Economics Summer Programs for High School Students
EC Finder currently lists 22 economics summer programs for high school students. Of these, 6 are free to participate in and 1 offers virtual participation. Examples include Advanced Economics for Leaders (FTE), Chicago Summer Business Institute, and Economics for Leaders (EFL – Foundation for Teaching Economics).
- 22
- listed
- 6
- free
- 1
- virtual
- 22
- with a listed deadline
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are economics summer programs for high school students?
- Economics Summer Programs for High School Students are curated extracurricular listings for high school students interested in economics. Each listing includes eligibility, cost, and deadline details where known, so you can compare options and find the right fit for your college application profile.
- Are any of these summer programs free?
- Yes — 6 of the 22 summer programs listed here are free to participate in.
- Can I participate virtually?
- Yes — 1 of the 22 summer programs listed here offer virtual or online participation.
- Are economics summer programs good for a college application?
- Yes — economics summer programs are a common way for high schoolers to show sustained interest and initiative in economics on college applications.
Related Categories
22 activities found·Browse by category
Advanced Economics for Leaders (FTE)
More rigorous version of EFL for students who have already taken high school/AP Economics, diving deeper into models and policy.
Chicago Summer Business Institute
Summer business and economics program at University of Chicago Booth School covering finance, economics, and entrepreneurship.
Economics for Leaders (EFL – Foundation for Teaching Economics)
Selective, one-week summer program teaching microeconomic principles and leadership, hosted at campuses including UC Berkeley and other universities.
Economics Policy Academy at Georgetown
Summer program at Georgetown University offering intensive courses in economics, policy analysis, and quantitative methods.
Foundation for Teaching Economics – Advanced Economics for Leaders
Week-long residential program for students who've completed HS/AP economics, covering college-level micro/macroeconomic theory alongside leadership development.
Foundation for Teaching Economics – Economics for Leaders
Selective residential/live-online summer program where sophomores/juniors learn to integrate economic reasoning into leadership decisions using FTE's Five Economic Reasoning Principles.
Foundation for Teaching Economics – Entrepreneurship in the Global Economy
Week-long FTE summer program where students explore how economic systems support innovation, developing their own business idea, pitch, and funding plan.
Georgetown Entrepreneurship Academy
A two-week residential Georgetown University summer program where high schoolers learn startup fundamentals, prototype testing, and market research, culminating in a team pitch competition.
Girls Inc. of Metro Denver – Summer Internship Program
Career exploration and workforce development program for Denver-area high school girls, placing them with employers across healthcare, business, technology, nonprofit, and government sectors, plus professional development workshops, mentorship, and resume/interview prep. Runs early June through late July.
Hoover Institution Student Fellowship
Selective fellowship at Stanford's Hoover Institution where students work with scholars on economic policy research projects.
Hoover Institution Summer Policy Boot Camp
Intensive 4-day residential program at Stanford for college students and recent graduates focusing on U.S. policy, economics, and governance taught by Hoover fellows, with free meals and housing.
International Economics Olympiad (IEO)
Global olympiad combining economics theory, data analysis, and business case problem-solving; participants reach IEO via their country's national selection.
SFUSD Summer Internships – Industry Partners
SFUSD's Summer Internships connect San Francisco high-school students with paid positions across career sectors (tech, health, arts, business, public sector) through partner organizations and city agencies.
Stanford Young Investigators Program
Summer research program at Stanford where high school students work with faculty on economics and social science research projects.
Summer Springboard – Economics at UC Berkeley
Two-week pre-college program on the Berkeley campus teaching microeconomics, markets, and applied econ through projects and site visits.
UCLA Economics Pre-College Program
Intensive pre-college program introducing students to college-level economics through lectures, problem sets, and research projects.
UCLA Economics Summer Courses
Summer economics courses at UCLA covering microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics for high school students.
UCLA Economics Summer Institute
Three-week academic program at UCLA focusing on core tools of economic analysis, markets, and policy evaluation.
USC Philosophy of Economic Markets
Summer course at USC exploring philosophical foundations of economics, market behavior, and economic ethics.
Wharton Essentials of Entrepreneurship
An intensive two-week residential program at Wharton where high schoolers in grades 9-11 learn startup fundamentals like marketing and venture creation and pitch an original business idea for feedback.
Young Entrepreneurs Program (YEP)
4-week paid summer internship where high school juniors and seniors work with companies on real business projects combining economics, marketing, finance, and engineering with mentorship and scholarship.
Young Founders Lab – SF Economics Internships (real roles)
Compilation of specific, real San Francisco economics internships, many of which are paid.
ECFinder provides links to outside extracurricular opportunities for informational purposes only. Students and families should research each program before applying. ECFinder does not operate or control the listed organizations and is not responsible for their actions or policies.