10 Summer Business Programs for High School Students
Summer business programs offer you the opportunity to explore the foundations of entrepreneurship and leadership without tapping into your school year. These programs are designed to help you gain practical skills, such as financial modeling, strategic thinking, and team collaboration while opening you up to insights from industry professionals and experienced mentors. Over a few focused weeks, these programs allow you to engage in hands-on projects and real-world simulations that strengthen your understanding of business concepts.
Why should I apply to summer business programs as a high school student?
Participating in these programs during the summer ensures they won’t interfere with your school year, while still giving you a significant edge in preparing for college and your future career. Not only do they enhance your personal and professional growth, but these experiences also make a strong impression on college applications, showing your initiative and readiness to tackle advanced courses.
In this blog, we highlight 10 top summer business programs for 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.
The program is an excellent opportunity to delve into the world of business in high school and have a space to explore multiple theoretical as well as practical frameworks that lead to a successful business. You can check out the brochure for the program here.
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Cost: The total cost to attend the 4-week program is $2900. There is need-based financial aid.
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students
Program Dates: The 2025 edition of the program starts tentatively on June 5th and spans over 4 weeks.
Application Deadline: There are 3 application deadlines that you can choose between: Early Decision Deadline: March | Regular Admission Deadline 1: April | Regular Admission Deadline 2: May.
2. Business Opportunities Summer Session (BOSS)
The Business Opportunities Summer Session (BOSS) at Penn State’s Smeal College of Business is a two-week residential program designed for high school juniors interested in pursuing a business education. Held on the University Park campus, the program introduces you to business fundamentals and college preparation courses taught by Penn State faculty.
You will stay in dorms and experience college life, including dining at campus facilities. The program emphasizes academic growth, leadership development, and preparation for future business studies. BOSS offers a pretty solid experience that blends learning, networking, and personal growth that can serve as a decent addition to your portfolio
Location: University Park, Pennsylvania
Cost: $250 program fee (required upon acceptance)
Dates: June 15–June 27
Application Deadlines: March 19
Eligibility: High school juniors residing in the U.S. or Puerto Rico
3. Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY): High School Entrepreneurship
The Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY) High School Entrepreneurship program is a two-week summer program designed to introduce high school students to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and business. The program will guide 50 students through the process of developing a business idea, conducting user research, and creating a comprehensive business plan. You’ll gain hands-on experience through team collaboration, workshops, and lectures led by Berkeley Haas professors and industry guest speakers.
The program also emphasizes essential business skills such as communication, leadership, and presentation techniques. You’ll have the opportunity to showcase your work during a final presentation day and receive a UC Berkeley Business Academy for Youth Certificate of Completion. Alongside academic activities, you’ll also experience campus life, engage in interactive sessions with undergraduates and admissions advisors, and participate in extracurricular activities like scavenger hunts and karaoke nights.
Location: Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley
Cost:
$6,292 for California residents
$7,332 for out-of-state residents (includes tuition, housing, materials, and fees)
Dates:
Session I: July 5–July 19
Session II: July 19–August 2
Application Deadlines:
Applications open: January 17
Supporting documents deadline: March 1
Eligibility: High school students currently in grades 9–11
4. Entrepreneurship Academy – Georgetown University
The Entrepreneurship Academy at Georgetown University is a two-week program designed to help you develop entrepreneurial skills and business acumen. Students participate in lectures, hands-on activities, group discussions, and off-site visits, all led by Georgetown faculty and guest speakers from various industries. The program emphasizes practical applications, including design thinking, prototype testing, and business plan development. You’ll work in teams to create and present a final pitch in a capstone competition.
Beyond academics, the program offers opportunities for personal and professional development, covering communication skills, leadership, networking, and diversity in entrepreneurship. Upon completion, you’ll receive a Certificate of Participation.
Location: Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Cost:
Residential: $5,950 (includes tuition, housing, and meals)
Commuter: $4,145 (includes tuition and lunch)
Dates: June 15–June 27
Application Deadlines: Final supporting documents to be submitted by March 1
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9–12
5. Camp Business – Drexel University LeBow College of Business
Camp Business, offered by Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business, covers the basics of key business disciplines such as accounting, marketing, finance, and management. You will also explore leadership, team-building, and strategy through interactive workshops and lectures led by experienced faculty.
