About

Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is an intensive five-week summer program that introduces high school students to the creative energy and speculative culture of architectural study. Held on CMU’s campus in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the program mirrors the early semesters of the School of Architecture (SoA) curriculum, emphasizing learning through making in a professional studio environment.

The session (June 20 – July 25, 2026) balances core studio design workshops with integrated coursework in analog drawing, digital media, seminars, and workshops. Students explore form, space, and composition while using advanced tools like Rhino 3D and Adobe Creative Cloud to address contemporary issues related to technology and the future of cities. Fridays are typically reserved for field trips to significant architectural sites in the Pittsburgh region, and the program culminates in a final showcase where students present their work to faculty and peers.

Pre-College Architecture is open to current high school sophomores and juniors who are at least 16 years old by June 20, 2026. Admission is competitive; while no prior experience or portfolio is required, submitting a work sample is highly recommended. For 2026, the Early Deadline is February 1 (required for scholarship and international applicants) and the Final Deadline is March 1. The 5-week residential cost is $10,744, and the commuter cost is $8,253, both of which include a required architecture supply kit. Full-tuition, need-based scholarships are available for eligible U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Architecture provides a substantive introduction to architectural thinking. By the end of the program, students have built a foundational portfolio of design solutions and gained the spatial reasoning skills necessary for collegiate-level study in architecture and environmental design.