14 Business Programs for High School Students in California
If you are a high school student interested in business and entrepreneurship, you can explore your interests through a structured program. These programs include projects, case studies, and mentorship from industry professionals, helping you develop leadership, teamwork, and communication skills early on. Many top universities and organizations also offer scholarship-supported programs, making them more affordable than full college-level business courses.
Why should you attend a program in California?
In addition to being home to institutes such as UCLA and UC San Diego, California is a hub of startups, where you can meet industry experts and learn about businesses through seminar-based programs and projects. These programs provide both theoretical and practical knowledge in areas such as marketing, finance, and operations. These programs are a strong option for local and out-of-state students who want to deepen their academic profile and be better prepared for future opportunities.
To help with your search, here are 14 business programs for high school students in California.
If you are interested in summer research programs in California, check out our blog here.
1. Bank of America Student Leaders Program
Location: Numerous markets across California; the National Leadership Summit takes place in Washington, DC
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipends paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; about 300 students selected annually
Dates: Eight-week internship, typically June – August; Student Leaders Summit: July 21 – 26
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors | Legally authorized to work in the U.S. | Cannot be a Bank of America employee or immediate family member, or have attended the program before
This program allows you to intern for a local nonprofit where you will be working around 35 hours per week, contributing to community projects. You will be part of assignments related to community service, nonprofit operations, and teamwork. In the program’s final week, you attend the national Student Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C., where you meet peers, engage with nonprofit, business, and civic leaders, and explore how sectors collaborate to address societal challenges. Bank of America will pay for all Summit travel, accommodation, meals, and associated costs. By the end of the eight weeks, you will have developed various skills, including leadership, problem-solving, communication, and civic engagement.
2. Veritas AI Deep Dive: AI + Finance
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on the program type; full financial aid available.e
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Varies according to the cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November); you can apply to the program here
Eligibility: AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, is designed for ambitious high school students interested in artificial intelligence and its applications. In this AI-centered finance program, you will gain knowledge of how to use artificial intelligence in the financial field. You will participate in lectures, code walkthroughs, and projects where you will use AI and ML models to determine future financial patterns based on past data, forecast stock prices, and more. You can discover more details about the program in this program brochure.
3. Young Founders Lab
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on the program type; full financial aid available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer, fall, winter, and spring
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. You can access the application link here!
Eligibility: All high school students
In this boot camp, founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a complex problem. Entrepreneurs and professionals from top companies like Google, Microsoft, and X mentor you during the program. Your schedule will also include interactive classes on business fundamentals and business ideations, workshops and skill-building sessions, case studies, panel discussions, and more. The program offers a chance for high school students to learn about business and to investigate various theoretical and practical frameworks that contribute to a profitable enterprise. You can check out the brochure for the program here.
4. KP Launch’s High School Program
Location: Northern California
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend of $24/hr
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 40 – 50 students
Dates: June 15 – July 31
Application Deadline: January 9
Eligibility: High school students between the ages of 16 and 19 as of June 1 who live in a Northern California Kaiser Permanente designated service area and can legally work in the US
Aimed at high school students in Northern California, the KP Launch Program enables you to gain administrative and operational work experience in the healthcare industry while earning money in the summer. In this internship, you will spend six to eight weeks working part-time in one of the many departments, including human resources, IT, finance, or community health. You will develop and analyze financials to identify operational efficiencies, support project management tasks within a specific department, or conduct market research for a new health initiative. You’ll also attend weekly professional development sessions, mentorship meetings, and career exploration activities.
5. Warner Bros. Reach Honorship Program
Location: Warner Bros. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid during summer internship + $5,000 scholarship towards college
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 5 – 6 students in recent years
Dates: 4 summers during your college years, beginning the summer you graduate
Application Deadline: Typically, January or February
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors from Burbank or Los Angeles County with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
This program allows you to explore the marketing and business side of the entertainment media industry. It places you in one of Warner Bros.'s departments that focus on marketing, publicity, media research, or social media and contribute to ongoing film and television production projects. Your schedule will also include working on audience analysis, campaign planning, promotional strategy, or content branding. Additionally, every summer offers the opportunity to work with a new executive mentor who will help you network in the industry and learn about various aspects of media marketing.
6. UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business - Future Leaders Initiative (FLI)
Location: UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business, Irvine, CA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 150 students
Dates: Six sessions on each day between July 21 – 26
Application Deadline: April 6
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors from Southern California
Taught by professors at the UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business, the FLI is a business program aimed at underserved high school students in California. It focuses on teaching you business education, financial literacy, and career preparation. You participate in several high-impact activities, including full-day, in-person sessions on campus that feature guest speakers who are top executives and faculty, providing insight into leadership and industry innovation. The program also features professional training in presentation skills, self-branding, and networking. You will mandatorily need to attend all six sessions to earn a certificate.
7. NSLC’s Business & Entrepreneurship
Location: University of California, Berkeley, San Francisco, CA
Cost/Stipend: $4,295; need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; low student-to-staff ratio of 10:1
Dates: June 12 – 20; June 24 – July 2
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until all spots fill
Eligibility: Students between the ages of 14-18 who have completed at least one year of high school
This residential program educates you on everything you need to know about starting a business from scratch while meeting the needs of your stakeholders, employees, and target consumers. In this program, you will collaborate in teams to develop a product pitch and learn how to make financial, marketing, operational, and more important decisions for your business. You will also learn how to observe and analyze other, similar companies so that you can improve yours. Ultimately, the nine-day program gives you an understanding of the importance of creativity and strategy in a business setting.
