If you are a high school student considering accounting as a possible field, or if you want to see how it is handled outside the classroom, an accounting program can be a practical way to explore it. These programs focus on how accounting work is approached step by step, helping you move from theory to application.
Spending time in an accounting program allows you to work through real tasks and structured exercises. This helps clarify whether you enjoy the kind of detail, consistency, and organization that accounting requires, before committing to more advanced coursework.
Why should you consider NYC for an accounting program?
New York City has a dense network of firms, training organizations, and business centers that host programs for students. Being in a city where accounting is part of everyday professional work allows programs to draw from real examples and experienced instructors. Joining an accounting program can help you decide whether business and finance are fields you want to explore further, and give you experiences you can share in interviews or college essays.
Below is a list of 15 accounting programs for high school students in NYC! For students interested in exploring similar paths, we’ve also covered business internships and finance internships for high school students in NYC!
15 Accounting Programs for High School Students in NYC
1. Future Accounting Leaders Institute
Location: NYU Stern School of Business
Cost: $350
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: Four Saturdays in summer
Application Deadline: Typically in July
Eligibility: High school students
Future Accounting Leaders Institute introduces you to accounting as a working system inside real businesses. Sessions are led by faculty and professionals who walk you through budgeting exercises, simulations, and ethical case discussions that reflect decisions companies actually face. You spend time learning how financial statements are built and how numbers are interpreted when leaders make choices. The focus stays practical and grounded, showing how accounting connects to responsibility, risk, and planning rather than treating it as abstract theory.
2. Manhattan University Pre-College Research Program
Location: O’Malley School of Business at Manhattan University, New York City, NY, for one week, and then online for five weeks
Cost: A tuition of $6,000 and a boarding fee of $1,000 per week; the program cost $7,000 in total
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive with limited enrollments
Dates: June 22 – July 31; the one-week on-campus session is conducted on July 13 – 17
Application Deadline: March 16 for international participants and May 30 for domestic participants
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors can apply
Manhattan University Pre-College Research Program is structured around a long research process rather than short classes. You work closely with a professor on a business research project, choosing a focus such as accounting, finance, marketing, or analytics. Much of your time goes into reading data analysis and shaping arguments, while workshops and case discussions add context from real companies. The program ends with a research symposium where you present your findings, which helps you understand how academic business research is shared and evaluated.
3. Wall Street Stock Market & Investment Experience Summer Teen Program
Location: New York Institute of Finance, New York City, NY
Cost: $3,899 for one week and $6,699 for two weeks
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Up to 100 participants
Dates: July 6 – 11 for week 1, July 12 – 17 for week 2, and July 6 – 17 for students attending both weeks
Application Deadline: Open from December 16 (tentatively) until full
Eligibility: 9th to 12th graders
The New York Institute of Finance runs this program as a broad introduction to how financial markets operate. You move through topics like trading, investing, and asset management while learning how to read and understand financial statements along the way. Classes are interactive and often structured around group activities that mirror decision-making in finance roles. The exposure helps you see how accounting skills fit into different parts of the finance industry and what kinds of roles rely on strong financial understanding.
4. Career Opportunities in Accounting Profession (COAP)
Location: Various college campuses across New York, including Manhattan College, St John’s University, and College of Staten Island in New York City, NY
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by location
Dates: Varies by location
Application Deadline: Typically late June or early July
Eligibility: High school students
Career Opportunities in the Accounting Profession focuses on showing you how wide the accounting field really is. Sessions introduce different career paths and explain what accountants do across industries, including business, technology, and public service. Speakers share how accounting training translates into leadership and analytical roles and why professional credentials matter. The program is designed to make career options clearer, especially if you are still deciding whether accounting fits your interests and long-term plans.
5. NABA Inc.’s Accounting Career Awareness Program
Location: Various college campuses across the US, including Queens College, New York City, NY
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: About 30 students per campus
Dates: Runs through June and July, with the exact dates varying by the college campus; July 21 – 25 at Queens College
Application Deadline: April 30 in campuses where the programs are hosted before July 1 , and May 17 in campuses where the programs are hosted after July 4
Eligibility: High school students
Another program that helps high school students determine the right career choice after studying accounting is this one, which hosts events all year round. When enrolled in the program, you will have access to workshops and webinars conducted by industry experts and the opportunity to network with them and other students who share similar interests. You will also participate in various activities and group projects that improve your financial literacy. Moreover, the program will take you on a tour to accounting firms and private sector companies, thus helping you get a better idea of how professionals work in the fields.
6. Summer Sessions at Yeshiva University
Location: Yeshiva University, New York City, NY
Cost: Estimated $620 per credit + $65 application fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective; 15–25 students per lab section
Dates: Session 1: May 27 – July 3; Session II: July 7 – August 7
Application Deadline: Opens on March 1, and applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but students need to apply by May 15 for session I courses and June 15 for session II courses
Eligibility: Rising 12th graders with a minimum grade of 80 or a minimum GPA of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale
The Summer Sessions at Yeshiva University give rising seniors the opportunity to attend undergraduate-level classes across various disciplines, including accounting. If you are considering doing a degree or pursuing a career in accounting, this program offers course options like ACC 1002 Accounting Principles II, ACC 1101 Intermediate Accounting I, ACC/FIN 3851 Financial Statement Analysis, and more. Prior to signing up for these credit-bearing classes, check if they are conducted online or on campus and if they follow a synchronous or asynchronous schedule. As a high school participant, you can earn up to six credits per session and 10 credits in total over the summer.
7. NYIT’s High School Business Bootcamp
Location: Online
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: All year round; exact dates vary by individual bootcamp
Application Deadline: Applications open throughout the year
Eligibility: High school students
The New York Tech School of Management organizes several boot camps throughout the year. These bootcamps are particularly catered towards students who wish to choose the commerce major, but students interested in other fields can enroll too. Your options include sessions that teach you to start your own business, resolve conflict in a business setting, financial literacy, and more. You can attend just one session or attend all of them. Ultimately, these bootcamps prepare you for college and a career. You will receive a completion certification for every bootcamp you attend.
8. NAF’s Academy of Finance
Location: Multiple high schools in New York City (find academy here)
Cost: Free; stipends offered.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: Vary by the academy
Application Deadline: Varies by the academy
Eligibility: High school students
NAF Academy of Finance is embedded into your regular high school experience rather than operating as a short summer program. Over multiple years, you move through coursework that introduces finance, accounting, and business concepts alongside projects tied to real workplace scenarios. Learning extends beyond the classroom through internships and industry-led activities that show how financial skills are used in actual organizations. Because the academy is hosted within a school, the pace is gradual and cumulative, allowing you to build familiarity and confidence over time rather than rushing through content.
9. Invest in Her: Financial Literacy and Leadership for Women
Location: Gabelli School of Business, New York City, NY
Cost: The total cost is $1,300; students must pay $100 in advance when applying, and the remaining balance of $1,200 later
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: July 13 – 17
Application Deadline: Priority given to students registering before April 1
Eligibility: Female high school students from the USA
Offered by Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, this program is aimed at female high school students who have a strong determination to succeed in the business field. Over the course of the program, you will learn about financial markets, financial statements, and accounting principles. You will be involved in group projects through which you will develop your analytical thinking, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. The program also teaches you how to carry yourself confidently in a professional setting.
10. School Construction Authority High School Summer Internship Program
Location: Various SCA departments and business partner companies across New York
Cost: None. A stipend of $17 per hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by SCA department or host company
Dates: July 6 – August 14
Application Deadline: January 2 – March 6
Eligibility: High school students who are enrolled in a New York City public high school and are legally authorized to work in the US
The New York City School Construction Authority offers this internship as a workplace experience rather than a classroom program. You are placed within an SCA department or a partner organization and follow a regular work schedule that mirrors professional expectations. Tasks vary by placement but often involve administrative support, data tracking, budgeting assistance, or project coordination. One day each week is set aside for learning sessions and mentorship, which helps connect daily tasks to longer-term career planning.
11. Internships at ArtWestchester
Location: Arts Westchester, Westchester County, NY
Cost: None; A stipend is paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by role
Dates: Varies by role
Application Deadline: All year round
Eligibility: 11th and 12th graders
ArtsWestchester provides internships that change from year to year based on organizational needs. If you choose a business administration role, your work centers on budgeting, analytics, record keeping, and internal processes that support arts programming. You see how financial and administrative decisions affect nonprofit operations and cultural projects. The experience is practical and office-based based giving you a look at how accounting skills are used outside corporate settings.
12. Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP)
Location: Internships are hosted remotely, in person, or via a hybrid model
Cost: Free. A stipend of $16.50
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by the internship role
Dates: July and August
Application Deadline: Not publicly available; SYEP encourages students to email [email protected] for details of the application window
Eligibility: New York City residents between the ages of 14 and 24 with a permit to work in the US
The Summer Youth Employment Program places you in a short-term paid role during the summer months. You work part-time in a public or private organization where assignments depend on the host site but often include basic accounting, finance, or management tasks. Alongside job duties, you develop workplace habits like time management, communication, and collaboration. The structure is meant to ease you into professional environments while building experience you can carry into future work or internships.
13. Columbia University Pre-College Program: Becoming an Entrepreneur
Location: Columbia University, New York City, NY
Cost: $2,880 per session; need-based financial scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 22 – 26 and August 3 – 7
Application Deadline: April 2
Eligibility: 9th to 12th graders
Columbia University Pre-College Program runs this course as an introduction to how ideas become organizations. You work through the steps of developing a business concept, learning how finances, marketing, and operations connect along the way. Projects and discussions focus on practical decision-making, including how money is managed in both profit and nonprofit models. While the course is broad, it gives you context for where accounting fits within entrepreneurship and organizational planning.
14. Bank of America Student Leaders Program
Location: Multiple locations in the country, including NYC, plus a trip to Washington, D.C.
Stipend: Paid; amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by the host company
Dates: Eight-week summer internship starting after the end of the school year; summit in Washington, DC takes place July 21 – 26
Application deadline: October 14 – January 15
Eligibility: 11th and 12th graders with the legal authorization to work in the US
The Bank of America Student Leaders Program combines a full summer internship with structured leadership development. You spend several weeks working at a nonprofit organization learning how budgets, programs, and daily operations are managed. The work exposes you to how financial decisions support community services. The program concludes with a national summit where you step back from daily tasks and examine how government business and nonprofits interact on a larger scale.
15. Financial Management Specialization by the University of Illinois
Location: Online
Cost: $98 for a 3-month completion timeline; you can also audit the course for free.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No acceptance rate
Dates: Self-paced, 3 months at 10 hours a week
Application deadline: Open enrollment
Eligibility: Students aged 13 and up
The University of Illinois offers this specialization as a self-paced online sequence that focuses on financial management and accounting fundamentals. You move through courses that explain how financial statements are created, interpreted, and used in decision-making. Lessons cover topics like cash flow, accrual accounting, and analysis with examples drawn from real companies. Because the format is flexible, you control the pace while building a structured understanding of core accounting concepts.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like financial reporting, auditing, corporate finance, data analytics, and business 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 – Columbia University