12 Economics Summer Programs for High School Students in New York State
If you are a high school student curious about business, policy, or finance, an economics program is worth exploring. Economics programs offer insights into concepts such as supply and demand, personal finance, and global trade, help you develop critical thinking skills, and teach you how to analyze data. These programs also connect you with like-minded peers as well as mentors who can help you explore career paths in business, government, or research.
Why should you attend a program in New York State?
New York State is home to universities and institutions that offer economics-focused learning opportunities to high school students. You can work on projects that explore market behavior, policy impacts, or financial modeling while learning to evaluate economic data and trends. Whether you’re a local or visiting from out of state, these programs provide a structured way to study economics while experiencing one of the country’s financial and academic centers.
To help you with your search, here is a list of 12 economics summer programs for high school students in New York State.
If you're looking for STEM programs in New York State, check our blog here.
1. New York University’s Pre-College Program: Economics Track
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost: $50 application fee + $300 program activity fee + tuition: $700 – $16,016, depending on course length and credits; additional housing and dining fees apply for residential students. Financial aid is available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 1 – August 12
Application deadline: June 15
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th-grade high school students with a minimum 3.0 GPA
NYU offers rising high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to engage in college-level coursework over the summer. You can choose a course in economics to dive into advanced academics and/or earn credits. NYU’s economics courses cover concepts such as supply and demand, macroeconomics, comparative advantage, and opportunity costs. You will also gain insights into determinants of aggregate income, employment, prices, long-run economic growth, the business cycle, and monetary and fiscal policy. As a participant, you will attend lectures and engage in discussions while commuting to or living on the NYU campus. The broader pre-college program also allows you to enroll in the College 101 workshop series, which can help you prepare for college, the admissions and financial aid processes, and writing application essays.
2. Veritas AI’s Deep Dive: AI + Finance
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple 12–15 week cohorts offered each year, including in the summer
Application deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students worldwide who have prior AI experience or have completed the AI Scholars program
The AI + Finance Deep Dive from Veritas AI is a project-based learning experience designed for high schoolers. Here, you will learn how artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques can be used to address challenges within economics and finance. Under the mentorship of experts, you will explore topics such as predictive modeling, algorithmic trading, risk analysis, portfolio optimization, and financial data interpretation. The curriculum blends lessons on Python, ML frameworks, and quantitative analysis with hands-on work using real financial datasets. You will work on a project where you come up with AI solutions to help economists, businesses, and individuals.
3. Columbia University Pre-College: Introduction to Business, Finance, and Economics Course
Location: Online or in-person at Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: Varies by session; tuition starts at $3,965.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Summer A (in person): June 29 – July 17 | Summer B (in person): July 21 – August 7 | Summer A (online): July 6 – 17 | Summer B (online): July 20 – July 31
Application deadline: In-person: March 2 | Online: April 2
Eligibility: High school students
Columbia University’s pre-college programs allow high schoolers to take university-level courses across a range of fields, including economics. The Introduction to Business, Finance, and Economics course is designed to introduce you to foundational concepts in business, finance, and economics through a structured examination of firm behavior, financial markets, and investment decision-making. You will learn about valuation models, sources of capital, the mechanics of the stock and bond markets, and microeconomic theories that explain how firms operate in competitive environments. The curriculum also covers case studies, financial modeling concepts, and discussions on risk, accounting statements, and market strategy.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program: Economics Track
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including in the summer
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: High school students with strong academic performance
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 that you can explore as a high schooler. 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 psychology, physics, economics, data science, 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.
5. Columbia University Pre-College: Globalization: Challenges in International Economics & Politics
Location: Online or in-person at Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: Varies by session; tuition starts at $3,965.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Summer A (in person): June 29 – July 17 | Summer B (in person): July 21 – August 7 | Summer A (online): July 6 – 17 | Summer B (online): July 20 – July 31
Application deadline: In-person: March 2 | Online: April 2
Eligibility: High school students
In this Columbia University course, you will explore the complex relationship between international economics and global politics, focusing on how rising populism, geopolitical rivalry, and economic interdependence shape the behavior of nation-states. You will also examine issues such as sovereign debt, foreign aid, global currency competition, international trade, capital flows, and the role of multinational institutions like the IMF and UN. The curriculum combines lectures, independent research, academic and policy dialogue, group projects and presentations, and peer critiques to help you dive into global economics and policy concepts and practice what you learn. If you choose the in-person session, you will get to visit the United Nations Headquarters.
6. The School of The New York Times’ NYC Summer Academy—Follow the Money: Reporting on Business Course
Location: New York, NY
Cost: Residential fee: $7,695 | Commuter: fee $6,195; need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Multiple two-week sessions scheduled in the summer; dates vary by year
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: Rising 10th – 12th-grade high school students and graduating seniors, ages 15 – 18
This pre-college course, offered by The School of The New York Times, combines economics and journalism, allowing you to gain insights into the coverage of policies, business, money, markets, and the economy. Although not a typical economics program, the course allows you to boost financial and media literacy and learn what goes into reporting business and economics news, explore how businesses run, and gain insights into how markets shape individual and business decisions. The program offers opportunities to connect with professional economics reporters, engage in reporting exercises, and visit places like Wall Street and CNBC. You will also gain experience in tracking and assessing financial and policy developments and storytelling.
