15 Free Summer Business Programs for High School Students

If you’re a high school student interested in studying business in college, business programs are a great way to gain experience, make valuable connections, and explore different areas that you are interested in, such as marketing, finance, and entrepreneurship.

These free summer business programs for high school students will help you explore business case studies, interact with professionals, and build skills in ideation, communication, and teamwork.

If you’re looking for accessible business programs, there are many colleges and institutions that either offer free programs or fully-funded scholarships. 

To make the choice easier for you, we’ve curated a list of the top 15 Free Summer Business Programs for High School Students.

1. The Michigan Ross Summer Business Academy

Location: Stephen M. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Cost: $5,500 (fully-funded scholarships available)
Program Dates: June 13 - 17
Application Deadline: January 21
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors; minimum average GPA of 3.0
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective

The Michigan Ross Summer Business Academy is a summer program for high school students to understand how businesses work. At the program, you’ll understand the inner workings of businesses and what to expect if you opt to study business in college by attending college-level classes and workshops. You’ll get a sense of how businesses operate by interacting with business professionals, attending industry field trips and working on projects. You’ll get to collaborate with like-minded peers and attend workshops by guest lecturers. 

2. Ladder Internship Program

Location:  Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November). 
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. You can explore all the options in the  application form here. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies that have each typically raised over a million dollars. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. Here is the application form. 

The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.

3. Young Founders Lab

Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Program Dates: The 2024 edition of the program starts 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.
Eligibility: 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 ideation, workshops, skill-building sessions, case studies, panel discussions, and more. The program is a great opportunity to delve into the world of business in high school itself  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.

4. Babson Summer Study for High School Students

Location: Virtual or In-person at Babson College, Wellesley, MA
Cost: $5,995 (Fully-funded scholarships available)
Acceptance rate: Selective
Program Dates: July 7 - 28
Application Deadline: March 14
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors, aged 16 or older

The Babson Summer Study is a program for students interested in exploring entrepreneurship. At the program, you’ll gain practical skills and learn how to tackle business challenges through problem-solving and group activities. You’ll gain exposure to concepts in entrepreneurship, leadership, marketing, finance, and business communication in a classroom setting. Moreover, you will have an opportunity to interact with entrepreneurs, with, along with having discussions with entrepreneurs who’ll discuss the challenges they face and the skills required in entrepreneurship. The curriculum also includes issues highlighted framed by the U.N. Global Goals program, including social, economic, and environmental challenges  that you will explore through an entrepreneurial lens. 

5. Leeds Business Leadership Program

Location: Leeds School of Business, Boulder, CO
Cost: Free (funded by corporate partners)
Program Dates: June 22 - June 28
Application Deadline: March 30
Eligibility: High school juniors
Acceptance rate: Selective

The Leeds Business Leadership Program is a case-study based free summer business program for high school students. In this program, you will gain practical exposure on how businesses function by working through a case challenge and solving problems. You’ll strengthen your business and leadership skills by being part of a team where you’ll have to create and implement a marketing campaign for one of BLP’s corporate partners. The program also includes networking opportunities with business experts, Leeds School’s Business faculty, and like-minded peers. 

6. KU Summer Venture in Business

Location: University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Session I - June 15–20 | Session II - July 13–18
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors
Acceptance rate: Selective

The Summer Venture in Business is a summer pre-college academy organized by the University of Kansas School of Business for students interested in studying business. This program will prepare you for college life and for exploring different business pathways. You’ll learn  how businesses work, receive guidance on the college application process, and get equipped with professional skills that will help you in college and in the workplace. 

7. Essentials of Entrepreneurship

Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: $7,899 (Fully funded scholarships available)
Program Dates: June - August (dates vary based on cohort)
Application Deadline: April 2
Eligibility: High school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors; international applicants
Acceptance rate: Selective

The Essentials of Entrepreneurship is a two-week on-campus summer program for high school students interested in Entrepreneurship. The program will take you through the process of starting a business from scratch, such as user research, MVP development, opportunity testing, marketing, and scaling. You’ll attend lectures by Wharton faculty and participate in group activities with like-minded peers. The capstone project, a part of this program, is a group activity where you’ll collaborate with peers to develop a product and a pitch for an early-stage startup.

8. Young Entrepreneurs Program (YEP)

Location: Startup based in Kansas, MO
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Session 1: June 2 – 27 | Session 2: July 7 – August 1
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students based in Kansas City
Acceptance rate: Selective

The Young Entrepreneurs Program (YEP) is an internship program where high school students get the opportunity to work with high-growth start-ups in Kansas City. YEP’s sessions will help you explore different pathways and interact with leaders from different industries. Previous interns stated that connecting with peers and industry leaders was a highlight of the program and helped them explore their interests. You’ll be allocated a company and role according to your area of interest. The program has planned visits to new companies every week where you’ll learn about the structure and workings of different industries. 

