If you are a high school student, exploring art through a structured program can help you grow your skills, try new techniques, and understand what it means to think and work like an artist. Online pre-college art programs make this possible from anywhere, eliminating the need to travel or relocate.
These programs combine live classes, studio projects, and feedback from working artists. You’ll learn how to build a portfolio, present your ideas, and get used to the pace and structure of college-level art education.
To help you find the right fit, here are 15 online art programs for high school students!
15 Online Art Research Programs for High School Students
1. Art History, UCLA Summer Online
Location: Online
Cost: Varies from course to course. Check here
Application Deadline: August 8
Dates: August 4 – September 12
Eligibility: High school students in 9th – 12th grade in Spring
ART HIS C114D: Selected Topics in Ancient Art – Ancient Art and Its Afterlives is an online summer course offered by the UCLA Department of Art History. It asks you to study how artworks from the ancient world have been reused, reinterpreted, or politicized from antiquity to the 20th century. You will learn how to read images and texts carefully, write strong arguments, and explore topics like nationalism, colonialism, and museum ethics.
The course includes independent research, close analysis of visual and historical sources, and regular feedback from UCLA faculty. You will complete a final paper or project that shows your ability to think critically about how ancient art connects to modern debates.
2. Horizon Research Programs – Art Track
Location: Online
Cost: $5,950. Need-based financial aid is available
Program Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September)
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer, and Fall cohorts. The summer II cohort application deadline is June 22.
Eligibility: High-achieving high school students (GPA > 3.67/4.0), primarily 10th and 11th graders, are eligible to apply. Few program tracks have formal prerequisites; details are available here.
The Horizon Academic Research Program is a trimester-long online research program for high school students. You can choose an art-related track, such as Ancient Greco-Roman History, and explore it through a personalized research project.
You will work one-on-one with a mentor, meet regularly to develop your topic, and build your skills in reading, analysis, and academic writing. By the end of the program, you will complete a 20-page research paper that shows deep understanding and original thought.
3. Design Media Arts Summer Institute, UCLA
Location: Online
Cost: Varies from course to course. Check here.
Application Deadline: June 13
Program Dates: July 21 – August 1
Eligibility: High school students in 9th – 12th grade in Spring
The Design Media Arts Summer Institute – Session B is a two-week online program run by UCLA’s Department of Design Media Arts. It is for high school students who want to explore digital art and design through hands-on projects.
You will work with industry tools and explore four main areas: 2D image-making, internet art, 3D worldbuilding using Unity, and motion design through video and animation.
The program combines technical skills with creative thinking and introduces you to the social and visual ideas behind digital media. You will complete a multimedia project and present it in an online showcase.
4. Summer Internships, National Gallery of Art
Location: Hybrid
Cost: No cost, but a stipend of $25.26 per hour is paid
Application Deadline: Feb 21
Program Dates: June 2 to Aug 1
Eligibility: All high school students are eligible to apply with 2 references and work samples
The Summer Internship Program at the National Gallery of Art is a nine-week hybrid program for high school students interested in museums, curation, and art history. You will work on a research or project-based assignment with help from museum staff.
Weekly sessions with curators, directors, and administrators will show you how museums operate and how different departments work together. The program ends with a presentation of your final project.
5. Lumiere Research Scholar Program – Art Track
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Full financial aid available
Program Dates: The summer cohort runs from June to August, the Fall cohort from September to December, the Winter cohort from December to February, Spring cohort from March to June
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. The deadline for Summer Cohort II is June 23
Eligibility: High school students with a GPA of 3.3 or higher; no prior experience needed
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students in fields that you can explore as a high schooler, including art history.
The program pairs high-school students with PhD mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an art project of your own! You can choose research topics from subjects such as fashion design, architecture, music, sound design, and more.
You can find more details about the application here!
6. Pre-College Summer Studios – Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt)
Location: Virtual options
Cost: $3,550 (Virtual Version)
Application Deadline: May 31
Program Dates: July 21 – August 15
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
MassArt’s Pre-College Summer Studios is a four-week online program offered by the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, designed to develop foundational and conceptual skills across multiple visual art disciplines.
You will engage in structured coursework in 2D and 3D Fundamentals, as well as in Issues & Images, where techniques such as observational drawing, spatial construction, and critical art analysis are central to the curriculum.
Elective options such as Illustration and Mixed Media allow you to experiment with storytelling, material exploration, and visual communication.
7. Summer Pre-College Programs | U-M Stamps
Location: Online
Cost: $750
Application Deadline: March 14
Program Dates: June 16 – June 27
Eligibility: High schoolers from grades 9-11
The Virtual Portfolio Prep program at the University of Michigan’s Stamps School of Art & Design is a two-week online course for high school students who want to build or improve their college art portfolio. You will take classes modeled after Stamps’ undergraduate program in drawing, 2D, 3D, and 4D studios.
These classes cover both traditional and digital tools, including spatial design, animation, and time-based art. You will also get help writing about your work, preparing your portfolio, and understanding what art schools look for. The program includes faculty critiques, peer reviews, and portfolio sessions with admissions staff.
