15 Online Accounting Programs for High School Students
If accounting, finance, business, or entrepreneurship sound like fields you might want to explore, online accounting programs for high school students offer a smart way to get started early.
What do online accounting programs involve?
Online accounting programs typically combine organized coursework with real-world case studies, simulations, and project-based learning to show how businesses track revenue, manage expenses, and make financial decisions by using data. Instead of learning theory in isolation, you'll see how financial systems actually work in real organizations.
Why participate in online accounting programs as a high schooler?
If you’re considering majors such as accounting, finance, economics, or business administration, these experiences can give you a strong head start. Along the way, you'll build transferable skills you can apply to your own ventures, internships, and future coursework.They can also help your college application stand out by showing early academic initiative.
If you’re also looking for in-person alternatives, you can check out accounting summer programs. You might want to further sharpen your skills and practice teamwork by participating in accounting competitions.
Below are 15 online accounting programs for high school students that combine structured learning, skill development, and career exploration opportunities.
15 Online Accounting Programs for High School Students
1. Young Equity Analyst (YEA) Program
Location: Online (live virtual classes)
Cost: $1,990
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: August 10 – 21
Application Deadline: Rolling until cohort fills
Eligibility: Students ages 15–18
The Young Equity Analyst (YEA) Program is a live, online finance and investing course that introduces high school students to practical stock analysis and valuation techniques. You will learn how industry cycles affect company performance, how to evaluate competitive advantages, and how broader economic factors influence financial markets. The program walks you through reading and interpreting financial statements, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements, with an emphasis on basic financial ratios used by analysts. A central part of the course involves valuing companies using free cash flow models, where you input assumptions into a step-by-step FCFF framework to estimate the fair value of a stock. By the end of the program, you will have gained foundational skills in equity research and investment analysis, giving you a strong foundation for future study in accounting, finance, or economics.
2. Young Founders Lab
Location: Online
Cost: Varies by program; full financial aid available
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer, fall, winter, and spring
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort (rolling)
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
Young Founders Lab is a virtual startup boot camp built for high school students who want to explore entrepreneurship by actually creating something on their own. Instead of just learning about startups, you'll work toward building a revenue-generating business that addresses a real-world problem, giving you a clear picture of how ideas turn into viable ventures. You participate in live workshops and classes covering accounting, business finances, investment, ideation, market research, product development, and go-to-market strategy. You'll receive mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs and professionals with experience in companies such as Google, Microsoft, and X, who will share their insights into real startup environments. You also participate in case studies, panel discussions, and skill-building sessions that emphasize critical thinking and practical decision-making.
3. AccountingCoach – Free Online Accounting Program
Location: Online (remote)
Cost: Free (optional paid PRO upgrade available)
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: Self-paced; available year-round
Application Deadline: None (open enrollment)
Eligibility: Open to high school students; no prior accounting experience required
AccountingCoach is a free, self-paced online program that makes it easy to learn the basics of accounting step by step. You will work through core concepts such as accounting basics, debits and credits, financial statements, bookkeeping, payroll accounting, and cost accounting, building practical knowledge as you go. The lessons focus on how accounting works in real businesses, helping you connect concepts to real-world situations. Whether you are preparing for future coursework, managing your own venture, or exploring accounting as a career path, the study material is practical and easy to follow.
4. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Online (remote; work from anywhere in the world)
Cost: Varies by program type; full financial aid available
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort (spring in January, summer in May, fall in September, winter in November)
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students able to commit 10–20 hours per week for 8–12 weeks
The Ladder Internship Program is a selective virtual internship that matches you with a high-growth startup for hands-on, project-based work. You collaborate directly with your startup manager on real-world tasks that may involve operations, marketing, product strategy, research, or business development, depending on the company’s goals. Startups in the program span industries such as finance, accounting, technology, AI and machine learning, health tech, consulting, journalism, and marketing. This gives a realistic look at how early-stage companies operate and adapt in fast-paced professional environments. You also receive structured support through coaching focused on communication, time management, and professional skills. By the end of the internship, you'll have practical experience working with early-stage companies and transferable skills relevant to finance, business, entrepreneurship, and related fields.
5. Introduction to Accounting – Excel High School
Location: Online (remote)
Cost: Paid; single-course enrollment available (standard, honors, and AP pricing options)
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: Self-paced; available year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling enrollment
Eligibility: High school students (typically grades 9–12)
Introduction to Accounting is a fully online course designed for high school students who want to understand how businesses manage money and make financial decisions. You'll build a strong foundation in financial accounting by learning how to prepare and read financial statements, manage payroll and taxes, track assets and liabilities, and understand the accounting cycle that keeps organizations running smoothly. The course focuses on practical, real-world applications of accounting, helping you see how accounting concepts are used in everyday business settings. Structured as a semester-long program aligned with the Carnegie Credit system, the course offers an academic experience comparable to a full-year high school accounting course. By the end of the program, you will be better prepared for college-level accounting coursework or entry-level roles in bookkeeping and business finance.
