15 Prestigious Entrepreneurship Internships for High School Students
If you’re a high school student who wants to explore how businesses work, an internship can be one of the best ways to start. By working with startups, incubators, or college-led entrepreneurship centers, you gain experience in problem-solving, market research, basic finance, pitching, and teamwork. You’ll also meet founders, mentors, and industry professionals who can guide your future academic and career choices.
Participation in competitive entrepreneurship internships helps you develop critical skills such as leadership and effective communication while learning how to take initiative in fast-paced environments. These internships can enhance your college applications and future career prospects by showing ability, initiative, and achievement in entrepreneurial environments. To make your search easier, we’ve curated 15 prestigious entrepreneurship internships for high school students with low acceptance rates and valuable experience.
1. Young Entrepreneurs Program (YEP)
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid at $12 – $14/hour + $2,500 scholarship upon completion
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 15 – 20 interns each summer
Dates: Session 1: June 2 – 27; Session 2: July 7 – August 1
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors from the Kansas City metro area
The Young Entrepreneurs Program (YEP) offers you the chance to gain firsthand experience in Kansas City’s thriving startup ecosystem. Over the course of one or two summer sessions, the program matches you with a local high-growth startup based on your interests and skills. You’ll spend around 30 hours a week working on business challenges, collaborating with founders, and gaining insight into the day-to-day operations of emerging companies. In addition to your internship, you’ll visit a new startup every Friday to explore different industries and entrepreneurial support systems. The program combines professional growth with financial rewards, offering both hourly pay and a completion scholarship.
2. Ladder Internships
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Varies according to the program type; 100% financial aid is available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Around 10%; 70 – 100 students
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year – Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; January (Spring), May (Summer), September (Fall), and November (Winter)
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students able to commit 10 – 20 hours per week for 8 – 12 weeks
The Ladder Internship Program allows you to work remotely with fast-growing startups in fields such as technology, healthcare, marketing, sustainability, and environmental science. Ladder’s startups are backed by Y Combinator alums and have founders who previously worked at Microsoft, Google, and Facebook. It pairs you with a company where you’ll collaborate with industry professionals, work on real-time projects, and share your findings with the team. Typically lasting about eight weeks, the program helps you connect academic learning with practical experience while building research, analytical, and communication skills. Offering full financial aid and flexible participation, it’s an ideal opportunity for students eager to explore innovative and purpose-driven careers.
3. Be Your Own Boss Internship - Future Founders
Location: Virtual (open to public and charter high school students in Chicago and nationwide)
Stipend: Up to $250
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; limited cohorts per year
Dates: January 20 – February 12
Application Deadline: January 12
Eligibility: High school students between the ages of 14 – 18 attending public or charter schools in Chicago and living in the U.S.
Through the Be Your Own Boss Internship, you’ll gain hands-on experience exploring entrepreneurship while developing key 21st-century skills. This virtual, project-based program connects you with experienced entrepreneurs, mentors, and peers from across the country. Over several weeks, you’ll work in teams to design a startup idea, build a basic app prototype, and pitch your concept at a virtual showcase. You’ll also participate in workshops on innovation, leadership, and networking, guided by real-world business founders. This program prioritizes students from low-income and urban/rural settings.
4. Young Founders Lab
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer, fall, winter, and spring
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. You can access the application link here!
The Young Founder’s 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 complex 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.
5. University of Colorado Boulder – Business Leadership Program (BLP)
Location: Boulder, Colorado (University of Colorado Boulder Campus)
Cost/Stipend: No cost / $1,000 scholarship given to the winning case competition team
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; approximately 50 – 60 students
Dates: June 21 – 27
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Current high school juniors attending a Colorado high school, particularly first-generation or low-income students | Seniors must plan on attending the Leeds School of Business
The Business Leadership Program (BLP) at the Leeds School of Business offers you a free, week-long residential experience focused on real-world problem-solving and leadership development. Working in diverse teams, you’ll participate in a case competition that challenges you to design and pitch a marketing campaign for a corporate partner. Past sponsors have included organizations like EY, Deloitte, and KeyBank. Throughout the week, you’ll attend workshops led by Leeds faculty, interact with business professionals, and explore the fundamentals of teamwork and strategic thinking. The winning team earns a $1,000 scholarship to the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business.
