15 Summer Business Camps for High School Students
Business summer camps are invaluable for high school students pursuing careers in business and entrepreneurship. They provide practical experience that classroom learning alone cannot replicate, helping you gain clarity on your potential career paths while building concrete skills.
What do business camps cover?
Camps typically cover core business topics such as entrepreneurship, idea generation, market research, financial modeling, operations, ethics, branding, pitching, and global business practices. Many incorporate site visits to companies, guest lectures from executives, and real-world challenges tied to current issues (e.g., sustainability or innovation).
Why participate in business camps as a high school student?
You’ll learn business skills you can use for your own ventures. This includes mastering practical tools like validating ideas with real users, creating financial projections, building pitch decks, managing teams, and iterating on feedback. It can also help with college applications, since participation can signify initiative and leadership.
To put your business skills to use, you can explore paid business internships. For more options, you can also check out online business analytics programs.
Below is a curated listicle of 15 diverse business summer camps active for high school students.
15 Summer Business Camps for High School Students
1. Babson Summer Study for High School Students (Babson College)
Location: Babson College
Cost/Stipend: Online $6,295; Day student $9,295; Residential $12,995
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not mentioned
Dates: July 8 - 28
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors
You develop an entrepreneurial mindset and innovation skills by tackling real-world problems aligned with the UN Global Goals. You also collaborate globally, work on projects with faculty guidance, and build confidence as changemakers. Skills developed include problem-solving, leadership, and entrepreneurial thinking; earn 4 college credits. Throughout the program, you refine your communication and pitching abilities by presenting solutions to diverse audiences and receiving structured feedback. You gain hands-on experience in research, design thinking, and project management while working in cross-cultural teams.
2. Young Founders Lab
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Cost/Stipend: Varies by the program. There is need-based financial aid.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Varies according to cohort
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students
The Young Founder’s Lab is a real-world 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 real-world 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.
3. Wharton Leadership in the Business World (LBW) – Wharton Global Youth Program (University of Pennsylvania)
Location: Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Cost/Stipend: Approximately $11,399
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not mentioned
Dates: June 7–27, June 28–July 18, July 19–Aug 8
Application Deadline: March 18
Eligibility: Rising seniors
This course opens the opportunity for an intensive introduction to undergraduate business education, where you explore leadership, management, organizational strategy, teamwork, and operations through coursework, group activities, and real-world business challenges. You engage in case studies and simulations that mirror real corporate decision-making, allowing them to apply classroom concepts in practical settings. Through collaborative team projects, you learn how to analyze market trends, develop strategic solutions, and present professional recommendations.
4. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Cost/Stipend: Varies as per program
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort
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, you work closely with your managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present your work to the company.
5. Barrett Summer Scholars — Arizona State University
Location: Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Cost/Stipend: $800 (includes housing, dining, and program materials); limited scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Program Dates: May 31 – June 3 (Grades 9–10); June 7 – June 10 (Grades 11–12)
Application Deadline: March 30
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9–12; minimum GPA of 3.0 (grades 9–10) or 3.25 (grades 11–12)
In the Barrett Summer Scholars program at Arizona State University, you take part in an immersive residential experience designed to simulate college-level academics and campus life. You attend structured classes and workshops where you explore advanced topics across disciplines, including pathways that connect to business, leadership, and career exploration. Through these sessions, you develop skills in critical thinking, communication, and independent learning while managing assignments in a college-style environment. The program emphasizes career exploration, helping you understand how different academic interests, including business, translate into real-world opportunities and future college majors.
6. Exploring Entrepreneurship (University of Southern California)
Location: University of Southern California
Cost/Stipend: Commuter $8,130; Residential $11,570.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not mentioned
Dates: June 22 - July 17
Application Deadline: May 8
Eligibility: High school students.
Rigorous hands-on program where you build and launch your own real startup. You also work in fast-paced, collaborative teams under the mentorship of experienced founders and industry professionals who provide continuous feedback. You conduct market research, refine your value proposition, and iterate your product based on real customer insights. The experience emphasizes resilience, adaptability, and data-driven decision-making throughout the startup lifecycle.
7. Entrepreneurship Academy (Georgetown University)
Location: Georgetown University
Cost/Stipend: $6,465
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not mentioned
Dates: June 7 - 19
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: High school students.
You gain in-depth exposure to startups, prototyping, market research, social innovation, and operations. You actively develop and refine your own venture concepts, applying design thinking and lean startup methodologies to test ideas in real-world contexts. Through mentorship sessions and collaborative workshops, they learn how to assess feasibility, measure impact, and pivot strategically when needed. The program also strengthens communication and teamwork skills through pitch presentations and peer feedback.
8. Business Opportunities Summer Session (BOSS) – Penn State Smeal College of Business
Location: Penn State Smeal College of Business
Cost/Stipend: $350.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not mentioned
Dates: June 14 - 26
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: High school students.
