9 Prestigious Entrepreneurship Programs for High School Students
Are you a high school student interested in an accessible way to explore entrepreneurship?
If yes, consider a free entrepreneurship program!
Free entrepreneurship programs for high school students offer opportunities to gain hands-on experience, develop business skills, and connect with industry professionals. Applying for fully-funded or partially-funded prestigious entrepreneurship programs for high school students can help reduce financial barriers while reflecting your initiative and interest in personal growth—qualities that colleges value.
Early exposure to entrepreneurship through these programs allows you to explore potential career paths and build skills that can strengthen your college applications. Participating in free (which usually means selective and thus, prestigious) entrepreneurship programs for high school students can also highlight your ability to engage with real-world challenges early on. Here are 9 prestigious entrepreneurship programs for high school students that offer a range of learning experiences in business and leadership.
The Young Founders Lab is a hands-on startup boot camp designed by Harvard students. In this program, you'll work on creating a revenue-generating business that solves a real-world issue. Along the way, you’ll be guided by entrepreneurs and industry experts from leading companies like Google, Microsoft, and others.
Beyond launching your startup, you’ll take part in engaging sessions on business fundamentals, creative ideation, skill development, case studies, and panel discussions. This program offers an excellent opportunity for high school students to explore the business world, understanding both theoretical and practical strategies that lead to successful ventures.
Cost: The total cost to attend the 3-week program is $2,900. There is need-based financial aid
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students
Program Dates (Tentative, based on previous years): Multiple year-round cohorts.
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. You can access the application link here!
The Harvard Student Agencies Business Academy offers high school students the opportunity to explore entrepreneurship and business management through two week-long academies. In the Business: Entrepreneurship Academy, you’ll develop key skills for launching a business, improve your financial literacy, and gain insights into the startup ecosystem. The program focuses on enhancing your analytical and decision-making abilities through hands-on activities. It culminates in a startup pitch simulation, where you’ll present your business idea to a panel of judges, sharpening your entrepreneurial thinking in a competitive environment.
Cost: $1800 (80% need-based financial aid available)
Location: Harvard University Campus, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12, must be 14+ at the time of the program
Program Dates: Week-long sessions between June and August
Application Deadline: Rolling applications
The Bank of America Student Leaders Program is an internship designed to empower high school juniors and seniors, involving hands-on experience at local nonprofit or charitable organizations. The program culminates in a week-long Student Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C., a full-funded summit. The program will match you with a non-profit company, including startups in the non-profit sector!
This opportunity is competitive, with an application process that includes a letter of recommendation from a school administrator or teacher. If you’re looking to work with non-profits and land a selective opportunity to mention in your college application/SOP, consider applying!
Location: Depends on the nonprofit organization assigned to you
Cost: Paid; compensation details provided upon acceptance.
Location: Varies
Eligibility: High school students in their junior and senior years can apply
Program Dates: National Leadership Summit and Internship Dates: summer of the cohort you participate in
Application Deadline: January 15
The KeyBank Business Leadership Program at the University of Colorado Boulder is a fully-funded, week-long program designed for high school students from underrepresented, diverse, and first-generation backgrounds. You’ll gain hands-on experience through a case study challenge, working in teams to develop solutions to real-world business problems. The program also includes creating and pitching a marketing campaign for corporate partners, helping you build practical business and teamwork skills. The team with the most innovative solution will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship to the University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business, offering added motivation for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Cost: Free
Location: Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado
Eligibility: Current high school juniors entering their senior year. Priority is given to Colorado residents and students enrolled in a Colorado high school.
Program Dates: June 22 - 28
Application Deadline: March 30
The Summer Venture in Business program at the University of Kansas School of Business is a week-long pre-college experience for high school students interested in entrepreneurship. You’ll explore key business strategies through hands-on activities that demonstrate how businesses operate in real-world contexts. The program covers topics like strategy development and the broader entrepreneurial landscape, helping you build a strong foundation for future business pursuits. Beyond academics, you’ll get a glimpse of college life and develop skills to thrive both in school and your career. A scholarship covering housing, dining, and program materials makes this an accessible opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Cost: Free
Location: University of Kansas, Kansas
Eligibility: Rising 10th-12th grade underrepresented students and/or potential first-generation college students. Preference is given to students from Kansas and the Greater Kansas City area.
Program Dates:
First session: June 16–20
Second session: July 13–18
Application Deadline: Usually late April
The McCombs Future Executive Academy at the University of Texas at Austin is a free, six-day program for high school students interested in entrepreneurship and leadership. Designed for rising juniors and seniors, it offers a chance to learn business fundamentals and entrepreneurial skills from McCombs students, faculty, and industry professionals. You’ll engage in interactive projects, keynote sessions, and discussions with industry leaders, gaining practical experience in business and leadership. The program helps you build a strong entrepreneurial mindset and develop key leadership abilities for future academic and professional success.
Location: McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin, TX
Program Dates: First week of June
Cost: Free
Eligibility: Open to high school sophomores and juniorsApplication Deadline: March 1
The Economics From an Experimental Perspective course, part of the University of Chicago’s selective Immersion program, is designed for high school students interested in business, economics, and entrepreneurship. This residential program offers hands-on learning through research projects and discussions with UChicago faculty and researchers. You’ll explore core economic principles with a focus on field experiments alongside traditional lab methods. The curriculum includes exchange and market experiments in the first week, followed by strategic games and group decision-making activities in the later weeks. As part of a competitive cohort, you’ll experience UChicago’s rigorous academic environment while developing strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Location: University of Chicago campus, Chicago, IL
Eligibility: High school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, at least 14 years old
Application Deadline: Typically in March
Dates: July 10–July 26
Cost: $8,600 (financial aid available ranging from $500 to $6,600)
The Essentials of Entrepreneurship program, part of the Wharton Global Youth Business Programs, helps you build the foundational skills needed to launch a business. Through lectures, hands-on activities, and recitations, you’ll learn about user research, opportunity testing, Minimum Viable Product (MVP) development, marketing strategies, scaling, and exit strategies. Working in teams, you’ll explore the entrepreneurial process and pitch an early-stage startup idea. The program also offers exposure to Wharton faculty and PhD students, along with the chance to experience college life at the University of Pennsylvania’s Ivy League campus and explore Philadelphia. Designed for aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators, it fosters a versatile entrepreneurial mindset. Upon completion, you’ll earn a Wharton Global Youth Certificate of Completion.
Location: University of Pennsylvania
Cost: $7,599. Full financial aid is available
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-11 (check specific eligibility for the program)
Application Deadline: April 2
Program Dates: Two-week sessions between June and August (dates vary)
LaunchX is a selective, immersive summer program that guides high school students through the process of building their own startups. With an acceptance rate of 10–20%, you’ll collaborate with peers, known as “Launchies,” to develop a business idea from scratch. The program blends elements of a startup accelerator, internship, and conference, offering mentorship from industry experts, including CEOs, entrepreneurs, and professors. Since its start in 2012, LaunchX has gained recognition, with 70% of alumni continuing in entrepreneurship and 15% of businesses launched during the program still active. Originally part of MIT's Martin Trust Center for Entrepreneurship, LaunchX now operates as an independent global education company, featured by outlets like Inc. Magazine and CNBC.
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan | UC Berkeley | Online
Cost: Varies; Financial aid available
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
Application Deadline: March 1
Program Dates: Dates vary for in-person and online programs (check for details)
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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