 more. The extra money covers NEIA's programming, meals or housing, supervision, and activities. It doesn't buy any extra Babson credit.
3. Financial aid is only for the online format
Babson offers limited full or partial tuition scholarships for students with significant financial need, but only in the online format. In-person formats have no tuition scholarships. If you apply for aid, you have to meet the earlier deadline, which was February 13 in 2026. Babson also lists discounts for children of Babson and NEIA employees and for Babson alumni families.
4. Expect about a 40-hour week
You're in class from 8 to 11 a.m. every weekday. Babson then expects about five more hours of work each day, alone and with your team. That adds up to roughly 40 hours a week, so it's hard to pair Summer Study with a job or another big summer commitment.
5. In-person doesn't mean living at Babson
If you choose the in-person format, you'll study and, if you're residential, live at NEIA in Marlborough. You'll visit Babson's campus only a few times. If spending your summer on Babson's own campus matters most to you, look at the Blank School Summer Program covered below.
6. You finish a course, not a company
You'll work on entrepreneurial problems and team projects, but the end result is a passed course and four credits. If your goal is to build a product, find customers, or keep running a venture after summer, a program built around launching something will fit you better.
Summer Study vs. the Blank School Summer Program
Babson now runs a second program for rising juniors and seniors, the Arthur M. Blank School Summer Program. The two are easy to confuse, but they're built very differently.
| Babson Summer Study | Blank School Summer Program | |
|---|---|---|
| College credit | Yes, 4 credits | No; you earn a digital Babson badge for each course |
| Where | Online, or in person at NEIA in Marlborough | Online, or on Babson's campus in Wellesley |
| Structure | One 3-week course | Choose 1 course per week, for up to 4 weeks |
| 2026 cost | $6,295 to $12,995 total | $1,608 a week online, $2,680 commuter, $3,400 residential; $75 application fee |
Pick Summer Study if the four credits and a graded course matter most to you. The Blank program is the better fit if you want to try a few topics or spend time on Babson's own campus without committing to a full credit course.
Who can apply, and how?
You can apply if you'll be a rising high school junior or senior and are at least 15 years old when the program starts. Babson says it doesn't make exceptions. If you've already graduated from high school before the program begins, you aren't eligible.
International students can apply. If English isn't your first language or the language of your school, you'll need a TOEFL score of at least 90, a Duolingo score of at least 110, or an equal score on another accepted test. To attend in person, you also need a U.S. immigration status that allows full-time study. Most international students get this by requesting a Form I-20 from Babson and applying for an F-1 visa. You don't need a visa for the online format.
To apply, you create an account, fill out the application, and pay the $95 fee. Babson waives the fee if you apply for financial aid. A school official must upload your official transcript directly.
Here's how the 2026 deadlines worked. Babson hasn't posted 2027 dates yet, so check its key dates page before you plan.
| Date | What happened in 2026 |
|---|---|
| February 13 | Early bird deadline; also the deadline for in-person and financial aid applicants |
| February 27 | Early bird decisions released |
| March 13 | Standard deadline, online format only |
| March 27 | Standard decisions released; in-person students confirm day or residential status with NEIA |
| May 25 | Full tuition due |
| July 8 to 28 | Summer Study |
Pros and Cons of Babson Summer Study
Pros
You earn real college credit: Pass EPS 1110, and you get four Babson College credits on a graded course, which gives you more to show than a certificate of attendance.
Babson faculty teach every format: Whether you study online or in person, your classes come from Babson's own faculty, and the course and credits are the same.
You can skip the visa entirely: The online format has no visa requirement, so it's a simpler option if you're applying from outside the U.S.
The course covers a lot of ground: You work through entrepreneurship, leadership, marketing, finance, teamwork, and business communication using problems tied to the United Nations Global Goals.
It's only three weeks long: The program runs July 8 to 28, so it leaves the rest of your summer open for other plans.
Aid can make the online format affordable: Babson offers limited need-based full or partial tuition scholarships for online students, and it waives the $95 application fee if you apply for aid.
