The animation and game design study offers high school students special opportunities to develop technical proficiency, artistic imagination, and professional-level portfolio. The programs integrate academic study with practical real-world applications through hands-on studio practice and cross-disciplinary investigation.
Below, we’ve curated 10 immersive opportunities that combine mentorship, skill-building, and career readiness for aspiring creators.
1. UCLA Game Lab Summer Institute
Location: UCLA Campus (Los Angeles, CA) or virtual
Program Dates: July 7–August 17, 2025 (multiple sessions)
Cost: $4,920 (scholarships available)
Eligibility: High school students aged 15+
Deadline: March 15 2025
This game design summer program is ideal for high school students interested in blending artistic expression with technical skills. Students take four courses: foundations of game design, character animation, world building, and coding. Students learn how to design analog and digital games with software such as Unity and Adobe Suite, culminating in the presentation of a gallery-style exhibition. Integrated with UCLA's world-class Game Lab, the program is most robust in creative storytelling, with graduates being hired by studios such as DreamWorks and Cartoon Network. Students graduate with project-ready portfolios and four college credits.
2. Carnegie Mellon National High School Game Academy (NHSGA)
Location: Carnegie Mellon University Campus (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Program Dates: June 21–August 2, 2025
Cost: $8,500 (residential)
Eligibility: High school sophomores/juniors
Deadline: March 1 2025
Designed for high school students passionate about game development, NHSGA mirrors Carnegie Mellon’s top-ranked Entertainment Technology Center curriculum. Participants take courses in C# programming, 3D modeling (Maya), and narrative design, collaborating in teams to develop game prototypes from concept to demo. Industry judges from Blizzard and Sony evaluate final projects, which students can include in college applications. The program’s rigor prepares participants for internships at companies like Ubisoft and EA.
3. Girls Make Games Summer Camps
Location: Online and in-person (various locations in the US)
Program Dates: July 8-26, 2025
Cost: $2,000 (scholarships available)
Eligibility: Girls and non-binary students ages 8-18
Deadline: Rolling deadline
This game development summer camp is an excellent choice for high school students looking for the experience of developing a playable game while developing skills in coding and planning. You will learn Unity as well as some aspects of game design while part of a team of peers who will create their own playable game. Some of the hosting locations include Crystal Dynamics and The Strong Museum. You will receive mentorship from industry professionals throughout the program, including a demo day to present your game to industry experts and peers. Scholarships are available covering up to 100% of tuition, helping to promote access to students who are underrepresented in this field.
4. NYU Tisch Summer High School Filmmakers Workshop
Location: NYU Campus (New York, NY)
Program Dates: July 1–28, 2025
Cost: $7,441 (residential)
Eligibility: Ages 16–18 years
Deadline: May 1 2025
Focused on cinematic storytelling, this animation summer program teaches high school students 2D/3D techniques using Adobe Premiere and Maya. Students create documentary shorts, music videos, and narrative shorts under the guidance of faculty with credits on Ice Age and The Lion King. Final films are shown at NYU's Cantor Film Center, serving as a credential for college portfolios. Courses focus on social justice and environmental issues, in adherence to NYU's emphasis on impactful storytelling.
5. UNCSA Animation Summer Intensive
Location: UNCSA Campus (Winston-Salem, NC)
Program Dates: June 22–July 18, 2025
Cost: $3,200 (4-week session)
Eligibility: Freshmen in college to incoming freshmen
Deadline: April 15 2025
Led by Emmy-winning animators, this intensive covers hand-drawn techniques and digital tools like Toon Boom Harmony. High school students create 30-second animated shorts, with optional tracks in stop-motion or VR. Final films debut at the RiverRun International Film Festival, offering exposure rarely available to teens. The program’s focus on traditional and cutting-edge methods prepares participants for top animation schools like CalArts.
6. Champlain College Game Academy
Location: Burlington, VT
Program Dates: July 7–August 1, 2025
Cost: $4,500
Eligibility: Grades 9–12
Deadline: Rolling
Modeled after professional studios, this game development program lets high school students specialize in roles like level designer or sound engineer. Using Unity and C#, teams build playable prototypes such as puzzle-platformers or narrative-driven adventures. Field trips to studios like Disruptor Beam provide networking opportunities, while final demos serve as portfolio centerpieces for college applications.
7. Gnomon Digital Arts Summer Camp
Location: North Hollywood, CA
Program Dates: June 16–20, 2025
Cost: $849
Eligibility: High school students
Deadline: May 11 2025
This crash course in 3D modeling teaches Maya and ZBrush for character design, with daily workshops on texture painting and rigging. High school students animate 10-second sequences (e.g., robot battles) and present them to guest critics from Pixar and Industrial Light & Magic. The camp’s industry-focused curriculum is ideal for students targeting schools like SCAD or ArtCenter.
8. Gobelins High School Animation Pathway
Location: Online
Program Dates: Year-round
Cost: $1,200 (6-month access)
Eligibility: Ages 14–18
Deadline: Rolling
Ranked the world’s #1 animation school, Gobelins offers a digital pathway covering figure drawing, color theory, and pre-production pipelines. Weekly live sessions with instructors help high school students refine portfolios, with successful applicants often admitted to Gobelins’ bachelor’s program. The focus on foundational skills ensures readiness for careers in cinematic animation or video games.
9. Pratt Institute PreCollege Animation Track
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Program Dates: July 7–August 1, 2025
Cost: $7,441 (residential)
Eligibility: Ages 16–18
Deadline: May 1 2025
This experimental animation program encourages avant-garde techniques like rotoscoping blended with AI tools (Runway ML). High School students create 2-minute films exploring identity or futurism, exhibited at Pratt’s Digital Arts Gallery. Financial aid covers 50% for low-income applicants, aligning with Pratt’s commitment to accessibility in the arts.
10. Animation Mentor Basics Workshop
Location: Online
Program Dates: 12-week sessions year-round
Cost: $1,299
Eligibility: Ages 14+
Deadline: Rolling
Our workshop is led by facilitators from Pixar and DreamWorks and concentrates specifically on Maya workflows to instruct students in character animation. High School students animate scenes depicting various actions for example lifting heavy objects, and depicting reactions like surprise, while receiving consistent frame by frame feedback. Students receive a certificate of completion formally recognized by studios like Blue Sky and Laika and many students end up with entry level jobs in the industry.
If you are a high school student pushing yourself to stand out in college applications, RISE Research offers a unique opportunity to work one-on-one with mentors from top universities around the world.
Through personalized guidance and independent research projects that can lead to prestigious publications, RISE Research helps you build a standout academic profile and develop skills that set you apart. With flexible program dates and global accessibility, ambitious students can apply year-round. To learn more about eligibility, costs, and how to get started, visit RISE Research’s official website and take your college preparation to the next level!
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