15 Business Summer Programs in Chicago for High School Students
For high school students who want a better look at business before college, summer programs give you the time and structure to explore it without the usual semester pressure.
What do business summer programs cover?
Summer programs introduce you to how business decisions are made, how companies organize work, and how people communicate about value and goals. This kind of exposure helps you build practical skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, and clear thinking, skills that are useful both in and out of the classroom.
Why pursue business summer programs in Chicago?
Chicago is a good place for business summer programs because it is home to a variety of industries and institutions that support student learning. Many programs include mentorship or chances to interact with professionals, giving you a perspective beyond textbooks. Participating in a summer program also equips you with experiences you can reference in college applications or interviews.
To apply the skills learnt from these programs in an actual workplace environment, you might want to consider business internships in Chicago for high school students. If you’re looking for a global business perspective, check out international business programs for high school students.
To help you explore your options, here are 15 business summer programs in Chicago for high school students!
15 Business Summer Programs in Chicago for High School Students
1. Chicago Summer Business Institute (CSBI)
Cost: Paid internship (stipend provided)
Location: Chicago, IL
Program Dates: June–July (6 weeks)
Application Deadline: February 1–March 31
Eligibility: You must be a Chicago resident, a high school sophomore or junior, maintain at least a 3.0 GPA, come from a household earning under $80,000 annually, and be able to commit to the program’s daily schedule.
CSBI is a six-week, full-time summer internship program based in Chicago. You are placed at a financial institution, corporate office, nonprofit, or city agency and work on real tasks rather than simulations. Your responsibilities can include spreadsheet work, basic accounting entries, document preparation, internal research, or operational support. Alongside the internship, you attend structured workshops that focus on resumes, interviewing, workplace communication, and time management. You also attend sessions with professionals from fields such as banking, accounting, public finance, and real estate.
2. Young Founders Lab
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
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
The Young Founder’s Lab is a start-up boot camp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a complex problem. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X. Apart from building the start-up itself, you will also participate in interactive classes on business fundamentals and business ideations, workshops and skill-building sessions, case studies, panel discussions, and more. The program is an excellent opportunity to delve into the world of business in high school and have a space to explore multiple theoretical as well as practical frameworks that lead to a successful business. You can check out the brochure for the program here.
3. University of Chicago Pre-College Programs - In-Person Immersion Programs (1–4 Weeks)
Cost: 1-Week Enrichment: $2,500; 2-Week Experience: $5,890; 3-Week Immersion: $9,300; 4-Week Practicum: $15,200. Significant financial aid is available for all programs.
Location: Chicago, IL (Hyde Park campus)
Program Dates: 1-Week Enrichment: June–July; 2-Week Experience: June 15–June 25 or June 29–July 10; 3-Week Immersion: June 15–July 2 or July 7–July 23; 4-Week Practicum: June–July (program-specific)
Application Deadline: Priority: February 11; Regular: March 12
Eligibility: You must be at least 14 years old and typically in grades 9–11. Some programs have additional grade-level or community-based eligibility requirements.
These programs place you on campus as a full-time pre-college student, with academic intensity increasing by program length. In one-week enrichment programs, you explore topics such as innovation, leadership, or entrepreneurship through guided discussion and short analytical activities. Two-week experience programs involve structured, faculty-led work like case discussions, applied workshops, and career pathway analysis related to business and economics. Three-week immersion programs place you in graded, undergraduate-level courses with readings, written analysis, and problem sets. Four-week practicum programs focus on sustained, research-driven, or project-based academic work.
4. Ladder Internship Program
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
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. Past founders have included YCombinator alums, founders raising over 30 million dollars, or founders who previously worked at Microsoft, Google, and Facebook. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company.
5. University of Chicago Summer Online
Cost: 3–5 Week Summer Online: $4,980. Need-based financial aid is available.
Location: Online
Program Dates: June–August (varies by course)
Application Deadline: Priority: February 11; Regular: March 12
Eligibility: You must be in grades 9–11 for pre-college–designed courses, or grades 11–12 for select undergraduate College courses. Course-specific prerequisites may apply.
This program allows you to enroll in an online course taught by University of Chicago instructors. Courses include live class sessions, structured discussions, and collaborative assignments. Some courses are designed specifically for high school students, while others place you alongside UChicago undergraduates completing the same graded work. Business-adjacent offerings often focus on economics, behavioral analysis, or data-driven reasoning. You complete readings, written work, and assessments on a set academic schedule. Courses award UChicago academic credit.
