2026 International Conference

Business Today’s 52nd International Conference will bring together a diverse group of business-oriented undergraduates from across the world for an all-expenses-paid conference in Manhattan this November 6th through 8th, 2026. 

This year’s theme, “The Social Architecture,” explores how the invisible structures of relationships, rituals, and trust shape every organization. In a world increasingly organized by data, platforms, and automation, this theme asks how leaders can design environments that still put people—rather than processes—at the center. Across industries, we’ll examine how culture is built (or broken) through everyday interactions, from team norms and meeting rhythms to how we onboard, mentor, and make decisions together. Through keynotes, panels, and interactive sessions, we’ll spotlight the practices that create deeper connection in an age of constant connection: spaces for genuine conversation, communities of belonging, and networks that prioritize depth over breadth. Ultimately, we ask: how do we build organizations that are not just high-performing, but humane—places where structure supports real learning, shared purpose, and lasting impact?

Past keynotes have included Steve Forbes (CEO, Forbes Magazine), Muhtar Kent (Former CEO of Coca-Cola), Wendy Kopp (CEO and Co-Founder of Teach For All), Jane Fraser (CEO, Citigroup), Douglas Peterson (former President & CEO of S&P Global), Anthony Capuano (CEO of Marriott International), Scott Mills (President & CEO of BET+).

The application deadlines are below. Applicants are selected on a rolling basis, so applying as early as possible is recommended. International students are STRONGLY encouraged to apply in the 1st round and will have decreased chances of being considered in the regular round. **Follow @businesstoday1968 on Instagram for application updates!**

Eligibility Notice: Applicants must be currently enrolled as undergraduate students at a college or university. Graduate students (e.g., MBA, MA, PhD) are not eligible. Please note: students currently enrolled at Princeton University are not eligible to apply.

Additionally, we are excited to announce that there is now one additional way of being accepted to the International Conference: the Impact Challenge! For more information about the Impact Challenge visit https://ic.businesstoday.org/impact-challenge.

We will also be hosting a virtual International Conference, in which attendees will receive the opportunity to attend executive seminars and panels from wherever they are. The virtual conference will happen at the same time as the in-person one. If interested, please check "Yes" for the question regarding consideration for the virtual conference.

Please note that the application is susceptible to deleting progress when refreshing. It is recommended to complete the application in one sitting or save your work in a separate document.

Please also note that the Student Relations team has multiple A.I. detection tools that will be randomly used on applications. Please do not use any A.I. large language models when completing the written portion of the application.

Feel free to reach out to [email protected] with any questions. Best of luck!

* Required fields
First name*
Last name*
Email address*
Location *
Phone number*
Resume*

Attach resume or Paste resume

Attach resume as .pdf, .doc, .docx, .odt, .txt, or .rtf (limit 5MB) or paste resume

Paste your resume here or attach resume file

LinkedIn Profile, portfolio, personal website, etc.
What is your gender?*
What is your race?*
What is your ethnicity?*
Are you a first-generation college student?*
Do any of the following apply to you?
1. US Citizen or National
2. US Lawful Permanent Resident (i.e., Green Card holder)
3. Person admitted as a Refugee to the US
4. Person granted Asylee status in the US*
If you answered no to the question above, do you hold a US Visa?
If you selected "Other," please specify which type of US Visa you hold.
If you answered no, please list the embassies you would be able to travel to get a visa:
Will you be enrolled as an undergraduate student in November 2026? (note: the Business Today International Conference is only open to undergraduate students enrolled in a 2-5 year academic program)*
College/University*
What is your major/concentration?*
What is your projected graduation date? (month/year)*
Grade Point Average (GPA) (score/total possible)*
Have you been involved with Business Today in the past? (previous conferences, seminars, etc.) If yes, please describe your past involvement and any meaningful takeaways from your experience in less than 100 words. If no, write N/A.*
If you were referred to the IC by someone, please enter the code they provided here.
Are you applying as a day participant?

Check this box if you live within 90 minutes of Midtown Manhattan and are not requesting hotel accommodations during the three-day conference. Note: Day participants are still expected to attend all conference programming across all three days. Business Today does not cover travel or lodging for day participants, but we do provide meals and full access to all conference events (Direct questions to [email protected]).*
Reflecting on your own life, describe a time when you went beyond 'surface-level' networking to build a relationship or community of real substance. How did you put people at the center of the experience? (250 words)*
Why do you want to attend the IC, and what do you hope to gain from the experience? (100 words)*
Give us a question that ChatGPT can’t answer. (25 words)*
Choose ONE of the following questions to answer, and indicate which one you are responding to in 50 words or less:

1) If you could travel to any point in the past or future for just ten minutes, you can’t change history, but you can bring back one physical object. What are you bringing back, and why?

2) You have been unexpectedly asked to give a 5-minute TED Talk on a topic you are strangely passionate about (that has nothing to do with business or school). What is the title of your talk, and why is this your obsession?*
What is one question you would ask an executive and why? (50 words)*
Optional (Recommended): Create a video introduction to yourself! Describe the world you come from (i.e. your country, your family, your community etc). How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations? (Video should be roughly 1 minute long)

Remember to be yourself, and submit an unlisted or public video on YouTube that can be accessed via a link that you submit here in this application.

Here are some examples of what this may look like. Feel free to approach it however you think best represents you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FLtmVe8XNk
https://youtu.be/wvBJ0ody1do?si=SJn2UbIygp-yGeUf
Human Check*