14 Economics Camps for High School Students
If you are interested in understanding how markets work, why inflation happens, or how governments make financial decisions, attending an economics camp can be a strong starting point. Economics camps are designed to introduce applications of economic theory in a condensed, focused format. Instead of only learning theory from textbooks, you will engage with case studies, simulations, and group projects that mirror how economists solve real problems. Through such experiences, you will begin developing analytical thinking and decision-making skills and explore your academic interests before college. These camps also give you the chance to interact with professors, researchers, and professionals working in finance, consulting, public policy, or entrepreneurship.
How are economics camps different from other programs in high school?
Economics camps are usually shorter and more focused compared to long-term research programs or internships. Instead of spanning several months, camps run for a few days or for one to three weeks, focusing on specific concepts such as markets, policy, finance, or entrepreneurship. These programs often include practical learning components, such as simulations, debates, case-study discussions, collaborative projects, and presentations, that help you apply theoretical knowledge to various scenarios.
To help you find the right opportunity, we have compiled a list of 14 economics camps for high school students.
If you’re looking for free economics programs, check out our blog here.
1. University of the Pacific Economics Summer Camp
Location: University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA
Cost: $3,800; a $500 discount is available for qualifying families.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Session 1: June 1 – 11 | Session 2: June 16 – 26
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students
This summer camp at the University of the Pacific introduces you to personal finance and financial literacy through an interactive, hands-on curriculum. You will explore topics such as budgeting, saving, credit scores, taxes, investing, borrowing, and risk management during an 11-day residential program. Classes combine videos, readings, case studies, games, and simulations that will help you connect financial concepts to real-life situations. Hands-on activities include preparing a budget and cash flow statement, analyzing buying versus renting decisions, and using tax simulation software. You will live on campus for the duration of the session, gaining exposure to student life.
2. Veritas AI Programs
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple 12 – 15-week cohorts throughout the year
Application deadline: Rolling enrollment; deadlines vary by cohort: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can check details and apply to the programhere.
Eligibility: High school students;AI Fellowship with Publication and Showcase accepts previousAI Scholars participants or those with some experience working with AI or Python.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers various online programs for high school students passionate about artificial intelligence. If you are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science, you can choose theAI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, you will learn about the fundamentals of AI and data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects. Another track for more advanced students is theAI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. During this program, you will get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A key feature of this program is that it offers you access to the in-house publication team to help you secure publications in high school research journals. You can check out some examples of past projectshere and read about a student’s experience in the programhere.
3. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote! You can participate in the program from anywhere in the world.
Cost: Varies depending on program type; full financial aid available.
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Selective
Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Application deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort
Eligibility: Students currently enrolled in high school who 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 across a wide range of subject areas for high schoolers to explore. The program pairs you with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the program, you will have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as economics, data science, psychology, physics, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
4. University of Notre Dame Leadership Seminars
Location: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
Cost: $225
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~150 students
Dates: July 18 – 29
Application deadline: January 21
Eligibility: Current high school juniors who are planning to attend college immediately after high school, who will be at least 16 years old by or on August 1, and have demonstrated leadership abilities in school, church, community, and/or social organizations.
This University of Notre Dame program is a 10-day camp-like experience that can help you explore leadership topics with a focus on economics and public policy. You will attend instructional sessions, engage in discussions, and learn how to refine critical thinking through seminar-style courses led by Notre Dame faculty. You will explore topics like global peace, social and economic inequality, financial literacy, and data innovation while learning how leadership connects to societal issues. You will also engage in debates, research projects, and workshops. You will live in university residence halls, connect with current university students, and earn one transferable college credit upon completing the program.
5. Brown University Pre-College—Economic Inequality: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions
Location: Brown University, Providence, RI
Cost: $3,748 (residential) | $3,096 (commuter); financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22 – 26
Application deadline: May 8
Eligibility: High school students, ages 14 – 18, completing grades 9 – 12
This one-week, on-campus course at Brown University focuses on economic inequality in the United States and globally. You will explore topics such as the causes and measurement of inequality, the relationship between economic growth and inequality, and horizontal inequalities related to gender and race. You will also learn about old and new policy responses to inequality and their political implications. The curriculum is designed to help you explain key economic terminology, carry out basic calculations to measure income and wealth inequality, and discuss the broader causes and consequences of inequality.
6. Yale Young Global Scholars: Politics, Law & Economics (PLE)
Location: Yale University, New Haven, CT
Cost: $7,000; need-based aid available covering up to 100% of tuition
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 21 – July 3 | July 5 – 17 | July 19 – 31
Application deadline: October 15
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors, ages 16 – 18
Yale Young Global Scholars is a pre-college program designed to help high schoolers explore their interests beyond the standard school curriculum. Its Politics of Law & Economics (PLE) track focuses on how legal structures, political systems, and economic principles shape the world. During the program, you will examine topics like governance, public policy, human rights, and market regulation through lectures and seminars led by Yale faculty and graduate instructors. You may also attend seminars on game theory, development economics, and originalism. Over the course of the program, you will exercise critical thinking and analytical skills and learn how to study social systems and current issues through the lenses of politics, economics, and law.
