Art summer programs in the UK for high school students are a great way to go beyond basic art classes and start building real, practical creative skills. You can work on structured projects that improve techniques like drawing, painting, and composition, while also exploring digital tools such as Photoshop, illustration software, animation basics, and 3D design.

Along the way, students learn how to think more critically about their work, develop stronger ideas, give and receive feedback, and understand what makes a piece effective. Many programmes are designed to feel like actual university courses, with studio spaces, collaborative projects, and tutor-led guidance.

These experiences can act as a strong foundation for a student’s creative and academic journey, giving them a clearer sense of what studying art at university could involve.

Why is the UK a great place to attend art summer programs for high school students?

The UK  is a strong choice for studying art because of its mix of top universities and a huge creative scene. Schools like University of the Arts London, Royal College of Art, and Goldsmiths, University of London are known for their focus on creativity and hands-on learning.

What really makes the UK stand out, though, is everything outside the classroom. Students can visit places like the Tate Modern or the Victoria and Albert Museum, see different styles of art up close, and get a better sense of what inspires working artists today. The city is full of galleries, design studios, and creative companies, so it’s easy to see how art connects to real careers in areas like animation, gaming, and fashion.

Below are 14 summer art programs in the UK for high school students.

For adjacent opportunities, consider summer programs in London, summer programs in Cambridge, and summer programs in Oxford.

14 Art Summer Programs in the UK for High School Students

1. Art Summer School – Goldsmiths, University of London

Location: Goldsmiths, University of London, London, Greater London
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; small cohort sizes
Dates: July 27th – August 7th
Application Deadline: June 1st
Eligibility: Students aged 16-18, usually in sixth form; open to local students or those able to arrange their own accommodation; not open to international students

In this program, you will spend two weeks on the Goldsmiths campus working on a range of art projects and exploring different materials and approaches. During this time, you’ll take part in studio-based sessions that reflect how art is taught at university, with a focus on developing ideas and processes as well as finished work.

You’ll also begin putting together a portfolio and take part in group discussions and feedback sessions. The programme is intended to help you understand what studying art at university involves, while giving you the chance to work alongside other students in a collaborative setting.

Why it stands out: You develop your ideas and processes, and begin a portfolio, while also taking part in group discussions and feedback that reflect how art is taught at university.

2. Immerse Education’s Fine & Digital Art Summer School

Location: University College London, London, UK
Cost: Varies; summer school scholarship available through our bursary programme
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small class sizes; average of 7 participants per class
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Eligibility: Students around the world aged 15-18; open to international students

The Fine & Digital Art Summer School by Immerse Education is a short programme for high school students that brings together traditional and digital approaches to making art in London. You’ll take part in studio-based workshops that cover areas such as drawing, painting, sculpture, and digital media, including the use of creative software. You’ll also work on guided projects and receive feedback to help you develop your ideas and improve your technical skills.

The programme includes visits to local galleries and museums, where you’ll look at artworks in context and discuss different approaches to making and presenting art. You’ll also spend time developing individual work that can contribute to a portfolio. Accommodation is on a university campus in central London, giving you a structured residential experience alongside other students.

Why it stands out: You get personalised mentorship and studio experience in one of the world’s most creatively vibrant cities while building work you can show in future applications.

3. Pre-University Summer School: Design – University of Edinburgh

Location: Holyrood Campus, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
Cost: £5,250 (Includes tuition, catered accommodation, and social program). A £750 deposit is required to secure a spot
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; average of 7-10 students per subject
Dates: June 29th – July 10th
Application Deadline: May 19th
Eligibility: High school students aged 16-18 who are in their penultimate or final year of school; open to international students

In this program, you will explore design thinking, contextual research, visual communication, typography, and digital image manipulation. Your days will be spent experimenting in hands-on workshops, collaborating on team projects to create posters or zines, and developing a self-initiated personal project using the Adobe Creative Suite.

The program emulates a true undergraduate environment by giving you access to professional studio facilities and personalised one-to-one tutorials. By the end, you will have honed practical image-making and presentation skills. Ultimately, you will leave with the exact tools needed to curate an expressive personal portfolio for your future university applications.

