Choosing fashion as a college major means entering one of the broadest creative industries, with pathways in branding, retail, business, sustainability, product development, textiles, and technology. Pre-college fashion programs for high school students can help you explore these areas before deciding which direction best matches your interests and future goals.

You might spend several weeks sketching collections, developing portfolio pieces, studying luxury branding, or examining how trends move from the runway into everyday clothing. Some programmes also introduce digital design tools and sustainable fashion practices, while online options allow you to gain this experience from home.

How do you choose the right pre-college fashion program for high school students?

The first thing to look at is the program’s focus. Some programs are designed for students who want to become fashion designers, while others explore fashion marketing, merchandising, styling, business, or textile design. Before applying, think about which side of the industry you’re most curious about.

It’s also worth looking for programs hosted by universities or established fashion schools. Besides introducing you to college-level coursework, many of these programs help students build a portfolio, complete practical projects, and understand what studying fashion in college actually feels like.

To help you find the right fit, we’ve put together a list of 15 pre-college fashion programs for high school students!

For adjacent opportunities, consider the design program and the art program.

Key takeaways

• FIT’s Summer High School Classes cost $550 for a single 10-day online or in-person class and are open to international students who meet course requirements.
• Immerse Education’s Fashion & Design Summer School takes place at Barnard College, Columbia University, averages seven participants per class, and is open to high school students worldwide aged 15 to 18.
• Parsons Paris Online Courses cost $1,895 for a two week program open to students aged 13 and up, including international students.
• Cornell’s Precollege Studies Online course on Fibers, Fabrics and Finishes costs $5,820 in tuition for a three week, three-credit session and is a real undergraduate class opened to high schoolers.
• LIM College’s Summer Fashion Academy costs $250 for a virtual, four-day program focused on merchandising, branding, and influencer marketing rather than clothing design.
• California College of the Arts’ online Pre-College Fashion Design program costs approximately $3,955 to $3,995, runs four weeks, and awards three college credits for building an actual sewn garment.
• Academy of Art University’s PCADE online fashion track is completely free, requires no portfolio or test scores, and runs twice a year outside the summer term.
• Syracuse University’s Summer College Online course on fashion advertising runs three weeks with twice-weekly live class meetings and costs $1,995 on a noncredit basis.

14 Pre-College Fashion Programs for High School Students

1. Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) – Summer High School Classes

Location: Online and New York City, New York
Cost: $550 for one 10-day class
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open registration; places may fill
Dates: July 6-21
Application Deadline: Registration opens February 4th and closes June 10th
Eligibility: Students in Grades 9-12 as of the autumn term; international students may participate if they meet course requirements

FIT’s Summer High School Classes stand out among the many pre-college fashion programs for high school students by offering short courses taught by faculty from a leading fashion college. Depending on your course, you may develop fashion illustrations, build portfolio pieces, study styling, or learn digital design tools.

Each class meets for three hours across 10 sessions, so you can focus on one subject without committing to a full summer program. Since every course has a small, specific focus, you can choose one that matches your interests instead of following a fixed curriculum.

Why it stands out: You can build fashion-focused skills through short FIT precollege courses, with remote options available depending on the course schedule.

2. Immerse Education’s Fashion & Design Summer School

Location: Barnard College, Columbia University, New York
Cost/Stipend: Varies; summer school scholarships are available through the bursary programme
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; an average of seven participants per class
Dates: Two weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students aged 15-18 from around the world

The fashion industry is a massive world full of opportunities from every side. If you are a high school student who is looking to kickstart your journey in the fashion world before college, the Immerse Education Fashion and Design Summer School is the right option for you. In this course, you get to explore professional paths in fashion, learn the basic foundation of fashion design, create a personal project, and earn a certificate of excellence at the end of the program.

During the program, Immerse also helps you through 1:1 tutorials, conducting seminars from experts, and creating friendship bonds through day trips and excursions in your free time. In short, this program will really prepare you for reality in the fashion industry.

Why it stands out: The program balances academic foundations, personal projects, and one-on-one mentorship while offering structured insight into real fashion career pathways.

3. School of Visual Arts (SVA) Pre-College – Fashion Photography & Design

Location: Online and New York City, New York
Cost: Tuition varies by term and format
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open registration; places are limited
Dates: Summer, autumn, and spring options; exact dates vary by term
Application Deadline: Rolling registration until courses are full
Eligibility: High school students aged 14-18; international students may apply, with visa requirements for full-time, in-person summer study

The School of Visual Arts offers online pre-college courses that strengthen the creative skills behind fashion photography and design. Depending on the available course, you may study photography, illustration, drawing, design, or portfolio development while working with SVA faculty.

