This page rounds up 41 verified business summer programs, spanning startup-building tracks, case-competition leadership programs, and university academies with real transferable credit. Costs range from free, like NFTE BizCamp, to $15,735 for Harvard's residential program, so format and budget matter as much as the name attached. Whether you're a freshman testing the waters or a junior chasing transcript credit, you'll find eligibility windows across every grade. If you'd rather build an actual startup, Young Founders Lab pairs you with mentors from firms like Google and McKinsey to build your own business.
If you are a high school student weighing how to spend a summer before applying to a business degree, the honest answer is that the options vary enormously across cost, selectivity, and format. Some of these programs put you in a real internship; others are a single week of case-competition work; a few are credit-bearing college courses you take alongside actual undergraduates. This list pulls together 41 current, verified options across four categories, with the specific cost, dates, deadline, and eligibility for each one.
How do you choose the right business summer program?
The right pick usually comes down to four factors: format, focus area, credit, and cost.
Check the format: Programs on this list include workshops, residential programs, and multi-week online engagements. Drexel offers a two-day workshop while Harvard has a seven-week residential program. Figure out how much time you can commit to the program and then decide. The University of Washington's Foster School track charges $4,498 commuter or adds $3,000 for residential housing, and Georgetown prices its Entrepreneurship Academy at $5,075 commuter versus $6,465 residential.
Pick the focus area based on your interests: Programs offer business fundamentals education, the opportunity to build your own business, pitch competition prep, etc. Young Founders Lab pairs you with mentors from Google, McKinsey, and Microsoft to build a venture from scratch. On the other hand, Wharton's Leadership in the Business World runs a case-competition capstone using frameworks like SWOT analysis. Pick based on which one you'd rather be doing, not which name sounds more impressive.
Check whether the credit is real credit: Programs like Babson's EPS 1110 course or Harvard's Secondary School Program put a for-credit course on an actual university transcript, while most enrichment-style academies award only a certificate of completion. College Board's BigFuture guide on choosing a summer program suggests figuring out your goal first, whether that's earning credit, building a skill, or making connections, before you start comparing options, since it changes which ones are suited for you.
Confirm eligibility: Michigan Ross's Summer Business Academy admits rising seniors only, Wharton's Leadership in the Business World admits current juniors only, and Colorado's KeyBank program considers Colorado residents only. These windows eliminate more applicants than selectivity does.
What do business summer programs cost, and is financial aid available?
Costs across this list run from $325 to $15,735, and a number of the paid programs here offer need-based aid.
Free programs exist: NFTE BizCamp, Rowan's Think Like an Entrepreneur Summer Academy, and all three of UT Austin's McCombs tracks (MFEA, Subiendo, DYNAMC) charge nothing, with sponsors like EY covering the full cost.
Several programs offer need-based aid: Wharton's Global Youth Program's, Babson Summer Study, Harvard Student Agencies are amongst the programs that offer need based aid. Check deadlines and eligibility carefully to ensure you can actually get the financial support.
Per-credit pricing multiplies fast: Courses that are charged per credit can get pretty expensive. Yale's Summer Session prices most one-credit courses at roughly $5,480, while Cornell's CICER program runs $5,700 residential.
What skills and connections do these programs actually build?
Employers hiring the Class of 2026 say they specifically want proof of teamwork, problem-solving, and communication, with more than half naming ten or more skills they expect to see evidenced, and the stronger programs on this list are built to give you exactly that kind of evidence.
Applied problem solving: Case competitions help you structure problems, think of possible solutions, and apply frameworks to determine the best one. Wharton's Leadership in the Business World ends in a team analysis of a real company using SWOT, and Cornell's CICER program pairs a business analysis simulation with an actual pitch competition.
Mentorship puts you in touch with working professionals: Georgetown's Entrepreneurship Academy brings in practicing entrepreneurs regularly rather than relying on classroom lectures alone, and NFTE BizCamp routes students through community and corporate partners in their own region. At Young Founders Lab, you get to directly work with mentors from Google, McKinsey, and startup founders.
Networking with your cohort: At smaller, selective programs like the University of Georgia's Accelerated Business Program at Terry College of Business, you're alongside a tight group of similarly motivated peers for the entire session, which is where a lot of the longer-term relationship-building actually happens.
Do business summer programs actually help with college applications?
Yes, but not just by themselves. NACAC's data on admission factors suggests that business programs, combined with high school grades and long-term engagement, help best with college applications.
Focus on the program output: A completed pitch deck, a case competition placement, or a real business gives an admissions reader something concrete to point to, which is different from simply listing a program name on an activities section.
Coherence matters more than prestige: It’s better to pair business summer programs with participating in school clubs, aiming for business internships, or working at local businesses. These demonstrate sustained interest and increase your chances of admission.
Programs can provide useful recommenders: At many of these programs, you will work with a mentor, either individually or in a group. The mentor can talk about your performance in the program, the standard of your project, and your business skills in their letter of recommendation.
How we selected these programs
Every program on this list was checked against its own official page this cycle.
Verified details: The cost, dates, and deadlines you see for each program were pulled from its latest page.
The program output: Preference was given to programs that leave you with something concrete, such as a pitch deck, a case competition placement, a completed business plan, over ones that leave you with only a certificate.
