25 Summer Art Programs for High School Students in 2025
What’s Covered:
- 25 Summer Art Programs for High School Students
- How Impressive Are Summer Programs in College Admissions?
- Other Ways to Spend Your Summer
Summer programs are a great way to enrich your time between academic years, especially if you want to explore subject areas or deepen specific knowledge and skills that you wouldn’t have time for during the regular school year. For students interested in the visual arts, there are many summer program options for you to pursue your passion while surrounded by other aspiring artists.
While many pre-college programs are on the pricey side, a number of the ones listed here are free or offer significant tuition assistance.
25 Summer Art Programs for High School Students
1. City Art Lab
Dates: February 25 – May 13
Location: City College of New York (CCNY)
Application Deadline: February 14
Cost: Free
City Art Lab is a free 12-week after-school arts program for New York City high schoolers, based at City College of New York (CCNY). The program joins CCNY’s Art Education graduate students with local youth to collaborate on community-based art projects. High schoolers can explore new materials and methods with practicing artists, develop their artwork for a portfolio, and learn about college life on a Manhattan campus, all while meeting other artistically inclined teens from all over NYC.
Each program session concludes with an art exhibition to celebrate each year’s high school artists.
2. Academy of Art University Pre-College Art Experience (PCAE)
Dates: June 16– 26
Location: Academy of Art University
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: Free
Offered in the fall, spring, and summer semesters, the Pre-College Art Experience (PCAE) at the Academy of Art University is a free education program for high schoolers. Participants can dive into artistic fields such as fashion, animation, game design, fine art, photography, and filmmaking while getting a taste of college-level coursework and meeting other young artists.
3. UCLA Acting and Performance Institute
Dates:
- Residential Session: June 22 – July 12
- Commuter Session: June 22 – July 11
Location: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Application Deadline:
- Residential Session: June 6
- Commuter Session: June 13
Cost:
- Residential Session: $6,320
- Commuter Session: $4,961
This UCLA Acting and Performance Summer Institute is designed to immerse students in the world of high-level performing arts. Over the program’s three weeks, students learn about performance training, movement techniques, and writing, while working on a showcase performance put on at the end of the program. Students get practical experience in the creative process of a theater, including rehearsals, conceptualizing, writing, and performing.
4. UCLA Game Lab Summer Institute
Dates:
- Residential Session: July 20 – August 2
- Commuter Session: July 21 – August 1
- Online: July 7 – 18
Location: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) or online
Application Deadline:
- Residential Session: June 6
- Commuter Session: June 13
- Online: June 13
Cost:
- Residential Session: $4,779
- Commuter Session: $3,346
- Online: $2,695
UCLA frames game-making as an art form in this summer program. Students learn techniques to create both digital and physical games in either an in-person or virtual program. Throughout the program, students learn the fundamentals of game design, create 3D game characters with fully formed stories, build game worlds, and program and code their own games. Students leave the program with a portfolio of completed games or game assets that can be used for college or job applications.
5. Teen Gallery Guides at The Getty Center Museum
Dates: N/A
Location: Getty Center Museum
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: Free
The Getty Museum Teen Gallery Guide program is a paid summer internship opportunity for teens interested in learning the fundamentals of museum education. Interns are trained to lead guided experiences with the Getty Center’s collection for visiting K-12 summer groups. This is a great opportunity for high schoolers with an interest in art to also develop public speaking and facilitation skills. Interns are provided with transportation to and from the Getty Center, as well as a stipend.
A similar program is also offered at the Getty Villa.
6. California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA)
Dates: July 5 – August 1
Location: California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA)
Application Deadline: February 28
Cost:
- California residents: $4,830
- Out-of-state students: N/A
The California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) is a rigorous four-week, pre-professional visual and performing arts training program for high school students held each summer at the California Institute of the Arts. The Visual Arts Program is dedicated to helping students meet the challenges of contemporary art-making through assigned lessons. Students are assigned studio classes based on the interests they indicate on their application forms. The department offers studio classes in digital media, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture.
