11 Economics Programs for High School Students in Florida

If you are curious about how markets work, why money moves the way it does, and how public policy shapes everyday life, economics programs can be a great place to start.  These programs strengthen your analytical reasoning, introduce you to data-driven decision-making, and help you evaluate trade-offs in business, finance, and public policy contexts. By participating, you can begin developing the quantitative, research, and critical thinking skills that form the foundation of economics and related fields.

Why should you attend a program in Florida?

Florida offers a diverse range of economics-focused opportunities, from university-based camps in finance and macroeconomics to research mentorship programs, public-sector internships, and statewide investment competitions. Across these programs, you might analyze market trends, build financial models, conduct policy research, manage simulated investment portfolios, or assist with economic initiatives in nonprofit and government settings. Together, these experiences allow you to engage with economics through academic study, applied projects, and exposure to professional environments across the state.

To help you get started, we’ve highlighted 11 economics programs for high school students in Florida.

If you are looking for internships in Florida, check out our blog here.

1. Veritas AI's AI + Finance Deep Dive

Location: Virtual

Cost: Varies; financial aid available

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective

Dates: Several cohorts year-round

Application Deadline: Varies by cohort. You can apply to the program here.

Eligibility: High school students who have completed the AI Scholars program or have a background in coding

Veritas AI’s finance deep dive introduces high school students to the technical tools that shape modern financial markets. You start by building a strong foundation in core AI and finance concepts, then move into hands-on methods such as exploratory data analysis, regression, and convolutional neural networks. As the program progresses, the material becomes more advanced, pushing you to engage with real data and algorithmic thinking. A significant portion of your time is spent collaborating with peers on an applied group project that reflects how economic and financial systems operate in practice. 

2. North Miami Youth Opportunity Board Summer Internship Program

Location: Multiple locations in North Miami
Stipend: Provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies
Dates: June 23 – August 1
Application Deadline: May 17
Eligibility: High school students who are 16 or older, live in North Miami, and whose household income and assets meet the eligibility requirements

This internship program offers high school students a firsthand look at how economic and financial systems function within local government. You may assist departments such as Economic Development or Finance with daily operations that keep public services running. Your responsibilities may include organizing records, assisting with departmental activities, and handling basic business arithmetic and documentation. Through this experience, you observe how budgets, utilities, and development initiatives are managed in a municipal setting. The program focuses on building workplace skills while helping you understand how local economic decisions affect community outcomes across Florida.

3. Lumiere Research Scholar Program—Economics Track

Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Several cohorts year-round
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students

The Lumiere Research Scholar Program’s economics track allows high school students to work closely with a university researcher to shape and complete an independent economics research project. The early weeks focus on narrowing a topic and formulating a research question,  followed by guided work in literature review and data exploration. As you draft your paper, your mentor provides one-on-one feedback to refine your arguments and methodology. The final phase is reserved for revision and preparation for evaluation, with an emphasis on clear reasoning and evidence-based writing. 

4. UF Florida Youth Institute (FYI)

Location: University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Cost: $800 (scholarships available for Florida high schoolers)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Session 1: June 28 – July 3; Session 2: July 5 - 10
Application Deadline: Typically in March
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors

Florida Youth Institute (FYI) is a partnership between the University of Florida and the World Food Prize Foundation that focuses on agricultural and resource economics. You explore global food security through the lens of economic sustainability and resource allocation. The program includes lab visits and field trips to research facilities where you can observe how economic policy influences agricultural production. A key part of the program is writing a research paper on the food security challenges of a specific country and proposing suitable economic solutions. 

5. Florida Council on Economic Education INVESTed

Location: Miami Dade College/University of South Florida, FL
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: January 21 (Miami Dade), March 20 (USF)
Application Deadline: Not provided
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum 2.0 GPA

INVESTed blends personal finance education with career exploration to help high school students build practical frameworks for financial decision-making in the real world. You’ll work through interactive sessions that place financial concepts such as budgeting, saving, and career pathways into realistic, student-centered scenarios. The program also features discussions and panels with professionals from the finance and business sectors, providing diverse perspectives on economic careers and industry practices. Projects and activities encourage you to use financial reasoning to navigate choices you’ll encounter as a student and future professional.

