Summer Pre-College Programs

Portfolio-building summer programs for high school students interested in art and design.

Summer Pre-College Programs include virtual and residential sessions of Portfolio Prep, offered to current high school students (grades 9 – 11) interested in building new skills for their creative pursuits. Students will receive personalized training and advice from Stamps faculty and staff on building a competitive portfolio.

Applications for Summer 2025 Pre-College Programs are now open: Sign up to receive information about our upcoming programs, register for a pre-college info session, or start your application today.

Start Your Application

Portfolio Prep

Summer Sessions for grades 9 – 11; Virtual and Residential Sessions offered

This summer, Stamps will host three sessions of our Portfolio Prep program, including virtual and residential options. Each session is a studio experience for current high school students (grades 9 – 11).

Portfolio Prep is an intensive program focused on developing and curating a competitive portfolio for a college application. This program offers coursework that reflects the structure and rigor of the first year undergraduate experience at Stamps. Under the guidance of Stamps faculty and staff, participants will immerse themselves in studio work and explore a variety of media and methods for producing creative work. Through the expert mentorship of the Stamps Admission team, participants will gain firsthand knowledge about the admission process and learn about the advantages of earning an art and design degree at a world-class university.

Online

Virtual Portfolio Prep is an online version of our intensive, two-week Portfolio Prep program. Participants will attend online classes, complete projects, and receive valuable mentorship and training — all from the comfort of their own homes.

Virtual Portfolio Prep

Online
Dates: June 16 - June 27, 2025
Cost: $750
Early Action Deadline: February 1, 2025
Application Deadline: March 1, 2025

View Application

Curriculum
Virtual Portfolio Prep participants experience six classes; Drawing Studio, 2D Studio, 3D Studio and 4D Studio, Portfolio Studio and Admissions Studio.

Drawing Studio: a studio that introduces students to the fundamentals of drawing and visual thinking through the act of drawing. This class focuses on the practice of drawing as a core component of visual expression as well as a platform for artistic inquiry and communication.

2D Studio: a studio that focuses on building basic two-dimensional visual skills. Coursework introduces students to the processes of visual perception and the potential of visual communication. Students learn to work with color, texture and pattern through a series of projects emphasizing the generation, organization, and analysis of pictorial space.

3D Studio: a studio that focuses on basic three-dimensional composition. Students gain technical skills and knowledge through a series of projects emphasizing the manipulation, organization and analysis of form and structure in space.

4D Studio: a studio that focuses on developing the basic concepts, tools, vocabulary, and principles used by artists and designers in time-based creative practices. Students have an opportunity to develop technical and aesthetic skills as well as a critical understanding of work that utilizes time as an essential element, including studies in audio, video, and animation, as well as live installation or performance.

Portfolio Studio: a seminar that focuses on building a competitive portfolio for college admission. Coursework introduces students to effective visual communication techniques and is structured around exercises in photo documentation, written descriptions, and portfolio curation.

Admissions Studio: a seminar that introduces students to opportunities at the Stamps School of Art & Design and the University of Michigan. Students receive an in-depth information session detailing all aspects of the undergraduate program at Stamps. Students also discuss strategies for preparing a strong application to Stamps, focusing particularly on writing compelling college essays.

Our curriculum is further enhanced through:
- Portfolio reviews with Stamps Admissions Team
- Peer mentorship from current Stamps undergraduate students
Sample Schedule

View a sample schedule for Virtual Portfolio Prep below. Please note that a finalized schedule will be shared before the start of the program.
Costs and Fees

Virtual Portfolio Prep - $750

This program fee includes instructional materials and shipping costs. Please note that we will not ship instructional materials internationally.

Financial assistance is available.

Upon acceptance to the program, a $100 nonrefundable deposit will be required to confirm your attendance and reserve your space in the program. This deposit is included in the overall program fee. If you withdraw from the program after classes begin, no portion of your tuition will be refunded.

Residential

In our intensive, 2‑week Residential Portfolio Prep program, students build new skills while living and working on the University of Michigan campus. Two different sessions are available:

A pre-college student paints in their stuidio

Portfolio Prep Session 1

In-Person
Dates: July 6 - July 19, 2025
Cost: $5,500
Early Action Deadline: February 1, 2025
Application Deadline: March 1, 2025

View Application

Portfolio Prep Session 2

In-Person
Dates: July 20 - August 2, 2025
Cost: $5,500
Early Action Deadline: February 1, 2025

Application Deadline: March 1, 2025 View Application

Curriculum
Portfolio Prep - Session 1 & 2 participants experience six classes; Drawing Studio, 2D Studio, 3D Studio and 4D Studio, Portfolio Studio and Admissions Studio.

Drawing Studio: a studio that introduces students to the fundamentals of drawing and visual thinking through the act of drawing. This class focuses on the practice of drawing as a core component of visual expression as well as a platform for artistic inquiry and communication.

2D Studio: a studio that focuses on building basic two-dimensional visual skills. Coursework introduces students to the processes of visual perception and the potential of visual communication. Students learn to work with color, texture and pattern through a series of projects emphasizing the generation, organization, and analysis of pictorial space.

3D Studio: a studio that focuses on basic three-dimensional composition. Students gain technical skills and knowledge through a series of projects emphasizing the manipulation, organization and analysis of form and structure in space.

