9 Residential Business Programs for High School Students
Explore the top 9 residential business programs for high school students. Gain practical knowledge and prepare for a successful career in the business world.
If you're a high school student interested in business, one way to explore that interest is by joining a residential business program. These programs let you live on a college campus while learning about business through workshops, team projects, and case studies. You’ll meet other students who are interested in the same topics and get a feel for what studying business in college is really like.
You’ll learn how to market an idea, speak with confidence, understand basic finance, and work with a team to get something done under pressure. Some days you’ll be in workshops, other days you might visit a company or talk to someone who runs their own business. And when it comes time to apply to college, being able to say you’ve already worked on business problems makes a big difference.
To help you choose the right fit, we’ve compiled a list of 9 residential business programs for high school students!
9 Residential Business Programs for High School Students
Columbia University Pre-College – Entrepreneurship & Innovation: Changing the World via Venture Creation
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: $12,449 (3-week residential); $6,300 (3-week commuter); need-based aid available for NYC commuters
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; applications open in December
Dates: Multiple 2- and 3-week sessions from June – August
Application Deadline: Rolling after December opening
Eligibility: Students entering Grades 9–12 and current seniors; international students are eligible
Columbia University’s Pre-College program, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, is a residential program where you get to build your startup from the ground up. You’ll explore every part of the process, doing market research, talking to potential customers, working on branding, figuring out finances, and learning the legal basics. You’ll create a full business model, test your ideas, get real feedback, and pitch your final plan. Along the way, you’ll build practical skills in leadership, communication, and financial planning.
UChicago Pre-College Summer Immersion – Economics From An Experimental Perspective
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: $8,900 (Residential); $5,850 (Commuter); financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 14 - July 4
Application Deadline: March 5
Eligibility: Current high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors; minimum age 14
Economics from an Experimental Perspective at the University of Chicago Summer Immersion lets you study how economic decisions work by running real experiments. You’ll take part in simulations like exchange markets and strategy games, then analyze the results using economic theory. Taught by UChicago faculty, the course combines short lectures with hands-on group research. You’ll build skills in data analysis, economic reasoning, and teamwork while exploring how experimental economics plays out in real life.
Summer@Brown – Measuring Business Success: An Introduction to Financial Accounting
Location: Brown University, Providence, RI
Cost: $5,256 (Residential); $4,076 (Commuter); scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment, space-limited
Dates: July 15 – 26
Application Deadline: May 10
Eligibility: High school students (grades 9–12), ages 14–18 by June 15
Measuring Business Success at Brown University. Summer at Brown gives you a chance to learn how businesses track performance using financial accounting. You’ll study topics like revenue recognition, accrual versus cash systems, and how to read financial statements. You’ll work with real financial data, join group projects, do independent study, and take part in class discussions. You’ll also build and present your analysis. The course is taught by Brown faculty and runs for two weeks as part of the residential Summer at Brown program. You also get access to workshops, student events, and receive a completion certificate.
Summer Venture in Business
Location: University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Cost: Free
Dates: June 15–20 or July 13–18
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors; preference for first-gen students, Title I or rural school attendees, and Kansas/Greater KC residents with a 2.75+ GPA
Summer Venture in Business at the University of Kansas is a free, six-day residential program where you explore business and get a feel for college life. You’ll stay in a campus residence hall, attend workshops led by KU faculty, and take part in group projects, lectures, and hands-on sessions in different areas of business. You’ll also learn how to prepare for college, build leadership skills, and explore career paths. The program includes personalized mentorship and access to KU’s resources.
Business Leadership Program
Location: Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder, CO
Cost: Free, tuition, housing, and meals covered
Dates: June 22–28
Application Deadline: March 30
Eligibility: Current high school juniors; priority for first-generation, low-income, underrepresented students, and Colorado residents
Business Leadership Program at CU Boulder’s Leeds School of Business is a free residential program where you work in teams to solve real business challenges from corporate partners. You’ll create a marketing strategy, attend workshops, hear from business executives, and work closely with Leeds faculty and staff. The program focuses on innovation, leadership, and diversity. You’ll build skills in teamwork, critical thinking, and communication. At the end, teams compete in a case challenge, and the winning group earns a $1,000 scholarship to Leeds.
Caminos al Futuro
Location: George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
Cost: Fully funded
Dates: July 3–19
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors with strong academics and demonstrated leadership within the Latino/Hispanic community
Caminos al Futuro at George Washington University is a free residential summer program for Latino and Hispanic high school student leaders. You’ll stay on campus, attend seminars, take part in writing labs, and explore social, political, and economic issues that impact the Latino community. The program includes site visits to Congress, government agencies, and nonprofits, giving you firsthand experience with civic leadership and public policy. You’ll also work on a community action project, join college readiness workshops, and connect with mentors and peers throughout the program.
Business Essentials
Location: Tufts University, Medford/Somerville, MA
Cost: $5,750 (Residential); $4,225 (Commuter); limited need-based scholarships available
Dates: July 20 – August 1
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10–12 or graduating seniors
Business Essentials at Tufts University is a two-week residential program where you learn core business concepts through real-world examples. Hosted by the Tufts Gordon Institute, the program covers business functions, strategy, ethics, and innovation. You’ll take part in case studies, debates, and role-play exercises to see how companies respond to challenges like new technology, social responsibility, and market changes. You’ll also hear from guest speakers in different industries and explore how businesses can stay profitable while staying true to their values.
Entrepreneurship & Innovation Bootcamp
Location: Tufts University, Medford/Somerville, MA
Cost: $5,750 (Residential); $4,225 (Commuter); limited need-based scholarships available
Dates: July 6 – 18
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10–12 or graduating seniors
Tufts Entrepreneurship and Innovation Bootcamp is a two-week residential program where you learn how to build your own business, nonprofit, or social venture from the ground up. Hosted by Tufts’ Derby Entrepreneurship Center, the program includes workshops, mentorship, and group sessions focused on solving real-world problems with scalable ideas. You’ll work on business case development, go-to-market planning, sales strategy, and pitching. You’ll also team up with Tufts alumni and student mentors while living on campus. The program ends with a final pitch to advisors and potential funders.
Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania: Leadership in the Business World
Location: Philadelphia, PA (Residential)
Cost: $11,399; need-based financial aid available
Dates: June 8 – 28, June 29 – July 19, or July 20 – August 9
Application Deadline: Priority Deadline: January 29, Final Deadline: April 2
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors from any country
Leadership in the Business World at the Wharton School is a three-week residential program where you explore business, leadership, and entrepreneurship through hands-on learning. Hosted by the University of Pennsylvania, the program includes lectures from Wharton faculty, group discussions, business simulations, and case studies based on real companies. You’ll work on research projects, build decision-making and teamwork skills, and learn directly from business leaders in fields like finance, real estate, and entertainment. You’ll end the program by pitching a business strategy as part of a final group project. You also earn a Wharton Global Youth Certificate of Completion.
Young Founders Lab
If you’re looking for an incubator program that helps you build a startup in high school, consider the Young Founders Lab!
The Young Founders 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 real-world problem. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X.
You can access the application link here!