Why it stands out: It blends practical, hands-on portfolio preparation with a highly authentic preview of independent undergraduate studio life in Scotland’s historic capital.

4. Summer Portfolio Preparation Course – The Glasgow School of Art

Location: The Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, Scotland
Cost: Typically £350 – £500 per week (based on Open Studio short course rates); bursaries and scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; around 15-20 students per session
Dates: July – August (Sessions are usually 1 or 2 weeks long)
Application Deadline: Generally May or June (or until the course is full)
Eligibility: High School students (typically ages 16+ or S5/S6 students in Scotland); open to international students

In this program, you will cover core topics like visual language development, critical thinking, and design principles across fine art and architecture. During the program, you will build detailed sketchbooks, practice life drawing, learn hands-on bookbinding techniques, and experiment with physical sculpture materials.

You will learn how to work independently in a professional studio setting. In addition, you will gain the practical skills needed to curate and present a cohesive body of work. Ultimately, the program’s unique access to authentic studio spaces ensures you finish the summer with a distinctive portfolio ready for university admissions.

Why it stands out: It gives you a direct learning experience inside one of the UK’s few remaining independent art schools, backed by a 90% success rate in placing graduates into their first-choice universities.

5. Summer Art School – University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Location: Carmarthen Campus, Wales
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: June 30th – July 3rd
Application Deadline: May 5th
Eligibility: Students aged 16-17. Priority is given to applicants who are care leavers, young carers, estranged, have disabilities, lack a family history of higher education, or live in a WIMD40 (Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation) postcode; not open to international students

The Summer Art School at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David immerses you in fine art, surface pattern design, 3D crafts, and visual communication. You will spend your days experimenting with ceramics, designing textile patterns, and building a personal developmental sketchbook. During the program, you will also participate in collaborative studio critiques and organize a mini exhibition of your completed work.

The program gives you direct access to the specialized Swansea College of Art studios, allowing you to combine traditional physical media with modern digital techniques. By the end of the course, you will have learned fundamental skills in observational drawing, conceptual problem-solving, and practical portfolio curation.

Why it stands out: It provides high school students with a practical, multidisciplinary portfolio-building experience inside the professional studio environment of Wales’ oldest art college.

6. Cardiff Metropolitan University – Cardiff Open Art School

Location: Cardiff Metropolitan University (Llandaff Campus), Cardiff, Wales
Cost: Variable fee per course
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment (first-come, first-served basis); typically 10-20 students per workshop
Dates: Summer Term (Offered as evening classes or 1-2 day weekend workshops)
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: All high school students; open to international students

The Cardiff Open Art School offers summer short courses specifically geared toward helping you build a competitive university art portfolio. You will explore core topics ranging from observational drawing and figure study to expressive watercolour, oil painting, and reduction printmaking. During your sessions, you will practice life drawing, mix complex colour palettes, create linocuts, and experiment with abstract mark-making techniques.

The program’s unique feature is that you learn directly from professional artists while using authentic university-grade studio workspaces. Ultimately, you will develop essential skills in composition planning, colour theory application, and material manipulation to elevate your creative practice.

Why it stands out: It provides flexible, modular access to specialized university equipment and expert instruction without the rigid schedule of a traditional summer camp.

7. International Summer School – University for the Creative Arts (UCA)

Location: UCA Farnham, Farnham, Surrey
Cost: Paid (£2,690 full fee by June 1; £2,420 early bird by March 31st)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; typically 15-20 students per subject workshop
Dates: Programme 1: July 13 -24; Programme 2: August 3 -14
Application Deadline: June 1st
Eligibility: Aged 16-25 generally; 16-17 year olds eligible only for Art & Design Portfolio Development course; open to international students

This program is specifically designed to help high school and college-aged students build their creative portfolios and experience life at one of the UK’s top arts universities. You participate in a two-week programme at UCA Farnham, selecting from disciplines like Art & Design Portfolio Development (open to ages 16–17), Architecture & Interior Design, Graphic Design, Photography & Cinematography, Fashion Futures, and others.