4D Studio: a studio that focuses on developing the basic concepts, tools, vocabulary, and principles used by artists and designers in time-based creative practices. Students have an opportunity to develop technical and aesthetic skills as well as a critical understanding of work that utilizes time as an essential element, including studies in audio, video, and animation, as well as live installation or performance.

Portfolio Studio: a seminar that focuses on building a competitive portfolio for college admission. Coursework introduces students to effective visual communication techniques and is structured around exercises in photo documentation, written descriptions, and portfolio curation.

Admissions Studio: a seminar that introduces students to opportunities at the Stamps School of Art & Design and the University of Michigan. Students receive an in-depth information session detailing all aspects of the undergraduate program at Stamps. Students also discuss strategies for preparing a strong application to Stamps, focusing particularly on writing compelling college essays.

Our curriculum is further enhanced through:
- Portfolio reviews with Stamps Admissions Team
- Peer mentorship from current Stamps undergraduate students
- Tours of the Stamps School of Art & Design and UM’s Central Campus (residential only)
- Field trips to local museums and cultural institutions (residential only)
Sample Schedule

View a sample schedule for Portfolio Prep - Session 1 & 2 below. Please note that a finalized schedule will be shared before the start of the program.
Costs & Fees

Portfolio Prep, Session 1 or 2 - $5,500

Residential program fees include tuition, room, board (3 meals a day), field trips, instructional materials and shipping costs. Please note that we will not ship instructional materials internationally.

Financial assistance is available.

Upon acceptance to the program, a $500 nonrefundable deposit will be required to confirm your attendance and reserve your space in the program. This deposit is included in the overall program fee. If you withdraw from the program after classes begin, no portion of your tuition will be refunded.

Students are encouraged to bring extra spending money for snacks, laundry, entertainment and souvenirs.
Housing & Dining

Portfolio Prep - Session 1 & 2 participants live just a short distance away from Stamps in Bursley Hall. Located on North Campus, Bursley Hall is a mixed-gender residence hall featuring laundry facilities, floor lounges, a computer lab complete with printers and scanners, and music practice rooms.

Bursley Hall is also the primary dining facility for Portfolio Prep - Session 1 & 2. Learn more about the delicious and nutritious offerings at Bursley here.

Application Information

Step 1: Apply

Students must apply to each Stamps Pre-College Studio, Event, and Workshop they’d like to attend separately. Visit the individual links for each program above, or view all opportunities and start applying here.
The following application materials are required for all Summer programs:
- Portfolio of 5 images of your work
- 250 word personal statement
- an unofficial high school transcript
Students seeking financial assistance for Stamps Pre-College Studios and Events must complete theFinancial Assistance application with the help of a parent/guardian and provide all required materials.
Our Spring/Summer Early Action Deadline is February 1, 2025: If you submit applications by this date, you’ll receive your decision by March 1 to help lock in Spring or Summer plans.
All applications must be completed by 11:59 pm EST on our Final Application Deadline: March 1, 2025.

Step 2: Review

A Pre-College Program staff will review each individual program application and render an admissions decision.
Pre-College Program staff will review each individual application for need-based financial assistance.
Pre-College Program staff will contact the applicant and the parent, legal guardian, or caretaker they listed in their application with additional information and next steps.

Step 3: Register

After receiving the acceptance email from Pre-College Program staff, a parent, legal guardian, or caretaker must complete a youth participant’s registration by the date stated in the acceptance email to secure their place in the Stamps Pre-College programs.
Parents, legal guardians, or caretakers will follow the link on the participant’s acceptance email and create an account using their own email address (not the participant’s email address).
Parents/legal guardians will select a term: Registration 2025. Participants will refer to their acceptance email for instruction.

Step 4: Pay Deposit

After registration, a deposit is required to secure a youth participant’s place in each program.
A deposit invoice will be sent via email from BITeam@umich.edu. All invoices will be billed to the default parent, legal guardian, or caretaker.
Parents, legal guardians/caretakers will submit payment following the instructions and due date outlined on the invoice for the deposit.
Deposits are non-refundable.

Step 5: Pay Balance

An invoice with the remaining balance will be sent 30 days before the start of the program. Participants will refer to their acceptance email for instruction.
An invoice for the remaining balance will be sent via email by BITeam@umich.edu. All invoices will be billed to the default parent, legal guardian or caretaker.
Parents, legal guardians/caretakers will submit payment following the instructions and due date outlined on the invoice for the remaining balance.

Financial Assistance

Scholarships are available to select students who have registered for the program. A limited number of full and partial awards will be provided to students who demonstrate need and merit. Students seeking financial assistance for Stamps Pre-College programs must complete the Financial Assistance Application with the help of a parent/guardian and provide all required materials.

Michigan residents applying for in-person Portfolio Prep sessions may also apply for the Watson A. Young Scholarship, an initiative supported by the University of Michigan’s Center for Educational Outreach. The Watson A Young scholarship was established to support middle and high school students’ participation in summer opportunities at U‑M that seek to develop students’ interests and abilities in academic disciplines and expose students to the experiences and possibilities provided by higher education.

Questions

Please contact us with any questions about our Pre-College programs.