15 Business Summer Programs for High School Students in California
Exploring the world of business early can give you a head start on practical skills and professional connections—and a business program can be a great way to do just that! Business programs blend coursework with hands‑on projects, site visits, and mentorship, offering exposure to various aspects of running a business.
As a participant, you will gain industry insights that align with your interests, whether that’s launching a startup or social enterprise or simply understanding how firms operate. These programs also allow you to build skills in marketing, pitching your ideas, networking, research, and management while you engage in hands-on challenges or projects. If you’re based in California, you’re in luck!
California is home to top universities and organizations that offer such experiences designed for high schoolers, allowing you to learn from professors, entrepreneurs, and industry insiders.
To help you find the right option for you, we have shortlisted 15 business summer programs for high school students in California.
1. Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B‑BAY): High School Entrepreneurship
Location: UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, Berkeley, CA (residential program)
Cost: TBA; scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 50 students/year
Dates: Two weeks in the summer
Application deadline: TBA
Eligibility: High school students
In this program, you will join a two-week program track designed to help you explore entrepreneurship and business fundamentals. Through instruction, team projects, and independent research, you will learn about key business topics like accounting, entrepreneurship, management, corporate social responsibility, marketing, and leadership under the guidance of Haas faculty and instructors. In a team, you will work on a capstone business project, applying what you learn to a practical problem. The program also offers a public speaking/presentation workshop to help you build skills in communication. You will also get a taste of life on a college campus through this residential program.
2. Ladder Internships
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies based on program type; full need‑based financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including in summer
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines based on cohort
Eligibility: High school students with good academic performance
Ladder’s internship allows you to work on a real start‑up project. Over eight weeks, you will conduct market research, build prototypes, and pitch solutions alongside mentors from leading universities and companies. As the internship is remote, you will connect with peers from around the world and gain experience collaborating virtually on various deliverables. This program emphasises mentorship, offering you access to the guidance of a company manager as well as a Ladder coach. Past interns have built product roadmaps, created marketing campaigns, and presented deliverables to company founders.
3. USC Pre‑College Program: Exploring Entrepreneurship Course
Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: Residential: $11,347 (includes tuition, room, and board) | Commuter: $7,812
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 15 – July 12 (four weeks)
Application deadline: March 14 for international students and May 2 for domestic students
Eligibility: Students who have completed at least the 10th grade when the program begins
USC’s four‑week Exploring Entrepreneurship course is a pre-college opportunity to gain insights into entrepreneurship through daily lectures, case studies, and hands‑on business projects. You will explore topics like marketing, personal branding, finance, operations, networking, and social impact. Additionally, you will develop your own idea for a venture with guidance from faculty and industry mentors. Off‑campus field trips allow you to meet Los Angeles entrepreneurs and explore local start‑ups.
4. Young Founders Lab
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies based on program type; need‑based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Vary based on cohort and program type; summer cohorts available
Application deadline: Varies based on cohort
Eligibility: High school students worldwide
Young Founders Lab (YFL) offers group-based as well as individually paced programs, where you will learn how to launch a start‑up from scratch. You will collaborate with peers to identify a problem, validate a solution, and build a product under the guidance of mentors from Silicon Valley. The program combines live workshops with self‑paced assignments as well as weekly mentor check‑ins. Apart from building a venture, you will attend classes covering business fundamentals, workshops and skill-building sessions, case studies, and panel discussions. A demo day at the end of the program will allow you to pitch your idea to investors and receive real feedback.
5. Stanford Pre‑Collegiate Summer Institutes: Innovation & Entrepreneurship Course
Location: Virtual
Cost: $3,080; financial assistance available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; 16 students/class
Dates: Session 1: June 16 – 27 | Session 2: July 7 – 18
Application deadline: March 20
Eligibility: Students in grades 9–11
Stanford offers online two‑week courses in a variety of disciplines, including business. Its Innovation & Entrepreneurship course is designed to help you learn how to identify a market need, develop prototypes, and craft a compelling pitch. Lectures will cover concepts like marketing, product development, design thinking, customer insight, business models, and venture financing, while workshops will allow you to brainstorm and iterate. Exercises and assignments are part of the experience. At the end of the course, you will present your product to a panel and receive feedback from Stanford instructors and peers.
