If you’re a high school student interested in architecture but can’t commit to an in-person program, an online research program in the field is one option you should consider. You’ll develop key skills like digital modeling, technical drawing, and sustainable design, while exploring areas such as urban planning, architectural history, and real-world problem solving.
Whether you want to explore the design of green buildings or get better at spatial analysis, these programs help you build a solid portfolio and network as you apply to future internships or undergraduate programs.
To help you get started, here’s a list of 15 online architecture programs for high school students!
15 Online Architecture Research Programs for High School Students
1. Horizon Academic Research Program – Architecture/Design Track
Cost: $5,950 (full financial aid available)
Application Deadline: Summer: April 20 (regular-I), May 18 (regular-II)!
Program Dates: Summer: June 16! Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply 4 weeks in advance.
Eligibility: High school students, typically in 10th or 11th grade, with a 3.67+ GPA. Only a couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students in various fields, including architecture, design, data science, machine learning, political theory, biomedical engineering, chemistry, neuroscience, and psychology. If you’re interested in architecture or urban planning, the Environmental Health and Engineering course might be a good option, where you can research sustainability issues related to agriculture, urbanization, infrastructure, and modern engineering innovations.
Once you select a particular subject track and type of research you’ll be paired with a professor or Ph.D. scholar (from a top university) who will mentor you throughout your research journey. You’ll work to create a 20-page, university-level research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student.
The program includes a letter of recommendation for every student, plus feedback on projects that can assist with future work and college applications. Apply here!
2. Lumiere Research Scholar Program – Architecture Track
Cost: $5,900 (full financial aid available)
Application Deadline: Summer deadlines are usually in March, April, and May.
Program Dates: June to August (summer). Fall, winter, and spring cohorts are also available.
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum 3.3 out of 4 GPA
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program, founded by Harvard and Oxford researchers, offers high school students the opportunity to work one-on-one with PhD mentors to develop an independent research project in their subject area. If selected, you’ll work closely with mentors to create a college-level research paper based on your project, with additional support from writing coaches.
Throughout the program, you will explore your topic and attend workshops on the research process. By the end of the 12 weeks, you will produce an independent research paper. Some of the research topics are psychology, data science, economics, computer science, physics, engineering, international relations, chemistry, and more. More details about the application are here!
3. Carleton University’s Imagine Architecture
Cost: $600
Program Dates: July 28–August 1
Application Deadline: Rolling admission until filled
Eligibility: Students who have completed Grade 10, 11, or 12
This one-week online workshop introduces high school students to the basics of architecture through drawing, model-making, and spatial thinking. You’ll use tools like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to explore design concepts and create portfolio-ready work.
The sessions focus on themes such as human scale, observation, and materiality, and end with a final project presentation. All instruction takes place in a virtual studio setting, with one-on-one feedback and group critiques. You are expected to arrange your own software access, though free trials are available for many programs.
4. Cooper Union’s Introduction to Architecture Online
Cost: $2,980 (plus $40 application fee; students must purchase their own materials)
Program Dates: July 7–August 8 (5 weeks)
Application Deadline: June 1
Eligibility: Current high school students or recent high school graduates (international students eligible)
This five-week online program helps you build a strong architecture portfolio through daily live classes, critiques, and digital workshops. You’ll use tools like Rhino, Photoshop, and hand-drawing to explore space, structure, and design ideas. Each day includes lectures and seminars on topics like geometry and conceptual design, followed by feedback sessions on your work. You’ll complete several projects and finish the program with a digital portfolio and a Certificate of Completion from The Cooper Union.
4. Boston Architectural College Summer Academy
Cost: $2,000 (for-credit); $1,800 (not for credit)
Program Dates: June 30 (preview content) – August 1; live sessions run July 7–August 1
Application Deadline: June 9
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12, ages 14+
The online Summer Academy at Boston Architectural College is a five-week studio-style program where you’ll work on real-world design problems. You’ll build models, explore design ideas, and learn how to represent your thinking visually using tools provided in a mailed supply kit. Daily live sessions over Zoom include lectures, digital exercises, and feedback from practicing architects. The program ends with a digital pin-up and a portfolio that shows your creative growth and architectural thinking.
6. Fallingwater Virtual Summer Camps
Cost: $200 for Drawing by Hand; $250 for Portfolio Prep (includes mailed studio materials)
Program Dates: Drawing by Hand: June 30–July 3; Portfolio Prep: August 4–August 8
Application Deadline: Rolling until full.
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9–12; all skill levels welcome
Fallingwater’s online camps introduce you to architecture through the design philosophy of Frank Lloyd Wright. In the Drawing by Hand session, you’ll build sketching and visual communication skills through guided exercises. The Portfolio Prep track focuses on creating hand-drawn work you can use in design school applications. Both tracks include live Zoom instruction, studio time, and materials sent to your home. You’ll also work on developing your ideas through sketching, revision, and one-on-one feedback.
7. Global Solutions Lab
Cost: $250 (partial scholarships available)
Program Dates: June 16–20
Application Deadline: Rolling until capacity is reached
Eligibility: High school students, college students, and young professionals worldwide
The Global Solutions Lab is a five-day virtual program where you’ll work with students from around the world to design solutions for real global challenges. Guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, you’ll use tools like the NewWorld Game platform and AI-assisted research to plan strategies, analyze data, and develop project proposals. Each day includes briefings from UN experts, team research sessions, and collaborative work. You’ll wrap up the program by presenting your ideas to a panel of global leaders.
8. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Architecture Career Discovery
Cost: $1850
Program Dates: July 21–August 1
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 10–12
This two-week online program gives you a real look at what studying architecture in college is like. You’ll start by learning basic skills like sketching, drafting, and building models by hand. Then you’ll move into digital tools, using Rhino for 3D modeling and Adobe Creative Suite to create drawings and layouts.
You’ll practice things like making diagrams, rendering images, and putting together design boards. Along the way, you’ll get feedback from faculty and guest architects to help improve your ideas. The program follows a studio format and ends with a finished project you can include in your portfolio.
9.Virginia Tech Explore Architecture Summer Program
Cost: $250
Program Dates: July 15–20
Application Deadline: May 15 or until full
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9–12
This week-long virtual program gives you a taste of design studio culture through hands-on architecture challenges and guided tutorials. Led by Virginia Tech faculty, you’ll work on design prompts, attend short lectures on modern architectural projects, and participate in discussions and critiques, all within a real-time studio setting. You’ll focus on spatial thinking, drawing, and representation using both physical materials and digital tools.
10. Thomas Jefferson University Architecture & the Built Environment Academy
Cost: $300 per week/course (financial aid available)
Program Dates: July 14–18 or July 21–25 (Required) | July 21–25 or July 28–August 1 (Optional)
Application Deadline: June 24
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
The Jefferson University Architecture & the built environment academy’s program gives you a virtual introduction to fields like architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, construction management, and real estate development. You’ll work on hands-on design projects and take part in virtual visits to design firms to see how professionals work.
The program starts with a required introductory week, followed by optional weeks where you can focus on a specific area. You’ll get mentorship from design professionals and connect with Jefferson faculty. A supply kit is sent to you to help with your projects. This program helps you understand how design connects with real-world planning, development, and business decisions.
11. TeenArch Studio
Cost: $3,300 (includes $2,839 program fee, plus registration and campus fees)
Program Dates: June 30 – July 18 (3 weeks)
Application Deadline: June 13
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9–12 in Spring; must be 15 or older by June 23
TeenArch Studio’s virtual track offers a full-time, immersive design studio experience, similar to what you’d find in an undergraduate architecture program. You’ll work through a series of exercises in drawing, model-making, and 3D design, starting with origami-based studies and moving into digitally-informed spatial designs.
Live seminars, critiques, and lectures, led by UCLA faculty and alumni, will guide your work and connect it to current architectural ideas. At the end of the course, you’ll present your final project in a virtual exhibition, receive feedback, and earn 3 units of UC college credit (graded Pass/No Pass).
12. ‘T’ Space Architecture Residency
Cost: Free (travel stipend provided for in-person final component)
Program Dates: July 5 – July 28 (remote); August 4 – August 8 (in-person)
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Students and young professionals in architecture, design, or visual arts
This 25-day virtual residency invites you to dive into an intensive, theory-driven design studio focused on a site-specific project. You’ll participate in critiques, lectures, and pin-ups with established professionals, exploring experimental approaches to form, spatial strategy, and architectural concept development. The online format also includes virtual field trips to notable architectural sites in Dutchess County, NY. If selected, you’ll receive a travel stipend to attend an in-person final review and exhibition at the Steven Myron Holl Foundation campus.
13. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Virtual Architecture Summer Camp Academy
Cost: $575
Program Dates: July 20–26
Application Deadline: Rolling until full
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9–12, including recent graduates
This week-long online camp introduces you to architectural design through hands-on assignments and digital tools. You’ll work on a real-time design challenge, learning to represent your ideas using models, drawings, and verbal presentations. Sessions include instruction in 3D modeling software and reading architectural plans, all with guidance from UWM faculty and graduate students. On the final day, there’s an optional in-person tour and showcase, but the entire program is accessible remotely.
14. Build SF Summer Design Institute
Cost: $3,500 (early bird pricing: $3,000 up to one week before program start; financial aid available)
Program Dates: Session 1: June 9–27; Session 2: July 7–25
Application Deadline: Rolling until full
Eligibility: High school students
This three-week virtual design studio offers a focused introduction to architectural thinking, blending creative and technical skills. You’ll explore sketching, physical model making, and CAD tools while working on design challenges and receiving personalized feedback. Twice-weekly mentoring sessions with professional architects go beyond the daily group studio hours (9 a.m.–12 p.m. PDT). The program ends with a final design presentation and provides you with strong portfolio content for future academic or career applications.
15. Academy of Art University Pre-College Programs
Cost: None
Program Dates: Summer: Two-week sessions in June (in-person or online); Fall & Spring: Three Saturdays (in-person only)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students in grades 9–12
The Academy of Art University’s architecture-focused Pre-College Art & Design Experience (PCADE) offers tuition-free exposure to design thinking in both hands-on and virtual formats. You’ll explore urban design, architectural modeling, and spatial transformation through courses like Architecture and the City and Pavilion Architecture.
Onsite students can access a Makerspace to build physical models, while online learners focus on conceptual exploration. While the program is non-credit, it’s a great, low-pressure way to build your portfolio and test out architecture as a potential major.
Image source – Thomas Jefferson University