You engage in interactive lectures, case studies, and collaborative group projects that introduce key areas such as marketing, finance, management, and entrepreneurship. Through real-world business simulations and problem-solving exercises, you learn how companies make strategic decisions in competitive markets. The program also incorporates professional development workshops on resume building, networking, and presentation skills. Campus tours, student panels, and mentorship sessions provide insight into undergraduate business education and career pathways.
9. Camp Business (Drexel University LeBow College of Business)
Location: Drexel University
Cost/Stipend: Commuter $950; Residential $2,000.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not mentioned
Dates: Multiple sessions in July
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, seniors.
Through faculty-led lectures and interactive workshops, you explore core concepts such as financial literacy, investment basics, organizational behavior, and ethical decision-making. You engage in case studies and team-based projects that simulate real business environments, strengthening analytical and collaboration skills. The program also emphasizes professional development through sessions on public speaking, networking, and career exploration. By interacting with professors and industry guests, you gain insight into potential business majors and career pathways. The experience builds confidence, critical thinking, and a strong foundation for future studies in business and related fields.
10. Exploring Entrepreneurship - Gabelli School of Business
Location: Fordham University
Cost/Stipend: $1,950
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not mentioned
Dates: June 22 - 26
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, seniors.
Rising high school juniors and seniors spend one intensive week at Fordham’s Foundry developing a new business idea from concept to pitch. You build a business model canvas using design thinking, create an MVP/prototype, explore financing (bootstrapping, angel, VC), and deliver a team pitch to startup experts. Daily structure includes ideation workshops, customer discovery, roundtable discussions on pivoting/marketing, and a site visit to a startup incubator. You gain skills like an entrepreneurship mindset, teamwork, pitching, and startup execution.
11. The NextGen Leadership Institute
Location: Barnard College campus, New York City
Cost/Stipend: $8,160
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not mentioned
Dates: June 29 - July 17
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, seniors.
You engage in rigorous discussions and hands-on assignments that mirror college-level expectations, helping them strengthen analytical thinking and academic writing skills. Through interdisciplinary exploration and guided reflection, you connect classroom themes to real-world cultural and social issues. The program also emphasizes confidence-building through presentations, peer feedback, and collaborative problem-solving. By the end, you gain a deeper understanding of their academic interests while experiencing the intellectual energy of studying in New York City.
12. Michigan Ross Summer Business Academy - University of Michigan
Location: University of Michigan
Cost/Stipend: $5,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not mentioned
Dates: June 7 - 17
Application Deadline: Feb
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors at the time of the program, with a minimum GPA requirement
The Michigan Ross Summer Business Academy is a two-week, immersive pre-college business program designed for highly motivated rising high school seniors. You delve into how businesses operate and what leadership in business looks like through college-level classes, collaborative group projects, workshops, and problem-solving challenges. The program also includes guest lectures, field trips, and networking opportunities that help you translate classroom theory into practical applications.
13. Rutgers Business School Summer Business Camp
Location: Rutgers University
Cost/Stipend: $2,600
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not mentioned
Dates: Week 1: July 5 - 11 Week 2: July 12 -18 Week 3: July 19 - 25
Application Deadline: Open until spots fill
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9 -12
This one-week residential business camp gives you an immersive introduction to multiple core business disciplines, including marketing, management, accounting, finance, and supply chain. You live on campus, engage in faculty-led sessions, hands-on workshops, team challenges, and collaborative projects designed to mirror real business scenarios. You gain exposure to business fundamentals and build soft skills like teamwork, communication, and strategic thinking.
14. Barnard College - Athena Summer Innovation Institute
Location: Barnard College Campus
Cost/Stipend: Tuition is $8,160 (commuter) or $10,771 (residential)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not mentioned
Dates: June 29 - July 17
Application Deadline: Feb
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, seniors, and gap-year students welcome; open to students age 14+ with strong academic performance and motivation.
Over the course, you work in teams to take an idea from ideation through market research, planning, and final pitch presentation, gaining direct experience with the entrepreneurial process. The curriculum includes workshops on product development, customer research, branding, marketing, and startup finances, combined with mentorship, coaching, and public speaking practice. You also participate in entrepreneurial site visits to real companies and meet with entrepreneurs to better understand how businesses operate in practice.
15. Howard University - High School Summer Enrichment: Pre-Business Program
Location: Howard University School of Business
Cost/Stipend: $2,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not mentioned
Dates: July 18 - 24; July 25 - 31
Application Deadline: March 16; April 3
Eligibility: Open to motivated high school sophomores and juniors interested in business disciplines
Notable Features: You select a focus track and engage in hands-on group projects and real case-based learning tailored to your interest area
You choose from six distinct business tracks - Accounting, Information Systems, Actuarial Science, Music Business, Finance, or Entrepreneurship and work with Howard faculty and industry professionals through classroom instruction, team projects, case studies, and corporate site visits. The program emphasizes leadership development, critical thinking, collaboration, and professional skills while helping you explore potential business career paths and apply concepts beyond the classroom. You also take part in networking events, career readiness activities, and cultural excursions that deepen your insight into business fields and university life.