6. Startup UCLA: Social Entrepreneurship Summer Institute
Location: University of California, Los Angeles, CA; virtual and residential options available
Cost: $1,850 (virtual) | $3,921 (residential); scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Session A (virtual) June 23 – July 4 | Session B (residential) July 6 – 19 | Session C (residential) July 20 – August 2 | Session D (virtual) August 4 – 15
Application deadline: June 13 (Session A) | June 6 (Sessions B & C) | July 25 (Session D)
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th graders who are at least 15 (17 for residential participation) and have a GPA of 3.2 or higher
UCLA offers high school students a two-week opportunity to explore how entrepreneurial thinking can be applied to social challenges through its Social Entrepreneurship Summer Institute. You will learn about the basics of starting, establishing, and running nonprofit and social impact organizations. Then, you will work within a team to design a mission‑driven venture and gain experience in choosing from business models, measuring impact, and fundraising. At the end of the program, you and your team will prepare and present a five-minute pitch to entrepreneurs and investors and receive feedback.
7. KP LAUNCH Internship
Location: Kaiser Permanente facilities across Northern California
Stipend: $23/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 16 – August 1
Application deadline: January 6
Eligibility: High school students who are 16 to 19 years old and living in a Northern California Kaiser Permanente service area; preference given to juniors and seniors
The KP LAUNCH program offers high schoolers seven-week full-time paid internships. Here, you will gain practical exposure to non-clinical departments such as administration, finance, communications, accounting, and project management. You will work within a Kaiser Permanente department that aligns with your interests and engage in projects that contribute to the company’s operations. The program also offers professional development workshops, expert mentorship, and networking opportunities. This experience can help you develop leadership skills and gain insights into the business aspects of healthcare.
8. Bank of America Student Leaders Program
Location: Placements at local non‑profits across California + a week‑long summit in Washington, D.C.
Stipend: Paid; Bank of America covers travel, lodging, and meals for the summit in D.C.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 300 students/year
Dates: Eight‑week internship (exact dates vary); D.C. Summit: July 21–26
Application deadline: January 15; applications open October 14
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors legally authorized to work in the U.S.
This eight-week summer program offers high schoolers experience in paid community work and exercising leadership. You will work at a local non‑profit, tackling projects within areas like fundraising, program evaluation, or marketing, and gaining insights into non-profit operations in the process. During the week‑long Student Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C., you meet peers and policymakers, and learn about community leadership. This experience can help you learn how social impact organizations work and carry out civic engagement and community service work.
9. Foundation for Teaching Economics Entrepreneurship in the Global Economy (EGE) Program
Location: Residential programs at select university campuses (including UC Berkeley, CA)
Cost: Residential cost varies by location | Virtual track: $900; scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 30-40 students
Dates: One‑week sessions; exact dates vary by site
Application deadline: Varies based on format and site
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors
EGE is a one‑week program that combines economics with entrepreneurship practice. Here, you will explore topics such as supply and demand, trade, and market forecasting while also interacting with entrepreneurs to learn how they turned ideas into ventures. During the sessions, you will learn how to draft a business plan and pitch an idea, explore the role of institutions, like government, in determining the rules of business, and understand the risks and rewards associated with entrepreneurship. You’ll work in a team to analyze a market and develop a business plan, culminating in a pitch on the final day.
10. Northeastern University’s Experiential Entrepreneurship Program (Oakland)
Location: Northeastern University’s Oakland campus, Oakland, CA
Cost: $6,895 (includes tuition, housing, and meals); need-based aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 8 –20
Application deadline: TBA
Eligibility: High school students
Experiential Entrepreneurship at Northeastern is a two‑week program, where you will join other high schoolers to build a start‑up from idea to pitch. You will attend workshops covering topics like market analysis, business models, and prototyping. Guest speakers from the Bay Area will also share insights into their entrepreneurial journeys. The program also covers aspects like finding and growing an audience, business planning, product development, negotiation, and pitch presentations. You will have access to maker spaces and mentors while you work on a project that involves developing your product and presenting your idea to judges.
