Architecture and design are fields that combine creativity with technical problem-solving, shaping everything from buildings and public spaces to sustainable cities and everyday environments. For high school students, architecture & design courses in the UK offer a chance to move beyond sketching or classroom art projects and explore how architects and designers actually think, plan, and build. 

You might learn how to use tools such as AutoCAD and digital modeling software, study structural systems and materials, develop spatial design concepts, or examine how urban planning responds to environmental and social needs. Many programs also include studio critiques, portfolio development, site visits, and collaborative design challenges that mirror the structure of university architecture education. 

These courses help students build technical and creative skills while gaining firsthand exposure to the pace and expectations of architecture and design study at the university level. 

How do you choose the right architecture and design course in the UK for high school students?

Architecture and design programs in the UK can act as a foundation for your college journey, giving you a taste of what university life is like at a top institution, in person. The UK is especially compelling for architecture and design because of its blend of historic and modern built environments, globally respected universities, and strong connections to creative industries. 

Students can study in cities where centuries-old architecture exists alongside contemporary urban development, offering a practical understanding of how design evolves. 

This list highlights 15 courses selected for their academic rigor, studio-based learning, mentorship opportunities, and exposure to real university-style architecture and design education. 

For adjacent opportunities, consider the online architecture program and summer courses in the UK.

15 Architecture & Design Courses in the UK for High School Students

1. The Bartlett School of Architecture Summer School (UCL)

Location: London, UK
Cost: £950 – £2,250
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-selective; limited class size
Dates: Multiple 5, 10, and 15-day classes in July
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students aged 14-16 or 16-18; open to international students

The Bartlett Schools at UCL are a series of short, immersive courses run by University College London (UCL), specifically designed for secondary school students (aged 14–18) who are considering studying architecture or related design fields at the university level. Working in small groups, you will respond creatively to London’s urban fabric through drawings, models, and installations.

You also engage in peer reviews and receive personalized feedback from expert tutors, introducing you to the collaborative critique (or “crit”) process central to architectural education. The curriculum typically involves trips to local landmarks, professional architecture offices, and current exhibitions to observe how built environments interact with society.

Why it stands out: It is an extremely avant-garde architectural design school that is part of one of the world’s leading institutions, making it a great opportunity for you to step far beyond traditional architectural ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌boundaries.

2. Immerse Education’s Architecture & Design Summer School

Location: London
Cost: Varies; summer school scholarship available through our bursary programme
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; an average of 7 participants per class
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Multiple cohorts with rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students aged 13-18 currently enrolled in middle or high school; open to international students

Immerse Education’s Summer School is one of the most immersive architecture & design courses in the UK for high school students, combining university-level education with rigorous classes and personal mentorship. High school students aged 13 to 18 who are interested in architecture can use the programme to build skills connected to future architectural study.

In this summer course, you gain essential insight into issues like urban planning, smart cities, sustainable designs, develop problem-solving and presentation skills, and prepare for college and university applications. At the end of the program, you will get a Certificate of Achievement. Classes are based on group mentoring, 1-on-1 mentorship, attending expert seminars, starting a unique project, and attending day excursions to get more from the UK lifestyle.

Why it stands out: You’ll study under expert academics, be guided daily by a university student mentor, complete a project you can show in future applications, and experience genuine university college life — with other campuses worldwide as alternatives.

3. Architecture for 15-17 Year Olds – Nottingham Trent University

Location: Nottingham Trent University, City Campus, Nottingham, England
Cost/Stipend: £545; accommodation can be booked separately for £266 per week
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; limited class size
Dates: July 20-24; July 27-31; August 3-7
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students aged 15-17 at the time of the course; international students are allowed

Nottingham Trent University’s Architecture for 15–17 Year Olds short course introduces you to architectural thinking through studio work, city observation, sketching, model-making, and design development. Across one week, you learn how architects analyze space, daylight, sustainability, user needs, and the relationship between buildings and wellbeing. You work on a small building design project, create drawings and physical models using recyclable materials, and explore local Nottingham building projects, including completed sites and buildings under construction.

The course includes 25 contact hours of teaching from experienced architecture tutors, and you also receive guidance on presenting your work verbally and in a portfolio. On successful completion, you receive a certificate of attendance from NTU.

Why it stands out: It gives you a studio-based introduction to architecture at NTU, combining sketching, sustainable model-making, site observation, portfolio guidance, and a certificate of attendance.