Disclosed selectivity and cost, including what's not covered: Application fees, what a "residential" price does and doesn't include, and where aid exists were called out so you're not surprised later.
Section |
Top programs |
Cost |
Best for |
|
Entrepreneurship & startup programs |
Wharton Essentials of Entrepreneurship, Georgetown Entrepreneurship Academy, Iacocca Global Entrepreneurship Intensive, NFTE BizCamp |
Free – $8,299 |
Students who want to build a real startup concept from scratch, ending in a pitch deck or investor-style presentation |
|
Business Leadership and Hands-on Programs |
KeyBank Business Leadership Program, UW Foster School Program, Accelerated Business Program (UGA Terry) |
Free – $4,498 |
Students drawn to team-based case competitions and leadership development over founding a company |
|
University and Pre-college Business programs |
Wharton Leadership in the Business World, Harvard Secondary School Program, Michigan Ross Summer Business Academy |
Free – $15,735 |
Students weighing a general business survey, real transferable college credit, or a specific track like finance, analytics, or international business |
Entrepreneurship and Startup Programs
These programs put the emphasis on building something from scratch, whether that means a startup pitch deck, a full business plan, or a launched product.
1. Young Founders Lab
Location: 100% virtual, with live interactive workshops and one-on-one mentorship
Cost/Stipend: $2,900 for the core program; full financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No published rate or cohort size; selective via online application, an admissions review, and an interview process (estimate)
Dates: Cohorts run at scheduled points across the year; team track lasts about 4 weeks, individual track about 12 weeks; the most recently confirmed cohort started in June
Application deadline: Rolling within the cycle; the most recently confirmed cycle's deadlines fell in March, April, and May
Eligibility: Open to all high school students; students can build individually or as part of a team
Founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs, Young Founders Lab is a real-world startup bootcamp modeled on incubators like Y Combinator. Students spend the program building an actual revenue-generating startup, moving through business fundamentals and ideation, a market-research and MVP-building phase, and a growth and go-to-market phase that ends in a demo day. Mentorship comes from entrepreneurs who've worked at companies including Google, Microsoft, and Meta.
Who it's best for: A student who wants to build and launch a real, revenue-generating company rather than study business theoretically, and who's comfortable choosing between a shorter team-based sprint or a longer solo-mentored track.
2. Wharton Essentials of Entrepreneurship
Location: The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (on campus, residential)
Cost/Stipend: $8,299, plus a $100 non-refundable application fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; four two-week sessions run each summer
Dates: Four 2026 sessions: June 7 to 19, June 21 to July 3, July 12 to 25, and July 26 to August 8
Application deadline: Priority deadline January 28, 2026; final deadline March 18, 2026
Eligibility: High school students currently in grades 9 to 11; no prior business background required
Students spend two weeks building an actual startup concept from scratch, using a personalized Ikigai framework to land on an idea before moving through customer discovery, MVP testing, and brand building. The program ends with a professional pitch deck presented to a panel of judges, and every session includes a Wharton Global Youth Speaker Series talk from a named Wharton faculty member. Completing the program earns a Wharton Global Youth Certificate of Completion.
Who it's best for: A student who wants a genuine two-week residential taste of Wharton specifically, and is comfortable committing to one of four fixed summer sessions rather than a flexible schedule.
3. Georgetown Entrepreneurship Academy
Location: Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. (residential or commuter)
Cost/Stipend: Residential $6,465; commuter $5,075
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; the residential section was 94 percent full and the commuter 5 percent full as of this writing
Dates: June 7 to 19, 2026
Application deadline: Rolling within Georgetown's Academies application window
Eligibility: Current 8th through 12th graders; non-credit Academies require students to be at least 15
This two-week program moves from startup selection and prototype testing through the operational realities of running a business, capped by a team pitch competition. Students hear regularly from working entrepreneurs across industries rather than relying only on classroom lectures, and the Washington, D.C. setting means guest speakers and site visits reflect the city's policy and consulting scene as much as its startup scene.
Who it's best for: A student who wants Washington, D.C. as the backdrop for their entrepreneurship program and values direct access to practicing founders over a pure classroom format; note this section fills up early.
4. Iacocca Global Entrepreneurship Intensive (IGEI), Lehigh University
Location: Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA (mandatory residential)
Cost/Stipend: $7,000, all inclusive of tuition, room and board, materials, field trips, and in-program transportation
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; an affiliate program of the National Conference of Governors' Schools
Dates: July 5 to 25, 2026
Application deadline: Priority deadline February 15, 2026; rolling after until full
Eligibility: Ages 15 to 17 throughout the program dates; U.S. and international students welcome
IGEI runs three full weeks and blends a small business bootcamp with design thinking, leadership workshops, and an intrapreneurship consulting project done for a real organization. Students commit to the entire residential experience with no days-only option and no family visits except in emergencies, and the program's global-citizenship framing means as much time goes toward intercultural collaboration as toward the business content itself.
Who it's best for: A student ready for a full three weeks away from home with no exceptions for outside commitments, who wants a global-leadership framing layered onto the entrepreneurship content rather than a narrower startup-pitch focus.
