If you’re fascinated by skylines, floor plans, or how spaces are designed, architecture camps are a great way to start exploring that interest while you’re still in high school. These programs go beyond theory. You get to sketch ideas, work with design software, build models, and think like a real architect. Instead of just admiring buildings, you learn how to design them from the ground up.
Why join an architecture camp in high school?
Architecture camps give you hands-on exposure to the creative and technical side of design. You’ll learn how to think spatially, experiment with sustainable design concepts, and understand how form, function, and environment come together in real-world structures. Whether you’re interested in urban planning, green architecture, interior spaces, or structural design, these camps help you build confidence and start developing a portfolio that can be useful for college applications.
Many of these camps are led by architects, university professors, and industry professionals, giving you a real taste of what studying and working in architecture looks like. You’ll also get the chance to test if this path genuinely excites you before committing to it long term.
If you’re also interested in architecture summer programs, you can explore our guide for high school students here.
To help you with your search, here are 15 architecture camps for high school students.
15 Architecture Camps for High School Students
1. Pre-College Architecture Studio @ Georgia Tech
Location: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Cost: $3,500
Application deadline: May 1; first-come, first-served admission starting from January 15
Dates: Session 1: June 14 – 26 | Session 2: July 5 – 17
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
Georgia Tech’s College of Design offers high schoolers workshop-style camp-like programs covering architectural and design concepts. Over the course of two weeks, you will attend studio-based sessions to explore architecture, industrial design, construction, and urban planning. You will engage in team projects, site visits, and sessions led by guest speakers to learn about different aspects of design. The program also focuses on introducing you to architectural problem-solving.
2. Penn State Architecture and Landscape Architecture Summer Camp
Location: Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Cost: $1,100
Application deadline: June 16
Dates: July 12 – 16 | July 19 – 23
Eligibility: High school students, including rising freshmen and recent graduates
This summer camp provides an introduction to architecture and landscape architecture through activities that simulate university-level design programs. You will engage in studio work and collaborative projects designed to develop your creative and technical skills. The program includes design challenges, hands-on drawing and model-making activities, field visits, and lectures that help you explore the built environment and design principles. The program offers opportunities to build foundational knowledge, refine your design process, and gain insight into professional design education paths. The camp also allows you to connect with faculty and students and experience campus life.
3. University of Illinois Chicago’s High School Architecture Program (HiArch)
Location: University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: $450 for one week | $650 for two weeks; scholarships available
Dates: Week 1: July 21 – 25 | Week 2: July 28 – August 1
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students
UIC’s HiArch is a one- to two-week camp-like program that allows you to work in a studio and explore the fields of architecture and design. You will work on studio projects, learning how to use handmade and digital media, plans, and elevations. Your peers and the program faculty will offer feedback to help you refine your work. Lectures led by guest faculty members and practicing architects will help you gain insights into the ongoing architectural work within Chicago and around the world. Additionally, you will submit a design and drawings of a given structure.
4. UCLA’s TeenArch Studio
Location: Virtual or in-person at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: TBA
Application deadline: Unspecified
Dates: June 30 – July 18
Eligibility: High school students who are 15 or older by June 23
TeenArch Studio’s virtual option offers a structured, full-time design studio-based program based on an introductory architecture course. You will work on a series of assignments in drawing, model building, and three-dimensional studies, starting with paper-based explorations and moving toward digitally developed spatial exercises. The program includes live seminars, critiques, and lectures led by UCLA faculty and alumni. You will conclude the session with an online review of your final project, receiving written and verbal feedback, and earning three quarter units of UC credit on a Pass/No Pass basis.
5. Camp ARCH | Texas A&M University College of Architecture
Location: Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Cost: $1,500 (includes dormitory accommodations, three meals daily, snacks, social activities, souvenir items, and class supplies)
Application deadline: March 1
Dates: July 6 – 11
Eligibility: Rising 10th – 12th graders
Camp ARCH is a one-week residential summer camp designed to introduce you to the fundamentals of architectural design and offer first-hand college experience. You can choose from four tracks—urban planning, architecture, construction science, and landscape architecture. Within the chosen track, you will attend studio workshops and lectures, engage in hands-on design projects, and build essential skills such as drawing, modeling, and conceptual thinking. Alongside academic activities, the camp provides social events to help you network with peers. You will gain insights into architecture as a potential academic and career path, and by the end of the week, you will also have developed a portfolio-ready piece.