6. Florida Stock Market Challenge

Location: Classroom-based/virtual across FL
Cost/Stipend: None; cash prizes for winning teams
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrolment
Dates: January 26 – April 10
Application Deadline: February 20
Eligibility: K-12 students in Florida

This is Florida's premier economics competition,  where you step into the role of an investor managing a hypothetical $100,000 portfolio. You conduct fundamental and technical analysis to make investment decisions based on real-time market data, just as professionals do in the financial world. The program integrates math, social studies, and economics as you track indicators such as inflation, interest rates, and corporate earnings. High school students compete at the regional and state levels, with top performers recognized by the Florida Council on Economic Education. The experience serves as a practical lab for understanding how economic news translates into day-to-day movements in individual stock prices.

7. USF Muma College of Business Bulls Finance Camp

Location: University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Cost: $750
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 60 students
Dates: June 22 – 26
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising high school students 

This economics camp for high school students in Florida focuses on the mechanics of financial markets and the economic principles of investing. You’ll train at the University of South Florida’s professional trading room, using Bloomberg terminals and other professional software to simulate real market conditions. The curriculum covers asset allocation, risk management, and the Federal Reserve's role in controlling market volatility. You'll also work in teams to design a diversified portfolio and present its economic rationale to a panel of finance experts.

8. UM Academies: Economics and Financial Modeling

Location: University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL

Cost: $5,911 (residential); $4,846 (commuter); scholarships available

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Dates: June 27 -July 17

Application Deadline: April 1

Eligibility: High school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors with a minimum 3.0 GPA

This credit-bearing program allows high school students to enroll in two specific courses: Introduction to Macroeconomics and Fundamentals of Financial Engineering. You study the economy's overall behavior, focusing on topics such as inflation, unemployment, and the determination of national income. In addition, the financial modeling course introduces you to quantitative methods for analyzing market trends and asset pricing. Taught by UM faculty, the program follows the pace and expectations of a standard university semester. You'll also participate in group projects that involve building economic models to forecast the impact of policy changes.

9. Wharton Global Youth’s Online Programs

Location: Virtual
Cost: $329 - $4,099 (scholarships available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Several sessions across June – August
Application Deadline: January 28
Eligibility: High school students

Wharton Global Youth’s online economics and business programs allow high school students to study core ideas in these fields through structured virtual coursework. Depending on the program, you might focus on financial decision-making, economic principles, statistics, leadership, or even industry-specific analysis, such as sports business. Courses are led by instructors and combine lectures with simulations, projects, and peer discussions, encouraging you to apply theory to real-world scenarios. You collaborate with students from around the world while working through case studies based on real research and market behavior. 

10. Wake Forest University Finance Track

Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,595
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: 1-, 2-, and 4-week sessions
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students aged 13+

Wake Forest’s finance track examines how modern financial markets function amid technological and structural change. You'll study topics such as capital raising, equity markets, ESG investing, and the role of fintech and cryptocurrencies in reshaping finance. Through expert-led instructions, you'll explore decentralized finance, blockchain concepts, and shareholder dynamics, with an emphasis on how investors, companies and institutions assess risk and future value. The course treats finance as an applied branch of economics, focusing on systems rather than personal investing strategies. 

11. Harvard Summer School 7-Week Online

Location: Virtual
Cost: $4,180 (4 credits); financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 20 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 11
Eligibility: Sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are 16-18 years old

Harvard Summer School’s online format lets high school students take graded, college-level economics courses for academic credit. You can choose from subjects such as microeconomics, monetary policy, global development, political economy, and decision analysis, depending on your interests and goals. Coursework emphasizes reading academic material, completing analytical assignments, and engaging in structured discussions. You also gain access to academic resources such as libraries and writing support,  reinforcing the expectations of a university term.