5. Think Like an Entrepreneur Summer Academy (TLAE), Rowan University
Location: Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ (non-residential)
Cost/Stipend: Free, funded by the TD Charitable Foundation and Spencer's and Spirit Halloween
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive with limited space; the 2026 cohort, its 10th, drew more than 100 students
Dates: 2026 program already completed; the 2027 program is expected in late June or early July
Application deadline: 2027 applications are expected to open in March 2027
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are U.S. residents
TLAE has student teams apply an entrepreneurial lens to one of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals over four days, working through the Business Model Canvas, customer discovery, and a prototype before pitching to a panel of industry judges. Participants earn three transferable college credits at zero cost, which is unusual for a program this short.
Who it's best for: A student who wants a free, four-day, credit-bearing introduction to entrepreneurship without a multi-week time commitment or a five-figure price tag.
6. NFTE BizCamp
Location: Multiple U.S. cities and regions, delivered through local NFTE chapters and partners
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by region; some chapters add local caps or residency requirements
Dates: Varies by region, generally over the summer; flexible 20 to 90 hours of instruction
Application deadline: Varies by region
Eligibility: Grades 6 through 12; specific chapters may add local eligibility rules, such as a mailing address requirement
Run by the national nonprofit Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, BizCamp delivers NFTE's award-winning curriculum through local chapters and community partners rather than a single central campus, taking students from an original idea through a lean business model canvas to a final pitch competition. Because delivery is regional, the specific format, seed funding, and eligibility rules depend on which local chapter or partner is running the session nearest the student.
Who it's best for: A student whose city has an active NFTE chapter and who wants a free, flexible, locally run entry point into entrepreneurship rather than a university-branded residential program.
Business Leadership and Hands-on Programs
This group centers on leadership development and team-based case competitions rather than a single subject like finance or analytics.
1. Ladder Internships
Location: Remote, from anywhere in the world
Cost/Stipend: Starting at $2,490; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; exact rate not published
Dates: Multiple cohorts year round, spring, summer, fall, and winter; the virtual internship typically runs 8 weeks
Application deadline: Rolling; cohorts open in January, May, September, and November
Eligibility: Able to commit 10 to 20 hours a week for 8 to 12 weeks; open to high schoolers, undergraduates, and gap year students
Ladder places students in real internships at high growth startups, most raising well over a million dollars, spanning industries like tech, AI and machine learning, health tech, marketing, journalism, and consulting. You work directly with your manager on real projects, supported by a dedicated Ladder Coach, and present your work to the company at the end of the internship.
Who it's best for: A student who wants genuine startup work experience rather than a classroom program, and is comfortable being embedded on a real team.
2. KeyBank Business Leadership Program, Leeds School of Business
Location: University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO (residential)
Cost/Stipend: Free, funded by Leeds School of Business and corporate partners
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; roughly 50 students per summer
Dates: June 21 to 27, 2026; applications for this cycle are already closed
Application deadline: Opens December 1; closed March 13, 2026
Eligibility: Must be a Colorado resident or currently attending a Colorado high school; out-of-state students are not considered. Open to current high school juniors or incoming Leeds first-year students
Small teams spend a week building and presenting a real marketing campaign for a corporate partner such as EY or Deloitte, with the winning team earning a $1,000 scholarship to Leeds. The week also includes sessions on networking, resumes, and college life, plus overnight housing on the CU Boulder campus.
Who it's best for: A current Colorado high school junior specifically, since the program does not consider out-of-state applicants, who wants a free week-long business case competition experience.
3. University of Washington Foster School Business and Leadership Program
Location: University of Washington, Seattle, WA (residential or commuter, run in partnership with Summer Springboard)
Cost/Stipend: Commuter $4,498; residential adds $3,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; no published acceptance rate
Dates: Two-week program; 2026 dates set by the Summer Springboard partnership
Application deadline: Not published; rolling
Eligibility: Rising sophomores through graduating seniors; international students welcome with visa and insurance arrangements
The two weeks build toward a team case competition, with excursions to Seattle-area companies giving students a direct look at the region's business and tech economy. Foster faculty lead the academic content, but the residential and logistical side of the program is run by a third-party.
Who it's best for: A student focused on the Pacific Northwest business and tech corridor who wants company visits in Seattle built directly into the program.
4. Accelerated Business Program, Terry College of Business
Location: University of Georgia, Athens, GA (residential)
Cost/Stipend: Approximately $295, based on the most recently confirmed cycle; a limited number of need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Typically early June; exact 2026 dates not yet posted as of this writing
Application deadline: Typically late March
Eligibility: Current sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Over a few days, students get a broad survey of accounting, finance, marketing, and management from Terry faculty, along with exposure to executives from companies such as PricewaterhouseCoopers and Google. Evenings include a night tour of Athens and a campus pool party alongside the academic programming. The program is priced well below most residential business academies on this list.
Who it's best for: A student who wants a short, low-cost residential taste of a Southeastern business school before committing to a longer or pricier program.
University and Pre-college Business programs
The broadest category on this list: general business exploration programs hosted by university business schools, spanning finance, analytics, strategy, and international business.