6. North Carolina State University’s Design Camp: High School Explorations
Location: North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
Cost: $900 (includes meals, instruction, supplies, activities, and insurance)
Application deadline: No deadline; registrations after April 10 incur a $50 fee
Dates: July 27 – 31
Eligibility: Rising 9th – 12th grade students
This week-long summer camp introduces you to the design process through four condensed studio projects. The curriculum spans all the disciplines offered at NC State’s College of Design, including Industrial Design, Architecture, Graphic and Experience Design, and Media Arts, Design and Technology. You will learn about creative design approaches while participating in critical thinking exercises and presentations designed to inform you about potential academic and career paths in design. The camp is limited to 80 students and is split into sessions with a low student-to-staff ratio (5:1) to offer personalized guidance.
7. Auburn University’s Architecture Camp
Location: Auburn University, Auburn, AL
Cost: $900; scholarships available
Application deadline: Not specified; registration opens on December 16
Dates: Session 1: June 1 – 5 | Session 2: June 15 – 19 | Session 3: July 13 – 17
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and rising seniors
Auburn’s Architecture Camp is a week-long residential experience designed to immerse you in college-level architectural studio work. Each day, you will participate in hands-on design activities, technical demonstrations, and engage with professional guest speakers from architecture and related fields. The camp provides individualized guidance to support your creative and technical skill development. Faculty from architecture, landscape architecture, and fine arts lead the program. You will also experience campus life by residing in university dorms, eating in campus dining halls, and taking part in social and recreational activities in the evenings.
8. City College of New York’s Architecture Summer Career Lab
Location: City College of New York, New York, NY
Cost: $2,500 + $25 non-refundable registration fee
Application deadline: Unspecified
Dates: July 7 – August 1
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16
City College of New York’s Architecture Summer Career Lab introduces high schoolers to the architectural practice, core design concepts, and the steps involved in developing a project. Here, you will attend lectures covering fundamental ideas, join workshops that focus on drawing and model construction, and receive individual critiques on your work. The program also includes visits to nearby neighborhoods for on-site observation, along with talks from practicing architects and tours of professional offices. Through these activities, you gain a clearer sense of how architects work and the range of roles within the field.
9. Mississippi State University’s Architecture Summer Camp: Design Discovery
Location: Mississippi State University School of Architecture, Starkville, MS
Cost: $700 (includes $100 non-refundable deposit paid at registration); scholarships are available for eligible students.
Application deadline: May 15 (first-come, first-served enrollment)
Dates: One week in the summer; exact dates TBA
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores through rising college freshmen; older students can apply after contacting the Mississippi State University School of Architecture.
Design Discovery is a week-long hands-on camp that is designed to simulate the intensity and scope of architectural education, offering you insights into the field and related disciplines. Over the course of the week, you will attend lectures and workshops covering freehand drawing, conceptual modeling, and product design, along with engaging in full-scale construction activities. Visits to examine modern buildings and campus architecture will offer real-world context and sketching opportunities. You will also work on a series of design projects culminating in a final project on a residential design unit. The camp also aims to help ease the transition into first-year architecture college studios by providing exposure to architectural faculty, high-level students, and professional processes.
10. University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Career Explorations in Architecture, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture Camp
Location: University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s College of Architecture, Lincoln, NE
Cost: $650 (includes studio supplies, program fees, meals, and lodging); scholarships available
Application deadline: April 10
Dates: June 7 – 12
Eligibility: Students who have completed two or more years of high school education
This workshop-style camp is designed for high school students who want to explore careers in architecture and design through hands-on studio work, discussions, and presentations. You will work within a design studio environment, studying architectural conventions, client/designer simulations, and creative problem-solving. The program also includes virtual visits to architecturally significant buildings and iconic landscapes to help you connect architectural theory to practice. You will explore architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design as career paths.
