15 Summer Programs in Economics for High School Students
If you’re a high school student with an interest in economics and are looking for a productive way to spend your summer, then consider a summer program! Participating in summer programs focused on economics is a good opportunity to explore the field and acquire early, practical experience. You will also have the opportunity to gain relevant skills and interact with your peers, college faculty members, and industry professionals.
Several institutions and colleges offer summer programs in economics for high school students. Some programs are offered in-person while others are offered virtually, making them accessible to students from the U.S. and across the world. Many of these programs also offer financial aid or scholarships, making them feasible options to explore this summer.
Here are 15 summer programs in economics for high school students that you can check out!
1. UC Santa Barbara’s Research Mentorship Program
Location: UC Santa Barbara
Cost: $5,175 (commuter); $12,474 (residential); Limited scholarships available
Dates: June 16 – August 1
Application Deadline: December 15 – March 17; Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors (outstanding freshmen considered); Minimum weighted GPA of 3.80
Through its Research Mentorship Program, UC Santa Barbara engages high school students around the world in university-level research. As a participant, you will be paired with a student or faculty member, who will act as your mentor for the duration of the program. You will get to know about various professional research-based opportunities, learn important research techniques, and attend the GRIT talks lecture series. Some of the work you will do during this program includes engaging in data collection, joining in on fieldwork, and making use of library resources to support your research. You will also work on a technical research paper that covers your findings during the program and will get to present it at a formal academic symposium.
2. Veritas AI + Finance Track
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by program type; Financial aid available
Dates: Multiple cohorts in a year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students
Veritas AI is an AI program for ambitious high school students, founded and run by Harvard graduate students. Through the AI + Finance Deep Dive, students gain a deeper understanding of AI applications in the financial field. They get a chance to engage in lectures, code walkthroughs, and real-world projects using AI & ML models to predict future financial patterns using past data, forecasting stock prices, and more. Here is the program brochure and the application form.
3. Yale Young Global Scholars: Politics, Law & Economics
Location: Yale University
Cost: $6,500; Need-based financial aid available
Dates: June 22 – July 4 (session I); July 6 – 18 (session II); July 20 – August 1 (session III)
Application Deadline: November 1 (early); January 10 (regular)
Eligibility: High school sophomores or juniors aged 16-18; More info here
YYGS (Yale Young Global Scholars) is a two-week summer academy for high school students worldwide. One of the sessions offered in this program is called Politics, Law, & Economics (PLE). During this session, you’ll gain an understanding of various economic theories and learn about concepts like public policy, market regulation, international policy, and more. The session gives you the opportunity to analyze current social systems and issues from the perspectives of economic, legal, and political theory. You’ll also improve your critical thinking and analytical skills.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by program; Financial aid available
Dates: Multiple cohorts in a year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students demonstrating a high level of academic performance
If you’re a high school student looking to participate in a rigorous research program this summer, then the Lumiere Research Scholar Program might be for you. During this program. You’ll get to work on an independent research project while receiving 1:1 support from a Ph.D. mentor. You can choose research topics from a broad range of subjects, including economics, data science, international relations, and so much more. You don’t need to have experience in your field of choice to participate! At the end of the program, you’ll get to present your work at the Lumiere Research Symposium.
5. UCLA Economics Summer Institute
Location: UCLA campus
Cost: $3,015; Scholarships available
Dates: July 14 – August 1
Application Deadline: June 13; Rolling
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12; At least 15 by program start
During the UCLA Economics Summer Institute program, you’ll get to learn more about the various critical economic issues that affect the U.S. and the world. You’ll work with UCLA undergraduates as well as faculty members, working to enhance your data analysis skills and develop an economist's mindset. In addition, you'll learn about financial analysis principles and economic policy issues. You’ll attend lectures and workshops, take part in group projects, and more. The program also gives you the chance to learn about topics like international trade, taxation, and the effectiveness of trade. You’ll also work on case studies, analyze empirical data, and more.
6. Economics for Leaders
Location: Various locations + Virtual options
Cost: Varies by location; Scholarships available
Dates: Varies by program and location
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school sophomores or juniors
Economics for Leaders is a selective program that focuses on teaching high school students how to integrate economics into decision-making. During the program, you will improve your leadership skills, familiarise yourself with economic concepts, and learn how to apply economic analysis to public policy decisions. You’ll get to participate in simulations and learn from excellent economics instructors. There are also Advanced Economics for Leaders, Environment & The Economy (E&E), and Entrepreneurship in the Global Economy (EGE) courses to choose from.
7. Harvard Summer School: Economics, Finance, and Public Policy
Location: On campus at Harvard or virtual
Cost: Varies; Financial aid available
Dates: 7 weeks from mid-June to early August
Application Deadline: December 2 – April 9
Eligibility: Current high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and graduating seniors; Must be between the ages of 16-19
As part of its summer offerings, Harvard offers a 4-week and 7-week Secondary School Program that gives you the chance to participate in academically rigorous college courses. You’ll also get the chance to earn college credit! The program offers several in-person and online courses that focus on Economics, Finance, and Public Policy. During these courses, you’ll gain a foundational understanding of economic principles and learn how to improve and maintain your financial well-being. If you participate in the 7-week Secondary School Program, you’ll get to take two courses and earn up to 8 credits. Some of the courses available to you include Principles of Economics: Macroeconomics, Introduction to Financial and Managerial Economics, Neuroscience and Economic Decision-Making, Introduction to Econometrics, and so much more.