1. Business Opportunities Summer Session (BOSS), Penn State Smeal College of Business
Location: Penn State, University Park, PA (residential)
Cost/Stipend: $250 program fee, due upon acceptance
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; limited to high school juniors from the U.S. and Puerto Rico
Dates: June 14 to 26, 2026
Application deadline: Opens October 20, 2025; closes March 20, 2026
Eligibility: High school juniors residing in the U.S. or Puerto Rico
BOSS gives juniors a two-week residential introduction to Smeal's curriculum, covering management, marketing, and finance through coursework taught by actual Smeal faculty. College-readiness workshops on academic skills and personal development run alongside the business content.
Who it's best for: A student targeting a large state-school business program specifically, at one of the lowest price points on this list.
2. Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY), Haas School of Business
Location: University of California, Berkeley, CA (residential)
Cost/Stipend: In-state $7,450; out-of-state $7,950
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; roughly 50 students per session
Dates: Session one: July 5 to 18, 2026; session two: July 19 to August 1, 2026
Application deadline: Applications open in January; supporting documents due in early March
Eligibility: High school students currently in grades 9 to 11; international students welcome
Students spend two weeks developing a business idea from user research through a full plan. This ends in a simulated investor pitch judged by a panel. Haas faculty and industry guests lead the sessions, and time with current Berkeley undergraduates gives participants a direct look at campus life.
Who it's best for: A student who wants Bay Area exposure and a fully realized startup-pitch experience at a top-20 business school.
3. Michigan Ross Summer Business Academy
Location: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (residential)
Cost/Stipend: $5,500, with need-based full and partial scholarships available; $75 non-refundable application fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: 2026 cycle has already closed; the site is now taking 2027 applications, with sessions occurring in June
Application deadline: January 10, 2027, for the next cycle
Eligibility: Specifically rising 12th-grade students; minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0; preference for U.S. citizens and permanent residents
Built around Ross's action-based learning model, the program has teams work through real Ross-developed business cases rather than sit through passive lectures. Additionally, it involves professional development sessions and site visits to regional companies. Priority is explicitly given to first-generation and resource-limited applicants.
Who it's best for: A current junior heading into senior year specifically, since the program does not admit rising juniors, who wants a highly selective Midwest business school experience.
4. McCombs Summer High School Programs (MFEA, Subiendo, DYNAMC), UT Austin
Location: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Cost/Stipend: Free; all educational, food, and boarding costs are covered by sponsors, including EY for DYNAMC
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective across all three tracks
Dates: Subiendo: June 14 to 18, 2026. MFEA and DYNAMC dates follow a similar June window
Application deadline: Subiendo: January 31; MFEA and DYNAMC: March 1
Eligibility: Open to current high school sophomores and juniors; Subiendo is restricted to Texas juniors only
Three distinct free tracks share one McCombs umbrella: MFEA is a general business and leadership survey, Subiendo is a Texas-only leadership development program, and DYNAMC focuses specifically on accounting careers with EY's sponsorship. All three combine workshops, mentorship from current UT students, and a final case competition.
Who it's best for: A Texas student, for Subiendo specifically, or any U.S. student wanting a completely free, multi-track business exploration hosted at one school.
5. Georgetown Global Business Academy
Location: Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. (residential or commuter)
Cost/Stipend: Residential $9,085; commuter $7,085
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; the residential section was 97 percent full as of this writing
Dates: June 7 to 26, 2026
Application deadline: Rolling within Georgetown's Academies application window
Eligibility: Current 8th through 12th graders; non-credit Academies require students to be at least 15; no visa or TOEFL required for international students
This three-week program is built around the mechanics of international business, covering globalization, cross-border financial markets, and institutions such as the World Bank and IMF through investment challenges and faculty case studies. It is distinct from Georgetown's Entrepreneurship Academy above, which is a shorter, startup-focused track.
Who it's best for: A student specifically interested in international business institutions and cross-border markets, rather than domestic startups; note this section is nearly full.
6. Colorado State University Global Business Academy
Location: CSU College of Business, Fort Collins, CO, with a day at CSU's Mountain Campus in the Rockies
Cost/Stipend: $3,750, with limited scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 12 to 22, 2026
Application deadline: Early admission and scholarship deadline February 1, 2026; final deadline May 1, 2026
Eligibility: Ages 15 to 18, enrolled in high school for fall 2026; international and U.S. students welcome
Classroom content on entrepreneurship, ethics, and sustainability is paired with a team-building ropes course at CSU's Mountain Campus. You will also go on company tours and meetings with business professionals. This is a distinct program from Georgetown's identically-named Global Business Academy above.
Who it's best for: A student who wants Rocky Mountain outdoor activities built directly into a business curriculum, rather than a purely classroom-based program.
7. ESCP Business School International Summer School
Location: ESCP Turin Campus, Turin, Italy
Cost/Stipend: Roughly 2,000 euros per week plus a small application fee, based on third-party reporting; not independently reconfirmed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 6 to 17, 2026
Application deadline: 2026 applications closed at capacity as of this writing
Eligibility: Ages 16 to 18; English proficiency at the B1 level
Over two weeks, students cover business fundamentals in strategy, marketing, and finance in a genuinely multicultural classroom. Company visits and cultural excursions around Turin are also woven into the schedule. The 2026 cycle is already full.
