14 Finance Programs for High School Students in New Jersey
If you’re a high school student curious about how money, markets, and businesses actually work, finance programs can be a strong step forward. Through structured coursework, simulations, and guided projects, you can begin building skills in budgeting, investing, financial analysis, and economic reasoning. You also gain exposure to how financial decisions are made in professional settings while connecting with peers and mentors who share your interest in business.
Why should you attend a program in New Jersey?
New Jersey is home to a range of universities, business schools, and organizations that offer finance and business-focused programs for high school students. Across these opportunities, you might analyze financial markets, build business plans, manage simulated investment portfolios, or work on team-based entrepreneurship projects. Whether you are local or traveling from another area, these programs allow you to explore finance in a structured academic setting while developing practical and analytical skills.
With that in mind, we’ve narrowed this list to 14 finance programs for high school students in New Jersey.
If you are looking for free programs in New Jersey, check out our blog here.
1. Venture Analyst Internship – 1435 Capital Management LLC
Location: Hybrid; remote with occasional in-person work in Princeton, NJ
Cost/Stipend: Free; paid summer stipend (amount not specified)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 3–4 students
Program Dates: June – August (8–10 weeks)
Application Deadline: April
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16, authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship, and able to commute to Princeton occasionally
This is a small, selective summer internship where you’ll work closely with a venture capital team focused on growth-stage startups and late-stage secondary investments. You’ll spend your time researching potential investments, analyzing markets, supporting due diligence, and helping track portfolio companies. The work is a mix of independent research and collaboration, with opportunities to test products, attend events, and meet founders and investors. Because the cohort is limited to just a few students, you’re given real responsibility rather than observational tasks. The hybrid structure means most work is remote, but you’re expected to be in Princeton for certain meetings and activities.
2. Veritas AI: AI + Finance
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; Full financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Program Dates: Multiple 8-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply here.
Eligibility: High school students who have prior experience with AI/ML or have completed a Veritas AI program
Veritas AI is an AI program for ambitious high school students, founded and run by Harvard graduate students. Through the AI + Finance Deep Dive, students gain a deeper understanding of AI applications in finance. They get a chance to engage in lectures, code walkthroughs, and real-world projects involving AI & ML models to predict future financial patterns from past data, forecast stock prices, and more.
3. CLA High School Internship Program – CliftonLarsonAllen
Location: Multiple locations nationwide, including Woodcliff Lake and Livingston, NJ
Cost/Stipend: Free; paid stipend (amount not specified)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: June – July (4 weeks)
Application Deadline: March – April
Eligibility: High school students ages 16–18 who are authorized to work in the U.S. without requiring a work visa
This is a four-week, in-person summer internship where you’ll spend your days working in a professional accounting firm environment. You’ll work on real projects and gain exposure to areas such as accounting, auditing, and business consulting while learning directly from full-time staff. The structure mixes hands-on work with job shadowing, case studies, and team-based projects, so you’re not just observing but actively contributing. The experience aims to provide you with an authentic understanding of what working in accounting or professional services is like on a daily basis.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Varies depending on program type; full financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June - August), Fall (September - December), Winter (December - February), and Spring (March - June)
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas. The program pairs high-school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as finance, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, and more.
5. Summer Entrepreneurship and Business Academy (SEBA) – Stockton University
Location: Galloway, NJ
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 19 students
Program Dates: July 12 – 18
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
This one-week summer academy introduces you to business and entrepreneurship in a college-style environment at Stockton University’s School of Business. You’ll rotate through sessions on accounting, finance, marketing, management, business analytics, and related fields while working closely with faculty and business professionals. Much of the week is team-based, with students developing a business idea, building a plan, and preparing a final presentation. The program culminates in a business plan competition judged by faculty and industry leaders, with a $500 prize awarded to the winning team. All costs are covered, making it one of the more accessible business programs in New Jersey.
6. Think Like an Entrepreneur Summer Academy – Rowan University
Location: Glassboro, NJ
Cost/Stipend: Free (no stipend); includes 3 college credits
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Around 90 students participated last year
Program Dates: Summer (dates not specified)
Application Deadline: May 18
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
This non-residential summer academy, organized by Rowan University’s School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, centers on entrepreneurship and business problem-solving. Participants are assigned to teams and work through a real-world challenge related to one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Daily sessions cover topics such as customer discovery, design thinking, business models, prototyping, and financial analysis, with a strong emphasis on how ideas become viable ventures. You earn 3 college credits for completing the program, which can be used at Rowan or transferred to another university, depending on the policies of the receiving institution. The academy concludes with a formal pitch in which your team presents to a panel of industry judges.
7. Financial Planning Academy – William Paterson University
Location: Wayne, NJ
Cost: $150 program fee; financial assistance available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: August 18 – 22
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: High school students (specific grade levels not specified)
This is a week-long, non-residential summer academy focused on personal finance and financial planning, hosted on William Paterson University’s campus in partnership with Texas Tech University. You’ll spend full days learning how financial planners think through topics like budgeting, investing, insurance, retirement planning, and ethical decision-making. The program is structured around hands-on activities and team-based case studies in which you apply what you learn to real-world financial scenarios. The curriculum is developed by Texas Tech University’s nationally recognized School of Financial Planning and funded by the Charles Schwab Foundation. All meals and activities are included in the low program fee, with additional funding available to help cover costs.
