For high schoolers interested in business, here are seven entrepreneurship programs and courses that build a foundation in starting and managing a venture, covering practical skills like financial literacy and strategic planning. Costs and dates change year to year, so confirm the current details with each.
1. Wharton Global Youth Business Programs: Essentials of Entrepreneurship
- Location: University of Pennsylvania
- Cost: paid program (around $7,600)
- Dates: two-week sessions, June-August
- Eligibility: high school students in grades 9-11
- Covers entrepreneurship fundamentals, from idea generation to scaling a business, with hands-on projects, a startup pitch, and Wharton faculty.
2. BerkeleyX: Entrepreneurship For All (Part I)
- Location: online via edX
- Cost: free without a certificate, around $199 with one
- Dates: self-paced, rolling enrollment
- Eligibility: open to all
- An online course through the startup journey, focused on spotting market opportunities and building a business model, with insights from Silicon Valley.
3. Georgetown Pre-College Online Program in Entrepreneurship
- Location: online
- Cost: up to around $1,795
- Dates: 1-, 2-, and 4-week sessions; rolling admission
- Eligibility: students aged 13 and up
- Foundational entrepreneurship: identifying a market need, adapting to change, and planning a launch, ending in a project to pitch a business idea.
4. Stanford Pre-Collegiate: Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Location: online
- Cost: paid program (around $3,050)
- Dates: a few weeks in July
- Eligibility: grades 9-12
- A deep dive into innovation and starting a venture, covering idea generation, market analysis, and product development, blending theory and hands-on work.
Once you’re done here, check out our longer list of the 50 best summer programs for high schoolers.
5. Georgetown University Entrepreneur Academy
- Location: Georgetown University
- Cost: paid program (around $5,800)
- Dates: a two-week session in June; rolling admission
- Eligibility: high school freshmen to seniors with at least a 2.0 GPA
- An intensive program from ideation to market research, ending in a team pitch competition, with a focus on strategy and business planning.
6. Babson College: Introduction to Entrepreneurial Thought and Action
- Location: online
- Cost and dates: check Babson College for current details (it generally uses rolling admission)
- Eligibility: high school students interested in entrepreneurship
- Babson, known for entrepreneurship, encourages students to think and act entrepreneurially, covering opportunity recognition and value creation, for innovating in any field.
7. LaunchX
- Location: online and various campuses
- Cost: varies; financial aid available
- Dates: summer sessions; apply early in the year
- Eligibility: high school students passionate about entrepreneurship
- LaunchX has students launch real startups, with a curriculum from idea to execution and mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs.
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50+ more STEM opportunities
Want more programs, competitions, and opportunities for ambitious students? Rishab’s free guide lists 50+ of them: rishabacademy.com/guide.
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