Who it's best for: A student who wants a European classroom experience specifically, rather than a U.S. campus, and is comfortable applying well ahead of the following summer given how quickly this fills.
8. USC Marshall: Introduction to Business
Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (on campus)
Cost/Stipend: Not independently reconfirmed for the current cycle (estimate)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No published rate or cohort size (estimate)
Dates: Summer term; exact dates vary by session
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Part of USC Marshall's on-campus Pre-College track
Students unpack how businesses actually build, manage, and grow, from marketing and operations to finance and leadership, with a field trip to SoFi Stadium giving a direct look at the business side of entertainment and sports in Los Angeles. The program builds to a Capstone Case Competition where teams analyze a real company and pitch a recommendation.
Who it's best for: A student interested in the entertainment and sports business intersection specifically, on top of a general business survey.
9. USC Marshall: Analytics, The Power of Data for Businesses
Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (residential or commuter)
Cost/Stipend: $11,570 residential; $8,130 commuter, plus an $85 application fee, based on the most recently confirmed cycle (estimate)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No published rate or cohort size (estimate)
Dates: Four weeks, late June through mid-July
Application deadline: May 8 domestic; March 13 international
Eligibility: Completed ninth grade by the program start; proficiency in high school-level math; calculus not required
This is USC Marshall's data-focused track: students learn to organize, clean, and visualize data and apply classification and clustering algorithms across marketing, finance, and operations contexts. A final project has each student analyze a public dataset of their own choosing.
Who it's best for: A student who wants the technical, data-tools side of business specifically, rather than a general management survey.
10. TCU Neeley Analytics Academy
Location: TCU Neeley School of Business, Fort Worth, TX (residential)
Cost/Stipend: $1,800, based on the most recently confirmed cycle
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Roughly 80 students
Dates: One week, residential
Application deadline: 2026 applications are already closed as of this writing
Eligibility: Rising 11th or 12th graders
This one-week program focuses specifically on data analytics and market research, teaching statistical programs, data-driven storytelling, and visualization rather than a general business curriculum. Students receive a Data Analytics Certificate from TCU Neeley upon completion.
Who it's best for: A student targeting a Texas program with a tight, one-week analytics focus rather than a broader multi-week survey.
11. Cornell CICER Summer High School Program
Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (residential)
Cost/Stipend: $5,700 residential; a reduced $1,300 commuter rate for specific nearby New York counties, based on the most recently confirmed cycle
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Spots limited; no published rate or cohort size (estimate)
Dates: July 13 to 25, 2026
Application deadline: Rolling until spots fill
Eligibility: High school students, grades 9 to 12
Run by Cornell's Institute for China Economic Research, this two-week program blends courses in economics, big data, and business analytics with a business analysis simulation. It is taught in a seminar format at Cornell’s campus and also involves a pitch competition.
Who it's best for: A student who wants an Ivy League campus experience paired with an actual pitch competition, not just lecture-based coursework.
12. Syracuse University Summer College: Data Visualization and Analysis
Location: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY (residential or commuter)
Cost/Stipend: Residential $2,795; commuter $2,309, subject to change; scholarships available (estimate)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No published rate or cohort size (estimate)
Dates: One week
Application deadline: Rolling admission; early application recommended
Eligibility: Rising sophomore, junior, senior, or 2026 high school graduate
Students work through the full data pipeline, from capture and quality assessment through cleaning and visualization in Excel and Tableau, and practice presenting insights clearly. This is one course inside Syracuse's much larger Summer College, which runs over 100 courses across every subject.
Who it's best for: A student who wants a single, short, highly specific data course rather than a full multi-week business survey.
13. Rutgers Business School Summer Business Camp
Location: Livingston Campus, Piscataway, NJ (residential)
Cost/Stipend: $2,600 per week, including room, board, meals, and field trips
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; sells out early most years
Dates: Three one-week sessions: July 5 to 11, July 12 to 18, July 19 to 25, 2026
Application deadline: Until slots are full
Eligibility: High school students
An experiential week covers marketing, management, accounting, finance, and supply chain, taught by Rutgers Business School faculty with mentorship from current RBS students. Field trips to companies such as Johnson and Johnson and MassMutual give direct exposure to how those functions play out in practice.
Who it's best for: A New Jersey-region student wanting an affordable, one-week, broad business survey close to home.
14. Women Empowered through Business (WEB) Institute, University of Tennessee Haslam
Location: Haslam College of Business, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (residential)
Cost/Stipend: Free aside from a $20 seat reservation fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Six-day residential session
Application deadline: March 31, 2026
Eligibility: Underrepresented rising high school female juniors; minimum 3.0 GPA
WEB introduces students to the intersection of business and technology, analytics, coding, and supply chain management. It involves workshops led by Haslam faculty and women currently working in tech and business. Students commit to all six days in campus housing, and the program sits alongside two linked Haslam pre-collegiate offerings run by the same office.
Who it's best for: A young woman specifically interested in the intersection of tech and business, at close to no cost.
