AIM Academy of Investment & Management
Finance & Investment Summer Program

Two weeks. Eight lessons.
One portfolio to defend.

A university-level introduction to finance and investing for students aged 13 to 18 — taught by a CEO who teaches finance at McGill, on campus or live online. No experience needed: just curiosity.

Apply now Sessions & prices

Program at a glance

AIM · Finance & Investment Summer Program

Experience level
Beginner-friendly · 3 levels: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Camp length
2 weeks, Monday – Friday
Schedule
60 hours · 8 am – 2 pm, 6 hours a day
Sessions
Summer · June to August
Ages
13 to 18 years old
Location
McGill University · or Online (live)
Price — McGill
$1,895 + tax
Price — Online
$1,495 + tax
Instructor
Ilyas Zakiat, CEO — CEO & Founder of BIASafe AI · Finance Lecturer at McGill
Class size
32 students · McGill
Course
Finance & Investment Management · 8 lessons
Certificate
Online certificate at the end of the course

Class description

Learn how money really works, what moves the stock market and how real investors choose what to buy — then put it into practice by managing a simulated $1,000,000 portfolio. In two weeks and eight lessons, guided by a CEO who teaches finance at McGill, you'll go from curious to confident: value investing, growth investing, reading financial statements and building a diversified portfolio.

Class 1 · Beginner

What you'll actually learn

The first class is the heart of the program. Eight lessons, two weeks, one capstone — here is the whole journey.

Class 1 · Beginner — class description

Finance & Investment Management

AIM · Finance & Investment Summer Program · 2 weeks · McGill University or Online · Beginner-friendly · Ages 13–18

How does money really work? What moves the stock market? And how do real investors decide what to buy? In two weeks and eight lessons, you'll find out — from a CEO who teaches finance at McGill.

This class starts with the psychology of money and the power of compound interest, then goes straight to what matters most for your future: investing and the stock market. Taught by Ilyas Zakiat — CEO of BIASafe AI, former portfolio manager and McGill finance lecturer — it turns complex ideas into clear, practical skills you'll use for the rest of your life. No experience needed: just curiosity.

Week 1

Money, Markets & the Investor's Mind

  • How money really works — the time value of money, simple vs. compound interest
  • The stock market & the mind — what a share is, what moves prices, investor biases, risk and diversification
  • Goals, risk & financials — your goals, your risk tolerance, and the five numbers that value a company
  • Reading the statements — balance sheet, income statement, cash flow and the analyst's checklist
Week 2

Building Your Portfolio

  • Building a portfolio — passive index investing, dollar-cost averaging, the blind portfolio challenge
  • Value investing — buying great companies on sale, and telling a bargain from a value trap
  • Growth investing — backing the companies of tomorrow, without paying too much for the future
  • Momentum & diversification — the habit that protects every strategy

Capstone — you'll manage a million dollars. A simulated $1,000,000 portfolio on a virtual stock exchange with real market data: one strategy, defined and defended in front of the class — and a CEO.

You'll leave with the tools real investors use, your own portfolio strategy, the confidence to talk about markets like a pro — and a certificate of completion.

Three levels

Come back next summer — and the one after.

Each class has eight lessons and its own capstone. Finish one level and the next one opens to you. Most students start with the Beginner class.

  1. 1

    Class 1 · Beginner

    Finance & Investment Management

    Ages 13–18 · no experience needed

    How money really works, how the stock market moves, how to read a company, and how to build a portfolio — value, growth, momentum and diversification.

    Capstone projectYou'll manage a million dollarsA simulated $1,000,000 portfolio on a virtual stock exchange — one strategy, defined and defended in front of the class.
  2. 2

    Class 2 · Intermediate

    Portfolio Management & the Markets

    Graduates of the Beginner class

    The economy and the markets, bonds, ETFs and asset allocation, measuring risk, valuation (DCF), moats, market history and factor investing.

    Capstone projectThe Fund Manager ChallengeRun a $1,000,000 multi-asset portfolio with a written investment policy, a benchmark and a risk scorecard — and present it to an investment committee.
  3. 3

    Class 3 · Advanced

    Advanced Investment Management: How the Pros Invest

    Graduates of the Intermediate class

    How Wall Street works, options and futures, rates and currencies, quantitative investing, hedge funds, private markets, risk management and AI.

