14 Online Economics Summer Programs for High School

Online summer programs are a solid option if you’re a high school student interested in economics and want to start building relevant experience early. These programs allow you to go beyond textbook learning by developing practical skills such as data analysis, economic reasoning, and problem-solving. Since they’re offered online, you can participate from anywhere, making it easier to fit the program into your schedule while connecting with mentors and like-minded students from around the world.

What are the benefits of an economics program?

An economics program helps you build a structured understanding of how markets, governments, and individuals make decisions about limited resources. You learn how to analyze data, interpret graphs and models, evaluate trade-offs, and apply economic reasoning to issues such as inflation, inequality, public policy, and financial markets. Through coursework, research projects, and discussions, you also strengthen your quantitative skills, argumentation, and ability to think critically about complex global systems.

To help you get started, we’ve narrowed down our list to 14 online economics summer programs for high school students. 

If you’re looking for online summer research programs, check out our blog here.

1. New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) High School Business Bootcamp

Location: Virtual and on-campus (Long Island/NYC, USA)

Cost: None 

Dates: One-day sessions between July and December

Application Deadline: Varies for each workshop

Eligibility: All high school students

In this bootcamp, you will explore practical economics by learning how individuals and organizations manage resources, navigate markets, and mitigate risks. You will cover essential topics like business creation, financial literacy, risk management, investing, and professional communication. During the sessions, you will participate in activities such as drafting a personal marketing plan, evaluating investment strategies, simulating conflict resolution, and practicing interview techniques. Ultimately, you will build critical skills in financial planning, strategic decision-making, and professional networking to succeed in the real economy.

2. Veritas AI’s AI + Finance Track

Location: Remote

Cost: Varies depending on the program type; financial aid is available

Dates: Multiple cohorts in the year, including Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall

Application Deadline: Rolling admissions (Deadlines generally fall in January for Spring, May for Summer, September for Fall, and November for Winter). You can apply to the program here.

Eligibility: Students in grades 8–12 who have completed the introductory Veritas AI Scholars program or already have prior experience with coding

In the Veritas AI + Finance Track, you will understand how artificial intelligence is transforming financial markets. Throughout this specialized program, you will explore topics like predictive modeling, stock price forecasting, wealth management, and fraud detection. To build your expertise, you will actively engage in live lectures, participate in detailed code walkthroughs, and collaborate on real-world projects, such as using past data to predict future financial patterns. A unique feature of this track is its intimate 5:1 student-to-mentor ratio, allowing you to learn directly from researchers at top-tier universities. Ultimately, you will develop strong practical skills in Python programming, machine learning, and financial data analysis.

3. High School Fed Challenge

Location: Online, hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York

Cost: None

Dates: October 23 – March 16, which includes milestones such as paper submission and two information sessions

Application Deadline: February 17; teams must register through a faculty advisor

Eligibility: All U.S.-based high school students in grades 9–12

The High School Fed Challenge is an academic competition where you act as a monetary policymaker to analyze real-world economic conditions. Throughout the program, you will explore macroeconomic principles, monetary policy mechanisms, and specialized annual themes such as the economics of music or food. To compete, you will conduct primary research, analyze quantitative datasets, unpack market trends, and collaboratively write a comprehensive podcast script or academic essay. Your final submission is evaluated directly by actual Federal Reserve staff, and if your team excels, your research may even be published in the prestigious Journal of Future Economists.

4. Immerse Education’s Online Research Programme

Location: Fully remote
Cost: Varies by program type
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions; multiple dates throughout the year
Program Dates: Flexible; multiple cohorts in a year.
Eligibility: Students aged 13-18 (accredited options require age 14+)

The Online Research Program offers high school students the opportunity to conduct rigorous research under the guidance of tutors from Oxford, Cambridge, and Ivy League universities. You will work with your tutor to explore a subject of your choice in depth and write an academic research paper. The program is offered in 1:1 and small-group formats, and you can choose to earn college credit from universities in the US and the UK. The virtual research program is offered in over 20 subjects, including artificial intelligence, chemistry, psychology, economics, computer science, creative writing, philosophy, and more. At the end of the program, you’ll receive a written evaluation from your tutor, an opportunity to publish your research, and an invitation to present at the Immerse Online Symposium. You can find examples of papers Immerse students have worked on here and more details about the application here.