15. Business Institute at Wake Forest Summer Immersion
Location: Wake Forest University, Reynolda Campus, Winston-Salem, NC (residential)
Cost/Stipend: Roughly $3,500, based on the most recently confirmed cycle
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No published rate or cohort size (estimate); both 2026 sessions carry a waitlist
Dates: Week of June 7 to 12 and week of June 14 to 19, 2026
Application deadline: Rolling from November 1 the prior year
Eligibility: Grades 9 to 12; open to students from all geographic locations; English fluency required
This week covers finance, HR, management, marketing, and operations through interactive case studies and team projects, ending in a group pitch presentation. Both 2026 sessions had already reached waitlist status as of this writing.
Who it's best for: A student wanting a broad, general business survey at Wake Forest specifically, who can act quickly given how fast this fills.
16. Business Strategy Institute, Wake Forest University Summer Immersion
Location: Wake Forest University, Reynolda Campus, Winston-Salem, NC (residential)
Cost/Stipend: $3,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No published rate or cohort size (estimate); the 2026 session carries a waitlist
Dates: Week of July 19 to 24, 2026
Application deadline: Rolling from November 1 the prior year
Eligibility: Current 9th through 12th grade students
Students work in teams as consultants tackling real business challenges around strategy, competitive positioning, and financing growth, complete with a DISC personality assessment to identify their own leadership style. The week ends with a team strategy presentation to industry professionals. This is a distinct offering from the Business Institute above, which covers general business fundamentals rather than strategy specifically.
Who it's best for: A student who wants to practice being a strategy consultant rather than a founder, and is drawn to the personality-assessment element.
17. The Academies by Harvard Student Agencies
Location: Harvard University classrooms, Cambridge, MA (on campus)
Cost/Stipend: $1,800 for one week; need-based aid available, with more than 80 percent of students receiving some tuition assistance
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open to all high school students, with no specific eligibility cutoff
Dates: Multiple one-week sessions running June through August
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Grades 9 to 12
Run by Harvard Student Agencies, a student-run nonprofit affiliated with, but organizationally separate from, Harvard University itself, this program offers two business tracks: Management and Strategy, and Entrepreneurship. These are taught by Harvard undergraduate instructors rather than faculty. Students learn to analyze business data, value companies, and tackle real corporate issues over the course of one week.
Who it's best for: A budget-conscious student who wants a one-week Harvard-adjacent experience without the selectivity or price tag of Harvard's own summer school.
18. Babson Summer Study for High School Students
Location: New England Innovation Academy, Marlborough, MA (residential or day format)
Cost/Stipend: Pricing is currently in flux as Babson reorganizes its high school summer offerings; not independently reconfirmed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Financial aid deadline February 13, 2026; exact session dates not independently reconfirmed for this cycle
Application deadline: Rolling; financial aid deadline February 13, 2026
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors, at least 15 years old by the program start
Built around Babson's for-credit EPS 1110 course, Introduction to the Entrepreneurial Experience, students apply the Entrepreneurial Thought and Action framework to a social-impact venture tied to the U.N. Global Goals, earning four college credits along the way. Babson appears to be actively restructuring this offering, so families should confirm current pricing and format directly with Babson before applying.
Who it's best for: A student set on a for-credit entrepreneurship course at the country's top-ranked entrepreneurship school specifically.
19. Wharton Management and Technology Summer Institute (M&TSI)
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School and Penn Engineering, Philadelphia, PA (residential)
Cost/Stipend: $9,000, including tuition, room and board, activities, and college credit, plus a $100 non-refundable application fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; a for-credit program with limited seats
Dates: Three weeks, starting in early July
Application deadline: Priority January 28, 2026; final around March 24 to 25, 2026
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors and a select number of rising juniors interested in the integration of technology and management; minimum 3.5 unweighted GPA; international students require an F-1 visa since the program carries college credit
Run jointly by the Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology, Penn Engineering, and Wharton, M&TSI has students earn a real Penn credit unit while completing an intensive team prototyping project. Field trips to companies such as Google and Comcast and guest lectures from Penn faculty and successful entrepreneurs are included.
Who it's best for: A student who wants to combine a tech-heavy prototyping project with business management, and can secure an F-1 visa if applying from outside the U.S.
20. Wharton Leadership in the Business World (LBW)
Location: The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (residential)
Cost/Stipend: $11,899
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective, admitting students globally; approximately 120 students per session
Dates: Three sessions in 2026: June 7 to 27, June 28 to July 18, and July 19 to August 8
Application deadline: Priority January 28, 2026; final March 18, 2026
Eligibility: Currently enrolled in grade 11 specifically, with a minimum 3.5 unweighted GPA; international applicants welcome
Wharton's most expensive and longest on-campus track builds toward a signature capstone case competition, where student teams analyze a real company using frameworks like SWOT analysis and Porter's Five Forces and present strategic recommendations to faculty and industry judges. Eligibility is restricted specifically to current juniors rather than rising seniors broadly.
Who it's best for: A current 11th grader specifically, since the program does not admit rising seniors broadly, who wants Wharton's single most selective on-campus track.
21. Camp Business, Drexel LeBow College of Business
Location: Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (residential or commuter)
Cost/Stipend: Not independently reconfirmed for the current cycle
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No published rate or cohort size (estimate); all three 2026 sessions are already full
Dates: Residential Blue: July 13 to 17; commuter: July 20 to 24; residential Gold: July 27 to 31, 2026
Application deadline: Priority deadline was May 1, 2026; the program is now full
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Camp Business covers accounting, marketing, finance, and management alongside professional-image and etiquette content, with both residential and commuter formats. All three 2026 sessions had already reached capacity as of this writing, and the program directs interested students toward Business Bootcamp below or next summer's Camp Business.