Assignments are completed in a college-style studio format with critiques and instructor feedback throughout the course. Because SVA’s schedule changes each term, you can choose a class that best supports your own fashion interests. Students who complete eligible pre-college courses may also earn college credit.

Why it stands out: You can build college-level art and design skills through SVA’s virtual pre-college options while developing portfolio-ready work.

4. School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) Early College Program

Location: Online and Chicago, Illinois
Cost: $1,908 for an online one-credit course; $3,816 for an online two-credit course; scholarships and financial aid may be available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; cohort size and acceptance rate are not publicly available
Dates: June 15-26
Application Deadline: Rolling registration until courses are full; scholarship deadlines may be earlier
Eligibility: High school students aged 14-18 who meet course and programme requirements; online options are open to international students

SAIC’s Early College Program lets you take online college-level art and design courses while earning academic credit. Depending on the course schedule, you can study subjects that strengthen skills useful for fashion, including drawing, design, illustration, and portfolio development.

Classes follow a studio format, so you will complete creative projects, receive critiques, and revise your work with instructor feedback. Because you choose individual courses, you can focus on the area that best matches your interests. The online option gives you a chance to experience SAIC’s teaching approach without traveling to Chicago.

Why it stands out: You can earn SAIC college credit online while developing studio and portfolio skills relevant to fashion and design.

5. Parsons Paris Online Courses

Location: Online
Cost: $1,895
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open enrolment; cohort size is not publicly listed
Dates: Two-week online course; summer dates vary by session
Application Deadline: June 14th
Eligibility: High school students aged 13 and above; open to international students

Parsons Paris is one of the online pre-college fashion programs for high school students that introduces you to the complete fashion design process. Through design exercises, creative assignments, and guided lessons, you learn how ideas move from initial research to finished concepts.

The coursework also explores visual storytelling, concept development, and the methods designers use to communicate their ideas. Since the programme is fully online, you can complete projects from home while receiving guidance from Parsons instructors. The course concludes with a collection of work that reflects your creative process.

Why it stands out: You study fashion design online through a Parsons Paris-linked pre-college course designed specifically for high school students.

6. Summer at RISD

Location: Online
Cost: Tuition-based
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; RISD reports that more than 500 students attend its on-campus Pre-College programme annually, but the online cohort size is not publicly listed
Dates: June 22nd – July 30th
Application Deadline: Applications open in November
Eligibility: High school students worldwide; online eligibility requirements vary by cycle and should be confirmed before applying

RISD’s Pre-College Online brings the school’s studio-based learning experience into a virtual classroom. You will attend live classes, complete independent studio work, and take part in critiques that encourage you to explain and refine your creative decisions.

Although the programme is not focused only on fashion, courses build drawing, design thinking, and visual communication skills that are important for fashion portfolios. Throughout the programme, you will also have access to virtual events and resources offered by RISD. Every project is developed through the same critique-based process used in RISD’s undergraduate studios.

Why it stands out: You can experience RISD-style studio learning online while building foundational design and portfolio skills.

7. SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design)

Location: Online and SCAD campuses
Cost: Tuition-based; costs vary by programme
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective or registration-based, depending on the programme
Dates: Summer and year-round options
Application Deadline: Varies by programme
Eligibility: High school students; international students may apply, depending on the format

SCAD offers online pre-college courses across art and design, including subjects that support future fashion study. Depending on the course you choose, you may strengthen skills in drawing, illustration, design, digital media, or portfolio development while working with SCAD instructors.

Studio assignments, critiques, and creative projects follow the same structure used in many college design courses. Because SCAD’s online offerings change throughout the year, you can select a course that matches your interests. The programme also gives you a chance to experience SCAD’s creative learning environment before applying to college.

Why it stands out: You can explore art and design through SCAD’s pre-college ecosystem.

8. UAL – History of Fashion and Style

Location: Online
Cost: £380
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open enrolment, subject to availability
Dates: August 20th – September 24th
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until places are full
Eligibility: Open to learners worldwide; not limited to high school students

The London College of Fashion’s History of Fashion and Style explores how fashion changed from the eighteenth century through the 1990s. You will examine how politics, culture, art, and society influenced the way people dressed across different periods.

The course also introduces fashion history as an academic subject, helping you understand how clothing reflects wider social and cultural change. Through illustrated lectures and discussions, you will learn to analyze fashion beyond trends and garments alone. It is a strong choice if you are interested in fashion communication, styling, curation, or fashion journalism.

Why it stands out: You study fashion history online through the London College of Fashion.

