Ready to challenge how you think about art?

Students will be introduced to the spirit and substance of the Carnegie Mellon University School of Art through challenging courses, individual critique, stimulating workshops, portfolio development, and energetic interaction with dedicated faculty and talented peers. They will develop both your conceptual and technical skills preparing them for a wide range of opportunities in both art studies and careers.

Non-credit

Residential

Commuter

Accepts International Students

Financial Aid

Final project

In this program, you will use both traditional tools and cutting-edge technologies to explore your creative ideas in a college-level studio environment. You will develop both your conceptual and technical skills preparing you for a wide range of opportunities in both art studies and careers. You will break through the boundaries of how you approach art, taking your work to the next level.

Classes are held mornings and afternoons, Monday through Thursday, with elective workshops on Friday. The curriculum focuses on the fundamentals of technical skills and the growth of conceptual thinking and how those elements are applied to personal artistic practice.

Curriculum Includes:

Concept Studio: an integral part of the art curriculum at CMU, and all undergraduate students in the School of Art are required to take a series of these courses throughout their four years of study. During the Pre-College experience, we condense these college-level courses into a rigorous two-part (Session One and Session Two) introduction designed to assist students in the development of personal, non-medium-specific approaches to generating art. Areas of exploration may include:

• the self and the human being
• space and time
• systems and processes
• contextual practice

Instruction in Concept Studio is centered around the goal of helping students to develop work that focuses less on technique and more on the creative process itself and what artmaking can convey to others.

Assignments in Concept Studio will include readings, short writing projects, collaborative projects, and the completion of individual artworks.

Friday Workshops: Each Friday, students participate in elective workshops. These morning and afternoon sessions present introductions to a wide range of topics and skills. While attendance is required, students are not evaluated on their workshop performance - fostering an atmosphere of experimentation, exploration, trial and error, and freedom. Students will be prompted to sign up for workshops once they have enrolled in the program.

College Application Preparation: Through exploration in a variety of media, students develop conceptual and technical skills valuable to the college application process and critical to success in a competitive college-level art program. Depending on individual levels of completion and effort, you should expect to create portfolio-quality work in each of your art courses.

All students are invited and encouraged to participate in one-on-one portfolio reviews with CMU School of Art faculty. These individual reviews are informal and are 15-30 minutes in length. This is a wonderful way to build confidence and to practice for future in-person reviews when applying to college.

Session One [Weeks 1 - 3] Courses: 

• Drawing
• Sculpture
• Animation
• Concept Studio

Session Two [Weeks 4 - 6] Courses (6-week students only): 

• Painting
• Digital Photography
• Printmaking
• Concept Studio (a continuation of the first three weeks)

Pre-College Art (3 weeks)

Jun 22 - Jul 13

3 weeks

Residential

7416 USD

Pre-College Art (3 weeks)

Jun 22 - Jul 13

3 weeks

Commuter

5773 USD

Pre-College Art (6 weeks)

Jun 22 - Aug 03

6 weeks

Residential

11392 USD

Pre-College Art (6 weeks)

Jun 22 - Aug 03

6 weeks

Commuter

8438 USD

The cost includes:

• Tuition for college-level classes taught by accomplished Carnegie Mellon University faculty.
• Housing on a vibrant and welcoming college campus. (Residential students only.)
• Dining Services that offer diverse eating options that emphasize health, wellness, and delicious food! Dining options include (but not limited to) vegan, vegetarian, kosher, and Halal.
• University fees for the use of the campus health center, fitness center, library, Student Success Center, and so much more!
• Transportation Pass to attend an organized program or extra-curricular events.

Additional Fees:

• Application Fee - $50
• Enrollment Deposit - $800

Application Fee and Enrollment Deposit are non-refundable.


As part of the program costs, students will receive material kits from the CMU Art Store once they arrive to campus. If you need additional supplies, feel free to purchase them from our Art Store once you arrive. These kits are made to the specifications of the Pre-College faculty and will include items needed for individual classes such as Drawing and Painting.

Other items not included in the material kit are listed below. It is imperative that you purchase these before classes begin.

Students are responsible for purchasing and bringing these items:

• Personal sketchbooks (works in progress or new)
• A large portfolio (20x30 or similar size)
• Documentation of previous artwork in the form of physical 2D pieces, digital files, or a personal website (for use during the portfolio review)
• A laptop computer (with Adobe creative suite) - not required but recommended
• A quality digital camera with manual settings (All 6-week students only)

Financial Aid

Scholarships

Full scholarships covering tuition, housing, and dining are available to students demonstrating financial need. You can elect to be considered for a scholarship within the online application.

Please note: International students are not eligible for scholarship consideration.

Scholarship Eligibility

• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• Be available to attend the entirety of the program
• Demonstrate financial need
  

Financial Need

Students in any of the below categories are considered to demonstrate financial need:

• Students who have received or are eligible to receive an ACT or SAT testing fee waiver.
• Students who are enrolled in or eligible to participate in the Federal Free or Reduced Price Lunch Program (FRPL).
• Students whose family income falls within or near the Income Eligibility Guidelines set by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.
• Students who are enrolled in a federal, state, or local program that aids students from low-income families (e.g. TRIO programs such as Upward Bound).
• Students whose family receives public assistance.
• Students who live in federally subsidized public housing, a foster home, or are homeless.
• Students who are a ward of the state or an orphan.
• Students who can provide a supporting statement from a school official, college access counselor, financial aid officer, or community leader.

Documentation of financial need is required to be considered for scholarship opportunities in all available programs.

Documentation required includes tax documents or a completed NACAC Application Fee Waiver signed by your high school guidance department.