11. Babson Summer Study
Location: Virtual track available for CA students
Cost: $6,295 + $95 application fee; scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 7 – 28
Application deadline: Early bird deadline: February 14 | Standard deadline: March 14
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are 16 or older
Babson Summer Study offers high school students a three-week online pre-college opportunity to earn four college credits while learning how to apply entrepreneurial thinking to real-world challenges. Based on the United Nations Global Goals, you will learn about driving change through social impact ventures. In the core course called Introduction to the Entrepreneurial Experience, you will dive into topics like leadership, marketing, finance, and business communication while developing a social impact project. The program relies on Babson’s Entrepreneurial Thought & Action framework, helping you learn how to take initiative and work in a team. You will attend classes followed by smaller Zoom-based discussions, during which you will work with peers on assignments and group projects. You will also get to engage with faculty, alumni, and guest speakers who will share insights into the startup world.
12. UCI Merage School’s Future Leaders Initiative (FLI)
Location: UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business, Irvine, CA
Cost/Stipend: None; transportation, meals, and materials covered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~150 students
Dates: July 21 – 26 (six full-day sessions requiring complete attendance)
Application deadline: April 6
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors + first- and second-year community college students
The FLI offers high school students a combination of business education, financial literacy, and college‑readiness skills through six full days of instruction. During the sessions at UC Irvine, you will learn about investment, real estate, health care, digital transformation, and entrepreneurship from faculty and industry experts. FLI also offers site visits and guest speakers from firms such as Taco Bell, Pimco, and Samsung. Upon completing all sessions, you will earn FLI certification, which can strengthen college applications.
13. UCI’s Investments, Financial Planning & You (IFPY)
Location: UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business, Irvine, CA
Cost: $1,395
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Week‑long sessions; dates vary yearly
Application deadline: TBA; applications open in January
Eligibility: High school students, from incoming freshmen to recently graduated seniors
IFPY is a commuter summer program that can teach you how to build wealth and manage investments. Over five days, you will learn from case studies, group projects, and online stock simulations led by Paul Merage School of Business professors and industry professionals. The curriculum covers topics like wealth creation, investment vehicles, asset allocation, personal finance, and retirement planning. You will also create a personal wealth management plan as your capstone project.
14. Wharton Global Youth Program: Innovation & Startup Culture (San Francisco)
Location: University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton San Francisco campus, San Francisco, CA
Cost: $8,599; need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 6 – 17 | July 19 – 31
Application deadline: Priority: January 29; final: May 1
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–11
Conducted at Wharton’s San Francisco campus, Innovatio & Startup Culture is a nine-day program that introduces you to the venture creation process through lectures, workshops, and field trips in Silicon Valley. Over the course of the program, you will explore idea generation strategies, value creation, analysis of profit potential, development of unique business models, and product-market fit . Then, you will team up with peers to identify a problem, validate a solution, and develop a business plan, while receiving feedback from Wharton faculty and entrepreneurs. The program ends with a pitch competition judged by venture capitalists.
15. Georgetown University's Becoming an Entrepreneur: An Inside Look at Innovation Course
Location: Online
Cost: $1,895
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Sessions of varying lengths available year-round
Application deadline: Varies by session; typically, one week before the session starts
Eligibility: Students, ages 13 and up
These Georgetown University courses offer you insights into launching a business. You will learn about the history of entrepreneurship, different types of business models, and how to network to raise support for your venture. The program also offers exposure to creating and delivering business pitches and academic paths in entrepreneurial business. You will work on a capstone project, which will be a video presentation discussing your business idea and the value it offers. Throughout the program, you will have access to the guidance of a mentor.
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