TL;DR
Georgetown runs four business academies on its D.C. campus: Global Business, Business & Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Marketing & Personal Branding. The big split is length and housing: 2026 tuition runs from $5,075 for two weeks as a commuter to $9,085 for three weeks residential. This guide is for you if you're an 8th to 12th grader deciding whether a short, non-credit campus program is worth it. You need only a 2.0 GPA to apply, but your seat isn't held until you pay. If you'd rather build your own startup with a mentor, Young Founders Lab is worth a look.
A summer business program can help you test an academic interest before choosing a college major, practice working on a team, and learn how business ideas move from discussion to a pitch. A university program also gives you a short trial of campus life.
This review separates Georgetown's four business-related Summer High School Academies, explains what you actually do, and weighs their value against their cost and admissions selectivity. It also separates Georgetown's own programs from third-party programs held on the same campus. You will see the current tuition, format, eligibility rules, application process, credit status, and financial aid information in one place.
If you want a wider comparison before deciding, see our guides to entrepreneurship programs in Washington, D.C. and free business programs for high school students.
Which business programs does Georgetown offer?
Georgetown University's Summer Programs for High School Students office runs four non-credit, business-related academies: Global Business, Business & Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Marketing & Personal Branding. The table below shows the four Georgetown-run options using the university's published Summer 2026 information. Georgetown says its 2027 offerings and application will go live on November 16, 2026, so check the new pages before applying.
| Program | Length and dates | Cost | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Business Academy | 3 weeks; June 7 to 26 | $9,085 residential; $7,085 commuter | International markets, global finance and multinational strategy |
| Business & Leadership Academy | 3 weeks; July 19 to August 7 | $9,085 residential; $7,085 commuter | A broad survey of finance, strategy, management, marketing and leadership |
| Entrepreneurship Academy | 2 weeks; June 7 to 19 | $6,465 residential; $5,075 commuter | Startup ideas, prototyping, business plans and pitching |
| Marketing & Personal Branding Academy | 2 weeks; June 21 to July 3 | $6,465 residential; $5,075 commuter | Digital marketing, customer research, content strategy and campaign work |
Global Business Academy
Global Business is the best match if you want to study business through an international lens. You examine global markets, finance, technology, national economies and institutions such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organization. The work includes case studies, investment challenges, presentations and a business simulation in which you collaborate with classmates to run a startup. You study with professors from Georgetown's McDonough School of Business and meet Washington, D.C. business experts.
Business & Leadership Academy
Business & Leadership is the broadest of the four options. Its curriculum moves across investing, finance, strategy, marketing, management, law, ethics, communications and AI for business. Each class day begins with a briefing on domestic and global issues, and your group completes a capstone in which you build, run and pitch a startup. Like Global Business, it lists professors from Georgetown's McDonough School of Business.
Entrepreneurship Academy
Entrepreneurship is the clearest fit if you want to practice developing and pitching a venture idea. You study design thinking, market research, prototyping, finance, startup operations, networking and communication. You develop a business plan and pitch in a small group, hear from entrepreneurs and finish with a team pitch competition. If you want to see what a strong pitch looks like before you go, our startup pitch deck examples for high school founders break a few down.
Marketing & Personal Branding Academy
Marketing & Personal Branding makes the most sense if you already know you are interested in marketing. You cover traditional and digital marketing, data analytics, customer research, content strategy, communication and personal branding. Georgetown says you work with a real D.C.-based client in small teams and develop an integrated pitch and marketing plan. For more options in this area, see our roundup of marketing pre-college programs.
What happens during Georgetown's business academies?
You spend most weekdays in structured academic programming, followed by optional activities for residential students. Georgetown's sample schedules begin with breakfast from roughly 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. Academic blocks generally run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 or 5:00 p.m., with a lunch break between morning and afternoon sessions.
Depending on the day, those blocks can include lectures, guest speakers, group discussions, workshops, project work, labs, and off-site visits in Washington, D.C. The three-week Global Business schedule also shows capstone work from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., so some days remain academically structured after dinner.
Evening residential programming can include movies, game nights, cookouts, concerts, seminars, social events, and off-campus outings. Georgetown describes these activities as optional and lists a 10:30 p.m. floor curfew with bed checks at 11:30 p.m. The overall experience is closer to an intensive survey course plus supervised campus life than to an internship.
What should you weigh before applying?
The main decision is whether the instruction, projects and campus experience justify the price for your goals. These seven factors matter more than the Georgetown name on the certificate.
1. The cost is high for a non-credit experience
The 2026 residential price is $9,085 for three weeks or $6,465 for two weeks, before travel and personal expenses. The value has to come from the instruction, project work, network and campus experience, since the academies do not award college credit.