6. CPS–UChicago Summer Scholarship Program (Dual-Enrollment Pathway)
Cost: $800 tuition for households earning under $125,000; Free for students from households earning under $60,000
Location: Chicago, IL (University of Chicago campus)
Program Dates: Year-round academic program with summer course options available; course dates vary by department
Application Deadline: Mid-July (application opens mid-May)
Eligibility: You must be a Chicago Public Schools student, entering junior or senior year, with a strong academic record in a college-preparatory curriculum. You must also demonstrate readiness for undergraduate-level coursework. Recommendation letters and an interview are required.
This program allows you to enroll directly in a University of Chicago undergraduate course for credit. You attend class with UChicago students and complete the same readings, assignments, and exams. Course options connected to business typically fall within economics or related social science departments. The workload reflects college-level expectations and sustained academic pacing. Your completed course appears on your CPS transcript and is weighted like an AP course. The program emphasizes academic readiness rather than enrichment-style exposure.
7. Junior Economic Club of Chicago — Careers in Business (CIB) Internship Program
Cost: No program fee; compensation varies by internship (paid status depends on partner organization)
Location: Chicago, IL (hybrid or in-person depending on placement)
Program Dates: Summer (exact dates vary by internship placement)
Application Deadline: Rolling (subject to internship availability)
Eligibility: You must be a high-performing high school student and a member or applicant of the Junior Economic Club of Chicago. Selection is competitive and based on interest, readiness, and fit with partner organizations.
In the CIB Internship Program, you are placed with a startup, financial services firm, or investment organization partnered with JEC. Your responsibilities depend on placement and may include company research, market analysis, support for investment or underwriting work, or assistance with marketing and business development projects. Some placements involve early-stage venture environments, while others focus on structured finance or strategy work. You work directly with professionals and contribute to ongoing projects. The experience emphasizes applied business skills and professional execution in real organizations.
8. DePaul University — Invest for Kids Summer Investment Challenge
Cost: Free
Location: DePaul University Lincoln Park and Loop campuses, Chicago, IL
Program Dates: Five days in the summer (exact dates vary)
Application Deadline: Not publicly specified
Eligibility: You must be a high school student interested in finance or investing. Selection is competitive and based on interest and readiness for college-level material.
DePaul University’s Invest for Kids Summer Investment Challenge is a short, intensive finance program focused on valuation and investment analysis. You work in a sponsored team and move through a structured curriculum covering financial markets, asset pricing, and investment decision-making. Applied sessions involve Excel modeling, Bloomberg terminal use, and analysis of real market data. Industry professionals lead seminars and company visits throughout the week. The program culminates in a formal stock pitch where you defend an investment thesis using quantitative and qualitative reasoning.
9. University of Chicago — Career Insight: Business and Entrepreneurship
Cost: $5,890; need-based financial aid is available
Location: University of Chicago campus; Chicago, IL
Program Dates: June 15–June 25
Application Deadline: Priority and regular deadlines vary by cycle
Eligibility: You must be a high school student in grades 9–11. Admission requires a transcript, essays, a recommendation letter, and a writing sample.
The University of Chicago’s Career Insight program combines academic study with applied exposure to business pathways. Morning sessions focus on entrepreneurship, finance, leadership, and economics through faculty-led lectures, readings, and discussions. Afternoons shift toward applied learning, including career treks, informational interviews, and sessions with business professionals. You work in small groups on a project that links academic concepts to real organizational roles. Written reflections are used to evaluate how well you connect theory to business practice.
10. University of Illinois Chicago — Future Business Tech Leaders
Cost: Not specified (meals provided)
Location: Chicago, IL (University of Illinois Chicago campus)
Program Dates: One-day program in late June
Application Deadline: June 1
Eligibility: You must be entering your sophomore, junior, or senior year of high school, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, demonstrate interest in business or related fields, and express interest in attending UIC.
The University of Illinois Chicago’s Future Business Tech Leaders program is a one-day, on-campus introduction to business and technology careers. You take part in interactive workshops that examine how technology supports modern business functions. Sessions focus on business-oriented majors, digital tools, and emerging career paths. Faculty and staff lead discussions about academic preparation and professional expectations. The program is designed as an early exposure experience rather than a skills-intensive training program.
