If you’re interested in learning about how markets work, why inflation matters, or how countries manage money, a summer program is a great option for you to consider. A pre-college program specifically, can be a super structured and rigorous way to engage in advanced economics theory while understanding how life on campus works!
As a participant, you will learn to read and interpret data, build simple models, and make evidence-based arguments from professors, and live on campus with your peers. Some programs in the list below introduce tools like Excel or STATA for analyzing economic trends. Others focus on policy writing, decision-making, and simulations that help you understand economics in action.
To help you get started, we’ve rounded up 15 economics pre-college programs for high school students!
15 Economics Pre-College Summer Programs for High School Students
1. Invention, Innovation, and Markets – Harvard Pre-College Programs
Location: Harvard Campus
Cost: $5,800 plus $75 application fee.
Dates: Session I & II: July 7–18; Session III & IV: July 21–August 1
Application Deadline: Applications open on December 2
Eligibility: All high school students can apply.
As one of the top universities for economics, Harvard offers high school students a focused introduction through its Pre-College Program. In a two-week course on how innovation shapes economies, you’ll study real-world changes in sectors like energy, healthcare, and transportation, and look at how technology affects wages, trade, and productivity.
You’ll build skills such as reading economic data, writing short analytical essays, mapping out the effects of automation, and understanding basic supply and demand shifts. You’ll also practice using economic models to explain how new inventions shape markets and social systems.
2. Introduction to Business, Finance, and Economics – Columbia University
Location: New York City
Cost: $12,764
Dates: Summer A: In Person: June 30 to July 18; Summer B: In Person: July 22 to August 08; Summer A: Online: July 07 to July 18; Summer B: Online: July 21 to August 01
Application Deadline: Rolling until full
Eligibility: The summer program is open to all high school students.
Columbia University’s Pre-College Program offers a course called Introduction to Business, Finance, and Economics designed for high school students. In this course, you explore how firms make financial and economic decisions, including how they raise funds and decide which investments to pursue. You learn about the models used to evaluate investments and the different sources of capital available to firms.
You study financial instruments like stocks and bonds, how stock markets operate, and how firms and investments are valued. The course covers topics such as investment strategies, risk assessment, and how to interpret financial statements. You also examine microeconomic models that help explain how firms behave in financial markets.
3. Introduction to Macroeconomics | Yale Summer Session
Location: Online
Cost: Tuition: $5270; Technology Fee: $85
Dates: Session A: May 26 – June 27; Session B: June 30 – August 1
Application Deadline: Applications will open in mid-January
Eligibility: Juniors and seniors, at least 16 years old.
Yale Summer Session offers high school students the chance to earn college credit by taking real Yale courses. In this macroeconomics course, you’ll study how entire economies function, looking closely at national income, inflation, unemployment, and economic growth.
You’ll also cover how governments use fiscal and monetary policy to respond to recessions, and examine financial crises with a focus on recent global events. Taught by Yale faculty, the course builds skills in interpreting economic data, writing policy summaries, understanding GDP components, and analyzing how central banks make decisions.
4. Business Academy – Georgetown University Summer Programs for High School Students
Location: Residential at Georgetown University
Cost: $7,700
Dates: July 20 – Aug 8
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: Applicants must be current or rising high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or seniors during the prior academic year
Georgetown University’s Business Academy offers high school students a chance to dive into the world of international business. You’ll explore key topics like globalization, the rise of emerging economies (China, India, and Brazil), and the role of major institutions like the World Bank and WTO.
Throughout the program, you’ll develop practical skills through activities like investment challenges, business presentations, and field trips. The focus is on understanding global economic trends and how technology is shaping the business world.
5. UChicago’s Pre-college Summer Immersion Program – Economics From An Experimental Perspective
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: $8,900
Application Deadline: April 15
Dates: July 7 – 26
Eligibility: Current high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who are at least 14 years old
UChicago’s Immersion program offers high school students a hands-on, residential learning experience. In the Economics From an Experimental Perspective course, you’ll explore core economic principles through field and lab experiments, combining lectures with real-world activities.
