Business is not just about launching a startup or learning how money works; it is about spotting opportunities, reading markets, building persuasive ideas, and making decisions when the answer is not obvious. For a business-savvy high school student, a college summer business program can turn that curiosity into something much more concrete: a pitch deck, a market research plan, a financial model, a case analysis, or a team project that mirrors the kind of work done in business school. 

These programs move beyond textbook definitions by giving you hands-on exposure to entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, leadership, strategy, global business, and technology-driven innovation. You may practice Excel and PowerPoint, analyze real companies, test a startup idea, present to faculty or judges, and learn how teams build solutions under pressure. 

What are the benefits of attending a college summer business program for high school students?

College summer business programs can also act as a foundation for your college journey, giving you an in-person taste of what university life is like at a top institution. You may live on campus, attend lectures, meet professors or industry speakers, work with ambitious peers, and experience how business is taught at the college level. These programs can also help you figure out which side of business actually excites you, including entrepreneurship, finance, consulting, marketing, management, global markets, or tech innovation. The projects, presentations, certificates, and mentor feedback you gain can also strengthen future college applications by showing initiative and serious academic exploration.

To help you make a more informed choice, we’ve curated a list of 15 college summer business programs for high school students. They offer serious academic learning, business skill development, networking opportunities, and a closer look at life on a college campus.

For adjacent opportunities, consider the online business program.

15 College Summer Business Programs for High School Students

1. Marist Summer Pre-College – Business

Location: Marist College campus, NY
Cost: $3,700
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-competitive; limited space
Dates: June 28th – July 11th
Application Deadline: Rolling until filled
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors; rising sophomores/graduating seniors considered on a space-available basis; open to international students

Marist’s Summer Pre-College Business Program gives you a structured introduction to how organizations work, make decisions, and adapt to change. Throughout the course, you study business as an integrated system, looking at management, planning, organizational design, ethics, technology, globalization, and entrepreneurship. The experience is built around discussion and critical thinking, so you are not only learning business terms but also practicing analyzing real organizational choices.

You also examine how managers respond to challenges in modern markets, including shifting technology, global competition, and changing expectations around responsibility. The program is housed within Marist’s School of Management, giving you exposure to college-level business instruction while still in high school.

Why it stands out: It combines college credit, business fundamentals, and exposure to Marist’s AACSB-accredited School of Management.

2. Immerse Education’s Business Management Summer School

Location: Cambridge, Oxford, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto, London, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo
Cost/Stipend: Varies; summer school scholarship available through our bursary programme
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; an average of 7 participants per class
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students aged 15-18 currently enrolled in middle or high school; open to international students

The Business Management Summer School Program offers students three ways to explore business management and an opportunity to take college-level education at universities around the world. Throughout the program, you will participate in lectures, hands-on workshops, 1-on-1 tutoring sessions with expert mentors, and gain professional experience.

You will develop professional skills, explore the key concepts of business like strategic management, marketing, and finance, and attend immersive activities. The program includes an independent study in business management led by expert mentors. By the end of the program, you will receive a certificate of achievement.

Why it stands out: You’ll learn from world-class tutors in classes of around seven students, follow a practical case-study curriculum, and live in a real university residence as part of a global community of 20,000+ alumni.

3. Wharton Global Youth Program – Leadership in the Business World (LBW)

Location: The Wharton School campus, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $11,899; scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; approximately 120 students per session
Dates: June 7-27; June 28th – July 18th; July 19th – August 8th
Application Deadline: March 18th
Eligibility: High school juniors with leadership experience and a 3.5+ unweighted GPA; open to international students

Wharton’s Leadership in the Business World is a rigorous summer program for students who want to study business through a leadership and strategy lens. You learn from Wharton faculty, guest speakers, and industry professionals while exploring topics such as management frameworks, negotiation, organizational behavior, business models, and competitive strategy.

The program places strong emphasis on teamwork, with group projects, simulations, discussions, and case-based analysis built into the experience. You also examine real companies using tools such as SWOT analysis, Porter’s Five Forces, and value chain analysis. A final case competition gives you the chance to synthesize your research, analysis, and presentation skills in a business scenario.

