14 Leadership Programs for High School Students in NYC
If you are a high school student in New York City interested in leadership, joining a local leadership program can be a good choice. Choosing a program in your city means that you can access opportunities that are more convenient, affordable, and connected to the area’s key industries and communities.
New York City offers a range of leadership programs for high schoolers spanning business, public policy, nonprofit work, and more. These programs help you develop skills such as communication and teamwork, and also provide insights that can enhance your college applications and future internships.
To help you get started, here is a list of 14 leadership programs for high school students in New York City!
1. Columbia University - Entrepreneurship & Innovation: Changing the World via Venture Creation
Location: Virtual or in-person at Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: Starts at $3,965. Need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 4.28%; 20 - 30 students
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Fall, Spring, and Summer
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in grades 9–12 in the fall are eligible to apply. Applicants must be at least 15 years of age or older
Columbia University’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation: Changing the World via Venture Creation is a hands-on program where you build a startup from scratch. You’ll go through every step of the venture process, including idea generation, customer discovery, prototyping, and building a business model. You’ll attend workshops on topics like marketing, funding strategies, and pitch development. You’ll also meet entrepreneurs and startup mentors, get feedback on your ideas, and practice delivering investor-ready pitches. By the end of the program, you’ll have a working business plan, a pitch deck, and the tools to launch your venture.
2. Young Founders Lab
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate: Highly selective
Cost: $2,900. Need-based financial aid is available
Dates: The program typically runs for over 4 weeks
Application Deadline: Varies depending on cohort. The upcoming deadline is June 23
Eligibility: High school students are eligible to apply
The Young Founders Lab is a startup boot camp created and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you’ll work on building a revenue-generating startup that solves a real-world problem. You’ll receive mentorship from entrepreneurs and professionals at Google, Microsoft, and X. Beyond developing your startup, you’ll join interactive classes on business fundamentals and ideation, workshops, skill-building sessions, case studies, and panel discussions. You can check out the program brochure here.
3. New York University - Leadership and Management Development
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost: $850
Acceptance rate: Highly selective
Dates: March 1 - May 3
Application Deadline: February 14. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12 are eligible to apply. Applicants must have an interest in careers in leadership and/or management.
This leadership and management program helps you build both vision and execution skills. You’ll explore leadership styles and learn how real organizations are managed through lectures, group projects, case studies, and field visits. You’ll also visit top organizations in New York City and hear from professionals who lead in different industries. The goal is to give you practical experience and show you how to take the first steps toward making an impact in your community.
4. Columbia University - The Leadership Lab
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: $12,764. Need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 4.28%; 24 students
Dates: June 30 - July 18
Application Deadline: Early Registration: March 3 | General Registration: March 17
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in grades 9–12 in the fall are eligible to apply. Applicants must be at least 15 years of age or older.
The Pre-College Leadership Lab is designed to help high school students understand how leadership works and how to practice it. You’ll start by learning key leadership theories and exploring your leadership style. Then, you’ll apply those ideas through activities like public speaking, role-playing, team-building, and conflict resolution. The program also brings in guest speakers from different industries to share real stories about their leadership experiences.
5. Barnard College - The NextGen Leadership Institute
Location: Barnard College, New York, NY.
Cost: Residential: $10,171 | Commuter: $8,160. Limited need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate: 8%
Dates: June 29 - July 18
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines.
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors in high school are eligible to apply.
The NextGen Leadership Institute lets you explore leadership through a feminist lens while diving into subjects like STEM, writing, global issues, and the arts. Hosted by Barnard’s Athena Center for Leadership, this program combines academic learning with real-world experiences across New York City. You’ll build leadership skills through hands-on projects, workshops, and conversations with local changemakers. The Leadership in Action series brings everyone together from across tracks to focus on how leadership can create impact in your community.
6. Fordham University - Business Communication in Leadership
Location: Fordham University, Bronx, NY
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 20 students
Cost: Residential: $4,800 | Commuter: $3,673. Need-based financial aid is available
Dates: July 7 - 17
Application Deadline: Resident: April 15; Commuter: May 15
Eligibility: Students who will have completed their first year of high school by summer are eligible to apply. Credit-bearing courses may be taken by rising seniors with a GPA of 3.0 or better
Business Communication in Leadership focuses on building communication skills crucial for leadership in today’s tech-driven world. The course combines theory with practical use of tools like artificial intelligence, multimedia production, and social media. You will learn to analyze issues, create persuasive messages, and communicate effectively both digitally and in person. The program covers handling complex communication challenges, producing professional multimedia content, using AI tools, and developing a strong digital presence. Completion earns you 3 academic credits.
7. Sadie Nash Leadership Project - Summer Institute
Location: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Newark
Cost: None. A stipend of $450 is paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; around 100 students
Dates: July 7 - August 14
Application Deadline: Priority Deadline: March 24 | Final deadline: April 14
Eligibility: Young women and gender-expansive youth who are enrolled in high school and live in New York City or Newark are eligible to apply
The Summer Institute is a six-week program focused on developing your leadership skills while building a supportive community. Each week, you’ll attend workshops on topics like identity, social justice, and leadership that encourage critical thinking and connection. You’ll also meet leaders from politics, business, and the arts, and participate in field trips to expand your learning. Completing the program makes you eligible for a participation stipend.