5. Invest in Girls – Financial Foundations

Location: Virtual

Cost: None

Dates: Spring Cohort: February – May; Fall Cohort: Typically starts in October.

Application Deadline: Rolling / Late January

Eligibility: High school students identifying as girls

In this program, you build a strong understanding of fundamental economic and personal finance concepts, including budgeting, investing, managing college debt, taxes, insurance, and philanthropic giving. During the program, you will actively participate in interactive workshops, discuss financial priorities with peers, receive guidance from female finance mentors, and attend industry exposure trips. The program uniquely offers a safe, girls-only space designed to boost your confidence and demystify the male-dominated financial services sector. Ultimately, you will learn practical skills like wise spending, effective budgeting, navigating credit, and career planning.

6. Wharton Global Youth Program: Financial Decision Making

Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $4,099 + $100 application fee; need-based limited scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; typically, large cohorts
Dates: June 15–26, July 6–17
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students currently enrolled in grades 9–12

In this program, you will explore a broad range of topics, including personal finance foundations, financial markets, the economy, data-driven decision-making, wealth management, and financial ethics. Throughout the course, you will analyze real-world financial datasets using Excel, participate in collaborative small group activities, evaluate investment trade-offs, and assess how economic cycles affect borrowing. The program pairs live faculty lectures with TA-led recitations, ensuring you receive personalized instruction and guidance. By the end, you will have built solid analytical, teamwork, and investing skills that empower you to make smarter financial decisions for life.

7. Summer@Brown Online: Economics Courses

Location: Virtual 

Cost: Varies according to duration, between $3,364–$6520 + $80 application fee; scholarships are available

Dates: June 22 – July 24

Application Deadline: May 8

Eligibility: Students completing grades 9 to 12, ages 14 to 18 by June 15

Summer@Brown Online offers a flexible yet academically rigorous experience, allowing you to engage with college-level coursework from anywhere. Within the Economics track, you can take courses such as Behavioral Game Theory, which explores how individuals make decisions in strategic environments. The course draws on experimental evidence to show how real people actually make choices. Throughout the program, you’ll work with economic models, analyze real-world scenarios, and design experiments to test behavioral theories. You’ll also participate in peer discussions and receive feedback from experienced instructors, closely mirroring the structure of a college classroom. Upon completion, you’ll earn a Digital Certificate recognizing your academic achievement.

8.  Harvard Secondary School Program (SSP) Online – Principles of Economics: Microeconomics ECON S-10A

Location: Online

Cost: $3,980; need-based financial aid is available; limited to US citizens, permanent residents, and DACA students

Dates: June 22 – August 7

Application Deadline: June 15

Eligibility: High school students graduating in the program year or the subsequent two years; must be at least 16 by June 20 and under 19 by July 31

In the Harvard Secondary School Program's microeconomics course, you will dive into the fundamental analytical tools of economics while earning actual college credit alongside a global community. Throughout the seven weeks, you will explore topics like consumer decision-making, firm behavior under various market structures, game theory, environmental externalities, and public goods. You will engage in healthy debates, tackle complex problem sets, analyze difficult economic articles, and deliver presentations on your research. The program provides the opportunity to learn directly from Harvard-affiliated instructors in small, interactive virtual classes. By the end of the course, you will be prepared for college-level academics.

9. Rice University Precollege Program: The Business of Economics

Location: Virtual

Cost: $1,795; need-based scholarships available

Dates: Multiple 1- to 2-week sessions throughout the year

Application Deadline: One week before the session start date

Eligibility: Students 13 and older

Rice University’s Precollege Program course “The Business of Economics” introduces you to how economic principles shape business decisions and influence different career paths within the field. You’ll explore topics such as inflation and its effects on the economy, the role of labor markets in business operations, and how supply and demand drive corporate strategy. Throughout the course, you’ll receive guidance from a dedicated mentor on assignments and your capstone project, helping you apply economic theory to real-world business scenarios. By the end of the program, you’ll be able to clearly explain how economic policy impacts business decision-making. Upon completion, you’ll earn a Certificate of Completion from Rice University.

