If you’re a high school student thinking about studying economics in college, there’s a smart way to test the waters before making any big decisions. Free university summer programs in economics give you the chance to experience advanced topics, meet experts in the field, and learn what studying economics at the college level feels like.
These programs are designed to help students like you develop new skills in areas like data analysis, game theory, and public policy. You’ll get to work on projects, join discussions, and understand how economic systems shape the world around us. It’s not just textbook learning; it’s about seeing how ideas work in real life.
One of the best things about these summer programs is that they can help you figure out whether an economics major is the right choice for you. Spending a few weeks in a university setting, surrounded by like-minded students and faculty, gives you a clear picture of what lies ahead.
With that, here are 15 free university economics summer programs for high school students!
15 Free University Economics Summer Programs for High School Students
1. George Washington University’s Caminos al Futuro
Location: George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
Cost: Fully funded
Application Deadline: February 28 (tentative, based on previous year)
Dates: July 3 – 19
Eligibility: You should be a rising senior at a U.S. high school with a high level of academic achievement and a demonstrated commitment to leadership in service of the Latino/Hispanic community.
Caminos al Futuro is a summer program for high school students from the Hispanic or Latino community. You explore how public policy is created through visits to Congress, federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations. You study how political, economic, and social change happens through the lens of Latino communities.
The program includes university-style lectures, writing labs, and college prep workshops. You also work on a community action project, such as an awareness campaign or service activity. You develop your project during the program and present it at the end.
2. Yale Young Global Scholars ( Politics, Law & Economics Track)
Location: Yale University, New Haven, CT
Cost: $6,500, fully-funded scholarships available
Application Deadline: January 10
Dates: Session I – June 22 – July 4 | Session II – July 6 – 18 | Session III – July 20 – August 1
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors between the ages of 16 – 18; first-time participants of YYGS
Yale Young Global Scholars is a two-week summer program held on Yale’s campus. In the Politics, Law, and Economics (PLE) track, you study how economic systems, government structures, and legal ideas intersect and shape real-world issues.
You learn about public policy, market regulation, international relations, and conflict across borders. The program includes seminars, group discussions, and a final capstone project that you complete with a team and mentor.
3. Lumiere Research Scholar Program – Economics Track
Location: Remote
Cost: Financial aid is available!
Program Dates: June-August (summer). Fall, winter, and spring cohorts are also available.
Deadline: Application deadlines vary by cohort. The upcoming deadline for the summer cohort is June 23.
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum 3.3 GPA
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a 12-week research program where you work one-on-one with a PhD mentor to complete an independent research project. You choose a subject area that interests you, such as psychology, economics, data science, engineering, computer science, physics, or international relations.
If you choose the economics track, you work with an economics PhD scholar from a top university and focus on a topic in advanced economics. The program ends with a full research paper that you write with guidance from your mentor. You can also earn UCSD credit upon completion of the program. More details about the application are available here.
4. Siegfried Youth Leadership Program Economics Summer Camp
Location: University of Delaware, Newark, DE
Cost: Fully funded (housing, field trips, camp supplies, and meals included)
Application Deadline: Admissions take place on a rolling basis; Apply here
Dates: July 6 – 11
Eligibility: High school students and rising college freshmen
Siegfried Youth Leadership Program Economics Summer Camp is a one-week program held at the University of Delaware. It focuses on economics, entrepreneurship, and leadership. You attend university-level lectures, small-group workshops, and team-based projects.
You learn how to evaluate economic trends, understand business models, and apply leadership tools in decision-making. The curriculum includes financial literacy, market research, communication skills, and ethical leadership. You also interact with business leaders and faculty from the University of Delaware.
5. UCLA Economics Summer Institute
Location: UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: $3,015; fully funded need and merit-based scholarship available through the summer scholars support program; apply here.
Application Deadline: March 15
Dates: July 14 – August 1
Eligibility: High School students from grades 9 to 11 attending school in the state of California; Must be 15 years old on the first day of the program
UCLA Economics Pre-college Summer Institute is a three-week program held on the UCLA campus. You explore real-world economic topics such as monetary policy, international trade, taxation, price controls, and data analysis.
You work on group projects, join interactive workshops, and present your research findings. The program focuses on how economics is used in business, government, and academic settings.
6. Essentials of Entrepreneurship
Location: The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $7,899; fully funded scholarships available, check eligibility here
Application Deadline: April 2
Dates: Multiple sessions between June – August
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-11
Essentials of Entrepreneurship is an immersive two-week residential program for students interested in Entrepreneurship. You will learn about how a startup is built, along with how to conduct user research, develop an MVP, market, scale, conduct opportunity testing, and exit.
You’ll get to work with like-minded peers, come up with innovative ideas, and develop a pitch for an early-stage startup. The program also includes lectures and activities to help students adopt an entrepreneurial mindset.
7. Nighthawks Economics Showdown
Location: University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: October 11 (tentative, based on previous year)
Dates: Multiple rounds between November – January
Eligibility: High School students; Must be enrolled in a high school located in the Atlanta metropolitan area or the Northeast Georgia region
Nighthawks Economics Showdown is a competition organized by the University of North Georgia for high school students interested in economics and macroeconomics. You’ll work in teams and develop your research skills by submitting an economics paper based on the theme of the competition; previous themes included “The Post-COVID Labor Market”. Each team will consist of 3 – 8 students and will be assisted by a faculty advisor who teaches economics.