Who it's best for: A student planning ahead for next summer specifically, since 2026 is already sold out; check back for the following year's application window.
22. Business Bootcamp, Drexel LeBow College of Business
Location: Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (on campus, day program)
Cost/Stipend: $325
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No published rate or cohort size (estimate)
Dates: February 14 to 15, 2026, two days; note this runs in winter, not summer
Application deadline: 2026 applications are closed; the next cycle opens in fall 2026 for 2027
Eligibility: Sophomore through senior year; preference for strong GPA and extracurricular involvement; international students welcome
A short, intensive two-day program covers product development, accounting, analytics, and business ethics, distinct in both season and format from Camp Business above. Because it runs in February rather than summer, it works well as a low-commitment supplement to a student's actual summer plans.
Who it's best for: A student who wants a short, low-cost, off-season taste of Drexel business content without committing an entire summer week.
23. Business Emerging Leaders (BEL) Scholarship Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Location: University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (three-week summer residential component)
Cost/Stipend: At least $10,000 per year for four years toward tuition and fees; the summer residential component is covered except for transportation
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Summer residential experience runs roughly three weeks; exact 2026 dates not independently reconfirmed
Application deadline: Priority March 1, 2026; final April 5, 2026
Eligibility: Current high school senior who has been admitted as a Direct Admit to UW, Madison's undergraduate business program for fall enrollment; preference for demonstrated leadership, financial need, first-generation status, or prior business-camp experience
Unlike every other entry on this list, BEL is a four-year, ten-thousand-dollar-per-year tuition scholarship tied to matriculation at UW, Madison, with a three-week residential experience bundled in the summer before freshman year. It is a scholarship decision rather than a summer-exploration decision, since eligibility requires admission to UW, Madison specifically.
Who it's best for: A student who has already decided they want to attend UW, Madison's business program and is looking for a scholarship pathway, not a general summer exploration option.
24. Yale Summer Session, Pre-College
Location: Yale University, New Haven, CT
Cost/Stipend: $5,480 for a one-credit course, such as Introduction to Behavioral Economics
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No published rate; students enroll in standard Yale Summer Session courses alongside college students (estimate)
Dates: Session A: May 25 to June 26, 2026; Session B: June 29 to July 31, 2026
Application deadline: Priority round February 20; regular round March 13; rolling after
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors, 16 or older by the program start date
Students enroll directly in actual Yale undergraduate courses alongside college students rather than a bespoke high-school-only curriculum. For business-minded applicants, Introduction to Behavioral Economics is the closest fit, covering how relaxing rationality assumptions changes economic predictions.
Who it's best for: A student who wants to sit in a real Yale undergraduate course rather than a program built specifically for high schoolers.
25. Choate Rosemary Hall Summer Programs
Location: Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford, CT
Cost/Stipend: Varies by program type; need-based financial aid available with a priority deadline of January 31, 2026
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No published rate or cohort size (estimate)
Dates: Late June through late July, varies by session
Application deadline: Priority January 31, 2026; rolling admissions until programs fill
Eligibility: Middle and high school students, typically grades 7 to 12 depending on the specific program
Choate's 2026 Academic Enrichment catalog includes an Economic Principles course among more than 100 offerings taught by Choate faculty and visiting educators, set inside the school's structured boarding-school schedule of classes, activities, and residential life. Day students may commute and choose up to three courses, while boarding students live in Choate's residence halls for the full session.
Who it's best for: A student who wants the boarding-school daily structure and a wide menu of unrelated courses alongside one business-adjacent option.
26. University of New Haven, Entrepreneurs: Social Impact and Innovation
Location: University of New Haven, West Haven, CT
Cost/Stipend: $800 day program or $1,350 with on-campus accommodations, based on the most recently confirmed cycle (estimate)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No published rate or cohort size (estimate)
Dates: Not independently reconfirmed for the current cycle
Application deadline: Registration open until capacity is reached
Eligibility: Entering grades 9 to 12 for the 2026-27 academic year
Students build a business idea explicitly framed around social impact, balancing financial sustainability with a real-world problem, and pitch it to a panel of professionals by the end of the week. Visits to local social-impact initiatives ground the classroom content in practice.
Who it's best for: A student specifically drawn to social-impact entrepreneurship rather than for-profit startups.
27. UConn Pre-College Summer
Location: UConn Storrs campus, residential, and Hartford campus, commuter, CT
Cost/Stipend: Standard rate not independently confirmed (estimate); two need-based scholarship tiers exist for 2026: Grey, at $1,175, for families under $100,000, and Blue, at $300, for families under $80,000 (sourced)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No published rate or cohort size (estimate)
Dates: Storrs Session 1: June 21 to 27; Hartford, non-residential: June 29 to July 3; Storrs Session 2: July 5 to 11, plus additional July sessions
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students, typically grades 9 to 12
The specific business-relevant course currently confirmed in UConn's 2026 catalog is Accounting, taught by a practicing CPA. This sits inside a broader summer program that spans Business, Fine Arts and Digital Media, STEM, and Social Sciences.