Scholarships are available and awarded on a need-based basis, though only to California residents.
7. University of Michigan Stamps Pre-College Summer Program
Dates:
- In-person Session 1: July 6 – 19
- In-person Session 2: July 20 – August 2
- Online: June 16 – 27
Location: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, or online
Application Deadline: March 14
Cost: $750–$5,550
Stamps Pre-College Summer Program at the University of Michigan is aimed at high school students (grades 9 - 12) interested in building a competitive portfolio. Students receive personalized training and advice as they immerse themselves in studio work and gain firsthand experience with the structure and rigor of college-level courses. Participants also gain insight into the college admission process from the Stamps Admission team.
Partial and full scholarships are available based on need and merit.
8. Parsons Summer Intensive Studies NYC
Dates:
- Session 1: June 9 – 27
- Session 2: July 7 – 25
Location: The New School
Application Deadline:
- Session 1: May 1
- Session 2: June 1
Cost: $5,400 plus fees
The three-credit art and design program at Parsons immerses high schoolers preparing for college in the environment of one of the most prominent design schools nationwide. Over the program’s three weeks, students dive deep into creative practices such as fine arts, illustration, photography, animation, graphic design, fashion design, product design, architecture, interior design, and design management. Participants also have the opportunity to attend art and design field trips and meet industry professionals.
All studio courses are geared toward developing and enhancing college application portfolios.
9. Parsons Summer Academy
Dates: July 28 – August 8
Location: The New School
Application Deadline: July 15
Cost: $1,600 plus fees
Parsons Summer Academy offers a number of art-focused courses for high schoolers in grades 9 through 12. For example, some of the courses offered include:
- Animation Design
- Architecture
- Digital Video and Photography
- Fashion Design
- Illustration
- Interior Design
- Painting and Drawing
- Product Design
In addition to building hard skills through hands-on activities, participants also develop soft skills like creative thinking and collaboration.
10. Otis College of Art and Design Summer of Art
Dates: July 7 – August 1
Location: Otis College of Art and Design
Application Deadline: June 23
Cost: $2,490–$7,190
The intensive program at Otis College of Art and Design is aimed at students 14.5 and older who seek to strengthen and enhance their art and design skills. Students are taught by award-winning practicing artists. The program includes drawing studio courses, as well as specialization courses, which deepen skills in a specific area of artistic studies, such as architecture, concept art, digital media, graphic design, and printmaking. The program also includes lectures and final critiques.
11. Ringling College of Art and Design PreCollege
Dates: June 22 – July 19
Location: Ringling College of Art and Design
Application Deadline: May 1
Cost: $4,615–$6,675
Located in Sarasota, Florida, Ringling College offers an intensive four-week program that teaches students the fundamentals of art and design, allowing them to earn college credit and meet like-minded artists from around the world. The program revolves around core classes for fundamental skill-building, as well as immersions for deeper investigation in areas of interest. Some unique immersions include computer animation, game design, digital illustration, and the business of art and design.
The program welcomes both residential and commuter students between the ages of 16 and 18.
12. The Putney School Summer Arts
Dates: June 30 – July 26
Location: The Putney School
Application Deadline: Rolling
Cost: $1,500 – $9,950
Located in Southern Vermont, The Putney School Summer Arts is a technology-free arts program for teens—participants turn in their cell phones and other internet-ready devices at the beginning of the session. Students in grades 9 through 12 can sign up for a three-week immersive, one-week intensive, or both sessions (totaling four weeks). The Putney School focuses on process over product and stresses its supportive environment.
Need-based financial aid is available to qualifying students.
13. California College of Arts Pre-College
Dates: July 7 – August 1
Location: California College of the Arts
Application Deadline: June 10
Cost: $5,615 – $8,075
Set on CCA’s San Francisco campus, this pre-college program is offered to students who have completed at least their sophomore year in high school by the summer they attend the program. Students take studio-focused, college-level courses to help push beyond concepts to portfolio-ready pieces while having the option to earn three college credits. In addition to more traditional programs such as painting and drawing, areas of potential study also include comics, jewelry making, and UI/UX interaction design.