8. Wharton Global Youth Program: Leadership in the Business World (LBW)
Location: The Wharton School
Cost: $11,399; Need-based scholarships available
Dates: June 8 – 28; June 29 – July 19; July 20 – August 9
Application Deadline: January 29 (priority); April 2 (final)
Eligibility: Current high school juniors with a 3.5 unweighted GPA (minimum); International students can apply; More info here
Wharton Global Youth Program’s Leadership in the Business World (LBW) is a program that introduces you to undergraduate business education. As a participant, you will have the opportunity to attend lectures by Wharton faculty and distinguished guest speakers. You’ll get to join in on classroom discussions that focus on core business concepts, participate in simulations and competitions that let you apply real-world business practices, and do research on various businesses. You’ll also get to attend the Wharton Global Youth Speaker Series. This program is a highly selective program that accepts around 120 students each year. By the end, you’ll receive a Wharton Global Youth Certificate of Completion.
9. Georgetown University: Economics Policy Academy
Location: Georgetown University
Cost: $7,700 (residential); $5,800 (commuter); Limited scholarships available
Dates: June 19 – July 18
Application Deadline: February 1 (early bird); April 15 (final); Rolling basis
Eligibility: Current 10th to 12th graders with a GPA of at least 2.0; International students can apply
During Georgetown University’s Economics Policy Academy, you will explore and examine the role governments play in the market through the lens of economics and political science. You will get to learn from Georgetown professors and field experts and attend classes, hands-on workshops, field trips, and more. Some topics you will explore during the program include globalization, development economics, international negotiations and trade policy, basic microeconomics, and so much more. You will get to create and present a research-based poster based on concepts learned during the program, and you will receive a certificate of completion at the end.
10. UChicago Summer Sessions: Pathways in Economics
Location: UChicago
Cost: $8,900; Financial aid available
Dates: June 14 – July 4
Application Deadline: January 22 (priority); March 5 (regular); April 15 (extended)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-11; Some prerequisites include pre-calculus and an interest in applying math to identify economic trends
UChicago Summer Sessions offers several 1- to 4-week courses that you can attend in the summer. Some of them are offered in-person, while others are offered virtually. One of these courses includes Pathways in Economics, which typically admits only around 80 students. During this course, you will learn about the economic research and experimentation carried out at UChicago. You will attend classes focused on topics like macroeconomics and microeconomics, and even game theory. You’ll also participate in group discussions, labs, group projects, and more.
11. Brown University Pre-College: How a Nation's Economy Works: An Introduction to Macroeconomics
Location: Brown University
Cost: $8,006 (residential); $6,134 (commuter); Scholarships available
Dates: 3 weeks; June 23 – July 11
Application Deadline: January 15 – May 9; Rolling
Eligibility: High school students; understanding of math at an Algebra II level is preferred
Brown University's Pre-College program offers several courses for high school students to participate in during the summer. One of them includes the “How a Nation's Economy Works: An Introduction to Macroeconomics” course. It’s a course that introduces you to real-world economic data. As a participant, you will be able to understand the roles of fiscal and monetary policies and how you can be more civically engaged. You will also be able to identify macroeconomic indicators and the tools policymakers use to influence the macroeconomy.
12. Wharton Global Youth Program: Financial Decision Making
Location: Virtual
Cost: $4,099; Need-based scholarships available
Dates: June 16 – 27; July 7 – 18
Application Deadline: April 2 (priority); May 1 (final)
Eligibility: Current high school freshmen to seniors; International students can apply
Wharton Global Youth Program’s Financial Decision Making is a selective two-week program for high school students interested in learning how to make smart financial decisions. During this program, you will get into the basics of economics and fundamental financial principles. You will learn how to save for the short term and make investments for the long term, plan your financial future around inflation, and borrow without the risk of debt. You’ll also learn about where your tax dollars go and how voting can affect your rights and finances. The program also allows you to develop your analytical skills and decision-making abilities. Once you complete this program, you will receive a Wharton Global Youth Certificate of Completion.
13. Rice University Precollege Program: The Business of Economics
Location: Virtual
Cost: Up to $1,795; Need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size:
Dates: Multiple 1- to 2-week sessions
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students 13 and older
During Rice University Precollege Program’s The Business of Economics, you will learn about the role economics has in business and discover various career paths related to economics. You will learn about how inflation impacts the economy, the influence the labor market has on business, the effect of supply and demand on businesses, and more. You’ll also receive guidance from a mentor on all assignments, as well as the capstone project. By the end of the program, you will be able to explain the impact economic policy has on business decisions. You will also receive a Certificate of Completion from Rice University.
14. Wharton Global Youth Program: Understanding Your Money
Location: Virtual
Cost: $329
Dates: Self-paced; 13-15 hours
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 program for high school students who want to develop good investing and money management skills. The program is divided into four modules: Economics, What Is Money?, Earning and Budgeting, and Investing. During the program, you will be introduced to several fundamental economic concepts and will learn how to make good financial decisions. You’ll also learn how to efficiently budget and develop smart investing strategies. Once you finish the program, you’ll be able to earn a Wharton Global Youth Program Certificate of Completion.
15. Brown University Pre-College: Pre-Baccalaureate: Principles of Economics
Location: Virtual
Cost: $8,586; Scholarships available
Dates: June 16 – August 1
Application Deadline: January 15 – May 9; Rolling
Eligibility: Rising or recently graduated high school seniors who are 17+
Brown University’s Pre-College: Pre-Baccalaureate program is a highly selective program for high school seniors looking to participate in credit-bearing, college-level courses. One of the Pre-Baccalaureate courses you can participate in is the Principles of Economics course. During this course, you will be introduced to various economic issues, institutions, and concepts. You will also learn about economic analysis and how it can be applied to current social problems. This course serves as a broad introduction to economics and is a prerequisite for ECON 1110, 1130, 1210, and 1620.
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