# Free Business Programs for High School Students Every program on this page costs $0 to attend — cost should never be the reason a strong student skips business opportunities. Many free programs are more selective than paid ones precisely because they are funded; treat their deadlines seriously. 76 verified programs match this page; 30 of the featured listings are free; 11 can be done online. ## Programs (76 total, first 30 shown — full list on the canonical page) | Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Knowledge Matters Virtual Business Challenge](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/knowledge-matters) | Knowledge Matters | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-22 | | [Yale Entrepreneurial Society High School Fellowship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/yale-entrepreneurship-institute) | Yale Entrepreneurial Society | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Forbes 30 Under 30 Recognition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/forbes-30-under-30) | Forbes Magazine | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-31 | | [Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/blue-ocean-competition) | Blue Ocean Global Network | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-02-21 | | [Wharton Investment Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/ghsic) | Wharton/UPenn | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2026-12-08 | | [Virtual Enterprise International Business Plan Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/virtual-enterprise-international-business-plan-competition) | Virtual Enterprises International | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-13 | | [NFTE Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/entrepreneurial-spirit-award) | Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-01 | | [Thiel Fellowship Under 20](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/thiel-fellowship-under-20) | Thiel Foundation | Free | hybrid | Grade 12 | Rolling | | [National Economics Challenge (NEC) Nationals](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-economics-challenge-nec-nationals) | Council for Economic Education | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-09 | | [American Enterprise Institute High School Economics Writing Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/american-enterprise-institute-high-school-economics-writing-competition) | American Enterprise Institute | Free | virtual | Grades 10–12 | 2027-03-01 | | [Tim Draper Utah Entrepreneur Challenge](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/tim-draper-utah-entrepreneur-challenge) | Lassonde Institute | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-14 | | [Wharton Global High School Investment Competition National Finalist](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/wharton-global-high-school-investment-competition-national-finalist) | Wharton School | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-23 | | [Harvard Business School Summer Venture in Management Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/harvard-business-school-summer-venture-in-management-program) | Harvard Business School | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-03-27 | | [Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/global-student-entrepreneur-awards-gsea) | Entrepreneurs' Organization | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-12-01 | | [Goldman Sachs Possibilities Summit](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/goldman-sachs-possibilities-summit) | Goldman Sachs | Free | in_person | Grade 11 | 2027-03-01 | | [Yale Bulldogs Investment Fund](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/yale-bulldogs-investment-fund) | Yale University | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-02-28 | | [Thiel Fellowship (Under 20)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/thiel-fellowship-under-20-program) | Thiel Foundation | Free | virtual | Grades 11–12 | Rolling | | [Morgan Stanley Early Insights Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/morgan-stanley-early-insights-program) | Morgan Stanley | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-01-31 | | [Harvard Social Innovation Collaborative Challenge](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/social-innovation-challenge) | Harvard University | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-31 | | [Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association Essay Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/harvard-undergraduate-economics-association-essay-competition) | Harvard College | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-05 | | [Citadel Data Open Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/citadel-data-open-competition) | Citadel LLC | Free | hybrid | Grades 11–12 | 2026-10-01 | | [New Venture Championship (High School Track)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/new-venture-championship) | University of Oregon Lundquist College of Business | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Diamond Challenge National Finalist](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/diamond-challenge-national-finalist) | University of Delaware | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-14 | | [Diamond Challenge for High School Entrepreneurs](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/diamond-challenge-for-high-school-entrepreneurs) | University of Delaware Horn Entrepreneurship | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-14 | | [1517 Fund Fellowship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/1517-fund) | 1517 Fund | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) National Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/young-entrepreneurs-academy-yea-national-competition) | YEA! | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-08-16 | | [JA Titan Business Simulation](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/junior-achievement-titan) | Junior Achievement | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [JPMorgan Chase Scholars Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/jpmc-scholars) | JPMorgan Chase | Free | virtual | Grade 12 | 2027-01-13 | | [Lemonade Day National Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/lemonade-day-competition) | Lemonade Day | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2026-08-17 | | [SIFMA Foundation Stock Market Game National Winner](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/sifma-foundation-stock-market-game-national-winner) | SIFMA Foundation | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-09-01 | ## Frequently asked questions ### How many free business programs are listed for high school students? ExtracurricularHub currently lists 76 verified free business opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. ### Are any of these free business programs free? Yes — 30 of the programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Free programs are often funded and can be more selective, so apply early. ### Which deadlines are coming up soonest? The next deadlines: Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) National Competition (August 16, 2026); Lemonade Day National Competition (August 17, 2026); SIFMA Foundation Stock Market Game National Winner (September 1, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site. ### Why are these programs free? Most free programs are funded by universities, government agencies, or nonprofits with a mission to broaden access. Free rarely means easy to get into — funded programs are often the most selective. ## Related pages - [Free for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/free) - [Virtual & Online Business Programs for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/virtual/business) - [Business for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/business) - [Browse all extracurriculars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars) - [Find My Fit — 3-minute matching quiz](https://extracurricularhub.com/find-my-fit) --- Canonical page: https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/free/business Source: ExtracurricularHub (https://extracurricularhub.com) — a free directory of 1,826 verified extracurricular programs for high school students. Cite the canonical page above; always confirm binding details on each program's official site.