Summer Pre-College Programs

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. This summer, students can also sign up for BioDesign Studio, a new four-week commuter program that brings together materials science, engineering, and creative expression.

Applications for Summer 2026 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.

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.

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.

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:

Commuter Program for grades 10 – 11

Are you a high school student curious about the intersection of science and art? 

This summer, explore the exciting crossroads of materials science, engineering, and creative expression in our four-week BioDesign Studio. Stamps Pre-College will invite a small, close-knit group of students to participate in this one-of-a-kind educational experience. 

This immersive summer commuter program is perfect for students ready to unlock their creativity, collaborate with experts, and explore how art and science can make a real-world impact. Ready for a summer where creativity meets discovery?

Program Focus

Studies show that integrating the arts with STEM leads to improved critical thinking, problem-solving, and learning engagement — here’s your chance to experience it!

BioDesign Studio highlights materials science and engineering through an artistic lens, inspired by the innovative research of Dr. Jouha Min, a faculty member in the U‑M’s College of Engineering.

Collaborate with Researchers

When people need medical implants, like artificial joints or heart devices, infections can cause serious problems for patients, including implant failure and even amputation. Traditional methods to fight these infections mostly target bacteria, but often ignore how the body’s immune system reacts to the implant itself. Dr. Min’s research aims to design new biomaterials that help keep infections away by working with the body’s natural immunological defenses.

Her team is exploring how the tiny patterns on the surfaces of implants (like peaks and valleys you’d see under a microscope) can influence both immune cells and bacteria. By studying these patterns in 2D and 3D, the research hopes to find better ways to prevent infections before they even start. This innovative work could lead to safer implants, better outcomes for patients, and new breakthroughs in medical science.

What You’ll Do

• Join a small cohort of students and receive individualized attention and mentorship
• Collaborate closely with Dr. Min’s research group and gain college-level research exposure
• Design, fabricate, and analyze 2D and 3D surface topographies with experimental shapes and patterns
• Use Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to capture intricate micro- and nano-scale details
• Enhance SEM images in Photoshop, adding artistic elements for a creative twist
• Submit your science-inspired artwork to the BioArtography program, where pieces are displayed and sold to support public science education

Details

• Modality: Commuter / In-Person
• Dates: July 13 — Aug 6
• Day/​Time: Monday — Thursday, 9 a.m. — 3:30 p.m. ET
• Timezone: Eastern Time
• Location: Stamps School of Art & Design

Application

Click here to start your application for BioDesign Studio.

View Application

• Early Action Deadline: February 1, 2026
• Application Deadline: March 1, 2026

The following materials are required:

• Portfolio of 5 images of your work
• 250 word personal statement
• Unofficial high school transcript

Cost

This grant-funded program is free for participants. Participants are provided with daily lunch, local field trips and instructional materials. 

Schedule

TBD (a sample schedule will be published soon)

Materials

All instructional materials are provided by the Stamps School of Art & Design for this program.

Questions

Contact us with any questions about our Pre-College programs.

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 the​Financial Assistance application with the help of a parent/​guardian and provide all required materials.

• Our Spring/​Summer Early Action Deadline is February 1, 2026: 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 Application Deadline: March 1, 2026.

Step 2: Review

• 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 2026. 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.

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.

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