About

Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Design at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a six-week, studio-based summer program that introduces high school students to the iterative methods professional designers use to solve complex problems. Set on CMU’s campus in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the program mirrors the first-year studio experience of the School of Design, providing a foundational sense of an accredited design education.

Across the session (June 20 – August 1, 2026), participants engage in studio learning, lectures, and critiques taught by full-time CMU faculty. Students explore core practice areas, including Products, Communications, and Environments, alongside coursework in design drawing, photography, and research methods. Throughout the program, students prepare portfolio-ready pieces and receive faculty feedback to help package their work for future college applications.

Pre-College Design is open to current high school sophomores and juniors who are at least 16 years old by June 20, 2026, and have a minimum 3.0 GPA. While previous design experience is not required, submitting a portfolio is highly recommended; applicants should provide 5–10 images of original work that reflect their interest in the field. For 2026, the Early Deadline is February 1 (decisions sent March 15) and the Final Deadline is March 1 (decisions sent April 15). The 6-week residential cost is $12,204, and the commuter cost is $8,862, both of which include a required design supply kit. Students must provide their own laptop capable of running Adobe Creative Cloud and are encouraged to bring a digital camera.

Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Design provides a rigorous introduction to design thinking and studio practice. By the end of the session, students build the conceptual fluency and practical skills necessary to support further study in industrial, communication, or environmental design.