7. Harvard’s Pre-College Summer School Program:Invention, Innovation, and Markets
Location: Harvard University campus, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $6,100 + $75 application fee; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 21 – July 2 | July 5 – 17 | July 19 – 31
Application deadline: Early: January 7; Regular: February 11; Late: April 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors, ages 16 – 18
Harvard’s Pre-College Summer School is a two-week program designed for motivated high schoolers looking to explore their academic interests at the college level. The program offers various non-credit courses, including options in economics like Invention, Innovation, and Markets, which explores the micro- and macroeconomic effects of invention and innovation. You will spend two weeks exploring the consequences of technological developments, such as advances in medicine, engine tech, and automation, on firms, governments, and consumers. Outside of class, you will connect with peers, explore the Harvard campus, and participate in social activities.
8. UPenn Arts & Sciences High School Programs: Economics Academy
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $10,050; scholarships available for School District of Philadelphia public or charter school students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 11 – August 1
Application deadline: Rolling; applications open on December 1
Eligibility: Current 9th to 11th-graders
This University of Pennsylvania program is designed to offer high school students an introduction to core economic concepts within a global context. You will spend three weeks learning about scarcity, markets and their failures, competition, and monopolies, while learning how to apply models to real-world issues. You will attend lectures, workshops, and guest speaker sessions. You will additionally work on a project, for which you will analyze and come up with solutions to tackle an economic issue. Field trips and group activities are part of the experience. Additionally, the program lets you experience life on a college campus and connect with peers from across the world.
9. Oakland University Summer Camp: International Economics and China
Location: Oakland University School of Business, Rochester, MI
Cost: $365
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 13 – 17
Application deadline: Not specified; applications open in February
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10, 11, and 12
This camp is a five-day opportunity to explore the global business environment through an economic lens, with a focus on the U.S. and China. The camp covers core business aspects, including economics, marketing, entrepreneurship, supply chain management, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. You will engage in learning activities, games, and sessions, all led by Oakland University’s business professors and local business leaders. You will also work with peers on group activities and learn how to present your insights to peers and instructors.
10. Brown University Pre-College: How a Nation’s Economy Works (On campus)
Location: Brown University, Providence, RI
Cost: $8,372 (residential) | $6,416 (online); financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22 – July 10 | July 4 – 24
Application deadline: May 8
Eligibility: High school students, ages 14 – 18, completing grades 9 – 12
This three-week Brown University camp-like program introduces macroeconomic concepts with a focus on how national economies respond to policy decisions. Through lectures and simulations, you will examine how governments influence growth, employment, and inflation. You will also spend some time analyzing real-world economic indicators and interpreting their implications. Over time, you will begin understanding how policymakers use data to guide decisions. Activities will encourage you to evaluate economic trends using structured frameworks, and collaborative discussions will help you build confidence in expressing analytical ideas.
11. Murray State University Fun with Economics Youth Camp
Location: Murray State University, Murray, KY
Cost: $35
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: TBA
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students in grades 5 to 12
The Fun with Economics Youth Camp is designed to help you explore core aspects of economics and business to examine and understand complex economic markets. At camp, you will learn from Murray State University instructors, who will lead sessions focused on assessing real economic scenarios. You will also participate in exercises to refine your analytical skills, problem-solving, and business acumen. The camp offers a look at Murray State’s economics curriculum and provides opportunities to connect with faculty.
12. UChicago Summer Session: Introduction to Macroeconomic Models
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: $9,300 (residential)| $6,100 (commuters); need-based financial aid available
Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 7 – 23.
Application deadline: Priority: February 11; Regular: March 12
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 – 11; pre-calculus or calculus coursework is recommended but not required.
This three-week on-campus program is designed to help high schoolers learn about neoclassical macroeconomic models. You will work through five modules: economic growth and production, consumption and savings, fiscal policy, business cycles and unemployment, and monetary policy and forecasting. You will explore all of these concepts through lectures, readings, and discussions. You will learn how to use relevant data to refine your understanding of theoretical concepts. Additionally, you will gain experience in interpreting macroeconomic news and analyzing policies.
13. UPenn’s Leadership in the Business World (LBW)
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $11,899; need-based financial aid available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 120 students
Dates: June 7 – 27 | June 28 – July 18 | July 19 – August 8
Application deadline: March 18
Eligibility: Current high school juniors with a 3.5 unweighted GPA or higher
UPenn Wharton’s LBW is a three-week camp-like program for high schoolers interested in economics, leadership, management, and entrepreneurship. As a participant, you will explore concepts in business like strategy, marketing, and negotiation through lectures, case studies, and simulations taught by Wharton faculty. You will work on team-based projects and analyze how companies respond to economic challenges. The program ends with a capstone case competition, where you present your analysis of a real company. You will also gain insights into economics to examine how a business’s external environments affect its operations.
14. UCLA Summer Sessions Economics Program
Location: UCLA campus, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: $3,186 (estimated total fees); need- and merit-based scholarships are available for California students.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22 – July 10
Application deadline: June 12; applications reviewed on a rolling basis starting February 18
Eligibility: Students, ages 15 and up, currently in grades 9 – 12, with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher
This three-week commuter program at UCLA covers economic policy issues and principles of financial analysis through lectures, workshops, and team-based projects. You will attend lectures led by UCLA faculty and participate in discussion sessions led by UCLA Economics undergraduates. Topics covered include analysis of empirical data, price ceilings and floors, costs of taxation, and international trade. You will also work in small teams to complete case study presentations. Upon program completion, you will earn four units of UCLA credit in Economics 1 and receive a letter grade.