8. Fordham University - Summer Leaders Academy: Writing for Leadership
Location: Fordham University, Bronx, NY
Cost: Residential: $1,939 | Commuter: $1,358. Need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 20 students
Dates: June 23 - 27
Application Deadline: Course and housing: April 30 | Course only: May 15
Eligibility: High school students are eligible to apply
This program guides students in using their personal experiences to support both academic and professional development. You will gain skills in research writing, business communication, and writing for career-related purposes. You will learn to connect your personal history to professional goals, adjust tone for different audiences, and select appropriate experiences for various contexts.
You will also enhance your creative writing for use in academic work, college applications, and cover letters, while also developing networking and resume-building skills through interaction with current Fordham students. By the end of the course, you will have improved your writing abilities, sharpened your critical thinking, and learned to present your narratives in ways that position yourself for leadership.
9. The City College of New York - Bossgirls Summer Program
Location: The City College of New York, New York, NY
Cost: Free!
Acceptance rate: Highly selective
Dates: June 30 - July 31
Application Deadline: March 31. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Eligibility: Current high school girls and nonbinary students are eligible to apply. Applicants must be residents of the tri-state region and commute to the CCNY campus.
Bossgirls is a free summer entrepreneurship program run by the Zahn Innovation Center at CCNY, designed for high school girls and nonbinary students. Funded by Standard Chartered’s Futuremakers Initiative, the program focuses on using entrepreneurship to solve real-world problems. You’ll work in teams to create a product or service, conduct market research, build a brand, and pitch your ideas. The program introduces entrepreneurship as a mindset, using human-centered design to approach challenges.
10. Fordham University - Summer Leaders Academy: Change Leaders: Impact Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship
Location: Fordham University, Bronx, NY
Cost: Residential: $1,939 | Commuter: $1,358. Need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 20 students
Dates: July 28 - August 1
Application Deadline: Course and housing: April 30 | Course only: May 15
Eligibility: High school students are eligible to apply
This five-day summer program is led by an award-winning social entrepreneur and focuses on helping you design real solutions to global problems. You’ll start by exploring the UN Sustainable Development Goals, then move step-by-step through identifying a local or global issue, creating a solution, and making key decisions about how to market and fund it. Throughout the week, you’ll work in teams, build entrepreneurial skills, and learn about adaptive leadership and global citizenship. On the final day, you’ll pitch your idea to a panel of experts and receive feedback. You’ll leave the program with a certificate, a letter of recommendation, and hands-on experience in transforming ideas into impact.
11. Bella Abzug Leadership Institute - Journey to Leadership Program
Location: Bella Abzug Leadership Institute, Hunter College, New York, NY
Cost: None. A stipend of $500 is paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 60 students
Dates: Cohort 1: June 31 - July 11 | Cohort 2: July 14 - 25 | Cohort 3: July 28 - August 8
Application Deadline: May 5
Eligibility: High school students aged 13-21 years old, residing in or from the NYC metropolitan area, are eligible to apply.
The Journey to Leadership Program empowers young women to become effective leaders and active contributors in civic, political, corporate, and community settings. It builds essential skills and social-emotional learning to help you gain the knowledge and confidence needed to lead in different areas. The six-week program is split into three cohorts focused on leadership development and debate training. You’ll take part in workshops, seminars, guest speaker sessions, networking events, and debate labs.
12. Fordham University - Summer Leaders Academy: Lead Like Ignatius: Civic Service & Public Speaking
Location: Fordham University, Bronx, NY
Cost: Residential: $1,939 | Commuter: $1,358. Need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 20 students
Dates: June 23 - 27
Application Deadline: Course and housing: April 30 | Course only: May 15
Eligibility: High school students are eligible to apply
This five-day program is for high school students interested in ethical leadership, public speaking, and civic engagement. Hosted at Fordham University, it combines classroom learning with real-world practice, drawing from the Jesuit educational model. You’ll take part in discussions on philosophy, law, and ethics, and engage in community-based activities. Public speaking is a major focus, with structured training that builds up to a Capstone Showcase in a real courtroom setting at Fordham Law School. Throughout the program, you’ll explore leadership models, learn how to engage in civil discourse, and develop key professional skills like reflection and decision-making.
13. Glaelle Mathurin Community Foundation - High School Leadership Program
Location: Glaelle Mathurin Community Foundation, New York, NY
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Dates: The program typically runs for 6 days in the summer
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: NYC high school students attending one of the city's public schools are eligible to apply. Applicants must be a part of a historically underrepresented group.
The Glaelle Mathurin Community Foundation runs a High School Leadership Program for minority students in New York City public schools. This six-day program provides resources, materials, and mentorship to prepare you for summer internships or jobs. During the program, you’ll participate in a college and entrepreneurship fair, sessions on professional etiquette and attire, panels with guest speakers, and on-site job interviews with local small businesses.
14. Mercy University - Summer Leadership Academy
Location: Mercy University, Dobbs Ferry, NY
Cost: Tuition and board are free, a $695 fee for food and activities
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 140 students
Dates: Session I: July 6 - 12 | Session II: July 13 - 19 | Session III: July 20 - 26
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors with a cumulative, weighted GPA above 90 are eligible to apply. Applicants must have a passion for public speaking, as well as careers in business.
Mercy University’s Summer Leadership Academy gives rising high school seniors a chance to experience university life and explore business leadership. The program covers leadership basics, career mindsets, personal branding, and careers in finance, accounting, and marketing. Over one week, you’ll learn from executive faculty with backgrounds at global companies. You’ll work in teams on business simulations and visit major New York City companies. Past students have toured places like LinkedIn, Google, ESPN, MTV, Microsoft, and The Walt Disney Company.
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