    Capstone projectThe Investment Committee PitchDesign a professional strategy, run it on $1,000,000 with written risk limits and a trading journal — then pitch it to a mock investment committee.
The format

A typical day, and the two weeks.

Mornings are for the big ideas with Ilyas; afternoons are hands-on in the Investment Lab, on your own $1,000,000 portfolio.

A typical day — 8 am to 2 pm
8:00Market Morning — today's financial news, explained simply
8:30Main lesson — the key idea of the day, with Ilyas
10:00Break
10:15Workshop — real cases, exercises, games
11:30Lunch
12:00Investment Lab — team project and your virtual portfolio
13:30Recap & questions — what we keep from today
The two weeks — 10 days, 60 hours
Week 1 · Money, Markets & the Investor's Mind
D1Welcome — how money really works (lesson 1)
D2The stock market and the investor's mind (lesson 2)
D3Goals, risk and the five numbers of a company (lesson 3)
D4Reading the financial statements (lesson 4)
D5Workshop: we open the $1,000,000 virtual portfolio
Week 2 · Building Your Portfolio
D6Index investing, without the stress (lesson 5)
D7Value investing — great companies on sale (lesson 6)
D8Growth investing — the companies of tomorrow (lesson 7)
D9Momentum and diversification (lesson 8)
D10Portfolio presentations and certificates

The online class follows the same eight lessons live; its exact daily schedule is confirmed before registration opens.

Summer 2027

Sessions and prices

Three two-week sessions between the end of school and the start of the next year. Two are listed now; the third opens when the first two fill up.

  • Session 1
    Late June – early July 2027
    McGill campus · Online
    Registration opens soon
  • Session 2
    July 2027, before the construction holiday
    McGill campus · Online
    Registration opens soon
  • Session 3
    August 2027
    McGill campus · Online
    Join the waitlist
On the McGill campus $1,895 + tax
  • 2 weeks, Monday to Friday, 8 am – 2 pm (60 hours)
  • Small class of 32 students, taught in person by Ilyas Zakiat
  • Investment Lab every afternoon on the $1,000,000 portfolio
  • Online certificate of completion
Apply for the campus class
Online, live $1,495 + tax
  • The same 8 lessons and the same instructor, live from anywhere
  • Recordings, exercises and your portfolio in the student portal
  • Online schedule confirmed before registration opens
  • Online certificate of completion
Apply for the online class

Prices are in Canadian dollars, before taxes. Students 13 and under need a parent or guardian to register.

Why take the course?

Six reasons to spend two weeks of your summer with a CEO

  • Head start

    Get a head start on CEGEP and university.

  • Skills that matter

    Learn finance, economics and investment management — topics that matter today.

  • Certificate

    Earn an online certificate at the end of the course.

  • Learn from a CEO

    Learn from a CEO who teaches finance at McGill.

  • Careers

    Discover finance programs and careers.

  • Campus life

    Experience university life at McGill while still in high school.

Questions parents ask

Good to know before you apply

Does my child need any finance background?

No. The Beginner class starts from zero — what money is, what a share is — and builds up to a full portfolio strategy. Curiosity is the only prerequisite. Students who already invest will still learn a professional method they have never seen at school.

What ages can join?

Students aged 13 to 18 — from Secondary 2 to the first session of CEGEP. Under Quebec's privacy law (Law 25), students 13 and under are registered by a parent or guardian.

Is the program in English or French?

Classes, materials and the student portal are in English. Our team is bilingual, so parents are welcome to write to us in French.

Where exactly does the campus class take place?

On the McGill University campus in downtown Montreal. The exact building and room are confirmed by email before the session starts. AIM is an independent program run by Ilyas Zakiat, who teaches finance at McGill; it is not a McGill University program.

What does my child need to bring?

A laptop (or a tablet with a keyboard), a notebook, and lunch for the campus class. All software we use — the virtual stock exchange, spreadsheets, our student portal — is free.

Is there a certificate?

Yes. Every student who completes the two weeks and presents a portfolio receives an online certificate of completion signed by the instructor — useful for CEGEP and university applications.

Is real money involved?

Never. The $1,000,000 portfolio is simulated on a virtual stock exchange with real market data. Students learn the method without any financial risk.

How do we register and pay?

Start with the form below — it only tells us you're interested. We reply within two business days with the next steps. Registration and secure online payment open before each session; the full details are sent to parents by email.

Sign up — or find out more

Finance & Investment Summer Program · 2 weeks · McGill or Online

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