11. University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Summer Design Camp
Location: University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
Cost: Not specified (you can check the site for updated fees); scholarships available
Application deadline: May 1
Dates: July 12 – 18
Eligibility: High school students interested in architecture, interior architecture, graphic design, or related design fields
The Summer Design Camp at UT Knoxville is a week-long program for high school students who want to explore various design disciplines, including architecture, interior architecture, and graphic design. You will learn about foundational design principles such as color, space, pattern, form, and composition through hands-on analog and digital projects. You will also explore design topics, including theory, history, tech, and professional practice, while gaining insights into college-level design education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The camp features instruction from university faculty and upper-class student mentors, alongside design explorations both on campus and around downtown Knoxville. Apart from academic exploration, you can participate in evening activities like swimming, soccer, painting the campus rock, and social events.
12. The Hip Hop Architecture Camp
Location: Multiple locations (events held across the U.S.)
Cost: Not specified, but typically free or sponsored. Additional scholarships, including a $10,000 Hip Hop Architecture Scholarship, are available.
Application deadline: Varies by camp sessions/events
Dates: One-week camps; dates vary by location
Eligibility: Youth, primarily underrepresented high school students interested in architecture, urban planning, and design
The Hip Hop Architecture Camp uses Hip Hop culture as a creative lens to engage underrepresented youth in architecture and urban design. You will explore architecture and design concepts while connecting them to your community through activities like writing and recording original songs inspired by architectural observations and social critiques. The program emphasizes culturally relevant teaching methods and community awareness alongside architectural education. Past camp projects have included collaborations focused on reimagining historic neighborhoods and addressing social issues through design. Additionally, the camp offers scholarships and public music releases to celebrate participant work and amplify youth voices.
13. Louisiana State University Pre-College Camps: Architecture Design Camp
Location: Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
Cost: Not specified (you can check the site for updated registration details and fees); scholarships available
Application deadline: Not specified
Dates: May 31 – June 5
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10 – 12
The Architecture Design Camp at Louisiana State University is a week-long camp designed to introduce you to the fundamentals of architectural design, spatial thinking, and creative problem-solving. Through studio projects, lectures, and hands-on activities, you will build skills in drawing, model making, and digital design techniques. The camp also provides opportunities to engage with faculty and current students, allowing you to explore academic pathways in architecture and related disciplines. You will also experience campus life, gain access to the resources available at LSU’s School of Architecture, participate in critiques, and engage in field trips at camp.
14. Fallingwater Virtual Summer Camps
Location: Virtual
Cost: $200 for Drawing by Hand | $250 for Portfolio Prep (includes mailed studio materials); scholarships available
Application deadline: Rolling until full
Dates: Drawing by Hand: June 22 – 26 | Portfolio Prep: August 3 – 7
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9–12; all skill levels welcome
Fallingwater, part of the non-profit Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, runs online architecture camps for high schoolers. The camps use Frank Lloyd Wright’s work as a starting point to help you explore architectural concepts. In the Drawing by Hand track, you will focus on building basic sketching and visual communication skills through guided exercises. The Portfolio Prep track focuses on the creation of hand-drawn work that you can use in future design applications. During each camp, you will develop ideas through iterative sketches, revisions, and one-on-one feedback. Both tracks offer live Zoom sessions, independent studio time, and mailed supply kits.
15. Center for Architecture: Architectural Design Studio
Location: Lutron office, New York, NY
Cost: $1,750
Application deadline: TBA
Dates: July 21 – August 1 | August 4 – 15
Eligibility: Students in grades 10 – 12
This two-week camp is designed for high school students who want to explore architecture or begin assembling design work for a portfolio. The structure reflects an introductory college-level studio, offering you guidance from instructors working in the field. You will engage in site analysis, learn through precedent studies, and work on individual projects that help you build basic drawing and model-making skills. You will use what you learn over two weeks to complete an independent project, moving from concept to final design. Instruction centers on helping you produce thoughtful, well-documented work and includes regular critique sessions with experienced educators.
One more option—Horizon Academic Research Program
If you are looking for a competitive mentored research program in an area of your choice, you can consider applying toHorizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! It is a selective virtual research program that allows you to engage in advanced research and come up with a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1,000+ high school students so far, offering 600+ research specialisations to choose from. You can find the application link here!
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