# Free Entrepreneurship Programs for High School Students

Free entrepreneurship programs — pitch competitions, university incubator camps, nonprofit accelerators — hand you the network and mentorship without the four-figure business-camp price tag.

The competitions on this page double as funding: win a pitch prize and your idea pays for its own next step.

44 verified programs match this page; 30 of the featured listings are free; 12 can be done online.

## Programs (44 total, first 30 shown — full list on the canonical page)

| Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Nonprofit Founder (501(c)(3))](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/founder-nonprofit-501c3) | IRS / State Government | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [Yale Entrepreneurial Society High School Fellowship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/yale-entrepreneurship-institute) | Yale Entrepreneurial Society | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/blue-ocean-competition) | Blue Ocean Global Network | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-02-21 |
| [Conrad Challenge: Innovation Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/conrad-challenge-innovation-competition) | Conrad Foundation | Free | hybrid | Grades 6–12 | 2026-10-30 |
| [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 |
| [Technovation Girls](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/technovation-girls) | Technovation | Free | hybrid | Grades 6–12 | 2027-03-18 |
| [Harvard Social Innovation Collaborative Challenge](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/social-innovation-challenge) | Harvard University | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-31 |
| [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 |
| [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 |
| [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 |
| [Published App Developer](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/app-store-published-developer) | Apple / Google | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [Lemonade Day National Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/lemonade-day-competition) | Lemonade Day | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2026-08-17 |
| [Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE) World Cup](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/students-for-the-advancement-of-global-entrepreneurship-sage-world-cup) | SAGE Global | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-05-02 |
| [Thiel Fellowship Under 20](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/thiel-fellowship-under-20) | Thiel Foundation | Free | hybrid | Grade 12 | Rolling |
| [National Invention Convention and Entrepreneurship Expo](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/invention-convention) | USPTO | Free | in_person | Grades 4–12 | 2027-05-07 |
| [Future Founders Launchpad](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/future-founders-launchpad) | Future Founders | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [Synbiobeta Design Challenge](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/synthetic-biology-competition) | SynBioBeta | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-05-01 |
| [Y Combinator Startup School](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/y-combinator-startup-school) | Y Combinator | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [Pirates Pitch Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/pirates-pitch-seton-hall) | Seton Hall University | Free | hybrid | Grades 10–12 | 2026-10-22 |
| [DECA Scholarship Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/deca-scholarship-program) | DECA Inc. | Free | virtual | Grades 11–12 | 2027-01-11 |
| [Diamond Challenge National Finalist](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/diamond-challenge-national-finalist) | University of Delaware | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-14 |
| [NFTE Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/entrepreneurial-spirit-award) | Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-01 |
| [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 |
| [Thiel Fellowship (Under 20)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/thiel-fellowship-under-20-program) | Thiel Foundation | Free | virtual | Grades 11–12 | Rolling |
| [Global Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (GYEC)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/gyec-entrepreneurship) | EntrePlanet | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-20 |
| [TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/techcrunch-disrupt-battlefield) | TechCrunch | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-05-27 |
| [NFTE World Series of Innovation](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nfte-world-series-of-innovation) | Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-12-12 |
| [BASES High School Entrepreneurial Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/business-association-of-stanford-entrepreneurial-students) | Business Association of Stanford Entrepreneurial Students (BASES) | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |

## Frequently asked questions

### How many free entrepreneurship programs are listed for high school students?

ExtracurricularHub currently lists 44 verified free entrepreneurship opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link.

### Are any of these free entrepreneurship 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); Pirates Pitch Competition (October 22, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site.

### How do I get into a free entrepreneurship program?

Funded programs select on demonstrated interest, not credentials you don't have yet: a short portfolio, a class project, or a clear essay about why this subject beats a stronger application from a student who never says why. Apply to several — free seats fill fast.

## Related pages

- [Free for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/free)
- [Entrepreneurship Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/entrepreneurship)
- [Free STEM Programs for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/free/stem)
- [Browse all extracurriculars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars)
- [Find My Fit — 3-minute matching quiz](https://extracurricularhub.com/find-my-fit)

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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.