8. Financial Foundations Program – Invest in Girls
Location: Virtual (some in-person opportunities available, location-dependent)
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: Rolling sessions throughout the year
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students who identify as girls
This is a multi-part financial education program focused on personal finance, investing, and career readiness. You’ll take live, instructor-led online workshops alongside other high school girls, starting with budgeting, credit, taxes, and financial decision-making, then moving into investing topics such as stocks, bonds, and portfolio building. The program is structured as a three-course series, with each level building on the previous one and emphasizing practical, real-world skills. All courses are free and taught in small-group virtual settings, making them accessible regardless of location. You earn a certificate of completion for each course by attending at least five of the six sessions.
9. Wall Street and the Investment Experience Pre-College Program – Montclair State University
Location: Montclair, NJ
Cost: $1,800
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Around 250 students
Program Dates: July 12 – July 18
Application Deadline: November – June
Eligibility: Current 9th–11th grade students
This is a one-week pre-college finance program offered as part of Montclair State University’s summer offerings, with the option to attend one or two sessions. You’ll focus on how financial markets work by analyzing data, interpreting business news, and trading assets such as stocks, commodities, and cryptocurrencies in a classroom setting. The curriculum also examines how artificial intelligence is influencing finance, including discussions of well-known investors and media portrayals of Wall Street. A highlight of the program is a guided field trip to New York City’s Financial District, where you’ll visit financial institutions and meet professionals. You live on campus and get a structured preview of college life while taking a finance-focused course.
10. BUSI 1101: Introduction to Financial Markets – Fairleigh Dickinson University
Location: Teaneck, NJ
Cost: $799
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Cap of 15 students
Program Dates: June 30 – July 18
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
This is a three-credit, college-level course that introduces you to how modern financial markets actually function. You’ll study equity markets and trading venues like the NYSE and Nasdaq, as well as newer systems such as electronic exchanges and dark pools, while also learning how different market participants interact. The class covers core concepts including order types, trading strategies, market structure, and regulation, drawing from economics and behavioral finance. You’ll also spend time on fundamental and technical analysis to better understand how investors evaluate opportunities.
11. Rutgers Business School Summer Business Camp – Rutgers Business School
Location: Piscataway, NJ
Cost: $2,600 (includes housing, meals, and field trips)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: July 5 – 11 | July 12 – 18 | July 19 – 25
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students (specific grade levels not specified)
This is a one-week residential summer camp that introduces participants to various fields of business through practical activities and instructor-led sessions. You’ll explore topics like finance, accounting, marketing, management, and supply chain while living on Rutgers’ Livingston Campus. The program is experiential, with site visits to businesses, team-based projects, and daily exposure to how business concepts show up in the real world. You’ll participate in a business plan competition and develop an elevator pitch with guidance from Rutgers Business School faculty. The residential format gives you a realistic preview of college life at a large public university.
12. Finance: Think Like an Investor – Northwestern University
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,895
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: Multiple 2-week and 4-week sessions offered year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling, varies by session
Eligibility: Students ages 13 and up
This online pre-college finance course provides an overview of the financial industry, covering topics from economic fundamentals to investment analysis. You’ll study topics such as financial markets, risk and return, financial statements, and investment strategies, with a dedicated module on private equity and real-world case studies. The course is structured around short video lessons, guided assignments, and a final capstone project where you analyze an investment opportunity and present a recommendation. You complete a culminating private equity-style case study that pulls together valuation, projections, and strategic thinking.
13. Finance and Investing: 1-Week Intensive Virtual Bootcamp – Stevens Institute of Technology
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,000
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: August 3 – 7
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
This is a one-week, synchronous virtual bootcamp run by Stevens’ School of Business that simulates the experience of working as a portfolio manager. You’ll learn core investing concepts like equity analysis, risk assessment, and portfolio diversification through live lectures paired with hands-on exercises. A major focus is on using professional-grade tools, including the S&P Capital IQ academic platform, to analyze companies and manage real and simulated portfolios. Students work toward earning S&P certifications, such as Capital IQ Pro and Banking 101, a distinctive feature of a high school–level program.
14. Finance: Investing & Market Insights – Dartmouth College
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,895
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: Multiple four-week sessions offered year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling, varies by session
Eligibility: Students ages 13 and up
This is a four-week, fully online finance course that introduces you to investing, valuation, and the operation of financial markets. You’ll learn core concepts like risk and return, company valuation, financial statements, and market structure through video lessons and guided assignments. The course culminates in a final capstone project in which you analyze a real company and make an investment recommendation using tools such as discounted cash flow analysis. You work through material designed by Dartmouth instructors and receive guidance from an assigned mentor throughout the course. The program ends with a certificate of completion rather than college credit.
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