Finance research isn’t just for professionals — high school students like you can explore complex financial concepts, build analytical skills, and gain hands-on experience through finance research opportunities. Online opportunities, specifically, are a really solid way to explore the field without committing to an in-person program.
By participating in finance research, you develop quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and data-driven decision-making, which are highly valued in finance, economics, and business. These experiences also strengthen your college applications and prepare you for advanced coursework.
To help you find the right fit, we’ve narrowed down 15 online finance research opportunities for high schoolers.
1. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Cost: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
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 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, including finance. You can explore all the options here on their application form.
Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising 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.
2. Columbia University’s Online Summer – Introduction to Finance & Investment Management
Location: Virtual
Cost:
- 1-Week Online: $2,810 per session
- 2-Week Online: $3,960 per session
Application Deadline: April 2
Dates:
- Session A: July 7 – July 18
- Session B: July 21 – August 1
- Session C: August 11 – August 15
Eligibility: Students who will be enrolled in grades 9–12 in the fall and students currently enrolled in grade 12
In Columbia University’s Online Summer – Introduction to Finance & Investment Management, you will explore fundamental finance concepts through a quantitative and research-driven approach. Key topics include risk-return tradeoffs, stock and bond valuation, the mechanics of financial markets, and the role of central banks. You will analyze historical investment trends, examine economic factors influencing market behavior, and develop your own portfolio strategies.
The course introduces traditional and alternative investments, such as mutual funds, hedge funds, and private equity. You can expect to apply mathematical models, work with financial data, and engage in analytical exercises. A strong foundation in math is recommended, as you will use quantitative reasoning to assess market efficiency and portfolio performance.
3. Veritas AI’s AI + Finance Deep Dive
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,290
Application Deadline: February 29 (For Spring)
Dates: March 16 – May 18 (For Spring cohort)
Eligibility: Grades 8-12
Veritas AI is an AI program for ambitious high school students, founded and run by Harvard graduate students. Through the AI + Finance Deep Dive, students gain a deeper understanding of AI applications in the financial field.
You’ll get a chance to engage in lectures, code walkthroughs, and real-world projects using AI & ML models to predict future financial patterns using past data, forecasting stock prices, and more. Here is the program brochure and the application form.
4. Georgetown University Pre-College Programs: Investing Track
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,795
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the format you choose
Dates: Dates depend on the format you choose
Eligibility: Students ages 13 and up
Georgetown University’s Investing Track provides a research-driven approach to understanding how financial markets function. You will study asset valuation, risk-return tradeoffs, and portfolio construction while analyzing market efficiency theories. The course examines investment mechanisms, from stock transactions to fintech disruptions, including cryptocurrencies and algorithmic trading.
You will also explore historical investment trends, apply financial models to real-world data, and evaluate portfolio performance under different market conditions. Through quantitative exercises and case studies, you will develop empirical research skills in investment strategy. The final capstone project requires applying financial concepts to analyze investment performance and market dynamics.
5. Noble Desktop – FinTech Bootcamp
Location: Virtual / In-person
Cost: $4,995
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the dates you apply for. For more information, click here
Dates: Multiple dates are available. Click here to know more.
Eligibility: High school students
Noble Desktop’s FinTech Bootcamp focuses on computational finance, equipping you with programming and data science skills applicable to investment research. You will use Python for financial modeling, SQL for querying databases, and machine learning for predictive analytics. The curriculum covers key financial concepts like portfolio optimization, valuation metrics, and algorithmic trading strategies.
You will work with real datasets, creating dashboards and visualizations to interpret financial trends. The program emphasizes hands-on learning, requiring you to apply statistical methods and coding techniques to research-driven financial problems. By the end, you will have a portfolio of projects demonstrating your ability to analyze and automate financial processes.
6. Wharton Global Youth Program: Financial Decision Making
Location: Virtual
Cost: $4,099 + $100 application fee
Application Deadline: May 1
Dates:
- June 16 – June 27
- July 7 – July 18
Eligibility: Students currently enrolled in grades 9–11
Wharton Global Youth Program: Financial Decision Making explores the intersection of economics and personal finance through a research-driven approach. You will engage with financial datasets to evaluate real-world spending and investment decisions, using principles from behavioral finance and economic modeling. Core topics include financial trade-offs, valuation techniques, and portfolio allocation strategies.
Daily lectures and TA-led recitations reinforce quantitative analysis, while group projects challenge you to construct financial models based on empirical data. The program is structured to build your ability to assess risk, optimize financial choices, and apply economic theory to both individual and market-level decision-making.
7. Gabelli School of Business Global Finance Program
Location: Virtual or in-person at Fordham University, Bronx, NY
Cost: $1,200
Application Deadline: Applications are on a rolling basis
Dates: July 7 – July 11
Eligibility: Students in grades 10-12
The Gabelli School of Business Global Finance Program examines international finance through research-based analysis of trade, investment, and monetary policy. You will explore foreign exchange markets, the impact of tariffs, and multinational business strategies, studying historical financial shifts and modern global trends. The curriculum emphasizes the quantitative evaluation of trade imbalances and foreign investment flows.
By the program’s end, you will have developed a structured approach to analyzing global market dynamics, assessing risks in foreign investments, and understanding how financial policies shape the global economy.
8. Finance Institute: Wall Street in the Classroom
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,200
Application Deadline: Applications are on a rolling basis
Dates:
- Week 1: June 16 – June 20
- Week 2: June 23 – June 27
- Week 3: July 21 – June 25
Eligibility: Students in grades 10-12
As a participant, you will study financial markets through an analytical lens, exploring the mechanics of investment and asset allocation. The curriculum introduces key financial concepts, including time value of money, portfolio risk management, and the impact of monetary policy on capital markets.
You will analyze stocks, bonds, hedge funds, and cryptocurrencies, applying data-driven techniques to assess investment opportunities. Guest lectures from industry professionals offer insights into financial modeling and economic forecasting. This research-oriented approach helps you build the foundational skills necessary for studying finance at an advanced level.
9. Young Finance Scholar Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,200
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Dates: August 4 – August 15
Eligibility: Students aged 15-18 years
The Young Finance Scholar (YFS) program provides a structured introduction to financial and economic analysis. You will study macroeconomic indicators, fiscal policy, and monetary systems, applying these concepts to real-world case studies. A deep dive into corporate finance will refine your ability to analyze balance sheets, cash flow, and funding structures.
The program also covers the history and key functions of Wall Street, exploring IPOs, investment banking, and securities trading. In fintech, you will examine blockchain, cryptocurrency, and sustainable finance models. By the end, you will have a strong foundation for financial research, data interpretation, and industry analysis.
10. Young Equity Analyst Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,200
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Dates: July 21 – August 1
Eligibility: Students aged 15-18 years
In the Young Equity Analyst (YEA) Program, you will gain hands-on experience in stock analysis, industry research, and financial modeling. The curriculum covers economic cycles, helping you identify sectors that thrive under different macroeconomic conditions. A module on financial statement interpretation deepens your understanding of cash flow, revenue structures, and debt-equity tradeoffs.
You will also study the time value of money, evaluating how businesses finance their operations. A final valuation project will guide you through Free Cash Flow (FCFF) modeling, allowing you to estimate stock prices based on projected earnings and cash flow data.
11. USC’s Finance: From Personal Literacy to Global Markets
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,990 + $35 application fee
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the program dates you choose
Dates: Multiple dates are available. Click here to know more.
Eligibility: Students who are at least 14 years old or older and enrolled in a high school or secondary program
Finance: From Personal Literacy to Global Markets takes a quantitative approach to personal and corporate finance. You will model financial planning strategies, evaluate the capital markets landscape, and study how businesses raise funds through equity and debt instruments.
A macro-level analysis of stock exchanges and their role in economic growth is complemented by an introduction to cryptocurrency trends and blockchain technology. The curriculum is designed to enhance your research and analytical skills, helping you navigate financial decision-making from individual to institutional levels.
12. Summer@Brown Online – Mathematical Modeling of Finance: An Introduction to Quantitative Analysis
Location: Virtual
Cost: $5,314
Application Deadline: May 9
Dates: June 23 – July 18
Eligibility: Students completing grades 9 to 12, ages 14 to 18 by June 15
Mathematical Modeling of Finance introduces the core quantitative tools used in financial analysis. You will examine how interest rates, annuities, and loan structures shape financial decision-making, applying probability theory and discrete distributions to model financial uncertainty.
The course emphasizes expected values, risk modeling, and conditional probability applications, such as predicting loan defaults. By engaging with mathematical frameworks for asset valuation and investment risk, you will gain a research-driven understanding of financial modeling.
13. UCLA’s Introduction to Investments Summer Institute
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,170
Application Deadline: June 13
Dates: June 23 – July 11
Eligibility: Students who are in 9th – 12th grade in Spring
Understanding financial markets is critical for research in economics and investment analysis. UCLA’s Introduction to Investments Summer Institute provides a structured approach to financial literacy, investment strategies, and market structures. You will analyze stocks, bonds, venture capital, private equity, and hedge funds, gaining insight into valuation methods and quantitative finance.
Case studies explore market cycles, financial crises, and global investment strategies. The course also covers the role of the Federal Reserve and economic cycles, linking theoretical finance with real-world applications. If you’re interested in financial research, investment careers, or policy analysis, this is a good opportunity to explore.
14. Young Finance Scholar Accelerated Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,390
Application Deadline: Not specified
Dates: June 16 – June 21
Eligibility: Students aged 15-18 years
The Young Finance Scholar (YFS) Accelerated Program condenses core finance and economics topics into a one-week intensive training. You will analyze macroeconomic indicators, fiscal policy tools, and business cycle effects. A corporate finance module covers balance sheet analysis, equity vs. debt financing, and profitability assessment.
The program also explores the fundamentals of investment banking, Wall Street’s key players, and IPO mechanics. By integrating theory with case-based learning, this program enhances your ability to conduct structured financial research and evaluate economic trends.
15. Excel, Finance, & Investing Summer Program Live Online
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,299
Application Deadline: Not specified
Dates:
- June 30 – July 8
- August 11 – August 15
Eligibility: High school students
NextGen’s Excel, Finance, & Investing Summer Program Live Online builds technical finance and investment research skills. You will master Excel functions such as VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables, and macros, enabling data-driven decision-making. The curriculum covers corporate finance, valuation models, and market analysis, with case studies on major public companies.
You will learn DCF analysis, earnings projections, and balance sheet interpretation, providing a research-backed framework for financial modeling. Whether you are interested in quantitative finance, economic research, or investment banking, this course provides the analytical toolkit necessary for data-driven finance roles.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in finance, 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 – University of California, Los Angeles