Why it stands out: It is one of the most selective high school business programs in the country and gives you direct exposure to Wharton-style business education.

4. UC Berkeley Business Academy for Youth – High School Entrepreneurship

Location: University of California, Berkeley, CA
Cost: California Resident: $7,450; Out-of-State Resident: $$7,950 + $100 nonrefundable application fee; limited needs-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; approximately 50 students
Dates: July 5-18 (Session I); July 19th – August 1st (Session II)
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students; open to international students

UC Berkeley’s Business Academy for Youth focuses on the full process of turning an idea into a business plan. You work in teams to identify a business concept, conduct research, develop a plan, and present your final pitch at the end of the program. Classroom sessions are led by Berkeley Haas faculty and supported by corporate guest speakers, giving you both academic and practical perspectives on entrepreneurship.

The program also includes independent research, computer lab assignments, and team-based project work that strengthen your communication and problem-solving skills. Beyond the business curriculum, you get a closer look at life at UC Berkeley through campus activities, student panels, and admissions-related sessions.

Why it stands out: The program combines Berkeley Haas instruction, business plan development, team pitching, and college admissions exposure in one intensive experience.

5. University of Kansas – Summer Venture in Business

Location: University of Kansas School of Business, Lawrence, KS
Cost: $50 participation fee; waivers available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; typically around 50 students
Dates: July 19-24
Application Deadline: February 13th
Eligibility: Rising 11th-12th grade students; meet 3.4+ GPA or Business Index requirement; not open to international students

The University of Kansas Summer Venture in Business program gives you a broad introduction to business while also helping you understand the college experience. You take part in academic sessions led by KU School of Business faculty, covering areas such as entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, and professional development. The program also includes workshops with campus and external partners, allowing you to connect business concepts to real organizations and career pathways.

Team projects, presentations, and an industry tour help you practice collaboration, communication, and applied problem-solving. In addition to business coursework, you receive guidance on admissions, financial aid, academic resources, and strategies for succeeding in college.

Why it stands out: It offers a low-cost, high-access pathway into business education with KU faculty, corporate partners, and college preparation built in.

6. Babson Summer Study

Location: Virtual or in-person at New England Innovation Academy, Marlborough, MA
Cost: Commuter: $9,295; Residential: $12,995; Online: $6,295; limited needs-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; small cohort sizes
Dates: July 8-28
Application Deadline: March 13th
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors; at least 15 years old; open to international students

Babson Summer Study is built around entrepreneurial thinking, with a strong focus on using business skills to address real-world problems. You explore entrepreneurship through Babson’s Entrepreneurial Thought & Action approach while working with peers on challenges connected to the United Nations Global Goals.

The curriculum brings together leadership, marketing, finance, business communication, and venture creation, giving you a practical foundation in how entrepreneurs evaluate and build ideas. Much of the learning happens through team-based work, where you develop solutions, test assumptions, and refine your thinking with support from mentors and instructors. Conversations with entrepreneurs and innovative leaders add a professional layer to the experience.

Why this stands out: It combines college credit, Babson’s entrepreneurship methodology, and project work tied to global social, economic, and environmental challenges.

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

Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; cohort size not publicly specified
Dates: ieSoSC I: July 6th – August 7th; ieSoSC II (by invitation only): July 13th – August 7th
Application Deadline: May 15th
Eligibility: Current 9th to graduating 12th-grade students who are at least 15 years of age and are residents of NYC and Nassau County; not open to international students

NYU’s Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and the Science of Smart Cities program connects business thinking with technology and urban problem-solving. You learn technical skills such as coding, circuit design, microcontrollers, and sensor integration, then examine how those tools can be used to design smart city solutions. The program also includes entrepreneurship training, helping you understand product development, branding, economics, project management, and pitch presentation.

Communication workshops support the business side of the experience by helping you explain your idea clearly and persuasively. As you move through the program, you develop and prototype a product or service connected to urban innovation.

Why this stands out: It blends entrepreneurship with hands-on technology, giving you the chance to prototype and pitch an innovation for future cities.