9. Cornell University – Precollege Studies Online: Fibers, Fabrics and Finishes

Location: Online through Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
Cost: $5,820 for a three-credit, three-week session, plus a non-refundable $75 application fee
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; Cornell does not publish acceptance rates or cohort sizes for individual Precollege Studies courses
Dates: Three-week online sessions run between June 1st and July 31st
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students aged 15-19 who have completed their sophomore year of high school; open to international students, subject to export-control restrictions affecting certain sanctioned countries

Cornell’s Fibers, Fabrics, and Finishes course is a real, credit-bearing undergraduate class in the Department of Fiber Science & Apparel Design, opened up to high schoolers through Cornell’s Precollege Studies Online program. You’ll study the properties and performance of textile materials, exploring how fibers and fabrics are engineered for apparel and home furnishing markets, all from a scientific, industry-grounded perspective rather than a purely creative one.

Because it’s a regular Cornell course taught alongside undergraduates, the workload mirrors actual college coursework, and successful completion earns you a real Cornell transcript and college credit. The course runs through Canvas, with a mix of synchronous and asynchronous instruction depending on the section.

Why it stands out: It’s one of the only ways a high schooler can earn real Ivy League course credit in textile science entirely online.

10. Syracuse University – Summer College Online: Fashion Advertising: Behind the Scenes of Style and Strategy

Location: Online
Cost: $1,995 for the non-credit course
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open enrolment for eligible students; class sizes are kept small to support live discussion
Dates: Three-week sessions run in July and August, with twice-weekly synchronous classes in Eastern Time
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until the course is full
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors, as well as recent graduates who will not matriculate at Syracuse in the autumn

Taught by a Newhouse School advertising professor whose research centers on fashion and cosmetics advertising, this course pulls back the curtain on how fashion brands actually sell themselves. You’ll examine persuasive techniques in fashion advertising, the role of influencers and celebrity endorsements, and the ethics of representation and sustainability claims in marketing.

Each live class opens with a discussion of assigned readings before moving into lecture and group evaluative tasks, so the structure feels closer to a small seminar than a passive video course. Outside of class, Summer College – Online students get access to virtual social events to connect with the wider Syracuse pre-college cohort.

Why it stands out: It’s a genuinely live, discussion-based course taught by a working fashion-advertising researcher, not a pre-recorded video series.

11. LIM College – Summer Fashion Academy

Location: Virtual
Cost: $250
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open registration; course places may fill
Dates: July 13-16
Application Deadline: June 22nd for virtual course registration
Eligibility: Current high school students in Grades 9-12 who are aged 14-18 by the first day of the programme; open to international students who can attend virtually

LIM College’s virtual Summer Fashion Academy focuses on the business side of fashion instead of clothing design. You will explore merchandising, branding, influencer marketing, consumer behavior, and digital mood boards while learning how fashion products move from concept to customers.

Classes also introduce brand strategy and the role marketing plays in building successful fashion businesses. Since the programme is delivered live online, you can interact with instructors without traveling to New York.

Why it stands out: You explore fashion branding and merchandising online through a focused LIM College precollege course.

12. California College of the Arts (CCA) – Pre-College Fashion Design (Online)

Location: Online through California College of the Arts, San Francisco, California
Cost: Approximately $3,955-$3,995, plus a non-refundable $55 application fee
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective application process; cohort size is not publicly disclosed
Dates: Four-week summer session, typically running from late June to late July
Application Deadline: Applications open in September and close in June
Eligibility: Current high school students who will have completed their sophomore, junior, or senior year by the summer; no previous sewing experience is required; international student eligibility is not specified

CCA offers one of the most hands-on online pre-college fashion programs for high school students, taught by faculty from its undergraduate Fashion Design programme. You spend part of the week learning sewing and garment construction before shifting to fashion drawing and illustration to develop your personal style.

Fridays bring in guest speakers and working fashion professionals to discuss topics like sustainable design. You’ll need a computer with Zoom and a home sewing machine, and the course is an immersive studio experience, with students expected to keep working on projects in the evenings. Completing the program earns 3 college credits.

Why it stands out: You build an actual sewn garment from home while earning college credit from an accredited art college.

13. Academy of Art University – Pre-College Art & Design Experience (PCADE), Online: Fashion

Location: Online through the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, California
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open admission; no test scores, grades, or portfolio are required
Dates: Autumn online session: September 2nd – October 13th; spring online session: February 3rd – March 10th
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions based on each session’s start date
Eligibility: Current high school students; open to international students

PCADE is a free, college-level pre-college program that spans the Academy’s full range of creative majors, including its School of Fashion, and runs entirely online outside of the summer term. Because the Academy’s online fashion curriculum mirrors its degree program, you’ll be exposed to the same faculty and industry-tested approach used in the school’s BFA Fashion track, covering design, merchandising, or styling, depending on the course offered that term.

There’s no application fee and no portfolio requirement, which makes it one of the lowest-barrier ways to test out fashion school before committing to a full degree. Students who complete the program can apply credits toward future enrollment at the Academy.

