15 Fashion Summer Camps for High School Students

TL;DR

This guide covers fashion summer camps where you can sketch, sew, style, and study the business side of fashion before college. Most are hosted by US universities and fashion schools, ranging from four-day workshops in New York to week-long residential camps with dorm stays. You’ll find options for students roughly 13 to 19, depending on each camp’s age or grade rules. Istituto Marangoni Miami has already posted six two-week sessions for summer 2027. Immerse Education’s Career Insights pathway in Fashion & Design runs for two weeks at Barnard College, Columbia University, for students aged 15 to 18 from around the world.

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Fashion is a fast-paced and constantly evolving industry, so starting early can help you build a strong foundation for success in the field. One way to do this is by attending fashion summer camps that typically take two weeks or less of your time and explore more than just fashion trends. 

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If you are considering majoring in fashion and getting into the fashion industry, these camps give you a realistic glimpse of what you would do as a fashion major. This means, similar to a fashion student, you will learn important fashion concepts through lectures and put them into practice through projects in university studios. 

What will you do at a fashion summer camp?

Based on the program you enroll in, you could be sketching collections, creating mood and trend boards, experimenting with textiles and colors, sewing and constructing garments, or practicing draping techniques. There are also camp options for those students who want to delve into the business side of the fashion industry. In them, you will learn merchandising, marketing, branding, and more.

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These camps give you firsthand exposure to the industry and its people through industry visits, career panels, field trips, and conversations with fashion professionals. Best of all, most of these camps let you turn the skills you newly acquired in them into a finished portfolio, fashion collection, or something that showcases your talents. With so many programs available for you to explore the creative and practical sides of fashion, here are 15 fashion summer camps to help you find the experience that best matches your interests.

15 Fashion Summer Camps for High School Students

1. Immerse Education’s Fashion & Design Summer School

Location: Barnard College, Columbia University, New York
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 15 to 18; open to international students from around the world

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Immerse Education's Career Insights pathway in Fashion & Design is a valuable stepping stone if you are looking forward to entering the fashion industry and having a career in it. The program lets you explore the world of fashion even before you have joined college through sessions led by industry professionals, Career Skills sessions, and off-campus industry visits. The course approaches fashion through sustainability and labor rights, covering supply chains, product development, brand storytelling, pricing, circular design, and retail. 

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It gives you foundational knowledge in fashion design and offers you the chance to work on a personal project using this newly acquired knowledge. You will simultaneously explore the different careers you can pursue in the field. You will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the program.

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Why it stands out: The program balances industry-led teaching, a personal project, and off-campus industry visits while offering structured insight into real fashion career pathways.

2. Istituto Marangoni Miami Fashion Summer Camp

Location: Istituto Marangoni Miami, Miami, FL
Cost: $3,500 (domestic students) and $3,950 (international students); optional $250 food package; $500 non-refundable deposit
Dates: May 31st to June 11th, June 15th to 25th, June 28th to July 9th, July 12th to 23rd, July 26th to August 6th, and August 9th to 20th, 2027
Application Deadline: Not specified; $500 early bird discount for applications by March 31st, 2027
Eligibility: High school students aged 14 to 18; open to international students

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Istituto Marangoni Miami’s Fashion Summer Camp is designed to give high school students like you with an interest in fashion an inside look at the industry. During the two weeks, you will explore the three primary pillars of fashion, including design, styling and business. 

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You will particularly learn the different methods you can use to select textiles and construct a garment. You will also form a basic understanding of the importance of marketing and branding in the fashion industry. Moreover, you will be studying different fashion trends and developing the skills required to predict future trends.

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Why it stands out: By the end of the program, you will have created a digital fashion portfolio representing your versatile skill set in fashion.

3. Ladder Internship Program

Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!

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Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. 

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Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average, raising over a million dollars. Interns work closely with their manager at the startup on real-world projects and present their work to the company. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long. Apply now!

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Why it stands out: You work one-on-one with a manager at a high-growth start-up and present your finished project to the company, all remotely and in just eight weeks.

4. Fashion Institute of Technology Summer 4-Day Workshops

Location: Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY
Cost: $440 (including all fees)
Dates: June 21st to 24th (Week 1) and June 28th to July 1st (Week 2), 2027
Application Deadline: Not yet posted for 2027; 2026 registration ran from February 4th to June 10th
Eligibility: Rising 9th graders through newly graduated 12th graders; open to international students, though housing is not provided

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Through FIT’s four-day workshops, you can get a taste of the subjects taught at the Fashion Institute of Technology. You will get to choose from a wide selection of courses across subject areas, such as fashion, art, merchandising, photography, international marketing, and more. 

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Depending on the workshop you choose, you will find yourself learning new skills or gaining a deeper insight into a particular career in the fashion field. Ultimately, the workshop aims to give you a practical understanding of a specific niche in a field, like fashion, while preparing you for future careers in it.

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Why it stands out: With the program running for just four days, the curriculum is structured to be intensive and challenging.

5. Texas Woman’s University Teen Fashion Design Camp

Location: Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX
Cost: $595; an overnight lodging package is available at an additional cost
Dates: June 8th to 12th or July 6th to 10th (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: Not yet posted for 2027; 2026 registration opened February 1st, and all 2026 sessions filled
Eligibility: Students aged 13 to 18; international eligibility not specified

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The Texas Woman’s University runs a couple of fashion summer camps that are catered to students of different age groups, including this one for high schoolers. This five-day camp teaches you everything from designing an attire to actually making it. 