2. Commuting is the clearest way to reduce the price
If you can reach Georgetown each day, the commuter option saves $2,000 on a three-week academy and $1,390 on a two-week academy. Commuter tuition excludes housing and meals, although Georgetown allows commuters to buy an optional dining plan separately.
3. The academies do not award college credit
You receive a certificate of participation after successful completion, and Georgetown records a pass, fail or withdrawal on a non-credit transcript. This differs from earning college credit through Georgetown's separate Summer College courses.
4. The 2.0 GPA floor points to broad access
Georgetown requires academy applicants to be in good academic standing with at least a 2.0 GPA. The university considers your grades, courses, school official's review and personal statement, but it does not publish an academy acceptance rate.
5. The practical deadline comes before the final deadline
An admission offer lets you register for any academy with space, but it does not hold a seat in your preferred program. Your place is secure only when you register and pay the full tuition, so applying early matters more than simply beating the published May 15 final deadline.
6. Applying by January 31 saves the fee
Georgetown charges a $50 non-refundable application fee, but waives it for applications submitted by the January 31 Early Bird Deadline. Avoiding the fee helps, but the stronger reason to apply early is the first-come, first-served registration process after admission.
7. The four business academies do not have a special age minimum
Current 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th graders may apply during the academic year before the summer program. Georgetown imposes a minimum age of 15 on five other academies, but its current list does not include Global Business, Business & Leadership, Entrepreneurship, or Marketing & Personal Branding.
Is Georgetown Business Academy prestigious or hard to get into?
The academies carry the Georgetown name, but they're paid pre-college programs with a 2.0 GPA minimum, not a highly selective credential.
Georgetown doesn't publish an acceptance rate. No academy acceptance rate is posted, so you can't back up a claim that these programs are highly selective.
The bar to apply is broad. The admissions office reviews your academic history, course selection, school official's response, and personal statement, and the minimum GPA is 2.0.
Admission opens the whole portfolio, not one seat. Approval lets you register for any academy with space rather than placing you in one fixed business cohort.
Registration decides who gets in. Georgetown states that an admission offer does not guarantee a place and that registration is first come, first served once tuition is paid.
The work you finish matters more than the name. A thoughtful capstone, a clearer academic direction or a project you keep building afterward says more than the certificate by itself, so don't expect the Georgetown name alone to work like an award.
Who is eligible and how do you apply?
You can apply if you're a current 8th through 12th grader with at least a 2.0 GPA, a short personal statement and a school official who can speak for you. Here's how to get through the process without losing your spot.
Watch for the November 16 launch. Georgetown says its Summer 2027 offerings and application go live on November 16, 2026, so recheck dates, tuition and requirements when those pages appear.
Apply by January 31 to skip the fee. Georgetown waives its $50 application fee for applications submitted by the January 31 Early Bird Deadline. The final deadline is May 15, and later applications are considered case by case.
Write a 300- to 500-word personal statement. The essay explains why you want to attend, and you upload it to your online application before you submit.
Line up your school official early. You give contact details for a counselor (preferred), adviser, teacher or principal who can speak to your academic readiness and verify your GPA, and that person gets an automatic email once you submit. If you're homeschooled, this person can't be a family member or paid tutor.
Register and pay as soon as you're admitted. Georgetown starts reviewing applications in late fall and releases decisions as they're made, which can take up to three weeks after all materials arrive. An acceptance email is not the same as a reserved seat, so you still have to register for an academy with space and pay tuition.
Who is the program best for?
The academies fit you best if your family can absorb the cost and you want a structured introduction to business plus a short Georgetown campus experience.
Commuters get the strongest value. You keep the same academic schedule and cut the price by up to $2,000 at 2026 rates.
Global Business suits an international focus. Pick it if global markets, finance and institutions like the World Bank are the main draw.
Business & Leadership suits explorers. It's the broadest survey if you want to sample business before choosing a specialty.
Entrepreneurship suits idea people. It's the clearest match if you want to practice ideation, business plans and pitching.
Marketing & Personal Branding suits communicators. Choose it if you want client-facing campaign work and communication practice.
It's a weak fit if you want a selective credential. The 2.0 GPA floor and first come, first served registration mean the name won't do the work for you.
It's hard to justify if it crowds out other options. If paying would rule out lower-cost opportunities where you could build a longer project, take on real responsibility or earn funding based on merit or need, those may give you more.
Pros and cons of Georgetown Business Academy
The academies give you a structured, well-supervised taste of business and campus life, but you pay a premium for a non-credit program that isn't selective.
Pros
The project work is applied. Every academy builds toward group work you present, from a startup capstone in Business & Leadership to a team pitch competition in Entrepreneurship and a campaign for a real D.C.-based client in Marketing & Personal Branding.