Cons
It's expensive: In 2026, it costs $6,295 online, $9,295 as a day student, and $12,995 as a residential student, plus a $95 application fee.
The extra cost doesn't buy extra credit: Day and residential students pay $3,000 or $6,700 more for NEIA's programming, meals, or housing, and activities, not for more Babson coursework.
Financial aid stops at the online format: In-person students can't get tuition scholarships, and aid applicants had to meet an earlier February 13 deadline in 2026.
In-person isn't on Babson's campus: You study and live at New England Innovation Academy in Marlborough, with only two or three visits to Babson's Wellesley campus.
The workload is close to full-time: You're in class from 8 to 11 a.m. every weekday, plus about five hours of assignments a day, which makes it hard to pair with a job.
Younger students can't apply: You have to be a rising junior or senior and at least 15 by the start date, and Babson says it makes no exceptions.
Credits may not transfer: Each college decides for itself whether to accept the four Babson credits, so there's no guarantee they count toward your degree.
You finish a course, not a company: You'll work on team projects, but you won't necessarily leave with a venture you can keep building after summer.
Our review: Is Babson Summer Study worth it?
It depends on what you want from your summer. If your goal is to try college-level entrepreneurship classes and come away with real credit, Summer Study gives you more to show than most programs that end with a certificate.
The cost is the hard part. Even the online format costs $6,295 in 2026, and the residential option comes to $12,995 before travel or visa costs. The extra $6,700 for residential students pays for life at NEIA, not more Babson credit or time on Babson's campus. That can still be worth it to some families, but it's worth being clear about what you're paying for.
There's also a limit to what you leave with. Your main result is a course on your transcript. You'll build skills and work on projects, but you won't necessarily leave with a venture of your own. If you'd rather turn an idea into something you can keep building after summer, Young Founders Lab pairs you with experienced mentors to develop and launch a startup or nonprofit.
Frequently asked questions
1. How much does Babson Summer Study cost?
In 2026, it cost $6,295 online, $9,295 for in-person day students, and $12,995 for residential students. There was also a $95 non-refundable application fee. In-person students may also pay for flights and visa fees. Babson will post 2027 prices when applications open.
2. Do Babson Summer Study credits transfer?
Not automatically. You earn four Babson credits, but each college sets its own rules for transfer credit. Ask for the course description and check with the registrar at any college you're considering.
3. Can you get a scholarship for Babson Summer Study?
Only for the online format. Babson offers limited need-based full or partial tuition scholarships for students with significant financial need. No tuition scholarships are offered for the in-person formats, so don't plan on aid if you want to attend in person.
4. Can current seniors apply?
Only if you'll still be a rising senior when the program starts, if you graduate from high school before the session begins, you no longer meet the rising junior or senior rule.
5. Is Babson Summer Study on Babson's campus?
No. The in-person format is hosted at New England Innovation Academy in Marlborough, and you'll visit Babson's Wellesley campus two or three times. If you want to be on Babson's own campus, the Blank School Summer Program runs there, but it doesn't give college credit.
6. How does Babson Summer Study compare to other entrepreneurship programs?
Its biggest strength is the four college credits, and its biggest drawbacks are the price and the fact that you finish a course rather than a venture. To compare costs, formats, and outcomes side by side, see our list of entrepreneurship programs for high school students.
7. Should I choose the online or in-person format?
Choose online if you mainly care about the course and credits, want the lowest price, or might need financial aid. Choose in-person if your family can cover the extra cost, and you want face-to-face classes, NEIA housing, and activities. The course and the four credits are the same either way.
Is the price $6,295 or a fixed three-week July schedule hard to fit into your summer? The Young Founders Lab Individual Program gives you a one-on-one mentor, 12 hours of personal coaching, and a flexible start date to launch your own revenue-generating startup. Apply here. If you'd rather build with a team, the Team-Based Program is a 100% online summer workshop with 30 hours of live sessions.