As a participant, you’ll engage in hands-on learning with activities focused on the stock market, financial documents, and technology. The program is available in both residential and commuter formats, with residential students staying in Drexel’s campus housing. By the end of the program, you’ll earn a Certificate of Completion and gain valuable insights into business concepts, teamwork, and professional networking.
Location: Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cost:
Residential: $1,500 (includes tuition, housing, and meals)
Commuter: $1,000 (includes tuition and lunch)
Dates:
Residential Blue Session: July 13–July 18
Commuter Session: July 20–July 25
Residential Gold Session: July 27–August 1
Application Deadlines: Priority deadline: May 1 (applications may close earlier if sessions reach capacity)
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
6. Business Is Global – Indiana University Kelley School of Business
Business Is Global is a two-week summer program designed for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors to explore the intersection of business, language, and culture. Hosted on the Indiana University Bloomington campus, the program introduces you to international business fundamentals and less-commonly taught languages like Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, and Estonian. Through an intensive curriculum featuring business sessions, cultural activities, and team-based projects, you will gain insights into how business operates in dynamic global economies. The program culminates in a final group project presentation, offering practical experience in collaboration and public speaking.
Location: Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
Cost: $2,000 (includes food, lodging, and classroom materials)
Dates: June 22–July 5
Application Deadline: April 14
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
7. Babson Summer Study for High School Students
Babson Summer Study is a three-plus-week pre-college program designed for rising high school juniors and seniors to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset and develop the skills necessary to become innovators and changemakers. Offered in both, online and in-person formats, the program introduces you to the entrepreneurial methodology of Babson College, a top-ranked institution for entrepreneurship. You will earn four Babson College credits through the course EPS 1110: Introduction to the Entrepreneurial Experience, which explores social, economic, and environmental challenges framed by the United Nations Global Goals.
You will gain hands-on experience through problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership exercises while developing real-world business solutions. You’ll also interact with Babson’s faculty, and mentors, and build a solid network of peers.
Location: Online or in-person at NEIA, Marlborough, Massachusetts
Cost:
Online: $4,300
In-person Residential: $6,250
In-person Day: $5,300
Dates:
Online and in-person: July 7–July 28
In-person orientation: July 6
Application Deadlines: Rolling admissions; early application recommended
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
8. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler. The program pairs high school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as economics, data science, business, accounting, policy, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Programs start at $2,800, and full need-based financial aid is available!
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
9. Boston University Summer Challenge
The Boston University Summer Challenge program offers opportunities to explore college-level academics and build new skills in a college environment. Over two weeks, you can choose two seminars from a wide range of topics, including business. Through project-based assignments, discussions, and field trips, you’ll develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
The program includes a college admissions workshop, where insights into applications and essay writing are shared by BU experts. Small class sizes enable personalized mentorship from experienced instructors. Outside the classroom, you will join BU’s social community, connecting with peers from diverse backgrounds.
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Cost: $3,585 for tuition, $1,200 for room and board, $75 service fee, and a $60 nonrefundable application fee. A $750 nonrefundable deposit is required to secure a spot in the program. A need-based scholarship, the Scott Simenas Award Fund, may be available for Boston Public High School students.
Dates: June 15–June 27, July 6–July 18, or July 20–August 1
Application Deadline: Currently accepting applications; early application recommended
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
10. Wharton Essentials of Entrepreneurship
The Wharton Essentials of Entrepreneurship program is a two-week intensive program that introduces you to the journey of launching a new venture. Through a combination of lectures, workshops, and team projects, you’ll explore key entrepreneurial concepts, including user research, opportunity testing, minimum viable product (MVP) development, marketing strategies, scaling, and exiting. The program emphasizes collaboration, innovative thinking, and practical application as students work in teams to develop and pitch an early-stage startup. Hosted on the Ivy League campus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, the program also includes opportunities to engage with Wharton faculty, explore the historic city, and experience college life. Participants who complete the program receive a Wharton Global Youth Certificate of Completion.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (on-campus)
Cost: $7,899 (includes tuition, boarding, and two meals/day)
Dates:
June 8–June 21
June 22–July 4
July 13–July 26
July 27–August 9
Application Deadlines:
Priority: January 29
Final: April 2
Eligibility: High school students currently in grades 9–11