7. Columbia University Pre-College Program: Game Theory: A Course in Mathematical Economics
Location: Virtual or at Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: Residential: $12,764 | Commuter: $6,310 | Online: $3,965; need-based financial aid is available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20 students (in-person class) and 18 students (online class)
Dates: In-person: June 29 – July 17; July 21 – August 7 | Online: July 6 – 17 (dates can vary by year)
Application deadline: In-person: March 2 | Online: April 2
Eligibility: High school students
This Columbia University course focuses on Game Theory, which is the study of strategic decision-making under conditions of competition, cooperation, and uncertainty. As a participant, you will study the principles of rational choice and optimal decision-making between independent agents and rival actors. You will learn through case studies and problem-solving exercises, exploring how game theory affects real phenomena, such as pricing strategies, negotiations, and policy decisions. You will explore the foundational works of theorists and connect their ideas to economics, business, and political science. You will also gain insights into how game theory shapes strategic choices across industries and learn how to use these insights to improve your own decision-making.
8. UPenn Wharton Global Youth Program: Future of the Business World
Location: Remote
Cost: $4,099 + $100 non-refundable application fee; need-based financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 15 – 26 | July 6 – 17
Application deadline: January 28 (priority deadline) and rolling admissions thereafter
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 – 12
Future of the Business World is a two-week online program designed to introduce you to the changing business landscape, how businesses affect economies, and Wharton faculty research. The program blends live online instruction, independent work, and interactive simulations to help you explore topics within entrepreneurship, design thinking, scenario planning, and market analysis. Here, you will gain experience identifying real-world problems, brainstorming solutions, and developing actionable business solutions supported by data and consumer insights. You will present your insights and deliver pitches, building communication skills in the process.
9. Brown University Pre-College: Principles of Economics Course
Location: Online
Cost: $8,586
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 16 – August 1
Application deadline: May 8
Eligibility: High school students
Brown University offers various college-level courses, including pre-baccalaureate tracks, of which the Principles of Economics course is a credit-bearing course for students planning to major in economics as undergraduates. The seven-week course covers key economic concepts, institutions, and overall vocabulary, while allowing you to explore how economic analysis applies to social problems. Although the course helps you build a foundation for future economics coursework, it also serves as a broad, one-time introduction to the field. This can be an opportunity to experience the pace and expectations of a college-level course at Brown.
10. Fordham University’s Finance Institute: Wall Street in the Classroom
Location: Virtual format available
Cost: $1,200; need-based discounts available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 16 – 20 | June 23 – 27 | July 21 – 25 | July 28 – August 1
Application deadline: Rolling admissions starting in January
Eligibility: Students in grades 10 – 12
The Finance Institute: Wall Street in the Classroom is a week-long program designed to help high school students explore finance and economics in the context of real-world markets. You will learn about the time value of money, monetary policy, investment vehicles, hedge funds, private equity, and risk management. You will attend virtual sessions led by faculty from Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business and engage in sessions led by guest speakers from financial firms. Additionally, you will gain insights into personal finance concepts like budgeting, saving, and investing, and dive into the history and evolution of financial systems.
11. Harvard Secondary School Program: Economics, Finance & Public Policy Track
Location: Online format available for students in NY
Cost: $4,050–$14,950, depending on the course you choose + $75 application fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 20 – August 8
Application deadline: Early deadline: January 7; regular deadline: February 11; late deadline: April 1 (or earlier if course waitlists are full)
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are at least 16 and will not turn 19 during the program
Harvard Summer School’s Secondary School Program offers virtual and in-person opportunities for high schoolers to enroll in college courses and earn credits. You can take economics, finance, and public policy courses to explore topics within microeconomics, econometrics, financial accounting, or public finance. Each course blends theory and exercises to help you build critical thinking, data analysis, and problem-solving skills. For instance, the Introduction to Econometrics course covers concepts like regression methods for analyzing data in economics and how to use and conduct empirical studies.
12. Rice University Pre-College Program: The Business of Economics Course
Location: Online
Cost: $1,795; scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Sessions of varying lengths run throughout the year
Application deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Students, ages 13 and up
Rice University offers various online pre-college courses designed for high school students. The Business of Economics course focuses on introducing you to how economics influences business decisions, covering concepts from supply and demand to inflation, labor markets, and energy policy. You will learn through case studies and discussions, and connect theory to real situations. The course also offers insights into potential roles that combine business and economics, like financial planner, account executive, research analyst, pricing analyst, and CFO. The course ends with a capstone project on stagflation, where you will apply concepts to address economic issues.
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