4. Architecture (15-18 years) – Arts University Bournemouth

Location: Arts University Bournemouth, Bournemouth, England
Cost/Stipend: £1,799 course fee; £2,635 with accommodation and catering; £2,970 with accommodation, catering, and London airport taxis; 20% discount (£359.80 savings) is available for students who meet the AUB Access and Participation eligibility criteria
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-selective; typically 15-25 students per class
Dates: August 3-14
Application Deadline: July 20th or until places are filled
Eligibility: Students aged 15-18 at the time of attending; open to international students

This course gives you a two-week introduction to architectural design, 3D thinking, and portfolio development. Among architecture & design courses in the UK for high school students, it offers a strong studio-based route into concepts such as space, form, function, structure, geometry, light, materials, urban planning, and construction through lectures, workshops, studio projects, and fieldwork. The course includes drawing, digital media, CAD, laser cutting, 3D model-making, sketchbook research, and responses to architectural briefs.

You also participate in portfolio reviews and pre-application feedback, which can help you understand what architecture schools look for in future applicants. This program is especially useful if you want to produce architectural drawings, designs, models, and portfolio work in a higher-education studio environment. Students with full attendance receive an official AUB Summer Course Certificate detailing course contents and study hours.

Why it stands out: It combines CAD, laser cutting, 3D model-making, field trips, portfolio reviews, and pre-application feedback in a two-week architecture course at a specialist creative university.

5. Imagine Architecture: Introductory Summer School – University of Westminster

Location: University of Westminster, Marylebone Campus, London, England
Cost/Stipend: 5-day: £750; 10-day: £1450
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: 5-10 days in June/July
Application Deadline: Rolling booking; places are available until the course fills
Eligibility: Students aged 15-18 currently studying at school or college; international students can attend

This program gives you a practical introduction to what studying architecture at university feels like. It includes drawing, model-making, photography, site observation, building and exhibition visits, and work in Westminster’s studios, workshops, and Fabrication Lab.

You also receive feedback from architecture and interior tutors, discuss your work with practicing architects, and get support with portfolio development and personal statements. This makes the course especially useful if you are considering architecture or interior architecture at university and want early studio experience in London. If you attend at least 80% of the course, you receive a certificate of attendance.

Why it stands out: It combines university-style studio work, London site visits, Fabrication Lab access, portfolio guidance, and personal statement support in one architecture-focused summer course.

6. Sutton Trust at UCL Bartlett – Architecture and Built Environment

Location: UCL (The Bartlett, Faculty of the Built Environment), London, UK
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 25 programme places
Dates: July 27-31
Application Deadline: March 5th
Eligibility: Currently in Year 12 (England/Wales), Year 13 (Northern Ireland), or S5 (Scotland) at a state-funded, non-fee paying school or college; generally under 18; at least two A-levels from UCL’s preferred subject list; GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at grade C or 4; not open to international students

In this program, you engage with architecture and design through a structured five-day programme. Taught by departmental academics who are specialists in their field, you attend lectures and workshops spanning multiple subject areas within the built environment. You build practical design recording skills through sketching, drawing, photography, collage, film, model-making, and writing.

The programme includes dedicated university application guidance with a specific focus on portfolios, and every piece of work you produce can be used directly in your university portfolio submissions. With just 25 places available, you receive intensive, specialist instruction at a top institution.

Why it stands out: It pairs hands-on, multi-medium design training with direct, actionable portfolio development at the UK’s longest-standing top-ranked architecture faculty, giving state school students a rare and concrete advantage in competitive university applications.

7. Norwich Summer School Series – Norwich University of the Arts

Location: Online, hosted by Norwich University of the Arts, Norwich, England
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open registration; no fixed cohort size
Dates: July 22nd – August 26th; architecture-specific workshop on August 5th
Application Deadline: Rolling registration until workshop places fill
Eligibility: Students aged 14+; open to international students, though only UK-based students aged 14-19 are eligible for the prize draw

The Norwich Summer School Series is a free online workshop series that introduces you to creative subjects ranging from architecture and illustration to film, fashion, and design. For architecture and design students, the most relevant session is Mastering the Basics of Architectural Drawing, which focuses on the visual and technical foundations of communicating architectural ideas.

To receive an official digital certificate of attendance, you need to attend or watch at least three workshops and submit outcomes from three sessions by the stated deadline. This is especially useful if you want a low-cost way to begin building creative portfolio material and explore architecture alongside related design disciplines. 

Why it stands out: It is a free university-run creative workshop series with an architecture drawing session, portfolio-friendly outcomes, recordings, and a digital certificate of attendance.