You learn from Georgetown faculty and D.C. practitioners. Global Business and Business & Leadership both list professors from Georgetown's McDonough School of Business, and all four academies bring in guest speakers.
There are four distinct focus areas. You can pick international business, a broad survey, entrepreneurship or marketing instead of a one-size-fits-all course.
Commuting cuts the price. If you live nearby, commuter tuition saves you $2,000 on a three-week academy and $1,390 on a two-week one.
The bar to apply is open. Current 8th to 12th graders with at least a 2.0 GPA can apply, and the business academies have no extra age minimum.
Residential life is closely supervised. Residential students get 19 meals a week, a 10:30 p.m. floor curfew and bed checks at 11:30 p.m.
Cons
It's expensive for what you earn. Residential tuition runs $6,465 to $9,085 for 2026 before travel, and you don't get college credit.
Admission doesn't hold your spot. Seats go first come, first served once you pay tuition, so registering late can cost you your first choice.
It isn't a selective credential. Georgetown doesn't publish an acceptance rate and only requires a 2.0 GPA, so the name alone won't set you apart.
Financial aid is thin. Georgetown's need-based scholarships are limited, competitive and cover tuition only.
International students get no visa help. Georgetown won't provide visa assistance for non-credit academies, and you pay a mandatory health insurance fee.
The projects are short. Everything is built in two or three weeks, so you'll need to keep going on your own if you want to take an idea further.
Is Georgetown Business Academy worth it?
It can be worth it for the right student, but the residential option is difficult to defend on credentials alone. The programs offer long academic days, group projects, access to Georgetown faculty or industry speakers, Washington, D.C. visits, and a supervised campus experience. Those benefits matter if you want to explore business in a structured setting and learn how you handle an intensive college-style schedule.
The price is the main limitation. At $9,085 for a three-week residential academy or $6,465 for a two-week residential academy in 2026, you should expect more than a certificate. Before enrolling, identify the skills you want to practice, the project you expect to complete, and how you will continue that work after the program. The commuter option presents a better cost-to-value case if it is available to you.
If your budget is limited, compare Georgetown with startup incubators for low-income high school students and the free options linked earlier. A funded program, local internship or independent venture may give you more responsibility for much less money.
Frequently asked questions: Georgetown Business Academy for high school students
1. How much does Georgetown Business Academy cost?
For Summer 2026, Georgetown's three-week Global Business and Business & Leadership Academies cost $9,085 residential or $7,085 commuter. The two-week Entrepreneurship and Marketing & Personal Branding Academies cost $6,465 residential or $5,075 commuter. Residential tuition includes housing and 19 meals per week, while commuter tuition excludes both.
2. Do you get college credit?
No. The four academies covered here are non-credit programs. You can receive a certificate of participation, and Georgetown records a grade on a non-credit transcript. If earning college credit matters to you, compare the academies with Georgetown's separate Summer College offerings.
3. Is financial aid available?
Yes, but Georgetown says its need-based academy scholarships are limited, competitive and apply to tuition only. You must be admitted before you can submit the scholarship application. Georgetown says the Summer 2027 academy scholarship application is scheduled to open in late December 2026, and it lists March 2 as the academy scholarship deadline. Confirm those dates when the new application opens, since applications received after the deadline aren't reviewed.
4. Can international students attend?
Yes. Georgetown accepts international academy applicants and doesn't require TOEFL scores or a student visa (an I-20, F-1 or J-1) for the academies. It also won't provide visa assistance for non-credit academy courses, and it adds a mandatory health insurance fee of $90 for a two-week academy or $135 for a three-week one. Confirm the U.S. entry requirements that apply to you before paying tuition or booking travel. If the trip isn't practical, our list of online business programs that accept international high school students covers options you can join from home.
5. What is the most prestigious business summer program for high school students?
There's no official ranking, so prestige mostly comes down to how selective a program is and what you finish with. Programs that admit a small share of applicants tend to carry more weight than ones with open-style admissions. Georgetown's academies sit on the accessible end, since they require only a 2.0 GPA and don't publish an acceptance rate. For a side-by-side look at more selective options, see our guide to prestigious entrepreneurship summer programs for high school students.
Putting it all together
Georgetown's business academies are strongest as learning and campus experiences, not as selective credentials. The commuter option can make sense if you want several weeks of structured business study and can use the projects to guide what you do next. The residential option demands a much harder cost-to-value calculation.
Want to build a venture of your own without paying for D.C. housing or fitting into a fixed two-week window? The Young Founders Lab Program pairs you with a one-on-one mentor, runs fully online with a rolling start date, and ends with a demo day where you pitch to potential investors. Apply here.