6. Online Accounting
Location: Online (remote)
Cost: Included with full diploma enrollment; not available for single-course purchase
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: Self-paced; year-round enrollment
Application Deadline: Rolling enrollment
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in a College Prep or General Diploma track
Online Accounting is a high school–level course that introduces high school students to the core principles and practical applications of accounting in business environments. You will start by learning the full accounting cycle and applying accounting practices to real-world scenarios such as merchandising, inventory management, payroll, and asset tracking. As the course progresses, you'll explore how accounting differs across partnerships and corporations, and learn how to prepare and evaluate financial statements. You'll also build skills pertaining to departmental financial management and manufacturing accounts, helping you understand how accounting supports operational decision-making.
7. Accounting 1 (Online)
Location: Online (remote)
Cost: $325 for full unit; $275 per semester
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: Self-paced; available year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling enrollment
Eligibility: High school students
Accounting 1 is an online course designed for high school students who want to understand how accounting works and how it connects to real careers. You will begin by learning how to identify and work with different account types, including assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses, while building a foundation in bookkeeping and financial recordkeeping. The curriculum is organized into seven instructional units that balance conceptual understanding with practical examples relevant to real-world business operations. By the end of the course, you will have developed essential accounting literacy and a clear understanding of future career paths in accounting, business, and entrepreneurship.
8. Accounting: Basic Accounting and Bookkeeping
Location: Online (fully remote; self-paced)
Cost: Paid (pricing varies by enrollment platform; credits-based enrollment available)
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: Self-paced; start anytime with 1 year of access
Application Deadline: Rolling enrollment
Eligibility: High school students ages 13–18 (grades 9–12)
Accounting: Basic Accounting and Bookkeeping is a self-paced online course that helps you understand how accounting works from the ground up. Through 11 pre-recorded lessons, you work through core topics such as GAAP, transaction analysis, the accounting equation, record keeping, and how financial statements are prepared, giving you a clear picture of how businesses track and report their finances. As you progress through the course, you learn how income statements and balance sheets are connected, how accrual accounting and adjusting entries work, and how depreciation and closing entries are handled in real business settings. The course also introduces you to ratio analysis and different types of business ownership, helping you understand how accounting supports decision-making across organizations.
9. Banking Basics Bundle: Banks, Checking Accounts & Savings Accounts
Location: Online (fully remote; self-paced)
Cost: Paid (credits-based enrollment; pricing varies by platform)
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: Self-paced; start anytime with 1 year of access
Application Deadline: Rolling enrollment
Eligibility: Students ages 12–16 (approximately grades 6–10)
The Banking Basics Bundle is a short, self-paced online course designed to help you build practical money skills you can use in everyday life. With the help of three pre-recorded lessons, you'll learn how banks function, how checking accounts are used for daily transactions, and how savings accounts help you plan for long-term financial goals. Interactive activities walk you through banking tasks such as analyzing bank statements, completing simulated account applications, filling out checks and deposit slips, and calculating interest. Each lesson includes guided practice and a workbook to reinforce key concepts, along with limited teacher support over three weeks to help you clarify questions and keep you on track. By the end of the program, you earn a certificate of completion and gain foundational knowledge that supports future learning in accounting, finance, and personal money management.
10. Accounting and QuickBooks Online Comprehensive Course
Location: Online (fully remote; self-paced)
Cost: Paid (discounted pricing available; typically under $10 during promotions)
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: Self-paced; lifetime access after enrollment
Application Deadline: Rolling enrollment
Eligibility: Open enrollment; suitable for high school students with basic computer skills (middle school level or higher recommended)
The Accounting and QuickBooks Online Comprehensive Course is a self-paced training program built for high school students who want to master both accounting fundamentals and how these concepts are used in real bookkeeping work. A major focus of the course is practical learning; you’ll work through real-world scenarios such as bank reconciliations, managing receivables and payables, tracking inventory, and fixing common data-entry errors. Using tools such as QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop, you'll learn how to navigate professional accounting software with confidence. By the end of the course, you will be able to manage business financial records and understand how accounting concepts translate into real operational decisions. You'll also earn a certificate of completion, making this course a practical option if you want to build applied accounting and bookkeeping skills.