8. Loyola Marymount University – Intro to Entrepreneurship
Location: Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: $6,500 + $65 application fee; limited financial aid may be available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; typically limited cohort size
Dates: June 21 – July 3 (tentatively)
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: High school students in 9th to 11th grade at the time of application | Between ages 14 – 18
Run by the LMU College of Business Administration (CBA) faculty, this program teaches you how to build a successful business from the foundation up. You will develop your own business ideas, conceptualizing business models, and creating value propositions. You participate in in-class and on-site lessons covering core entrepreneurial concepts like market research, budgeting, and marketing strategies, often supplemented by talks from guest entrepreneurs. You will have the opportunity to showcase your work to local entrepreneurs in Los Angeles. Beyond academics, students participate in social trips off-campus and use campus facilities, fully immersing themselves in the college residential life.
9. UCLA Anderson Summer Discovery Program
Location: UCLA Anderson School of Management, Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: $4,194 - $14,099 (depends on whether you pick the two-week or three-week course and commuter or residential)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-competitive; typically, 20 – 30 students
Dates: Several two andthree-weekk sessions between June 29 – August 1
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9 to 12
The Summer Discovery program combines academics and activities to ensure your summer turns out to be both a learning and a fun experience. With talented professors from UCLA Anderson there to teach you, you can pick from four subjects: Business of Entertainment, Media & Sports; Sports Business; Digital Marketing & Social Media; and Innovation in the Music Business for the academic part of the program. Ultimately, you will learn the basic skills needed to succeed in a sports, media, or entertainment career, particularly from a business perspective. Additionally, you can enjoy outings at Disneyland, Manhattan Beach, and a Dodgers game.
10. Loyola Marymount University – Global Sports and Entertainment Business
Location: Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: $6,500 + $65 application fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; around 14 students per class
Dates: Session 1: June 21 – July; Session 2: July 5 – 17
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors (ages 14-18) who have not yet graduated from high school by the program start date
This program, offered by LMU, helps you understand the roles that law, technology, management, and marketing play in the sports and entertainment fields. With professors and industry experts there to guide you, you will get a deeper outlook in these fields. You participate in thought-provoking, team-oriented activities and creative in-class exercises that simulate executive decision-making to tackle common industry issues. Your schedule will also include college admission and professional development workshops, as well as working on team projects. Global Sports and Entertainment Business Academies may also provide you with the opportunity to intern at one of their partnered companies.
11. UC Berkeley Business Academy for Youth Summer Entrepreneurship
Location: University of California (Berkeley) campus, Berkeley, CA
Cost/Stipend: $6,292 for California high school students. $7,332 for out-of-state students + a non-refundable fee of $80
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Around 12%; 50 students
Dates: Two weeks in July
Application Deadline: Typically, March
Eligibility: High school students around the globe
In this two-week program by UC Berkeley Haas, you will primarily learn how to develop a new business idea and come up with a business plan for it. The program involves theoretical classes, independent research, computer lab activities, and team projects. You will listen to lectures conducted by UC Berkeley staff and corporate professionals who will offer you their insights about the business field. It also has sessions on college preparation that involve writing college application essays and personal statements. You can also take guidance from admissions representatives and Berkeley undergraduates.
12. University of Southern California Pre-College Programs: Introduction to Business
Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Domestic Residential: $11,570; Domestic Commuter: $8,130 + a non-refundable application fee of $85 | International students: $12,208 + $185 Visa Application Fee + $350 SEVIS I-901 fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: June 22 – July 17
Application Deadline: International students: March 13; Domestic students: May 8
Eligibility: High school students who have completed 9th grade and are pursuing a rigorous high school curriculum | International students must demonstrate English proficiency in one of many ways, as listed here
This summer program offers high school students the opportunity to learn about the various elements that contribute to a business’s success, including marketing, finance, operations, and leadership. You engage in several activities, including a Capstone Case Competition where you are part of teams that analyze a real company, apply the business concepts they've learned, and pitch data-driven solutions to a panel of faculty or industry experts. The program also features Guest Speaker Sessions from industry experts and faculty from the renowned USC Marshall School of Business, providing an insider's look into successful companies. You also participate in Active Learning Modules and Business Simulations.
13. UC San Diego Business Management for High Schoolers
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: Approximately $390 per course
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-selective; typically, small group settings
Dates: About 3 weeks per course during the Summer quarter and about 10 weeks per course during the Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the cohort
Eligibility: All high school students
In this flexible program, you can attend classes at your convenience, where you will learn about various business-related principles such as leadership theories, marketing, product planning or development, and more. You will also gain hands-on learning experience in policy creation and resource allocation. Simultaneously, you will get practice in looking at case studies of actual businesses and coming up with strategic solutions for their problems. You will need to enroll in all three courses: Futures: Organizational Behavior, Futures: Elements of Marketing, and Futures: Elements of Marketing in the program.
14. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes Business Courses
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: $3,200 + $65 application fee; need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; average class size is 16 students
Dates: Session One: June 15 – 26; Session Two: July 6 – 17
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Students between grades 8 – 11
The Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes Business courses offer an intensive, non-credit, two-week online experience, similar to a university classroom experience. The curriculum dives deep into topics such as Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Business Strategy. You will apply design thinking to identify real-world customer problems, analyze company strategies to develop a sustained competitive advantage, and ultimately work on a team startup project to bring your business concept to life. This unique program, taught by expert instructors, fosters critical thinking and collaboration skills while connecting academically motivated students from across the globe in a live, interactive learning environment. Upon completion, you gain advanced knowledge and receive personalized instructor feedback and a certificate.
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