8. Penn Summer Prep Economics Academy
Location: The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $5,949; students attending School District of Philadelphia public or charter high school are eligible for fully-funded scholarships
Application Deadline: April 27
Dates: July 5 – 26
Eligibility: Current 9th, 10th, 11th grade high school students; Attend a School District of Philadelphia public or charter high school; Philadelphia resident; Minimum 3.5 GPA; demonstrated financial need.
Penn Summer Prep Economics Academy introduces you to key economic concepts in a global context. You study topics like market structures, market failures, scarcity, and how markets function in real life. You also explore how economic policies are made and how financial models work. Learning happens through group discussions, guest lectures, economics-related films, and two field trips. At the end of the program, you complete a capstone project where you propose a solution to a real-world economic issue.
9. Anson L. Clark Scholar Program (Economics Track)
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost: Free (includes meals, housing, and programming; $25 application fee)
Program Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application Deadlines: February 24
Eligibility: Must be at least 17 by the program start date; U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The Anson L. Clark Scholar Program is a seven-week summer research program at Texas Tech University for high school juniors and seniors. Only 12 students are selected each year. If you choose economics, you may work on topics such as behavioral economics, financial markets, economic inequality, public finance, or macroeconomic policy.
You work with Texas Tech faculty on research design, data analysis, and academic writing. You also attend weekly seminars on research methods, economics theory, and policy applications. The program includes field visits related to economics and finance.
10. Economics for Leaders (EFL)
Location: Multiple university campuses across the U.S.; virtual programs available
Cost: Virtual – $900 | Residential – $2,500; fully funded scholarships available to students demonstrating need and merit
Application Deadline: Applications are on a rolling basis
Dates: June – July (Dates vary based on sessions and location)
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors
Economics for Leaders is a one-week residential summer program for high school sophomores and juniors. It is organized by the Foundation for Teaching Economics and takes place on campuses like Yale, UCLA, and UC Davis. You study core economics topics such as scarcity, opportunity cost, incentives, markets, economic growth, labor, property rights, and inflation.
You learn through ten classroom modules and hands-on simulations, including trade games, currency experiments, and group policy activities. You also work on leadership skills through group challenges built around the FTE Leadership Matrix, where you practice personal, team-based, and public decision-making.
11. Wharton Global High School Investment Competition
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: September 13
Dates: September – April
Eligibility: High school students
Wharton Global High School Investment Competition is a team-based investment challenge for high school students. You work in a group of four to seven students with an advisor. Your team gets a case study and a virtual $100,000 to build an investment portfolio.
You research the stock market, develop an investment strategy, and justify your decisions through a detailed report. Your team is evaluated not by how much your portfolio grows, but by how well you explain your investment approach and how it fits the client’s goals.
12. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program
Location: George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
Cost: Free ($25 application fee)
Application Deadline: February (exact dates not specified)
Dates: June 18 – August 8
Eligibility: 15 years of age by the start of the program
ASSIP is an eight-week full-time summer research internship at George Mason University. You work with GMU faculty on hands-on research projects. While ASSIP is STEM-focused, it includes economics-related tracks like finance, business analytics, enterprise statistics, and data science.
If you’re interested in economics and data, you can work on projects involving financial modeling, machine learning, economic simulations, or statistical analysis. Past student projects have used tools like JupyterLab and Python to build models and test economic frameworks. Some students also worked on projects related to financial literacy, behavioral economics, and economic trends using big data.
13. Young Innovators Program
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: $2500; fully funded for students with a household income below $120,000
Application Deadline: March 5 (tentative, based on previous year)
Dates: July 20 – 25
Eligibility: High school freshmen and sophomores; 14 years of age by the start of the program
The Young Innovators program is a week-long residential innovation and entrepreneurship program at the University of Chicago. This immersive program includes access to experiential learning, mentorship from leaders, and the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded peers. Seminars in the program will train you in soft and technical skills, focusing on the intersection of entrepreneurship, climate science, startup funding, and venture capital.
You’ll work in teams and receive training to pitch a real-life sustainable solution for an American city. The program bridges the gap between academic learning and real-world application with access to laboratory tours, Invenergy Chicago’s office tour, and a discussion with industry professionals.
14. Northwestern Economics Tournament
Location: Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: January 27 (Tentative based on previous year)
Dates: Mixture of virtual and in-person events between March 31 – April 6
Eligibility: High School Students; All 4 members of a team should attend the same high school
The Northwestern Economics Tournament is a competition organized by the Northwestern Economics Department for high school students passionate about Economics. As a participant, you’ll be tested on economic history, current events, modern economics, and economic principles above AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics levels.
Competitors will also get to broaden their understanding of Economics by attending lectures by college professors and current economics students on real-world applications and career pursuits in economics.
15. Business Opportunities Summer Session
Location: Penn State, University Park, PA
Cost: $250 application fee to be paid after acceptance (waived for students who submit financial need along with their application)
Application Deadline: March 19 (Tentative based on previous year)
Dates: June 15 – 27
Eligibility: High School Juniors; U.S. or Puerto Rico residents
Business Opportunities Summer Session is a two-week residential program for high school juniors interested in pursuing a business education. As part of the program, you’ll be living on Penn State’s University Park campus and taking business fundamental courses and college prep classes by Penn faculty.
Some of the subjects you’ll learn about include Ethics and social responsibility, sustainability, accounting, international business, supply chain, business law, and marketing. In your final week, you’ll be giving a team presentation, which will be judged by the Penn faculty.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, 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 – Northwestern University