9 International Economics Internships for High School Students
Economics internships can be a useful way to explore your interests in the subject, build practical skills, and see how economics works in the real world. If you’re considering studying economics in college or thinking about a future career in related fields, an internship can give you valuable experience beyond the classroom.
For high school students outside the U.S., opportunities can sometimes feel limited, but there are programs and organizations around the globe that accept international students. These internships let you explore areas like global markets, finance, development, and policy while connecting you with people from different backgrounds.
Not only will an international internship give you early exposure to how economics is practiced in different contexts, but it will also strengthen your résumé and college applications. It shows that you’ve taken the initiative to learn and gain experience before starting college.
To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of 9 international economics internships for high school students! Some of the programs on this list aren’t traditional internships, but each program offers practical experience in economics for international students.
9 International Economics Internships for High School Students
1. Ladder Internship Program
Cost: Varies according to program (financial aid available)
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships offers a selective, virtual internship program where you work directly with high-growth startups spanning various industries, including tech, AI/ML, health tech, marketing, consulting, and more. You will work closely with startup managers and receive one-on-one coaching to develop communication, time management, and project presentation skills. You will work on meaningful projects, participate in group training with peers worldwide, and build professional networks with companies backed by prominent investors like YCombinator and founders from Microsoft, Google, and Facebook.
2. Young Founders Lab
Cost: Varies according to program. There is need-based financial aid.
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
Young Founders Lab is a startup boot camp led by Harvard entrepreneurs that gives you hands-on experience launching a revenue-generating startup focused on real-world problems. You will learn business fundamentals through workshops, skill-building sessions, case studies, and panel discussions, guided by professionals from companies like Google and Microsoft. Throughout the program, you’ll develop entrepreneurial skills, collaborate with experienced mentors, and gain practical knowledge of startup creation and development.
3. Young Entrepreneurs Program (YEP!)
Location: Providence, RI; New Haven, CT; Los Angeles, CA; Berkeley, CA; Palo Alto, CA; Sydney, Australia
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Varies by campus
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Open to high school students; middle school programs available at select campuses
YEP! is a free entrepreneurship program that immerses high school students in the process of building ventures with real economic impact. As a participant, you’ll join an on-campus incubator where you’ll work with peers and college mentors to develop business ideas that respond to market needs and social challenges. Throughout the program, you’ll learn how to conduct market research, design products with cost-efficiency in mind, and build business plans that reflect sound financial strategy. These are grounded in the kind of economic thinking that helps entrepreneurs identify opportunity, allocate resources, and measure impact.
4. Boundless – Fidelity Investments
Location: Boston, MA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Virtual events typically occur in April; In-person job shadowing takes place in spring and summer
Application Deadline: Spring
Eligibility: Female high school and undergraduate students
Boundless – Fidelity Investments is a career-readiness program designed for female-identifying high school students with an interest in finance and economics. You’ll take part in educational workshops, digital learning sessions, and leadership development activities that introduce you to key economic concepts and personal finance strategies. The program also connects you to Fidelity’s talent network, giving you early exposure to careers in financial services. A highlight is the Job Shadow experience at Fidelity’s Boston office, where you observe professionals working in areas like asset management, retirement planning, and investment operations.
5. Foundation for Teaching Economics (FTE) Student Programs
Location: Various U.S. university campuses & Virtual
Cost: $2,600 - Cornell, Duke, UC Berkeley, UCLA, University of Pennsylvania, Yale, $2,300 - Boston College, Purdue, Rice, UC Santa Barbara, University of Michigan, University of Virginia, Vanderbilt, $2,000 - Emory University, Ohio State University, University of Washington, $900 - Virtual Program
Program Dates: Specific site dates vary
Application Deadline: March 19 (International residential applicants)
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores and juniors; international students must demonstrate English proficiency
The Foundation for Teaching Economics offers immersive summer programs designed to equip students with leadership skills and the ability to apply economic analysis to public policy decisions. The flagship Economics for Leaders (EFL) program introduces economic concepts, reasoning, and leadership theory through workshops, case studies, and interactive activities. To accommodate students unable to travel, FTE also offers a fully synchronous EFL Virtual Program covering the duplicate content and requiring daily online attendance. Language proficiency requirements apply to both in-person and virtual programs.
6. Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY)
Location: University of California, Berkeley, CA
Cost: $6,292 for California residents; $7,332 for non-residents (including international applicants)
Program Dates: Session I: July 5–19; Session II: July 19–August 2
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th-grade high school students, including international applicants
Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY) is a two-week summer program at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business that introduces high school students to core concepts in economics and business strategy. You’ll work in teams to develop a business plan grounded in economic principles such as market analysis, cost structures, competitive dynamics, and pricing strategies. You’ll apply microeconomic reasoning to business decision-making and explore topics like supply and demand, consumer behavior, and financial modeling. The program concludes with a formal presentation of your team’s business plan.
7. Yale's Young Global Scholars program—Politics of Law & Economics
Location: Yale University in New Haven, CT
Cost: $6,500 per two-week session, and financial aid (need-based) is available
Program Dates: Session I: June 23 – July 5; Session II: July 7 – July 19; Session III: July 21 – August 2 (Dates vary annually)
Application Deadline: January 10
Eligibility: Open to high school students interested in law, politics, and economics
Politics of Law & Economics (PLE) is a two-week academic session offered by Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) for high school students interested in economics, law, and political systems. You’ll study how legal frameworks and political institutions shape economic outcomes across different societies and historical periods. The curriculum includes lectures and seminars on topics like public policy, market regulation, antitrust law, governance, and development economics. Past sessions have featured lectures such as Agricultural Microcredit and Youth Representation in an Aging Japan, and seminars on game theory, arbitration, and constitutional interpretation.
8. Georgetown University Pre-College Online Program
Location: Online
Cost: $1,895 (enrichment courses); $3,995 (college credit courses)
Program Dates: Year-round; courses offered in multiple lengths (1–12 weeks depending on track)
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Open to students ages 13 and up; no transcripts or recommendations required
Georgetown University’s Pre-College Online Program gives you the flexibility to explore academic subjects in depth before college, entirely at your own pace. You can choose between enrichment courses, which offer 20 to 30 hours of instruction and culminate in a Certificate of Completion. If you're interested in economics, finance, or related fields, you’ll find options like Investing, Marketing, and International Relations, each taught through engaging video lessons by Georgetown faculty. Throughout the course, you’ll receive academic support from mentors or teaching assistants and complete a final capstone project to demonstrate your learning.
9. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes
Location: Online
Cost: $3,080 plus up to $100 for course materials
Program Dates: Session One: June 16–27, Session Two: July 7–18
Application Deadline: March
Eligibility: Students currently in grades 8–11
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes offer two-week online courses for high school students in grades 8–11 who want to explore advanced academic subjects without the pressure of grades or credit. If you're interested in economics, you can choose from courses like Business Strategy and Capital Markets and Investments, which introduce you to core concepts in competitive analysis, financial decision-making, and market dynamics.
Each course includes daily live sessions, interactive assignments, and collaborative projects that mirror the rigor of a Stanford classroom. You’ll study alongside peers from over 50 countries in small classes that encourage discussion and close engagement with instructors. At the end of the program, you’ll earn a Certificate of Completion