10. Columbia University Pre-College Programs (Online Summer) – Introduction to Microeconomics

Location: Online

Cost: $4,017 per session; limited need-based financial aid is available

Dates: June 20 – July 31

Application Deadline: April 2

Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12 and rising freshmen

In this course, you will explore microeconomics by mastering foundational concepts like opportunity cost, scarcity, comparative advantage, and economic rent. You will participate in hands-on exercises to calculate how individuals balance work and leisure, determine how businesses set prices, evaluate environmental regulations, and analyze technology's impact on the labor market. The program heavily emphasizes collaborative group work, allowing you to connect abstract theories with everyday decisions. Ultimately, you will walk away equipped with the essential tools needed to understand the complex economic systems shaping our world.

11. UCLA Summer Sessions Summer Online – Principles of Economics

Location: Online

Cost: Estimated $3,186; scholarships are available for California students

Dates: June 22 – July 31

Application Deadline: International: May 1; Domestic: June 1

Eligibility: High school students globally; must be at least 15 years old by June 22

In this undergraduate-level course, you will dive into the foundational principles of economics alongside current college students. Throughout the sessions, you will explore core topics including supply, demand, elasticity, market efficiency, taxation, public goods, externalities, and international trade. To apply these concepts, you will engage in practical activities such as analyzing empirical data, debating government policies, collaborating on team presentations, and solving case studies. The program enables you to earn official University of California credit from home while learning directly from UCLA faculty. By the end, you will build skills in data analysis, critical problem-solving, and evidence-based reasoning.

12. NYU Precollege Program – Introduction to Macroeconomics

Location: Online

Cost: $8,008+ $50 application fee and $300 program activity charge; housing/dining is an additional $4,600; need-based scholarships are available

Dates: July 1 – August 12

Application Deadline: International students: March 13; Domestic students: June 15

Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors (minimum 3.0 GPA recommended) who are at least 15 years old by the start of the program

In the NYU Precollege Introduction to Macroeconomics program, you will study fundamental economic topics like gross domestic product, inflation, unemployment, and the mechanics of monetary and fiscal policy. Throughout the course, you will actively complete quantitative problem sets, analyze real-world macroeconomic data, read contemporary financial media, and review specific economic case studies. You learn directly from NYU faculty and earn transferable undergraduate college credit while building a foundational understanding of global markets. By the end of the summer, you will have developed concrete skills in graphical analysis, economic modeling, and critically evaluating complex public policies.

13. Babson Summer Study

Location: Online

Cost: $6,295; limited need-based financial assistance is available

Program Dates: July 8 – 28

Application Deadline: March 13

Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old by July 11

In this program, you will explore the economics of entrepreneurship by analyzing how businesses can address social, economic, and environmental issues aligned with the U.N. Global Goals. You will dive into core topics like market research, business modeling, financial feasibility, and marketing. Throughout the three weeks, you will actively conduct target market research, evaluate the feasibility of business models, create a real-world venture idea, and collaborate on assignments with peers from around the globe. The program offers 4 college credits and immerses you in Babson's trademarked Entrepreneurial Thought & Action methodology. 

14. Wharton Global Youth Program: Understanding Your Money

Location: Virtual

Cost: $329

Dates: Self-paced

Application Deadline: Open enrollment; No deadline

Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12

Wharton Global Youth Program’s Understanding Your Money is a self-paced online course designed to help high school students build strong money management skills. The program is divided into four modules: Economics, What Is Money?, Earning and Budgeting, and Investing, which introduce you to important financial concepts step by step. Throughout the course, you’ll learn how to create a budget, manage your income, and make informed investing decisions. The program also helps you understand how basic economic ideas influence everyday financial choices. Upon completion, you’ll receive a Wharton Global Youth Program Certificate of Completion.