9. Ladders for Leaders

Location: Various organizations based in New York City, NY
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Pre-employment training - January—April | Internship- July—August (6 weeks)
Application Deadline: February 3
Eligibility: High school or college students; Residents of NYC; Authorized to work in the U.S. 
Acceptance rate: Selective

Ladders for Leaders is a summer internship program that lets students intern at corporations, non-profit organizations, and government agencies in New York City. You’ll receive pre-employment training, which includes resume, cover letter, and interview training along with professional skill development. You’ll also be paired with a supervisor who will discuss your career interests and goals, and accordingly connect you with a suitable opportunity.

10. Chicago Summer Business Institute

Location: Various businesses based in Chicago, IL
Stipend: Paid
Program Dates: Varies based on specific internship (typically 6 weeks over the summer)
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school sophomores or juniors; resident of Chicago, minimum 3.0 average GPA; household income below $80,000
Acceptance rate: Selective

The Chicago Summer Business Institute is a summer internship program that introduces high school students to opportunities in the financial services sector. You will discover different career pathways in business and gain practical experience in the field. You will also have the option to return to the program to explore a different area of interest. Selection is competitive and requires two letters of recommendation, your high school transcript, resume and an essay. 

11. Kelley Women’s Leadership Institute (KWLI)

Location: Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Not specified
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Acceptance rate: Selective

The Kelley Women’s Leadership Institute (KWLI) is a program that offers guidance and mentorship for students interested in pursuing business-related career paths. You will have an opportunity to attend college-level business lectures, work on business case studies and projects, and build professional skills. You’ll get to interact with like-minded peers and explore different career paths in business that align with your interests. The program takes place over one day and is ideal for students looking for a brief program. Selection is competitive and requires an essay, high school transcript, and a minimum GPA of 3.5. 

12. Business is Global

Location: Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN
Cost: $2,000 (fully-funded scholarships available)
Acceptance rate: Selective
Program Dates: June 22 - July 5
Application Deadline: April 14
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors

Business is Global is a free summer business program for high school students interested in the intersection of business, language and culture. The program, which takes place at Indiana University, will teach you the business practices and cultures of different regions. You’ll gain insights into how businesses operate worldwide, develop business vocabulary, and learn how current events impact businesses. You’ll also develop collaboration, networking, and professional skills. The program includes a mix of language sessions, workshops, quizzes, networking sessions, and a group project, which you’ll have to present at the end of the program. 

13. NYU’s Innovation, Entrepreneurship and the Science of Smart Cities

Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, New York, NY
Cost: Free of cost
Program Dates: July 7 - August 8
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: High school students aged 15 or older; NYC residents
Acceptance rate: Selective

NYU’s Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and the Science of Smart Cities is a program for students interested in the intersection of technology, business, and innovation. The program offers a comprehensive curriculum that ranges from ideation and prototyping to building skill sets essential in entrepreneurship and for pitching your idea to investors. In the program, you’ll learn to build technology from the prototype stage and marketing skills, which will include everything from the economics of pricing to company branding. You’ll also get to strengthen your communication skills through theatre-based communication workshops and work on perfecting your pitch. 

14. Startup UCLA: Social Entrepreneurship Summer Institute

Location: Virtual or on-site at the University of California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Residential - $3,921 | Virtual - $1,850 (Fully-funded scholarships available)
Acceptance rate: Selective
Program Dates: June - August (Dates vary based on different sessions)
Application Deadline: June 13
Eligibility: High school freshmen, sophomores or juniors; 15 years or older

The Startup UCLA: Social Entrepreneurship Summer Institute is a program to introduce high school students to social entrepreneurship. You’ll gain experience in how to design and start your own social enterprise and learn the basics of building and running non profit and social impact institutions. You will learn the basics in the first half of the program and will then collaborate with peers to work on your startup idea. You’ll get an opportunity to present the pitch to a panel of entrepreneurs and investors and receive feedback on your idea. 

15. Pamplin's Inspiring Possibilities (PIP) Academy

Location: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate: Selective
Program Dates: July (exact dates not specified)
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: High school students; Minimum GPA of 3.5

The Pamplin's Inspiring Possibilities (PIP) Academy hosts a 10-day residential program for high school students interested in exploring different career pathways in business. At the program, you’ll explore seven areas, including Accounting and Information Systems, Business Information Technology, Finance, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Management, Marketing, and Real Estate. You’ll attend business classes, interact and participate in discussions with business professionals, and work on team projects with like-minded peers. You’ll also get a feel of what it would be like studying business in college with campus tours, an  introduction to different programs, and interaction with business students. 

Image Source - Michigan Ross Logo