8. McIntire Business Institute Program – University of Virginia

Location: Fairfax, VA
Cost: $3,900 – $4,200
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; limited capacity
Dates: June 22nd – July 2nd; July 13-24
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Rising 10th-12th graders; not open to international students

The McIntire Business Institute Program gives you a practical introduction to core business fields while pushing you to apply ideas through team-based work. You study topics such as strategy, marketing, accounting, finance, and entrepreneurship, then use those concepts to develop and refine a startup-style project. The program emphasizes execution, so you are not just discussing business ideas but also building, presenting, and improving them with feedback.

Case studies, classroom activities, and field trips help connect business theory to companies, agencies, and accelerators outside the classroom. Past student projects have included websites, product concepts, and app prototypes, showing how broad the final work can be.

Why this stands out: It gives students a compact, applied business experience with startup development, faculty instruction, and field-based learning.

9. University of Colorado Boulder – Business Leadership Program (BLP)

Location: Boulder, Colorado (University of Colorado Boulder Campus)
Cost: 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 13th
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; not open to international students

CU Boulder’s Business Leadership Program is a high-impact residential experience centered on business problem-solving, leadership, and teamwork. You work with peers on a case challenge that asks you to develop a business solution for a corporate partner, often involving marketing, strategy, and communication. Faculty and staff from the Leeds School of Business guide you through hands-on activities while business professionals share insights into career paths and real industry challenges.

The program also emphasizes confidence-building, public speaking, networking, and collaboration across diverse teams. The case competition format makes this program a strong option if you want to practice applying business concepts under real-world constraints.

Why this stands out: It is a no-cost, selective program that combines a corporate case challenge, Leeds faculty access, and leadership development.

10. Pamplin’s Inspiring Possibilities (PIP) Academy

Location: Virginia Tech campus, Blacksburg, VA
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; approximately 26-27 students per cohort
Dates: July 9-18
Application Deadline: Typically early spring
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors having a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5/4.0 or its equivalent grading scale; must have successfully completed or will complete pre-calculus; not open to international students

Pamplin’s Inspiring Possibilities Academy is one of the college summer business programs for high school students that introduces you to the range of fields within business through a residential experience at Virginia Tech. You explore seven academic disciplines, including accounting, business information technology, finance, hospitality and tourism management, management, marketing, and real estate.

Faculty-led sessions give you an overview of each area, while applied team projects help you practice using business concepts collaboratively. The program also includes engagement with peer mentors, alumni, and corporate partners, giving you multiple perspectives on business education and careers. Sessions on admissions, financial aid, study abroad, wellness, and professional development add a college-readiness component to the experience.

Why this stands out: It gives students exposure to seven business disciplines while combining faculty instruction, team projects, networking, and college preparation.

11. Wharton Global Youth Program – Essentials of Entrepreneurship

Location: Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $8,299 + $100 non-refundable application fee; needs-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size not publicly disclosed
Dates: June 7-19 (session 1); June 21st – July 3rd (session 2); July 12-25 (session 3); July 26th – August 8th (session 4)
Application Deadline: March 18th
Eligibility: High school students currently enrolled in grades 9 to 11; open to international students

Wharton’s Essentials of Entrepreneurship is designed for students who want a focused introduction to startup creation. You study idea generation, customer discovery, market research, business models, branding, early-stage financing, and pitching through lectures, activities, and team collaboration.

The program pushes you to identify a real problem, evaluate market need, test possible solutions, and shape your concept into a viable venture. You may use tools such as customer interviews, A/B testing, low-fidelity prototypes, and pitch decks to refine your idea. The final pitch competition gives you a formal setting to present your startup and receive feedback from judges.

Why this stands out: It offers a Wharton-led startup curriculum with customer research, prototyping, branding, pitch development, and a final venture presentation.