Who it's best for: A Connecticut-region student wanting a short, low-cost accounting course inside a larger multi-subject program, rather than a business-only offering.
28. Economics for Leaders, Yale University
Location: Yale University, New Haven, CT (residential)
Cost/Stipend: Roughly $1,500 to $2,999, based on third-party reporting
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; admission based on leadership potential, maturity, and vision
Dates: One week, in June
Application deadline: Rolling; apply early as space is limited by site
Eligibility: Current sophomores and juniors
This course teaches students to apply economic reasoning, incentives, trade-offs, and market dynamics, to leadership and public-policy decisions through simulations and case exercises. The course is run by the Foundation for Teaching Economics, not Yale itself.
Who it's best for: A student who wants a policy-and-leadership framing around economics rather than a straightforward business management curriculum.
29. Harvard Secondary School Program, 7-Week Residential
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA (on campus, residential)
Cost/Stipend: $15,735, including tuition for 8 credits, room and meal plan, and the program fee, plus a $75 non-refundable application fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 22 to August 7, 2026
Application deadline: Priority January 7; regular February 11; late April 1
Eligibility: At least 16 by June 20, 2026, and not turning 19 before July 31, 2026
Students live on Harvard's Cambridge campus and enroll in real, for-credit Harvard college courses. With over 200 options across the 4- and 7-week programs, you can study economics, finance, leadership, entrepreneurship, and public policy.
Who it's best for: A student who wants a genuine, long, 7-week Harvard undergraduate course load rather than a one-week taste of the university.
30. Bentley University Pre-College Summer Program
Location: Bentley University, Waltham, MA (residential or commuter)
Cost/Stipend: Varies by course; exact 2026 figures not independently reconfirmed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; Wall Street 101 is described by Bentley as a competitive experiential learning program
Dates: Seven sessions running the week of June 8 through July 24, 2026
Application deadline: Rolling admissions until courses fill
Eligibility: High school students; residential participation requires being 16 by September 1
Bentley's flagship business course, Wall Street 101, covers global finance and investing, including stocks, bonds, currencies, and cryptocurrencies, through case analyses and interactive trading simulations led by Bentley faculty with industry experience. Other courses in Bentley's 2026 catalog include Accounting, Data Analytics, Risk Management, and Social Entrepreneurship.
Who it's best for: A student specifically interested in financial markets and trading simulations rather than general management or entrepreneurship.
31. NYU Precollege
Location: New York University, New York, NY (on campus)
Cost/Stipend: Varies by credit load, based on the most recently confirmed pricing structure (estimate)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No published rate or cohort size (estimate)
Dates: July 1 to August 12, 2026
Application deadline: Rolling; applications for summer 2026 are open now
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors; cumulative GPA of 3.0 recommended
Business-track students take courses through NYU Stern within a much larger program offering more than 100 courses across over 30 academic areas, from journalism to engineering. The specific business course list rotates each cycle, so it is worth checking NYU's live catalog before applying.
Who it's best for: A student who wants a New York City backdrop and access to NYU Stern coursework specifically, inside a large multi-subject summer program.
Frequently asked questions: business summer programs for high school students
1. What are the best business summer programs for high school students?
The strongest picks depend on what you want at the end: Wharton's Leadership in the Business World and Michigan Ross's Summer Business Academy are the most selective and academically rigorous options on this list. If cost matters more than prestige, NFTE BizCamp and Rowan's Think Like an Entrepreneur Summer Academy are free.
2. What is the most prestigious business summer program for high school students?
You'll find the most selectivity and name recognition in Wharton's Leadership in the Business World and Michigan Ross's Summer Business Academy, both of which admit a tightly limited cohort each summer. Harvard's Secondary School Program adds genuine Harvard College credit into the mix, which you might weigh as more valuable than selectivity alone. Don't let prestige alone decide it, though, since a less famous program that ends in a real deliverable can matter more to an admissions reader than a big name you attended passively.
3. What classes should I take in high school if I want to study business?
Focus on courses that build quantitative and communication skills rather than a single "business" class, since most high schools don't offer a dedicated business track anyway. Economics, statistics, and accounting, where available, give you the clearest foundation, and AP Microeconomics or AP Macroeconomics are the closest most schools get to college-level business content. Strong writing and public speaking classes matter just as much, since case competitions and pitch presentations, the kind you'll do in programs like these, reward clear communication over raw finance knowledge.
4. Are business summer programs open to freshmen and sophomores?
Yes. Berkeley's B-BAY and Wharton's Essentials of Entrepreneurship both admit students currently in grades 9 to 11, and CSU's Global Business Academy opens at age 15 regardless of grade. So if you're a freshman or sophomore, you still have real options here, just not every one on this list.
5. How do I get started if I'd rather build a real business than take a course?
Most of the programs on this list teach business through lectures, case studies, or a single team project inside a fixed course, which is different from actually launching something of your own. If you want the second version, Young Founders Lab pairs high schoolers with mentors from firms like Harvard Business School, Google, and McKinsey to build an actual revenue-generating startup or nonprofit over several weeks of live workshops. The program runs in both an Individual and a Team-Based format and ends with a pitch to real investors and founders.