8 High School Entrepreneurship Programs You Should Check Out
If you’re a budding entrepreneur or have been thinking about starting your own venture, there are a number of opportunities that can help you learn how to set up and run an organization. One of the best ways to start learning the how-tos of business is with first-hand experience, which is what an entrepreneurship program can offer! An internship will not only help you develop essential entrepreneurial skills, but also build a knowledge base and a strong network of professionals and peers, and give your college applications a significant boost.
Even if you choose to pursue a business major or a career in marketing, entrepreneurship skills will always be useful – and expanding your knowledge and skills beyond the school curriculum is a great idea. This will also demonstrate to college admissions officers that you’re dedicated to pursuing your passion and furthering your education!
In this blog, we’ve curated a list of the 8 best entrepreneurship programs you can consider as a high school student. From hands-on workshops to mentorship opportunities, these opportunities can be a solid platform to foster an entrepreneurial perspective, and creative thinking, and equip you with the tools for a successful career.
The Young Founder’s Lab is a start-up boot camp founded and run by Harvard alumni. With this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a real-world problem. You will also be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X.
Apart from building the start-up itself, you will also participate in interactive classes on business fundamentals and business ideations, workshops and skill-building sessions, case studies, panel discussions, and more. The program is an excellent opportunity to explore the world of business while in high school. It also provides a space to dive into multiple theoretical and practical frameworks that can lead to a successful business. You can check out the program brochure here.
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops.
Dates: The 4-week program starts on June 5, 2024. Fall, winter and spring sessions are also conducted.
Cost: $2900. Need-based financial aid is offered.
Eligibility: All high school students can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications for the summer cohort have closed, and those for the fall cohort will open soon. Further dates are yet to be announced.
Ladder Internships, a program founded and run by Harvard alumni, pairs high school students with startups and nonprofits across the world for virtual internships. As an intern, you have the flexibility to choose the field you wish to work in, from a diverse array of industries, including technology, computer science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, finance, environmental science, business, healthcare, and more.
During the program, you will work on meaningful projects aligned with the startup’s larger mission, and present your work at the end of the internship. The program includes professional training in communication and time management, as well as group training sessions with fellow interns. Each intern will be assigned a manager at their organization and a Ladder coach for additional guidance. Typically requiring 5-10 hours per week, the virtual internships span 8 weeks.
Location: Virtual.
Dates: The Summer II 2024 cohort starts on July 15 and runs till September 6, 2024. Internship opportunities are also available for fall and spring.
Cost: Starts at $1990. Financial aid is available.
Eligibility: All high school students can apply.
Application Deadline: June 26, 2024 (Summer II cohort). Dates for the fall cohort are yet to be announced.
3. High School Entrepreneurship Program by Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY), UC Berkeley
This program is designed to provide a platform for students to dive into the world of entrepreneurship, innovation, and business leadership. Every year, 50 students are selected to participate in this program. The courses in the program, which combines online classroom instruction, independent research, computer lab assignments, and team projects, will be taught by Haas faculty, PhD candidates, and undergraduate students. The program will also include guest lectures delivered by experts from the industry, which will provide real-world perspectives. During the program, you will work on and learn about teamwork and leadership, marketing, finance, accounting, game theory, management, and corporate social responsibility, and also participate in a public speaking and presentation workshop.
Location: University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA.
Dates: Session I: July 6-20, 2024 | Session II: July 20-August 3, 2024.
Cost: $80 application fee + $6,050 (for residents of California) | $7,050 (for those residing outside California). The fee covers tuition, materials, housing, campus fees, bank fees, credit card fees, third-party systems, and administrative fees.
Eligibility: Academically motivated, mature high school students may apply.
Application Deadline: February 29, 2024.
4. Startup UCLA: Social Entrepreneurship Summer Institute
This program allows students to learn about social entrepreneurship, including starting social enterprises and non-profits. This is a hands-on program, and you will design your own social welfare organization. You will learn how to start, build, and run non-profit organizations and social impact businesses.
The program consists of two halves. In the first stage, you will brush up on the basics of researching and creating a mission-oriented venture. After this, you will work in teams to work on their ideas to work on their social startups. This is a competitive program and a minimum cumulative 3.2 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) is required to apply.
Location: University of California, Los Angeles, CA. Two virtual sessions are also offered.