8. Sutton Trust at Sheffield – Architecture and Landscape Architecture

Location: University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England, UK
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 200 places across all programme strands
Dates: July 21-24
Application Deadline: Typically, March
Eligibility: Year 12 in England or Wales, Year 13 in Northern Ireland, or S5 in Scotland (or equivalent); attending and having always attended a state-funded (non-fee-paying) school or college in the UK; no older than 17 as of 1st September; at least five GCSEs at grades 9-6 (or A*-B) including English and Maths; priority given to first-generation university students, Free School Meals recipients, or students from schools with below-average progression rates to higher education; not open to international students

In this program, you engage directly with the pressing challenges of the built environment, including the climate and biodiversity emergencies, through academic sessions led by University of Sheffield experts. You work collaboratively in design studio settings, exploring ideas and developing projects alongside peers, which mirrors professional practice in both architecture and landscape architecture.

The programme culminates in a group academic showcase where you present your week’s work, building communication and critical thinking skills alongside design competencies. You also experience university residential life firsthand by staying in Endcliffe student village throughout the four days, with all accommodation, meals, and travel covered.

Why it stands out: It is one of the few free residential programmes to simultaneously develop architectural thinking and meaningfully lower the barrier to a Russell Group university offer.

9. Welsh School of Architecture – Outreach Workshops for Year 12/13

Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: School-arranged; cohort size not publicly disclosed
Dates: Available during the school year
Application Deadline: No formal application deadline; schools arrange participation by contacting the WSA outreach team directly
Eligibility: Secondary school students in Year 12 or Year 13 (ages 16-18); workshops must be arranged by a teacher or school contact; program primarily serves local and national schools in Wales; not open to international students

The Welsh School of Architecture (WSA) at Cardiff University runs free outreach workshops for primary and secondary school pupils, including Year 12 and 13 students, to introduce architecture as both a subject and a profession. You participate in hands-on activities such as designing and constructing model houses while exploring the key considerations architects must address, including materials selection, adaptability, environmental impact, transparency, and function.

WSA academic staff deliver the sessions in your school, tailoring workshop content to your year group. You are encouraged to think creatively, develop your spatial imagination, and apply design thinking to real-world problems.

Why it stands out: It is delivered directly in your school by academic staff from one of the UK’s top-ranked architecture schools, making university-level design thinking genuinely accessible without requiring you to travel or apply through a formal selection process.

10. Architecture for 16 to 18 Year Olds – University of the Arts London (UAL)

Location: Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, London, England
Cost: Starts from £730
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open Enrollment (First-come, first-served); typically around 10-15 students per class
Dates: Multiple one-week sessions offered during July and August
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until spaces are filled
Eligibility: Students aged 16-18; open to international students

This introduces you to architecture through practical studio-based learning in one of the UK’s leading art and design universities. As one of the more creatively focused architecture & design courses in the UK for high school students, it helps you explore architectural drawing, spatial thinking, model-making, observational sketching, and conceptual design while learning how architects respond to people, environments, and urban space.

Throughout the week, you work on creative design tasks and receive feedback from tutors experienced in architecture and spatial design education. It is especially useful if you want to begin building a portfolio while understanding how architecture is taught in an art school environment. Studying at UAL also gives you exposure to London’s architecture, galleries, and design culture.

Why it stands out: It combines architecture, visual culture, and studio experimentation at Central Saint Martins, helping students experience architecture through a creative art-and-design approach rather than only technical training.

11. University of Bath’s Discover Bath – Architecture and Civil Engineering

Location: University of Bath campus, Bath, UK
Cost/Stipend: Free program / No stipend; on-campus accommodation, all meals during the stay, and reasonable UK travel expenses fully covered by the university
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; approximately 450 places across all Discover Bath subject strands combined
Dates: August 3-5
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Year 12 (or equivalent) student; academically likely to meet the entry requirements for a Civil Engineering or Architecture undergraduate course at the University of Bath; meets University of Bath widening participation criteria; not open to international students

This program is a three-day residential at the University of Bath that gives you direct exposure to university-level design and engineering study in a city that is itself a UNESCO World Heritage site. You attend subject-specific lectures, seminars, and workshops delivered by Bath lecturers and researchers in architecture and civil engineering, engaging with the same academic environment that future undergraduates enter.

The programme also provides structured support on personal statements, the UCAS application process, and student finance. Staying overnight in undergraduate accommodation and joining student-led social activities, you leave with a clear and grounded understanding of what studying architecture or civil engineering at a top-10 UK university genuinely involves.

Why it stands out: It is one of the few fully funded residential programmes in the UK that combines authentic architectural and design immersion with a concrete admissions benefit for students from underrepresented backgrounds.