14. SCAD Rising Star
Dates: June 29 – July 25
Location: Savannah College of Art and Design (both at its Savannah and Atlanta campuses)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Cost: $6,490
The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), with campuses in Savannah and Atlanta, offers a Rising Star program in which students take part in two college-level, credit-earning courses taught by faculty at the school. These credits are transferable to other institutions, should a student not attend SCAD for their higher education. Courses span a variety of disciplines and include demonstrations, lectures, studio work, and field trips to various historical sites, museums, parks, and music venues around the area. Students have access to the university’s libraries and studios featuring extensive technology resources.
15. Summer Art Intensive at The Cooper Union
Dates: July 14 – August 7
Location: The Cooper Union
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $4,000
The Cooper Union Summer Art Intensive program offers rising sophomores to rising seniors an opportunity to experience the art college environment and learn from professional art instructors while meeting peers who share their interests. Students can choose from concentrations in drawing, animation, graphic design, and studio practice. Students are included in special focus workshops, social events, field trips, and an exhibition for program-created work.
16. Summer Arts Camp at Interlochen Center for the Arts
Dates: Varies
Location: Interlochen Center for the Arts
Application Deadline: Rolling
Cost: $1,950 – $10,180
The Interlochen Arts Camp offers many programs, including creative writing, dance, film and new media, interdisciplinary arts, music, and theatre. Their classes include students in grades 3-12 and offer a diverse experience for participants. Students are included in classes, rehearsals, and performances, with plenty of activities available in their free time, like crafts, swimming, basketball, and field trips.
Students live on the 1,200-acre campus that features over 120 cabins, two lakes, three dining halls, and several open-air venues.
17. Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Art Program
Dates:
- Three-week Session: June 22 – July 12
- Six-week Session: June 21 – August 2
Location: Carnegie Mellon University
Application Deadline: March 1
Cost:
- Three-week Session: $5,975 – $7,676
- Six-week Session: $8,773 – $11,791
At Carnegie Mellon, high school students can develop their artistic skills in a college studio environment. Classes are held mornings and afternoons with a curriculum focusing on the fundamentals of technical skills, the growth of conceptual thinking, and how they can be applied to artistic practice. Each student is signed up for four classes per three-week session with schedules generated upon enrollment. Courses include:
- Drawing
- Sculpture
- Animation
- Painting
- Digital Photography
- Printmaking
18. MassArt Pre-College Summer Studios
Dates: July 21 – August 15
Location: Massachusetts College of Art and Design or online
Application Deadline:
- For-credit: May 5
- Non-credit: May 31
Cost: $3,550 – $4,520
The Massachusetts College of Art and Design offers a four-week program for artistically inclined high schoolers. The Summer Studios program is an intensive experience in which students develop their skills in art and create the beginnings of a portfolio. Students attend three courses- 2D Fundamentals, 3D Fundamentals, and Issues and Images, all of which serve to build their artistic foundations at the college level. They are also able to choose an elective that begins in the program’s third week and extends throughout the rest of the course.
19. ASU Summer Art Camps
Dates: Varies
Location: Arizona State University
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $450 – $550
The Summer Art Camps hosted by Arizona State University’s School of Art are aimed at students ages 13-18. They are predominantly four-day camps for students at any experience level in which students are exposed to a variety of studio art practices and meet others with similar interests and receive feedback from specialized instructors. With all the materials provided, campers only need to bring themselves and their creativity.
ASU offers a variety of program mediums, including:
- Woodworking
- Comics
- Stop Motion Animation
- Portrait Painting
- Clay Sculpting
- Screenprinting
20. Rhode Island School of Design Pre-College Program
Dates: June 28 – August 2
Location: Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Cost: $9,300 – $12,095
Spend five weeks experiencing what life is like at one of the country’s most prestigious art and design schools in this immersive summer program. Participants push themselves as artists, following a college curriculum and exploring new tools, techniques, and materials. Ultimately, students will get out of their comfort zone, refine their work, and strengthen their portfolios.
21. Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) Pre-College Program
Dates:
- Two-week Session 1: June 29 – July 12
- Two-week Session 2: July 13 – 26
- Four-week Session: June 29 – July 26
Location: Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA)
Application Deadline: April 30
Cost:
- Two-week Session 1: $2,600 – $3,660
- Two-week Session 2: $2,600 – $3,660
- Four-week Session: $5,200 – $7,320
This program for rising high school juniors and seniors offers a college experience with creatively like-minded peers while allowing students to develop their artistic techniques and skills. Participants follow a college-level curriculum that includes classroom instruction, studio time, workshops, and seminars.
The program is available in two formats: residential and commuter.
22. Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) Pre-College Program
Dates: Varies
Location: Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD)
Application Deadline: May 1
Cost: $1,785 – $3,620
MIAD offers two pre-college summer programs for high schoolers: Core Studio Concepts and Advanced Studio Concepts. Regardless of which program students take, they’re guaranteed to spend their days making art, experiencing college-level curriculum, and connecting with other creative students from around the country.
23. School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) Early College Program Summer Institute (ECPSI)
Dates:
- Session 1: June 16 – 27
- Session 2: July 7 – 18
- Session 3: July 21 – August 1
- Session 4: July 7 – August 1
- Session 5: August 4 – August 8
Location: School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Cost: $2,728 – $10,712
ECPSI allows artistic high schoolers to bring their ideas to life while experimenting with a multitude of forms of media and creating portfolio-quality work. Students will experience what it’s like as an undergraduate at a competitive art school—tackling rigorous coursework, participating in workshops, spending time in the studio, and receiving mentorship from renowned faculty—all while living and learning on a college campus.
Participants in the program can earn college credit and, if applying to SAIC’s undergraduate program, can have the portfolio requirement of their college application waived.
24. Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) Pre-College Program
Dates:
- Session 1: July 6 – 18
- Session 2: July 20 – August 1
Location: Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA)
Application Deadline: March 5
Cost: $2,450 – $5,950
CIA’s pre-college program is open to students in grades 9 through 12. The immersive program provides high schoolers the opportunity to experience college life, build a portfolio, and bolster their artistic skills. Courses are available in a variety of disciplines, including:
- Animation
- Bookmaking and Zine Creation
- Game Design
- Graphic Design
- Illustration
- Painting
- Photography
- Printmaking
- Sculpture Fabrication
- Video production.
25. University of Hartford Pre-Collegiate Visual Arts Portfolio Workshop
Dates: July 7 – August 1
Location: University of Hartford
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $995
This unique summer workshop connects young artists with other creative young people while teaching them to problem solve and bolstering their portfolios. This program is aimed at students serious about studying art who are considering a college track in art or design and helps them build a robust college application and the skills needed to succeed in an art program.
How Impressive Are Summer Programs in College Admissions?
Summer programs, as part of your extracurricular activities, show colleges your dedication to and pursuit of your artistic passions. In addition, you will likely come away with a solid portfolio that you can build upon to submit as part of your college application. Different colleges weigh extracurriculars like summer art programs differently. CollegeVine’s free admissions calculator can tell you how colleges value your extracurricular activities. It uses factors like grades and test scores (and extracurriculars) to estimate your odds of acceptance at hundreds of schools across the country. It can also provide insight into how to improve your profile.
Other Ways to Spend Your Summer
Though summer break provides you with the most time to explore your passions, it is not the only time, and participating in summer programs is not the only way to pursue your interest in art. You can spend the summer touching up your foundational art skills on your own, like drawing and painting. Entering art competitions is a great way to have your college application stand out, as well as show your merit as a young artist.
While we listed some paid programs in this list that operate like internships, there are many more official summer art internship programs. Internships demonstrate initiative and combine your passion for art with a clear career direction.