Dates: Session A, Virtual: June 24–July 5, 2024 | Session B, UCLA campus: July 7–July 20, 2024 | Session C, UCLA campus: July 21–August 3, 2024 | Session D, Virtual: August 5–August 16, 2024.
Cost: $3,602 for the on-campus program. $1,768 for the virtual program. Financial aid is available.
Eligibility: Open to 10th-12th grade students (as of Spring 2024). Students should be at least 15 years old by June 24th.
Application Deadline: June 1, 2024.
5. National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC): Business & Entrepreneurship
The National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) is a dynamic and immersive business and entrepreneurship leadership program designed to help students keen to explore their interests and develop essential leadership skills. Through engaging simulations and interactions with professionals and experts, you’ll learn what it takes to build a company from the ground up, tackling the wants and needs of your stakeholders, employees, and customers.
This program not only fosters academic enrichment but also emphasizes the importance of leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking. With locations at top universities across the United States, NSLC offers a valuable experience that will equip you to pursue your future career while honing the leadership qualities that would be useful in your entrepreneurial journey.
Location: Multiple locations
Dates: Varies with the location.
Cost: $4,095 or $3,795 depending on the location.
Eligibility: Open to students aged 14-18 who have completed at least one year of high school.
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
6. Georgetown University Entrepreneurship Academy
The Entrepreneurship Academy is an intensive two-week program that offers a comprehensive exploration of entrepreneurship, including choosing a start-up, prototype testing, market research, social innovation, and the nuances of global business operations. You will work in teams to prepare for a final pitch competition, simulating real-world business planning and presentation scenarios.
During the Entrepreneurship Academy, you will engage in guest lectures, develop a business plan and pitch presentation in small groups, and participate in discussions, case studies, and interactive activities that cover a wide range of business topics. You will focus on topics such as risk management and finance, entrepreneurship ecosystems and networks, and networking skills and personal branding. Hands-on exercises will help you improve your critical thinking and team-building abilities as well/
Location: Georgetown University, Washington, DC.
Dates: June 16 - 28, 2024.
Cost: $5,775 (residential) | $4,025 (commuter).
Eligibility: All high school students with a minimum 2.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) can apply.
Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
7. Wharton Global Youth Business Programs - Essentials of Entrepreneurship
This program is a chance for students to build foundational knowledge that’s essential to launching their own venture. The program includes a combination of lectures, recitations, and hands-on activities, helping students explore the process of building a startup. It will cover core techniques in user research, opportunity testing, developing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), marketing, scaling, and exiting. You will work with your peers, engage in innovative thinking, and develop a pitch for an early-stage startup.
The program is ideal for students who wish to plan to start their own company, but also for students who wish to innovate within established organizations. It encourages an entrepreneurial mindset that can be applicable across different fields. You will attend lectures by notable Wharton faculty, lecturers, and PhD students, learn in teams, explore historic Philadelphia, and experience college life on Penn’s Ivy League campus. Completing the program earns you a Wharton Global Youth Certificate of Completion.
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Dates: Two-week sessions in June-August depending on dates you choose.
Cost: $7,599.
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-11 can apply (check program-specific eligibility here).
Application Deadline: April 3, 2024
8. Entrepreneurship in the Global Economy
This program focuses on equipping students with practical skills, including writing a business plan or pitching an idea to investors, while also teaching them economic principles essential for entrepreneurship. Every year, 30-40 students from across the world are selected to spend a week learning about entrepreneurship.
The program is led by top economics instructors who are committed to fostering critical thinking about the risks and rewards associated with entrepreneurship. You will also develop an understanding of market forecasting and supply/demand. Working with similar-minded individuals, you will get an opportunity to enhance your team-building skills. One of the key learnings in the program is gaining the economic mindset necessary to make business decisions.
Location: Multiple locations. Virtual options are also offered.
Dates: Varies with the location.
Cost:$2,300 (in-person) | $800 (virtual)
Eligibility: Students currently in their sophomore or junior year of high school are eligible to apply.
Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
If you’re looking to build unique projects in the field of AI/ML, consider applying to Veritas AI!
Veritas AI was founded by Harvard graduate students, and through the programs, you get a chance to learn the fundamentals of AI and computer science while collaborating on real-world projects. You can also work 1-1 with mentors from universities like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and more to create unique, personalized projects. In the past year, we had over 1000 students learn data science and AI with us. You can apply here!
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