12. Georgetown University – Global Business Academy

Location: Georgetown University campus, Washington, D.C.
Cost: $9,085 (residential); $7,085 (commuter); limited scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not publicly disclosed
Dates: June 7-26
Application Deadline: May 15th
Eligibility: Current 9th-12th graders with at least a 2.0 GPA; open to international students

Georgetown’s Global Business Academy helps you understand how companies operate across countries, markets, institutions, and technologies. You study global business through lectures, case studies, simulations, group discussions, workshops, and field-based learning in Washington, D.C. The curriculum covers globalization, emerging economies, international institutions, technology, market entry, financing, and international marketing strategy.

Through group presentations and business simulations, you practice applying these concepts in practical scenarios rather than simply learning them as abstract ideas. The program also connects you with Georgetown faculty and business experts in D.C., giving you exposure to both academic and professional perspectives.

Why this stands out: It combines McDonough School of Business instruction with global business simulations, case studies, and access to Washington, D.C. professionals.

13. UT Austin – McCombs Future Executive Academy

Location: University of Texas at Austin – McCombs School of Business, Austin
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: May 31st – June 5th
Application deadline: January 31st
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores and juniors; not open to international students

The McCombs Future Executive Academy gives Texas high school students an introduction to business, leadership, and college life at UT Austin. You explore areas such as finance, marketing, operations, and management through workshops, mentorship, and hands-on learning activities. A team case competition helps you apply business concepts to a structured challenge while developing communication, teamwork, and presentation skills.

The program also connects you with McCombs faculty, students, and corporate representatives, giving you a clearer view of business education and career pathways. It is designed for students who may be first-generation college-bound or have faced economic or social challenges, so the experience also includes a strong access and support component.

Why this stands out: It is a free, selective program that combines McCombs faculty access, corporate exposure, mentorship, and a team business case experience.

14. Harvard Secondary School Program – Global Business and Technology Trends

Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $9,100 (4-credits) + $75 as application fee; needs-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 36 seats
Dates: July 12th – August 8th
Application Deadline: April 1st; International students: March 24th
Eligibility: Students who will graduate from high school and enter college in the next 3 years, are at least 16 years of age by June 21st, and will not be 19 years of age before July 31st; open to international students

Harvard’s Global Business and Technology Trends course examines how digital technologies are reshaping companies, industries, governments, and global markets. You study both business strategy and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, blockchain, digital currencies, e-commerce, industrial IoT, platform ecosystems, and automation. The course uses regional and industry case studies to show how technology changes business models in places such as China, India, Europe, and Asia more broadly.

Each technology topic is paired with a business application, helping you understand not only what the technology is but also how organizations use it. Since the course is part of Harvard Summer School, you experience a more academic, college-style format with lectures, analysis, and structured discussion.

Why this stands out: It offers a for-credit Harvard course focused on the fast-changing relationship between global business strategy and emerging technology.

15. Wake Forest University Summer Immersion Program – Business Institute

Location: Winston-Salem, NC – Wake Forest University Reynolda campus, NC
Cost: $3,500; limited needs-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; limited capacity
Dates: Week of June 7-12; Week of June 14-19
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Current high school students in grades 9-12; open to international students

Wake Forest’s Business Institute gives you a one-week introduction to how companies are built, managed, and improved. You explore major business areas such as finance, management, marketing, operations, strategy, innovation, business analytics, technology, and teamwork. The program uses case studies, group projects, faculty-led sessions, and visits with local businesses to help you connect classroom learning to professional settings.

Working in teams, you develop a final presentation that allows you to apply what you have learned throughout the week. The experience also helps you build practical skills in communication, project management, critical thinking, and collaborative problem-solving.

Why this stands out: It combines core business instruction with case studies, local business exposure, team projects, and a final pitch-style presentation.

Turning Business Experience Into Application Confidence

Early business exposure can help you build clearer direction, stronger communication skills, and real examples of initiative beyond the classroom.

The college summer business programs for high school students in this guide explore entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, strategy, global business, innovation, and technology.

By building pitches, studying companies, working in teams, and presenting ideas, you can better understand which business pathways match your goals.

Planning to use that experience in your applications? Dive into our University Preparation blogs for guidance on course choices, application strategy, personal statements, interviews, and building a college plan with purpose.