6. University of Kansas – Summer Venture in Business (SVB)
Location: Lawrence, Kansas (University of Kansas Campus)
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; approximately 50 students
Dates: June 15 – 20; July 13 – 18
Application Deadline: Typically around March 31st or until the program is full
Eligibility: Rising 11th–12th grade students
The Summer Venture in Business (SVB) is a pre-college academy hosted by the KU School of Business designed to give you an inside look at college life and business education. Through interactive academic sessions with KU faculty, you’ll explore key business disciplines such as marketing, management, and entrepreneurship. The program includes industry tours, workshops with corporate partners, and panels featuring current students and alumni. Beyond academics, you’ll also participate in evening activities, campus tours, and networking sessions with mentors. SVB is a fully funded residential program.
7. Kaiser Permanente LAUNCH High School Internship
Location: Northern California (various Kaiser Permanente Medical Centers and offices)
Stipend: $24 per hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; typically 40 – 50 students
Dates: June 15 – July 31
Application Deadline: January 9
Eligibility: High school students ages 16 – 19 by June 1 who reside in a Northern California Kaiser Permanente designated service area and are legally allowed to work in the U.S.
The Kaiser Permanente LAUNCH Internship gives you hands-on exposure to non-clinical careers within the healthcare industry. Over seven weeks, you’ll work full-time alongside healthcare administrators, project teams, and mentors while earning a competitive hourly wage. Weekly workshops help you strengthen professional skills such as communication, teamwork, and workplace readiness. You’ll also gain insight into health systems operations through networking events, community service projects, and supervisor mentorship. The program emphasizes professional growth, inclusion, and leadership development in a structured environment that mirrors real-world work expectations.
8. Warner Bros. Discovery Reach Honorship Program
Location: Burbank, California
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Paid summer internship + $5,000 scholarship (distributed as $1,250 annually over four years)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; around 7 students
Dates: 4 years during your college years, beginning the summer you graduate
Application Deadline: Varies each year; typical annual deadlines are in early months
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors residing in or attending school in Burbank or Los Angeles County with a minimum GPA of 3.0
If you’re a high school senior interested in the business and creative sides of the entertainment industry, the Warner Bros. Reach Honorship program allows you to gain firsthand experience within a major film studio. You’ll complete paid summer internships across departments such as marketing, finance, communications, and production while pursuing your college degree. Each summer, you work with a new team and executive mentor, allowing you to explore different roles and build professional skills in collaboration, project management, and studio operations. The program also includes a $5,000 scholarship distributed over four years, provided you maintain academic performance in college.
9. Bank of America Student Leaders
Location: Local nonprofit partners across the U.S.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Stipend provided, exact amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; Approximately 300 students annually
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer; The summit takes place between July 21 – 26
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors who are legally authorized to work in the U.S. and reside in an eligible location | Should be first-time applicants
Bank of America’s Student Leaders Program offers you the chance to gain hands-on experience at a local nonprofit while building your leadership and teamwork skills. Over eight weeks, you’ll take part in community-based projects, collaborate with nonprofit professionals, and learn how social impact organizations operate. Alongside your internship, you’ll attend workshops on civic engagement, business ethics, and public service. A highlight of the experience is the National Student Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C., where you’ll connect with peers from across the country and explore how government, businesses, and nonprofits work together to drive change. The program provides a stipend and covers all costs.
10. Meta Summer Academy
Location: Menlo Park, CA
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Competitive stipend paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; around 150 students per year
Dates: June 16 – July 25
Application Deadline: February 14
Eligibility: High school sophomores who are year-round residents of East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, or Redwood City | Minimum of 2.0 cumulative GPA
The Meta Summer Academy provides high school students with an in-depth, multi-week immersion into the operations of a leading technology corporation. You engage in projects reflecting business challenges while receiving an introduction to coding fundamentals. The program explores how diverse departments, spanning media and communications, contribute to technology-focused work. It also emphasizes key career-building skills like effective networking, collaboration, and self-reflection, vital for any professional setting. Through dynamic workshops, dedicated mentoring sessions, and interactive discussions, you gain a broadened perspective on the vast opportunities within the tech industry.