In the first week, you’ll engage in exchange and market experiments, building your understanding of economic concepts through practice. Week two focuses on group decision-making and strategic game experiments, where you’ll apply economic theory to real-world situations. The final week involves completing more experiments, presenting your findings, and participating in discussions.
6. UCLA’s Pre-College Introduction to Investments Summer Institute
Location: University of California, Los Angeles, CA (commuter program)
Cost: $2,524
Dates: Session A (Commuter): June 23 – July 11; Session B (Virtual): June 23 – July 11
Application Deadline: June 13
Eligibility: Students who are at least 15 years old, in grades 9–12, and have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher; you can check the specific pre-college summer institute page for additional requirements
The UCLA Introduction to Investments Summer Institute is a three-week program designed for high school students who want to learn about economics, investing, personal finance, and career paths in finance. This program offers college credit from UCLA’s economics department and requires no prior economics or math background.
You’ll study U.S. financial markets from a macroeconomic perspective, exploring how they work, their structure, and how they impact daily life. Lectures by UCLA faculty and discussions with UCLA Economics majors will cover key topics such as financial markets, stocks, bonds, commodities, the Federal Reserve, economic cycles, valuation methods, and personal investing.
7. Economics for Leaders (EFL) – Foundation for Teaching Economics (FTE)
Location: Several residential and virtual sessions. Check here.
Cost: For virtual sessions, the fee is $800. Residential programs are priced at $2,100.
Program Dates: several Residential and Virtual Sessions here.
Application Deadline: April 12
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors
The Foundation for Teaching Economics is a non-profit focused on helping students apply economic thinking to national and global issues. The selective EFL Summer Program teaches you to use economic analysis to evaluate public policy decisions and real-world problems.
In addition to economic analysis, the program covers leadership theory, with a focus on teaching and applying economic reasoning skills. You’ll also learn how to approach public policy challenges through the lens of economics. Offered in partnership with the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS), the program also provides the option to earn two semester hours of undergraduate credit for an additional fee.
8. Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY) – Haas School of Business, University of California (Berkeley)
Location: Residential, University of California (Berkeley) campus
Cost: California resident tuition: $6,292; Out-of-state resident tuition: $7,332
Application Deadline: March 1
Dates: Session I: July 5 – July 19; Session II: July 19 – August 2
Eligibility: US and international high school students
The Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY) at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business offers a two-week course that focuses on the core principles of economics in business. You’ll learn how to communicate effectively, present ideas, and create a business plan while developing your understanding of economic concepts that drive decision-making in the business world.
You’ll work with a group of 50 students to create and present a business plan, learning how to apply economic reasoning to real-world challenges. The program includes lectures from industry experts, activities that let you experience campus life, and opportunities to interact with UC Berkeley undergraduates.
9. Research Mentorship Program (RMP) – University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)
Location: UCSB Campus
Cost: Commuter option: Around $5,000; Residential Option: Around $12,000(tentative based on last year)
Application Deadline: March 17
Dates: June 16 – August 1
Eligibility: Students all over the world who are in 10th and 11th Grade with a minimum GPA of 3.8
The Research Mentorship Program (RMP) is a competitive summer opportunity for high school students to conduct university-level research, including in economics. You will select a project and work closely with a mentor, such as a graduate student, postdoc, or faculty member.
The program teaches you how to write professional research papers and present your findings at academic symposiums. By the end, you will gain hands-on research experience and learn how to communicate complex ideas effectively.
10. Yale Young Scholars’ Politics, Law & Economics (PLE)
Location: Residential, Yale University
Cost: $6,500 program fee; $75 application fee(Based on last year)
Application Deadline: Applications are open from November to early January.
Dates: Session I: June 22 – July 4; Session II: July 6 – July 18; Session III: July 20 – Aug 1
Eligibility: Students have to be at least 16 years old by the first day of Session III, current sophomores or juniors (or any international equivalent), and first-time participants
The Yale Young Scholars’ PLE session is designed for students interested in economics. You will explore key economic theories, market regulation, international and public policy, and analyze social systems and current issues through the lenses of economics, law, and politics. Sample lectures will cover topics such as international trade, U.S. manufacturing, the economics of art and music, and liberty sanctions.
11. Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology Summer Institute (M&Tsi) – Penn Engineering and Wharton, University of Pennsylvania
Location: Residential, University of Pennsylvania campus
Cost: $9,000 On-Campus Program Fee, $100 application fee
Application Deadline: April 1
Dates: July 6 – July 26
Eligibility: High school seniors and rising high school juniors
M&Tsi is a summer program for students interested in economics, management, and technology. Upon successful completion, you will earn college credit from the University of Pennsylvania. You will work on developing a prototype and go-to-market strategy for a tech startup, then present your project to faculty, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders for feedback. The program includes courses and guest lectures by Penn faculty and industry experts, covering topics in both business and technology.
12. Wharton Global Youth Program: Moneyball – University of Pennsylvania
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $9,799 (financial aid available)
Dates: July 6 to July 26
Application Deadline: April 2
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12
The Wharton Global Youth Program at the University of Pennsylvania offers a three-week online course called Moneyball, designed for high school students interested in the intersection of economics, data analytics, and decision-making. Taught by Wharton faculty, you’ll explore how economic principles and statistical tools are used to make strategic choices in business, sports, and public policy.
You’ll learn to analyze data using tools like Excel and Tableau, study real-world case studies (such as sports team management or market forecasting), and develop skills in interpreting economic trends and presenting data-driven arguments. Group projects and interactive simulations help you apply concepts like supply and demand, cost-benefit analysis, and market competition to practical scenarios.
13. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies: Capital Markets and Investments
Location: Online
Cost: $3,080
Dates: July 07 – July 18
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–11.
Stanford’s Pre-Collegiate Studies: Capital Markets and Investments course introduces high school students to the basics of finance through college-level content and hands-on activities. You’ll explore how stocks, bonds, and IPOs work while learning to think like an investor or financial analyst.
You’ll work with key tools like Price to Earnings Ratio, Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, and Discounted Cash Flow. As part of a team, you’ll build a financial model for a company and present it at the end of the course. The program is designed for students who are curious about investing, startups, or careers in finance.
14. Economics and Policy – NYU Precollege Summer Program
Location: New York City. Online options may be available for some courses.
Cost: Varies depending on the number of credits, with an estimated range of $3,000–$6,999 for a typical course.
Dates: July 2 to August 13
Application Deadline: June 16
Eligibility: Open to rising high school juniors and seniors (grades 11–12 at the time of application), with a strong academic record
New York University’s Precollege Summer Program offers a six-week course for high school students eager to explore economics through the lens of policy-making. You’ll study how economic theories shape decisions on trade, taxation, and social programs, diving into real-world issues like inequality and global markets.
Through lectures, case studies, and group projects, you’ll learn to analyze economic data, evaluate policy impacts, and write concise policy briefs. The course covers key concepts like supply and demand, fiscal policy, and market regulation, with hands-on activities using tools like Excel for data visualization.
Bonus economics summer programs for high school students –
15. Lumiere Research Scholar Program – Business Track
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Full financial aid available
Program Dates: Summer: June – August, fall: September – December, winter: December – February, spring: March – June.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. The regular admissions deadline for the Summer Cohort I is May 11.
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school.
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 economics-related topics that you can explore as a high schooler. All programs take place completely virtually, allowing you to pursue independent research from anywhere in the world!
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 finance, economics, entrepreneurship, international relations, and more, and offer UCSD credit upon successful completion! You can find more details about the application here!
16. Ladder Internship Program
Cost: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
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 program for ambitious high school students to work with high-growth start-ups in industries like economics, consulting, tech, and more. The start-ups are rapidly expanding, with many raising over a million dollars in funding.
During the internship, you’ll work directly with your manager and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects, and you’ll have the chance to present your work to the company. The internship lasts for about 8 weeks and is entirely virtual, giving you flexibility while gaining hands-on experience in the start-up world.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive (and virtual) mentored research program in subjects like economics, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image source – The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania