What Are Finance Camps, and How Are They Different from Programs?
Ever wonder how money really works beyond the textbook? Or how the stock market actually moves in real time? That’s where finance camps come in. These short, hands-on programs, usually one to three weeks long, are designed to give you an overview of finance in action. Unlike longer pre-college programs or research courses, finance camps focus on practical, interactive experiences rather than theory.
In a finance camp, you will run stock market simulations, tackle budget challenges, and work through entrepreneurial exercises that show how financial concepts play out in the real world. You will build essential skills in budgeting, investing, financial analysis, and corporate strategy while learning from mentors and collaborating with peers who are just as ambitious as you.
So why join one? These camps are a fast track to financial literacy, confidence, and experience that will help you in college and beyond. With options ranging from in-person bootcamps to virtual experiences, there is a program to fit almost any schedule or interest.
If you are interested in exploring finance through research, you can check out our guide to finance research opportunities for high school students, here.
Here are 13 finance camps designed to help you level up your skills!
1. UCLA’s Introduction to Investments Summer Institute
Location: UCLA campus in Los Angeles, CA (commuter) or virtual/online
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies for the commuter and online course (scholarships available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; exact numbers not disclosed
Dates: June 23 – July 11 (tentative based on previous years)
Application Deadline: June 13 (tentative based on previous years)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12
At the UCLA Economics Precollege Summer Institute, you’ll spend three weeks diving into the fundamentals of financial markets, investment vehicles, and economic systems. You’ll learn why financial markets exist, how stocks, bonds, and commodities operate, and how to make informed personal investment decisions. No prior background in economics or advanced math is required – you’ll start with the basics, exploring topics such as Banking Systems, the Role of Central Banks, and Market Cycles, before moving into more advanced concepts. You’ll attend faculty lectures, participate in small discussion groups, and participate in real-world case studies covering topics such as Valuation Styles, Hedge Funds, and Global Investing.
2. University of South Florida’s Bulls Finance Camp
Location: University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Cost/Stipend: TBD
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 50 students/session
Dates: TBD (1-week camp in July)
Application Deadline: TBD (registration opens February 1)
Eligibility: High school students (entering 9-12 grade)
The Bulls Finance Camp at the University of South Florida (USF) is a one-week summer finance camp for high school students that introduces the fundamentals of Finance, Personal Finance, Investments, Corporate Finance, and Fintech. You’ll get practical experience using Bloomberg Terminal in USF’s Lasher Center for Financial Markets, simulating real-time trading and practicing market analysis, just like finance professionals. The program combines interactive lectures, group projects, and industry guest sessions featuring local finance experts and the credit union professionals. You’ll also explore the USF campus, connect with peers interested in finance, and gain a clearer idea of finance as a potential career path. By the end of the program, you’ll be able to interpret market data, evaluate investment ideas, and apply financial concepts through portfolio-style exercises.
3. University of Houston’s EXPLORE Financial Empowerment Institute
Location: University of Houston (Houston, Texas)
Cost/Stipend: There is an application fee; no tuition fee listed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; specifics not disclosed
Dates: TBD (tentatively in June, based on previous years)
Application Deadline: Varies by year
Eligibility: High School Students
The EXPLORE Financial Empowerment Institute is a one-week finance camp for high school students, under the guidance of Bauer College of Houston faculty. The curriculum covers areas such as Finance, Marketing, Supply Chain, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership, allowing you to test which business track suits you the best. You will take part in interactive case studies, team projects, and decision-making simulations that mirror real-world business challenges. Beyond the classroom, you’ll tour campus facilities and get a feel for how different business departments operate in a university setting. By the end of the program, you’ll leave with practical business-thinking skills and clear insights into potential business majors.
4. Fordham University’s Finance Institute: Wall Street in the Classroom
Location: NYC, Rose Hill Campus, Bronx (hybrid option available)
Cost/Stipend: Fee of $1,200 (total program cost including application fee)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; acceptance rate not disclosed
Dates: Four 1-week sessions in June and July
Application Deadline: April 1, priority registration closes (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: High school students
This one-week program at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business offers students a strong foundation in the fundamentals of finance and a clear understanding of the core concepts that shape the financial world. You’ll attend sessions led by leading industry professionals and Gabelli School of Business alumni, who will share their real-world insights and experiences in the field. You’ll explore topics such as Economic Basics, Historical Perspectives, the Time Value of Money, Financial Markets, Personal Finance, Investments and Analysis, Stocks, Bonds, and Monetary Policy. The program also dives into advanced areas such as risk management, asset allocation, and investment analysis, while introducing you to the fast-growing world of cryptocurrency, hedge funds, and private equity. The program is especially valuable if you’re considering studying finance in college or just want to deepen your understanding of how financial systems work in the real world.
5. Wall Street 101 @ Bentley University
Location: Bentley University, Waltham, Massachusetts, U.S.
Cost/Stipend: Varies for online, residential, and commuter students (scholarships available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; exact size not disclosed
Dates: Multiple 5-day sessions in June and July
Application Deadline: Applications accepted on a rolling basis
Eligibility: Junior or Senior year high school students
The Wall Street 101 camp at Bentley University gives high school students a one-week crash course in the fundamentals of finance, investments, and global markets. You’ll learn to analyze financial statements, evaluate stocks, and understand portfolio strategies while exploring topics such as Macroeconomics, Personal Finance, and Fintech Innovations. You will gain experience with industry-standard databases such as Bloomberg, FactSet, and the Financial Trading System – tools used by real financial professionals to simulate real-world investment decisions. You’ll apply what you learn in real time, through team projects and interactive lectures. By the end of the week, you’ll have practical finance skills, confidence to use industry-standard tools, and a clearer sense of potential career paths in business and finance.
6. Wake Forest University’s Finance and Investing Institute
Location: Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.
Cost: $3,200 for non-STEM courses such as finance and investing
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not disclosed
Dates: TBD (days are Sunday to Friday overnight, tentatively in June)
Application Deadline: TBD (Applications open on November 1)
Eligibility: All high school students
At the Summer Immersion Program, part of Wake Forest University’s Finance and Investing Institute, you will spend a week learning how the stock markets work and what drives smart investment decisions. You’ll learn about Market Analysis, Financial Statement Analysis, the Power of Compounding, Time Value of Money, and understand the Benefits and Risks of Investing. The experience goes beyond the classroom; you’ll visit a financial institution and trading floor, meet faculty and financial leaders, and hear insights from companies, firms, and businesses. You will even create your own investment portfolio and participate in a mock investment competition. By the end of the program, you’ll have a real-world perspective on investing and a sense of whether a career in investing is the right fit for you.
7. Veritas AI’s Deep Dive: AI + Finance
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $2,290 – $6,900 (cost ranges depend on the specific program)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; student-to-mentor ratio is low
Dates: 25 hours (over 10 weeks for weekends and 2 weeks for weekdays or summer camp)
Application Deadline: Multiple cohorts across the year
Eligibility: Grades 9-12
The Veritas AI Deep Dive is a 10-week online program for high school students interested in exploring how artificial intelligence is transforming the world of finance. Guided by AI experts and mentors, you’ll learn through lectures, coding notebooks, and a hands-on project focused on AI applications in finance. You will dive deeper into how AI and machine learning models are being used to predict future stock prices and detect fraud, among other things. By the end of this program, you will have a deep understanding of AI’s role in finance. They run cohorts across the year; you can apply here.
8. Tufts University’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation Bootcamp
Location: Tufts University Medford / Somerville Campus
Cost/Stipend: Varies for commuter and residential camps
Acceptance rate/cohort size:
Dates: July 5 – 17
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10-12
At the Tufts Entrepreneurship and Innovation Bootcamp, you will spend two weeks learning how to tackle big societal problems through new venture creation. You will discover how to build a startup, small business, or non-profit from the ground up while gaining an authentic Tufts experience focused on youth entrepreneurship. You’ll work closely with mentors from Tufts students and alumni network, who will guide you through every step – from developing your business idea to exploring the entrepreneurship resources and innovation opportunities available at Tufts. You’ll also work in the very spaces that many successful Tufts entrepreneurs began their journeys. Run in partnership with the Derby Entrepreneurship Center, the bootcamp helps you develop an entrepreneurial mindset and skillset, empowering you to become an innovative and impactful leader.
9. Wharton Global Youth Program: Financial Decision Making
Location: Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Cost/Stipend: $8,299
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; specific numbers not disclosed
Dates: June 15 – 26; July 6 – 17
Application Deadline: Final deadline is May 20
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12 with an interest in economics and finance
At the Global Youth Program, you’ll explore the full spectrum of financial decision-making, from everyday personal Finance Choices to understanding Capital Markets and how economic forces shape investment opportunities. You’ll work on real-world financial datasets, use quantitative tools such as Excel, and collaborate in small groups to analyze case studies involving risk, return, debt, and wealth accumulation. The program emphasizes analytical thinking, helping you apply economic reasoning to real-life scenarios such as choosing between consumption and saving, evaluating assets, and understanding how macroeconomic policy affects financial behavior. By the end of the program, you’ll have a strong grasp of how finance shapes decisions and earn a Wharton Global Youth Certificate of Completion.
10. Columbia University Pre-College Programs: Introduction to Business, Finance, and Economics
Location: Both online and in-person (Hamilton Hall, Columbia University, Broadway, New York)
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies, depending on the type of camp
Acceptance rate/cohort size: not disclosed
Dates: Multiple 1-week, 2-week, and 3-week camps
Application Deadline: Varies for summer and fall applications
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
The Columbia University Pre-College Programs consist of a variety of business, finance, and economics-focused courses to choose from, such as “Introduction to Business, Finance & Economics” or “Introduction to Finance & Investment Management.” Offered over 1- or 2-week online and 3-week commuter or residential formats, these courses combine lectures, discussions, and projects to help you understand how firms make investment decisions, how capital markets work, and how quantitative tools such as interest rates, risk assessment, and portfolio analysis are used in real-world finance. By the end of the program, you’ll have a solid grasp of foundational finance and economic models, experience of applying them in practical scenarios, and be better prepared for advanced study in business or finance. Here, you can learn more about the specific costs of the various camps.
11. The Michigan Ross Summer Business Academy
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.
Cost/Stipend: $5,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size:
Dates: 2-week camp in June (based on previous year dates)
Application Deadline: TBD (Usually opens in November)
Eligibility: Rising 12th-grade students
The Michigan Ross Summer Business Academy camp will get you to dive into the fundamentals of business and leadership through hands-on learning. Over two weeks, you’ll attend classes led by Ross faculty, work in teams on real-world case studies, and explore topics such as marketing, finance, and strategy. The program combines lectures with real-world projects, giving you a glimpse into what it’s like to study business at a top business school. Applications generally open in November. Click here to register and apply.
12. University of Texas at Dallas’s Top Trader Stock Market Competition
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: 1st prize is $600; $50 registration fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open to all rising high school students (highly competitive)
Dates: June 3 – July 25 (tentative based on previous year dates)
Application Deadline: Tentatively closes in May (starts accepting from March)
Eligibility: Rising high school students
In the Top Trader Competition hosted by the University of Texas at Dallas, you’ll take on the role of a real-world investor managing your own virtual stock portfolio. You will start with one million dollars in simulated funds and aim to grow your portfolio by investing in stocks and ETFs. You’ll also learn through educational videos and quizzes, and earn Investment and Personal Finance Knowledge certificates as you progress. Since the program takes place entirely online, you can participate from anywhere with a reliable internet connection. If you’re passionate about investment and portfolio management, this is a great way to put financial theory into action and experience the thrill of the market in a risk-free environment. To inquire more, you can click here.
13. Foundation for Teaching Economics
Location: Multiple locations, including virtual
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies for in-person and online camps
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25-40 students accepted for each site
Dates: Multiple 1-week sessions from June to August
Application Deadline: Final deadline in April (based on last year)
Eligibility: Sophomores and Juniors
The Foundation for Teaching Economics camp will teach you how economic theory connects with real-world decision-making. You’ll participate in hands-on simulations that make economic principles come alive and show how the choices made by governments and people shape the markets and everyday life. You’ll also take part in lively conversations about current national and global events, helping you broaden your perspective on economics and understand its role in today’s world.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced financial research and develop a research paper on a topic 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