You work with UCA academics and technical staff on projects that develop skills and contribute to a personal portfolio piece. The programme ends with a student-curated exhibition, an official attendance certificate at graduation, and an optional reference letter from tutors.

Why it stands out: You develop practical skills and portfolio work, finishing with a student-curated exhibition and an official certificate of attendance.

8. Scenic Art Summer Course – Guildhall School of Music & Drama 

Location: Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London, UK
Cost: £615; bursaries are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; approximately 10-14 participants
Dates: July 20 -24
Application Deadline: Open until full
Eligibility: Students aged 16+, all ability levels welcome; sufficient English required; no prior experience needed; open to international students

In this program, you attend a five-day in-person course led by Vanessa Cass, Head of Design Realisation at Guildhall School, focusing on scenic painting techniques for theatre, events, and TV backdrops. You learn to scale up from designer’s models, prepare surfaces, mix colours, select materials, and create effects like wood, stone, metal, marble, bricks, plaster, and concrete.

Work includes a small backcloth on the paint frame and individual Trompe L’oeil canvases that you take home. Old clothes and overalls are recommended due to paint use. 

Why it stands out: You will learn scenic painting techniques for theatre and screen, including surface preparation, colour mixing, and creating realistic material effects.

9. International Summer School – University of the Arts London (UAL)

Location: London, UK
Cost/Stipend: Fee starts from £3,670 (approx); accommodation: Approx. £99 per night (roughly £2,079 for the full 3 weeks) at UAL halls like Sketch House
Acceptance rate/cohort size: First-come, first-served; 15-20 students
Dates: 3 weeks in July
Application Deadline: Open until full
Eligibility: Students around the globe aged 16-18 with an interest in art and design; open to international students

The UAL International Summer School is one of the most media-rich art summer programs in the UK for high school students, giving you three weeks in London to work on structured art and design projects. You’ll explore media such as drawing, collage, design, mark-making, and 3D modelling, while developing practical skills through tutor-led studio sessions, feedback, and group discussions.

The course includes elements similar to foundation-level study, giving you exposure to how art and design are taught in higher education. You also build a body of work over the three weeks that can be used as part of a portfolio for future applications.

Why it stands out: You work on structured projects across media such as drawing, collage, design, and 3D modelling, developing practical skills, receiving feedback, and building work that can contribute to a portfolio for further study.

10. Fine Art Festival – Arts University Bournemouth

Location: Arts University Bournemouth, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK
Cost: £389; discounts are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; typically 15-20 students per class
Dates: July 27-31
Application Deadline: Late May
Eligibility: Students aged 12-15; open to international students

This program is designed as an “action-packed” creative festival for younger high school and middle school students to explore various media and techniques in a professional studio environment. You attend a five-day practical fine art course structured like a creative festival, immersing in hands-on activities with all materials provided.

Each day includes six hours of teaching with snack and lunch breaks, requiring messy clothes, a packed nut-free lunch, drinks, and snacks.  You leave personal valuables at home as AUB takes no liability for loss. The course ends with a one-hour exhibition on Friday afternoon, where friends and family view your work. Booking occurs through AUB’s secure online store.

Why it stands out: You take part in a five-day, hands-on fine art course with daily studio sessions and all materials provided, ending with a public exhibition of your work for friends and family.

11. Young Artist: Fine Art  – Art Academy London

Location: Bankside Campus, London, UK
Cost: £395 (UK Residents) / £595 (International Students); scholarships available for Free School Meal recipients; optional firing fees £15 – £20
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; small cohort sizes
Dates: August 3-7
Application Deadline: Recommended by July 20th
Eligibility: Students aged 15-18 (school years 10-13 or college); all skill levels; not for those 18+ out of full-time education; open to international students

In this program, you attend a five-day course at Bankside Campus taught by artist Alice Perse Clarke, where you work with live models and explore a range of studio activities, including clay and plaster sculpture, mixed-media painting, tone and colour studies, and portrait painting.