11. Genesys Works — Young Professionals Program
Cost: Paid program (students earn approximately $10,000–$13,000 over training and internship)
Location: Chicago, IL (training + corporate internship sites)
Program Dates: Summer: 8 weeks of skills training; Academic Year: Part-time paid internship during senior year
Application Deadline: Applications typically open in fall or winter (dates vary by cohort)
Eligibility: You must be a high school junior on track to graduate, authorized to work in the U.S., and able to adjust your senior-year course schedule to accommodate a 20-hour-per-week internship.
Genesys Works’ Young Professionals Program is a multi-stage workforce development program that blends training with long-term paid employment. You begin with eight weeks of summer instruction covering professional communication, workplace technology, project coordination, and business fundamentals. After training, you move into a part-time, paid corporate internship during your senior year, contributing to real teams and operational work. Ongoing coaching supports college planning, financial aid, and career decision-making. The structure emphasizes consistency, workplace responsibility, and understanding how businesses operate internally.
12. Future Founders — Be Your Own Boss Internship
Cost: Paid internship (cash stipend based on attendance and participation)
Location: Virtual (Chicago-based organization; occasional in-person events in Chicago)
Program Dates: Various cycles throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by the cohort
Eligibility: You must be a high school student enrolled in a public or charter school. The program prioritizes students from low-income and urban or rural settings. No prior entrepreneurship experience is required; admission includes an application and virtual interview.
Future Founders’ Be Your Own Boss Internship is a short-term, paid virtual program focused on early-stage entrepreneurship. You work in teams to develop a business idea from problem identification through pitching. Activities include mapping customer needs, designing a basic app prototype, and shaping a value proposition. Founders and business professionals lead sessions and provide feedback throughout the program. The experience centers on applied startup work and exposure to entrepreneurial thinking rather than classroom instruction.
13. Rotary Club of Chicago – JOB1 Summer Internship Program
Cost: Paid internship (Chicago minimum wage hourly rate)
Location: Chicago, IL (various businesses and nonprofits throughout the city)
Program Dates: June–August (Training starts in April)
Application Deadline: Typically, Mid-March
Eligibility: You must be a high school 11th grader or graduating senior, be at least 16 years old, attend a Chicago public high school, and be recommended by a teacher or guidance counselor.
The Rotary Club of Chicago’s JOB1 Program is an eight-week paid internship pathway built around workforce readiness and real business exposure. You begin with structured job-readiness training that covers resumes, interviewing, professional communication, workplace etiquette, and leadership basics. Sessions also break down how businesses function internally, including organizational structure, networking, and employer expectations. After training, you interview at a Rotary-hosted job fair and are placed with a Chicago-area business or nonprofit. During the internship, you work 20–40 hours per week under the supervision of an employee mentor, completing assigned tasks and learning how teams operate in real workplaces.
14. SparkShop – High School Summer Internship Program
Cost: Paid internship
Location: SparkShop HQ and partner community sites, Chicago, IL
Program Dates: Two weeks in July
Application Deadline: January (check website for exact date)
Eligibility: You must be a Chicago-based high school student (any grade level), be at least 16 years old, and demonstrate curiosity and motivation. No prior STEM or business experience is required; the program welcomes students from all backgrounds and skill levels.
SparkShop’s High School Summer Internship is a two-week paid program focused on applied work and organizational skills. You work on short-term projects tied to business operations, marketing, community engagement, or internal planning, depending on placement. The program emphasizes project planning, teamwork, presentation skills, and professional communication through hands-on tasks rather than lectures. You collaborate closely with SparkShop staff and peers while learning how a growing organization coordinates work across different functions. Mentors provide guidance and feedback throughout the program.
15. AGB Foundation – Summer Business Internship
Cost: Paid internship
Location: Chicago, IL (various minority-owned or minority-operated businesses, nonprofits, and public organizations)
Program Dates: Summer (six weeks; exact dates vary by year)
Application Deadline: April–May
Eligibility: You must be a high school student (including college-age young adults). While the program prioritizes students from minority backgrounds and first-generation families, all motivated, high-performing students are encouraged to apply.
The AGB Foundation’s Summer Business Internship places you in a six-week paid role within a Chicago-area business, nonprofit, or public organization. You work part-time under a mentor employee and rotate through multiple departments, spending time in areas such as accounting, human resources, sales, and marketing. This rotation model allows you to see how different business functions connect and support each other. Your experience includes shadowing professionals, attending meetings, and contributing to assigned projects. Alongside daily work, the program emphasizes professional communication, business correspondence, collaboration, negotiation, and networking.
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