11. The Academies by Harvard Student Agencies - Business: Entrepreneurship Academy
Location: On-campus at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: $1,800 tuition; early-bird discounts and need-based financial aid are available (awarded to over 80% of students)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Around 10%; typically, 25 – 30 students per class
Dates: Multiple one-week sessions between June 1 – August 10
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until seats are filled, till November 24
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 – 12
In the Business: Entrepreneurship Academy, you’ll get a chance to understand how ideas evolve into viable start-ups. The program walks you through each stage of business development - from ideation and financial literacy to market research and investor pitching. You’ll create and present your own business plan to a panel of judges, simulating a start-up pitch environment. Sessions are taught by Harvard students, who guide you through case studies, SWOT analyses, and strategies to analyze product-market fit. The fast-paced structure and small cohort size make it a concentrated yet hands-on introduction to entrepreneurship.
12. UC Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY)
Location: University of California- Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Cost/Stipend: Tentatively, California residents : $6,292; Out-of-state residents : $7,332 + $80 application fee; limited needs-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 12%; 50 students
Dates: 2 weeks in July
Application Deadline: Typically, March 1
Eligibility: All high school students
The B-BAY program invites high school students to explore fundamental business disciplines, such as entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, and corporate strategy. Instruction is delivered by distinguished Berkeley-Haas faculty through a blend of dynamic lectures, collaborative team projects, and individual assignments. A core element involves you working with peers to formulate a comprehensive business plan, culminating in a final presentation to a professional panel. Furthermore, the program provides college preparation sessions, offering advice on drafting impactful college application essays and personal statements, alongside opportunities to interact with current Berkeley students and admissions representatives.
13. Babson Summer Study – Finance & Entrepreneurship Track
Location: Fully Online or In-Person at New England Innovation Academy (NEIA), Massachusetts
Cost/Stipend: Fully Online: $6,295; In-Person Day: $9,295; In-Person Residential: $12,995 + $95 application fee; full and partial need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; typically, small class sizes
Dates: July 8 – 28
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors or seniors scheduled to graduate in the next two years and who are at least 16 years old by program start
Babson Summer Study is a three-week experiential program for rising high school juniors and seniors who want to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset and tackle business problems. Utilizing Babson's distinctive Entrepreneurial Thought & Action (ET&A) methodology, the curriculum focuses on leadership, finance, marketing, and innovative problem-solving. You will apply skills learnt to impactful projects inspired by the United Nations Global Goals. You not only earn four valuable college credits but also receive mentorship from Babson faculty and students, collaborating with a diverse, global cohort to build crucial professional and intercultural competencies.
14. Wharton Essentials of Entrepreneurship
Location: University of Pennsylvania Campus, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cost/Stipend: $8,299; limited scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Estimated 15 – 20%; approximately 100 – 120 students per session
Dates: June 7 – 20; June 21 – July 3; July 12 – 25; July 26 – August 8
Application Deadline: March 18
Eligibility: High school students currently enrolled in grades 9–11
The Essentials of Entrepreneurship program at the Wharton School introduces you to the fundamentals of starting and managing a business. Across two weeks, you’ll work in teams to identify market opportunities, design a minimum viable product (MVP), and develop a full business pitch. Through lectures, workshops, and research assignments, you’ll learn how to evaluate real-world problems, apply marketing strategies, and design innovative business models. The program encourages collaboration, creativity, and data-driven decision-making, ending with a final pitch competition judged by experts. Completing the program earns you a Wharton Global Youth Certificate of Completion.
15. Becoming an Entrepreneur: An Inside Look at Innovation – Georgetown University
Location: Online (offered by Georgetown University)
Cost/Stipend: Enrichment course: $1,895; College credit course: $3,995; need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Multiple 1-, 2-, and 4-week sessions throughout the year
Application Deadline: Typically one week before the course start date
Eligibility: All students ages 13 and up
If you’re curious about how businesses are built from the ground up, Georgetown University’s Becoming an Entrepreneur: An Inside Look at Innovation course gives you a structured introduction to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. You’ll explore how entrepreneurs identify market needs, develop business models, and build strategies to support their ventures. The program walks you through creating a business pitch, defining your target audience, and exploring concepts like “failing forward,” learning from setbacks to innovate effectively. You’ll also examine real-world case studies, practice leadership techniques, and work through a final capstone project where you design and pitch your own business idea.
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