Materials such as clay are provided, and you’ll be expected to bring basic items like old clothes and a device to document your work. Some pieces may be fired if you choose to complete that part of the process, which involves additional steps and costs.

Why it stands out: You will work with live models and explore sculpture and painting through clay and plaster, mixed-media abstraction, tone and colour, and portrait work.

12. Artists Programme (Art Specialism) – British Summer School at Oundle

Location: Oundle School, Oundle, Northamptonshire
Cost: £1,750 per week
Acceptance rate/cohort size: First-Come, first-served; ~200 students total
Dates: July 5-11, July 12-18, July 19-25, July 26th – August 1st
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students aged 12-17; English A2-C1 level; select Art specialism; open to international students

In this program, you can opt for British Summer School’s Art specialism within a 20-hour weekly programme that combines English lessons, project-based learning, focused art sessions, evening activities, sports or leisure time, and weekend cultural trips.

In the art classes, held in a dedicated classroom, you work on practical exercises in drawing, painting, modelling, and sculpture, using different materials while developing skills in areas such as perspective, colour, composition, and light and shadow. You also look at examples from different art movements, including pop art, cubism, and surrealism, as part of your studies alongside hands-on work.

Why it stands out: You combine English study and project-based learning with structured art sessions where you develop skills in drawing, painting, modelling, and sculpture while also studying key art movements and techniques through hands-on practice.

13. Robert Gordon University – A Week in the Life of Art School

Location: Grey’s School of Art, Robert Gordon University (Garthdee Campus), Aberdeen, Scotland
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; approximately 100 students
Dates: August 4-8
Application Deadline: Usually late June or early July
Eligibility: Secondary school students/high schoolers (aged 16-19); open to international students

This program offers you a fully immersive, five-day preview of a creative undergraduate degree. Throughout the week, you will explore diverse topics such as scriptwriting for media, jewellery design, large-scale 3D sculpture, and digital visualisation using VR.

You will participate in hands-on activities like stretching your own professional canvas, filming in a professional TV studio, and building collaborative structures using cardboard construction kits. You directly interact with practising artists through group critiques and artist talks, giving you a true taste of studio culture. By participating, you will develop practical technical skills in mark-making and media production while honing your ability to think critically about your own creative process.

Why it stands out: It is a completely funded, multi-disciplinary intensive that provides high school students with rare access to high-end university facilities like VR labs and professional TV studios.

14. Art & Design Work Experience in London – InvestIN

Location: University of London, London, UK
Cost: Variable pricing available here; scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: First-come, first-served; limited capacity
Dates: 1-2 weeks in the summer, starting July 27th
Application Deadline: Open until full
Eligibility: Students aged 15-18, interested in art and design careers; a minimum English level of B2 (Upper-Intermediate) is required; open to international students

During the programme, you’ll explore London’s art scene through guided gallery visits, sketching sessions, and discussions that help you understand different artistic approaches and how work is presented and interpreted.In the studio, you’ll take part in practical workshops across a range of media such as sculpture, life drawing, printmaking, and bookbinding, experimenting with materials while developing your own ideas.

You’ll also be introduced to areas like illustration and animation, where you’ll explore character design, visual storytelling, and basic project development. Alongside this, you’ll begin putting together a portfolio by documenting and presenting your work, learning what universities typically look for in applications. The programme includes an element of work experience and assessment.

Why it stands out: You work on a portfolio and gain an understanding of how art and design studies connect to further education and creative careers.

Where Could Your Creative Curiosity Take You?

After sketchbooks, studio critiques, gallery visits, and digital experiments, you may start seeing creativity as something you can actually build a future around.

The 15 art summer programs in the UK for high school students featured here can help you compare fine art, design, animation, and portfolio-focused routes.

You might leave with sharper technical skills, stronger portfolio pieces, and a clearer sense of whether studio-based learning suits you.

Ready to turn that spark into a direction? Explore our Career Exploration blogs and discover future paths you may not have imagined yet.