12. University of Glasgow Sutton Trust Summer School – Engineering

Location: University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; cohort size not publicly disclosed
Dates: June 29th – July 3rd
Application Deadline: March 5th
Eligibility: Year 12 in England or Wales, Year 13 in Northern Ireland, or S5 in Scotland; attended a state-funded, non-fee paying school throughout; desirable attainment of at least five GCSEs at grades 9-6 or equivalent, including English and Maths; from a disadvantaged background (first-generation university student, free school meals recipient, care-experienced, or from a low higher-education-progression neighbourhood prioritised); not open to international students

The Engineering Summer School at the University of Glasgow, run through the James Watt School of Engineering, gives you a grounding in core disciplines spanning Aeronautical, Civil, Electronics & Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering, with specialised exposure to programmes such as Civil Engineering with Architecture and Product Design. You attend academic sessions taught by research-active staff in state-of-the-art facilities, exploring how architectural and design thinking intersect with structural and systems engineering workflows.

Alongside subject-specific work, you complete an online Academic Skills module set at SCQF Level 7. Successful completion can be taken into consideration for an adjusted offer of entry to the University of Glasgow for eligible degree subjects.

Why it stands out: It includes Civil Engineering with Architecture and Product Design as programme strands, giving architecture- and design-minded students a direct, academically rigorous pathway that also carries a potential university offer advantage at a top-100 institution.

13. Sutton Trust Cambridge Architecture Summer School – University of Cambridge

Location: University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; around 20 places
Dates: August 17-21
Application Deadline: February 12th for Cambridge applicants
Eligibility: Year 12 students at UK state-maintained schools; applicants must meet Sutton Trust widening-participation criteria; not open to international students

In this program, you spend five days on campus engaging with academic teaching, subject sessions, and university-style learning designed to introduce the depth of a Cambridge architecture course. Depending on the timetable, you may take part in lectures, seminars, small-group teaching, research-style activities, and sessions that help you understand how architecture is studied as both a creative and analytical discipline.

You also experience Cambridge student life through accommodation, social activities, and opportunities to meet current students or alumni. The program is especially valuable if you are a UK state-school student considering architecture and want a realistic sense of Cambridge’s academic expectations before applying. 

Why it stands out: It is a fully funded residential architecture programme at Cambridge, combining subject-specific teaching with direct exposure to collegiate university life.

14. Oxford Brookes University Brookes Engage – Architecture, Urban Design and Planning

Location: Oxford Brookes University, Headington Campus, Oxford, England, UK
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort scale not publicly disclosed
Dates: June 30th – July 2nd
Application Deadline: Mid-November
Eligibility: UK-based Year 12 (or first-year college) state school students who meet widening participation indicators; not open to international students

This program gives practical insight into how buildings and cities are designed and constructed, working with Oxford Brookes academics through on-campus masterclass days. You’ll develop your design portfolio, a key asset for university applications, while exploring spatial design, urban form, and planning principles.

A three-day residential summer school deepens your subject knowledge in specialist campus facilities. Online mentoring from a current Oxford Brookes student and self-paced digital content support your UCAS application throughout. Completing the programme earns a contextual reduced-tariff offer to study at Oxford Brookes.

Why it stands out: It is a structured, supported pathway into the built environment professions, freely accessible to state school students across England.

15. University of Edinburgh – Access to Creative Education in Scotland (ACES)

Location: Edinburgh and south-east Scotland, UK (University of Edinburgh / Edinburgh College of Art campus and partner venues)
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Year-round events and activities scheduled June through April of each academic year
Application Deadline: Rolling registration
Eligibility: S4 to S6 students at state secondary schools in Edinburgh, the Lothians, Falkirk, Stirling, Scottish Borders, or Clackmannanshire; meet at least one widening participation criterion; not open to international students

As an ACES Edinburgh participant, you receive free, year-round support from the University of Edinburgh to develop your portfolio and strengthen your application for architecture, interior design, or landscape architecture degrees. You attend practical hands-on workshops, subject taster sessions, and drawing clubs, including life drawing, that build the foundational creative skills required for architecture and design study.

Dedicated portfolio preparation groups, one-to-one feedback sessions, and interview workshops guide you through the competitive visual creative admissions process, including UCAS applications for art colleges and universities. You also visit graduate degree shows and explore Edinburgh College of Art’s campus, gaining direct exposure to the built and design environment at one of Scotland’s leading creative institutions.

Why it stands out: It provides completely free, multi-year portfolio and application support, covering travel, materials, and interview preparation, specifically for underrepresented state school students pursuing architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture.

Turning Design Experience Into a Future Career Path

Design work can reveal what kind of problems you enjoy solving, from sustainable buildings and public spaces to interiors, materials, and urban systems.

The architecture & design courses in the UK for high school students listed here help you test those interests through studio briefs, critiques, models, and portfolios.

Pay attention to the tasks that feel most natural: sketching, CAD, model-making, site analysis, concept development, sustainability, or presenting ideas to others.

Could those strengths point toward your future career? Explore our Career Exploration blogs for guidance on creative pathways, industry skills, and next steps.