8. RISD: About Advanced Program Online
Location: Online
Cost: $1,380
Application Deadline: 12 June and 10 July
Program Dates: Session I: June 14–July 12; Session II: July 13–August 10
Eligibility: High school students from grades 10–12 or who are between 15-18 years of age
The Advanced Program Online from the Rhode Island School of Design is a virtual summer course for high school students in grades 10 to 12 who want a college-level art experience. You will complete assignments that focus on experimentation, concept-building, and creative thinking.
The program helps you develop a flexible art-making process and encourages you to reflect on your ideas through both visual and written work. You will also build key skills for applying to art and design schools, including visual analysis, portfolio development, and research-based practice.
9. Internship Program | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Location: Online
Cost: Free
Application Deadlines: Not specified
Program Dates: September through May
Eligibility: All applicants must be high school students
The Gilder Lehrman History School is a free online program for high school students who want to study U.S. history in depth with college-level instruction. You will take live, discussion-based classes taught by historians and educators from across the country.
The topics change each year but often include major themes like the Cold War, the Constitution, immigration, and Black lives in early America. You’ll work with primary sources, write essays using historical evidence, and learn how to build strong arguments. You’ll also practice reading like a historian and take part in conversations about different interpretations of the past.
10. Early College Program Online Summer Institute | School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Location: Online
Cost: $1,848 – $3,696
Application Deadline: March 1
Program Dates: June 16 to Aug 8
Eligibility: Students must be at least 15 years old and not older than 18 years, and must have completed their sophomore year of high school to enroll
The Early College Program Online Summer Institute, run by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), is a virtual program for high school students who want to take their art and design skills to the next level. You’ll join live classes with SAIC faculty, artists, and designers who guide you through new techniques, creative problem-solving, and real-time feedback.
The courses focus on both ideas and technical skills, helping you explore materials and concepts while building a strong portfolio. You will work independently, join group critiques, and connect with classmates from around the world. You’ll also meet visiting artists and take part in one-on-one mentoring.
11. Portfolio Workshop | Pre College | School of Visual Arts | SVA NYC
Location: Online
Cost: $2,800
Application Deadline: March 1
Program Dates: July 7 – 25
Eligibility: All high schoolers are eligible to apply
The Pre-College Program at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) offers an online summer course that helps high school students build strong skills in drawing and sculpture. You’ll work with materials like charcoal, watercolor, wire, and found objects to explore both traditional and experimental art techniques.
Classes focus on drawing from observation, developing personal ideas, and building projects that support your college portfolio. Through live demos, group critiques, and sessions on historical and contemporary art, you’ll learn how to analyze form and composition while refining your creative voice.
You’ll also get direct feedback from working artists who teach at SVA. If you complete the course, you’ll earn three college credits.
12. ART 1101 Art as Experience – Courses – Pre College Studies
Location: Online
Cost: $1,840 per credit
Application Deadline: May 19
Program Dates: June 23-July 11
Eligibility: The course is open to all pre-college students
Art as Experience is an online summer course from Cornell University’s Department of Art that introduces high school students to contemporary art-making through hands-on studio work and critical discussion. You’ll experiment with media like drawing, collage, printmaking, digital photography, video, sound, and performance.
The course helps you think about how art connects to culture and society, while also building your skills and ideas across multiple forms. You’ll join critiques, attend guest lectures, and work with Cornell faculty to develop your style and complete a small portfolio of finished work.
13. ART 1102 Art as Experience: TransMedia – Courses – Precollege Studies
Location: Online
Cost: $1,840 per credit
Application Deadline: May 19
Program Dates: July 14-August 1
Eligibility: The course is open to all pre-college students
Digital Media Art at Cornell is an online summer course designed to help high school students explore the creative and technical sides of working with time-based and interactive media. You’ll use tools like cameras, audio recorders, and software to create digital photography, stop-motion animation, video, sound art, and interactive pieces using basic programming.
The course combines hands-on projects with discussions about digital art theory, helping you build both technical skill and creative thinking. Along the way, you’ll receive feedback from Cornell faculty and peers, work on ideas, and complete a final media-rich project.
14. Graphic Design Specialization, CalArts
Location: Online
Cost: Free, but paid for certificate courses
Application Deadline: No deadline mentioned, rolling basis
Program Dates: Self-paced, will take 2 months at 10 hours a week to complete
Eligibility: All are eligible to apply
Graphic Design Specialization by CalArts is an online, five-course series that helps you build a strong foundation in visual communication. If you are a high school student interested in graphic design, this program takes you step-by-step through essential topics like typography, image-making, color theory, and layout.
You’ll complete hands-on projects such as typographic posters, image-based books, and even a full brand identity in the final capstone. You’ll also explore key design movements and see how today’s designers work.
15. Online courses | MoMA
Location: Online
Cost: Audits are free of charge, but you can choose to pay for a certificate of completion
Application Deadline: No deadline mentioned
Program Dates: All MoMA online courses are available on an ongoing basis
Eligibility: Open to everyone
MoMA Online Courses on Coursera give high school students a flexible way to explore modern and contemporary art directly through the Museum of Modern Art’s collection. You can take self-paced courses like Modern Art and Ideas, Seeing Through Photographs, or Reimagining Blackness and Architecture, all led by curators, artists, and educators.
These courses help you learn how to look at art critically, connect it to historical and social issues, and understand how museums shape the way we see art. Through short videos, creative projects, and discussion boards, you’ll reflect on your ideas, build visual analysis skills, and develop your voice.
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