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Wharton Leadership in the Business WorldLBW

LBW is a three-week residential program of the Wharton Global Youth Program for juniors, teaching business and leadership through case analysis, business simulations and a case competition. Each session has about 120 students, there were three sessions in 2026, and the fee was $11,899.

Open to international students
Tuition

Plan your summer program applications Official website ↗

Size and selectivityAbout 120 per session

Photo: Gustavo Fring / Pexels

Eligibility: Open to international students
Cost: Tuition
Latest deadline: Mar 18, 2026

LBW at a Glance

Host: The Wharton Global Youth Program at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Field: Business and leadership: case analysis, business simulations, an analytical report on a public company and a case competition
Grades and age: Students currently in grade 11 (rising seniors)
Citizenship and residency: International applicants are welcome. Students whose schools do not teach in English submit English test scores (TOEFL iBT 100, IELTS 7 or Duolingo 130 minimum).
Cost: The 2026 fee is $11,899, covering tuition and materials, Penn housing, two meals each weekday and on Sundays, supervised activities, local transportation and a certificate. The application fee is a non-refundable $100. Admission is need-blind, but on-campus scholarships are limited to specific groups such as School District of Philadelphia students, NEON students and partner organization nominees.
Dates and format: Three weeks, residential, on Penn's Philadelphia campus, with three sessions in 2026: June 7 to 27, June 28 to July 18, and July 19 to August 8. The program covers case studies and frameworks, Wharton faculty and guest speakers, business simulations, an analytical report on a publicly listed company and a capstone case competition, ending with a Wharton Global Youth Certificate of Completion.
Application dates: Dates for 2027 have not been announced; the program site says applications open in November. In the previous cycle, the on-campus priority deadline was January 28, 2026 and the final deadline March 18, 2026, with decisions on March 11 and April 15.
Application materials: Online application; official or unofficial transcript; one teacher recommendation; short essays; English test scores where applicable; optional standardized test scores; the $100 fee. An unweighted GPA of 3.5 or higher is required.
Size and selectivity: Wharton calls admission to LBW highly selective, with about 120 students per session and three sessions in 2026; it does not publish applicant numbers or an admission rate.

Verified against official pages on 2026-10-06 · globalyouth.wharton.upenn.edu/programs-courses/leadership-in-the-business-world

About LBW

Leadership in the Business World (LBW) is run by the Wharton Global Youth Program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School for students currently in grade 11. The program lasts three weeks, students live in Penn housing, and there were three sessions in 2026. Students learn business and leadership through case studies and frameworks, Wharton faculty lectures, business simulations and group projects, write an analytical report on a publicly listed company, and take part in a capstone case competition.

Wharton calls LBW admission highly selective, with about 120 students per session and an unweighted GPA requirement of 3.5 or higher, but it does not publish applicant numbers or an admission rate. The program charges tuition, $11,899 in 2026; admission is need-blind, and on-campus scholarships are limited to specific groups. International students are welcome, and the site says 2027 applications open in November, with exact dates to be posted.

EDUBUS recommends treating LBW as a selective paid program: it suits students who want a structured look at business coursework and Wharton’s teaching. A summer program does not guarantee undergraduate admission, so compare it with free or low-cost business programs when planning.

How to Apply to LBW

LBW requires an unweighted GPA of 3.5 or higher, above the 3.3 minimum for most Wharton Global Youth on-campus programs. Check unweighted grades from grades 9 to 11 before applying.
In the previous cycle, the priority deadline was January 28 with decisions on March 11, and the final deadline was March 18. Aim the recommendation and essays at the priority deadline.
On-campus scholarships are limited to specific groups, so most families pay the full fee. Compare LBW with free or low-cost business programs before deciding.

Application Support for LBW

EDUBUS starts with an assessment of grades, competitions and research, then decides which programs to aim for and which to hold as back-ups. We then guide each application form, essay, qualifying problem set and interview, and help turn the summer into part of the college application.

Plan your summer program applications About our summer program service →

FeatureSummer Programs Recommended by MIT AdmissionsMIT Admissions lists 23 selective summer programs on its website. Each one is in this library, with eligibility, cost and selectivity.

LBW: Frequently Asked Questions

What grades does an Irvine junior need to apply to LBW?

LBW requires an unweighted GPA of 3.5 or higher, and standardized test scores are optional. An Irvine applicant submits a transcript, one teacher recommendation and short essays, with a $100 application fee.

Does LBW offer scholarships?

LBW admission is need-blind, but on-campus scholarships are limited to specific groups such as School District of Philadelphia students, NEON students and partner organization nominees. Students outside these groups usually pay the full 2026 fee of $11,899.

Can an international student studying in Irvine apply to LBW?

Yes, LBW welcomes international applicants. A student at an English-language high school in Irvine usually does not need English test scores; others submit TOEFL iBT 100, IELTS 7 or Duolingo 130 or higher.

How is LBW different from M&TSI?

Both are three-week on-campus programs listed by Wharton Global Youth, and both require an unweighted GPA of 3.5 or higher. LBW has about 120 students per session across three sessions and focuses on business and leadership; M&TSI admits 75 a year, links engineering and management, awards Penn college credit and requires two recommendations. Irvine students can choose by interest.

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Sources4 sources · checked 2026-10-06

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