Overview
One week of the two-week Wall Street program, for high-school students who want a taste of finance in New York. Classes are taught by instructors from the New York Institute of Finance — founded by the New York Stock Exchange — and the week ends with a team competition judged by NYIF experts.
The two departures cover different material: the Jul 11–17 week is the first week of the full program (how Wall Street works, investing, hedge funds, private equity and venture capital, portfolios and financial statements, with a stock-picking competition); the Jul 18–24 week is the second (fintech and crypto, technical analysis, behavioural finance and career paths, with a model-portfolio competition). Either works on its own, and a teen can do both by booking the 14-day program.
Afternoons bring guest speakers and team projects; late afternoons and evenings are for New York — the Financial District, the High Line, Times Square and dinners in famous neighbourhoods. The group of up to 75 students stays at a modern hotel in Times Square, and teens leave with a certificate from the operator and NYIF. No previous finance knowledge is needed.
What's included
The itinerary
- Jul 11–17 New York City — week 1 of the program — Arrival on day 1 and check-in at the Times Square hotel. Then: Finance classes with New York Institute of Finance instructors: what Wall Street is and how it works, building your "financial quotient", private equity and venture capital, investment and hedge funds, wealth management and building a portfolio, diversification, and the key ideas behind financial statements and DCF valuation. A careers panel with an HR professional from a large company covers the skills recruiters look for, interview technique and personal branding on LinkedIn. The week's team challenge is the Fund Manager Competition: each team screens around ten companies, picks a portfolio of up to three stocks and pitches it to NYIF experts and the group. Flights home on day 7.
- Jul 18–24 New York City — week 2 of the program — Arrival on day 1 and check-in at the Times Square hotel. Then: The second week moves on to fintech and digital assets (cryptocurrency and blockchain), the future of finance, technical analysis and market indicators, diversification strategies, behavioural finance, a communication-skills workshop for finance careers, and an NYIF session on career paths across the industry. The team challenge is the Model Equity Portfolio Competition: teams read momentum, trend, volume and sentiment indicators, build a model portfolio from them and present their analysis to NYIF experts. Flights home on day 7.
- Both weeks Speakers & the city — Guest speakers — for example a wealth manager, a trader, a venture capitalist or a financial adviser — talk about their work and careers. Speakers change with their schedules, so the exact line-up is only confirmed close to the program. The New York highlights come from the same list as the full program — the Financial District walk, the High Line, Central Park, Times Square, the Edge, the 9/11 Memorial, South Street Seaport, Smorgasburg, the Hudson speedboat and a baseball game when the schedule allows. Which ones fall in your week depends on the schedule — ask us.
Where teens stay
The M Social Hotel Times Square — a modern hotel right in the middle of Manhattan, above the bustle of Times Square and within walking distance of many of the city's sights. Roommates are assigned by the staff, and Wi-Fi is included.
Meals
Breakfast and dinner are included every day — breakfast with hot and cold choices, dinner out at restaurants, often in a different New York neighbourhood each night (Chinatown, Chelsea, Greenwich Village, SoHo, Little Italy, Brooklyn…). Lunch is not included: teens pick cafés and small restaurants nearby in small groups, so plan for it in their spending money. Vegetarian, kosher-style, gluten-free (coeliac) and lactose-free diets and most allergies can be catered for if you tell us in advance.
More photos
Frequently asked questions
Which departure is right for my child?
This program is for teens in grades 9–12 (roughly ages 14–18), and the sheet and the operator's website agree on that. Dates: Jul 11–17 (week 1 of the full program) or Jul 18–24 (week 2) — the content is different, see the itinerary. The grade is the one your child is in during the 2026–27 school year — we'll help you match it to your school system. Dates are the operator's official start and end dates.
Who teaches the classes?
Instructors from the New York Institute of Finance — founded by the New York Stock Exchange in 1922 and today a training provider for banks, regulators and finance professionals worldwide. The teaching team are people with long careers on Wall Street (trading, asset management, banking, risk). The exact instructors for 2027 are confirmed in the spring.
Does my child need to know anything about finance already?
No — there are no prerequisites, and the program is designed for complete beginners as well as teens who already follow the markets. Before arrival, participants get free access to two short online lessons on the NYIF learning portal (basic macro- and microeconomics) and a live webinar on presenting and pitching. They're optional, but helpful for a teen who is new to the subject — and a good English warm-up.
What does a typical day look like?
On weekdays: breakfast at 8:30, finance class from 9:30, lunch at noon, then from 2:00 a team project, a guest speaker or another finance module. Around 4:30 the group heads out for a New York highlight, dinner is at 7:00 in one of the city's famous neighbourhoods, and there's an evening activity at 9:00. Weekends are for the city.
Is there a certificate?
Yes. On completion teens receive a certificate from the operator and the New York Institute of Finance, join NYIF's alumni network, and get invitations to NYIF's youth competitions and events during the year plus priority access to its Young Finance Scholar program. Reference letters are available on request — useful for university applications.
How do flights and arrival work?
The program starts and ends in New York, so you book a return flight to New York. Please check the operator's arrival and departure time windows with us before buying anything non-refundable. Staff meet your child at the airport and bring them to the hotel at no extra cost (or you can drop them at the hotel yourselves), and teens flying in from overseas can arrive the night before the official start with the extra hotel night included. On the last day the leaders take the group to the airport, help with check-in and stay until flights in the set window have left; flights back to Europe are usually overnight, so your child lands home the next day.
What exactly is included in the price?
The hotel, breakfast and dinner every day, all the classes, competitions and guest speakers, the city activities listed, local transport (subway and bus), Wi-Fi at the hotel, airport transfers for flights within the set time windows, tips and local taxes. Not included: flights to and from New York, lunches and snacks, spending money, laundry (one week of clothes is enough), the operator's application fee, and travel insurance — optional, but we strongly recommend it.
Is there a discount for enrolling early?
Yes — at the moment the operator takes US$200 off the tuition for early enrolment, so the 7-day program costs US$4,299 instead of US$4,499. It's a limited-time offer and the operator can end it at any point, so ask us whether it still applies before you decide. The price shown on this page is the full tuition.
Does my child need a visa or an ESTA?
Families arrange travel documents themselves. Teens with a passport from most EU countries need an approved ESTA (the online US travel authorisation) before they board — apply well ahead. Teens from other countries need a B-2 visitor visa, not a student visa — ask us. If a teen living outside North America is refused a visa before 1 June, the operator offers a move to another program, a roll-over to the following summer, or a refund minus US$450.
Who else will be in the group?
Mostly American high-school students — on most programs around 85% of participants come from the US, and the operator tries to limit how many teens from any one other country join each group. For an international teen that means a genuinely English-speaking group of motivated students with the same interest, which is a big part of the appeal.
How good does my child's English need to be?
A solid intermediate level — the operator recommends B1 or above for its career programs, because the classes, case studies, team projects and presentations all happen in English. Your child can ask for an English-speaking roommate, and one-to-one English conversation time with a staff member can be arranged daily or a few times a week.
Can my child come on their own?
Yes, and many do. The first days are built around icebreakers and getting-to-know-you activities, roommates are assigned by the staff, and team projects mean everyone works closely with new people from day one.
Are phones allowed?
Yes. Teens can bring their phone, so you can call or message them directly. The operator also runs a communication centre that's staffed every day of the summer, with someone on call around the clock for emergencies.