Why it stands out: It’s completely free and runs twice a year outside of summer, so you’re not limited to a single, crowded application window.

14. Lasell University – Youth Innovation Program: Sneaker Stuff: How Shoes Go from an Idea to Box

Location: Online through Lasell University, Newton, Massachusetts
Cost: $125-$175 per class
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open enrolment; scholarships are available
Dates: One-week sessions held throughout the summer
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until sessions are full
Eligibility: Middle and high school students; no previous design experience is required; international student eligibility is not specified

This Lasell University course, run through the Youth Innovation Program, walks you through how a pair of sneakers moves from a sketched idea to a finished product on a shelf, covering footwear design fundamentals and weekly creative shoe-design challenges.

You can choose to take it 100% online over Zoom, making it accessible regardless of where you live, and it’s taught alongside Lasell’s broader fashion curriculum, the same school behind Lasell’s well-known student-run Runway fashion show. It’s a lighter time commitment than most pre-college fashion offerings, built for students who want a taste of product-focused fashion design without a multi-week obligation.

Why it stands out: It’s a rare pre-college option focused specifically on footwear and product design rather than apparel.

Frequently asked questions: Pre-college fashion programs for high school students

Are pre-college fashion programs available fully online?

Yes, many pre-college fashion programs are entirely online, which makes them accessible regardless of where you live. Parsons Paris Online Courses, Cornell’s Fibers, Fabrics and Finishes, LIM College’s Summer Fashion Academy, and Academy of Art University’s PCADE online fashion track all run without any in-person component. Other programs, like FIT’s Summer High School Classes and SVA’s Pre-College courses, offer both online and in-person options depending on the specific course and term you choose.

Do you need sewing or design experience to join a pre-college fashion program?

No, most pre-college fashion programs are designed for beginners and don’t require prior experience. California College of the Arts explicitly states no previous sewing experience is required for its online Fashion Design studio, and Academy of Art University’s PCADE program has no portfolio or test score requirements at all. Business-focused programs, like LIM College’s Summer Fashion Academy, focus on merchandising and branding rather than technical design skills, so they don’t expect a hands-on fashion background either.

How much do pre-college fashion programs cost?

Costs range from free to several thousand dollars depending on format and credit status. Academy of Art University’s PCADE fashion track is completely free, while LIM College’s Summer Fashion Academy costs $250 for a virtual, four-day program. Credit-bearing university courses cost more: Cornell’s Fibers, Fabrics and Finishes runs $5,820 in tuition, and California College of the Arts’ online program costs roughly $3,955 to $3,995. Noncredit courses, like Syracuse’s fashion advertising course, tend to fall in between at $1,995.

Can international students join pre-college fashion programs?

Most pre-college fashion programs welcome international students, especially online ones, since there’s no visa or housing logistics to manage. Immerse Education’s Fashion & Design Summer School is open to students worldwide aged 15 to 18, and Parsons Paris Online Courses accept students aged 13 and up from any country. A few programs have export-control restrictions for students in specific sanctioned countries, such as Cornell’s online precollege courses, so it’s worth checking the fine print if you live outside the US.

What is the difference between a fashion design program and a fashion business program?

Fashion design programs, like California College of the Arts’ online studio, focus on sewing, garment construction, and illustration, having you build an actual piece of clothing from scratch. Fashion business programs, like LIM College’s Summer Fashion Academy and Syracuse’s fashion advertising course, instead cover merchandising, branding, marketing, and consumer behavior without any hands-on garment work. Deciding which path interests you more can help you choose between a design-focused track and a business or communications-focused fashion degree later on.

Is Immerse Education a good option for exploring fashion before college?

Immerse Education’s Fashion & Design Summer School is a strong choice if you want a well-rounded introduction to the industry rather than a narrow focus on design or business alone. Held at Barnard College, Columbia University, with an average of just seven participants per class, the program covers fashion fundamentals, a personal project, and a certificate of completion. It also includes 1:1 tutorials and expert-led seminars, giving you both mentorship and a realistic sense of different career paths within fashion.

Turn Fashion Interests Into a Clearer Career Direction

Fashion becomes easier to navigate when you compare design, merchandising, textiles, advertising, sustainability, and footwear instead of treating the industry as one career path alone.

The pre-college fashion programs for high school students featured here let you test those paths through garment construction, branding projects, textile science, and live critiques.

Use each course to identify whether you enjoy creating products, analysing consumers, shaping campaigns, or solving sustainability challenges before choosing a degree or specialisation path.

Ready to connect your strongest interests with real roles? Explore our Career Exploration blogs for practical guidance on fashion careers, skills, pathways, and next steps.