11. Basics of Accounting
Location: Online (fully remote; self-paced)
Cost: Paid (often heavily discounted; typically under $10 during sales)
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: Self-paced; lifetime access after enrollment
Application Deadline: Rolling enrolment
Eligibility: Open to beginners; recommended for learners with basic numerical and math skills (suitable for motivated high school students)
The Basics of Accounting course is a beginner-friendly online program that helps you understand how accounting works from the ground up. You will start by learning essential accounting language and tools such as accounting terminology, T-accounts, general ledgers, accounting standards, and the principles of recognition, measurement, valuation, and disclosure. As you progress, the course introduces you to cost management, costing systems, budgeting, forecasting, and long-term financial management, helping you understand how accounting supports business decision-making. Using practical examples and simplified financial reports, you will learn how income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements are used to analyze a company’s financial position.
12. Finance & Accounting Specialization
Location: Online (fully remote; self-paced)
Cost: Paid via Coursera subscription (financial aid available)
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: Self-paced; complete on your own schedule
Application Deadline: Rolling enrolment
Eligibility: Open to beginners; suitable for motivated high school students with basic math skills
The Finance & Accounting Specialization on Coursera is an organized, university-level online program designed to help high school students understand how financial and accounting concepts drive business decisions. You will explore core topics such as financial accounting, managerial accounting, financial statement analysis, time value of money, valuation, and capital budgeting. You'll also learn how to read and interpret balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements, and understand how managers and investors use this information to assess companies and opportunities, and make strategic choices. Taught by Wharton faculty, the specialization mirrors introductory undergraduate coursework and provides strong academic signaling for college applications. By the end of the program, you will have a solid foundation in finance and accounting concepts that can support further study, internships, or independent ventures.
13. Accounting 1 – University of Lausanne
Location: Online (fully remote)
Cost: Included with Coursera subscription (financial aid available)
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: Self-paced; approximately 2 weeks at 10 hours per week
Application Deadline: Rolling enrollment
Eligibility: Beginner-friendly; suitable for motivated high school students with basic math skills
Accounting 1 is a foundational online course that helps you understand how financial accounting really works, not just how to memorize rules. You will learn how the three primary financial statements, viz., balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement, are structured and how businesses use them to make decisions. As you move through the course, you'll practice analyzing financial statements to assess a firm’s profitability, liquidity, and solvency. The curriculum also introduces you to the accounting rules that govern how key transactions and business activities are recognized and measured. Taught by Professor Garen Markarian of the University of Lausanne, the course is part of a two-course financial accounting sequence and mirrors introductory undergraduate-level instruction. By the end of the course, you will build a strong conceptual foundation in accounting that supports further study in finance, business, economics, and entrepreneurship, while also strengthening your academic profile for college applications.
14. Accounting in 60 Minutes – A Brief Introduction
Location: Online (self-paced)
Cost: Paid; included with Udemy Personal Plan (pricing varies; frequent discounts available)
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: Self-paced; available year-round
Application Deadline: None (rolling enrollment)
Eligibility: Open to all learners; suitable for high school students with no prior accounting background
Accounting in 60 Minutes is a quick, beginner-friendly online course that gives high school students an introduction to core accounting concepts in just about an hour. You will learn the basic accounting equation, understand the difference between debits and credits, and see how balance sheets and income statements are prepared using simple, intuitive examples. The course focuses on conceptual clarity rather than memorization, helping you understand why profit does not equal cash and how accounting information reflects real business activity. Lessons are delivered through short whiteboard-style videos, with practice quizzes to help reinforce learning. While not a full-length academic program, this course is a useful starting point if you want quick exposure to accounting fundamentals before committing to more in-depth coursework.
15. Accounting: From Beginner to Advanced!
Location: Online (self-paced)
Cost: Paid; included with Udemy Personal Plan (pricing varies; frequent discounts available)
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: Self-paced; available year-round
Application Deadline: None (rolling enrollment)
Eligibility: Open to all learners; appropriate for high school students and beginners with no prior accounting experience
Accounting: From Beginner to Advanced is an online course designed to take you from the basics of accounting to more advanced financial analysis in a single structured program. You will start by learning how to identify and prepare core financial statements, analyze business transactions, and apply debits and credits within the full accounting cycle. You will gain exposure to practical topics such as bank reconciliations, inventory valuation methods (FIFO, LIFO, and average cost), depreciation and amortization, investments, and bonds. The course also introduces you to financial ratio analysis, helping you understand how accounting data is used to evaluate business performance. This course is well-suited if you want a structured, end-to-end understanding of accounting before pursuing advanced coursework, internships, or business-focused college programs.
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