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In this program, you will be developing a trend board and sketching different fashion looks while gaining a better perspective of design concepts, textiles and color theory. Throughout the camp, you will be surrounded by local fashion industry professionals plus the faculty and students from the university’s fashion program who will support and offer their expertise to you.

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Why it stands out: Rather than stopping with just sketching, this camp will actually teach you to sew and construct your garment.

6. Iowa State University Fashion Camp

Location: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Cost: $725 (commuter) and $925 (residential); reduced prices of $625 (commuter) and $825 (residential) for students who registered before April 30th, 2026
Dates: July 26th to 31st (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: Not specified; limited to the first 20 registrants
Eligibility: Students entering 9th through 12th grade and students who have completed 12th grade; international eligibility not specified

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In this fashion camp organized by Iowa State University, you will have the chance to step into the role of a fashion designer. During your time in the program, you will put together a mood board based on your prediction of the upcoming fashion trends and work on designing and creating your own garment. 

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You will then practice the different styling and draping techniques you can use to shape your fit and give it a more elevated look. You will additionally learn about visual merchandising and help merchandise the university’s on-campus retail store. Overall, by the end of the program, you will have accumulated fashion illustration, sewing, floor planning, and other skills.

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Why it stands out: The camp will put together a fashion exhibition at the end of the program so that you can showcase your new designs to others.

7. Kansas State University Summer Fashion Institute

Location: Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Cost: $100
Dates: June 8th to 11th (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: Not specified; limited to 12 registrants
Eligibility: 9th through 12th graders; international eligibility not specified

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Through Kansas State University’s Summer Fashion Institute, run by its School of Consumer Sciences, you will have the space to channel your creative side as you get an outlook on the fashion industry. The camp will engage you in various activities across fashion designing, illustration, and sewing. By immersing yourself in such activities, you will become familiar with the different techniques used in each of them. 

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In other words, you will develop the skills needed to turn your design from paper into something that is wearable. For those who are more interested in fabrics, the school’s Farm to Fashion Camp in July is also worth considering.

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Why it stands out: With the program requiring no prior sewing skills, it can be a good starting point if you are just starting to explore your interest in fashion designing and garment construction.

8. NYU High School Summer Program: Fashion Design in New York City

Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost: A non-refundable application fee of $50 and a course fee of $2,579; additional fee of $684 for housing and dining (optional); summer 2026 rates
Dates: July 6th to 10th and July 20th to 24th (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: Summer 2026 applications are closed; 2027 deadlines not yet posted
Eligibility: Rising 10th through 12th graders; open to international students

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This summer program by NYU explores the fashion industry in New York City while paying attention to its diverse nature, which includes both luxury and punk rock styles. As a participant in this course, you will cover various aspects of the fashion industry, including design, marketing, merchandising, styling, and more. 

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In fact, you will even learn to find your unique style. You will gain insight into what it means to be a fashion major, along with a clearer picture of what a career in the industry looks like.

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Why it stands out: The course will culminate in a project where you sketch a collection featuring your signature looks to add to your portfolio.

9. Marist University Summer Pre-College: Fashion Design - Portfolio

Location: Marist University, Poughkeepsie, NY
Cost: $3,700
Dates: July 12th to 25th, Session II (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Geared toward high school sophomores and juniors; international eligibility not specified

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This fashion-focused pre-college program by Marist University creates an environment for you to test if you would actually thrive if you choose to pursue a career in the fashion industry. You will spend a significant amount of your time sketching fashion designs. For this, the program will teach the different methods you will need to use to turn your design ideas into sketches. 

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You will simultaneously form a better understanding of garment details, silhouettes, garment construction, and rendering techniques. As the course comes to the end, you will have put together a portfolio of your fashion capsule collection that you can add to your college applications.

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Why it stands out: By completing this program, you will earn 3 transferable credits for the university’s FASH 105N course.

10. Drexel University’s Pre-College Fashion Design Program

Location: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $2,400, covering accommodations, meals, materials, and field trips; $300 deposit due at registration
Dates: July 12th to 18th (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: Not specified; the 2026 session filled, and final payments and forms were due June 12th, 2026
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders who are at least 16 years old; international eligibility not specified

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Drexel University’s fashion design program is a residential experience that lets you explore the creative side of the fashion industry. It gives you the space to learn and enhance your skills in fashion illustration, draping, print design, natural silk dyeing, and technical sketching. You will additionally practice using technical tools like Clo-3D and Shima Seiki’s Apex. 

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You will use these newly acquired skills to build your professional portfolio. The program will also engage you in lectures that will cover topics such as sustainable design, print design, historic costume, digital technology, using AI as a design tool, and more.

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Why it stands out: You will hear from Drexel faculty and industry professionals, and field trips are included in the tuition, giving you better insight into careers in the field.

11. ASU FIDM Intro to Fashion Design Summer Camp

Location: Fusion on First, Phoenix, AZ, or ASU California Center Grand, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: $1,200 (Phoenix) and $1,300 (Los Angeles); early bird pricing of $1,000 in Phoenix and $1,100 in Los Angeles for students who registered by April 2nd, 2026; scholarships available
Dates: June 15th to 19th (Intro to Fashion Design) and June 22nd to 26th (Intro to Fashion Design II), 2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted
Application Deadline: Not yet posted for 2027
Eligibility: High school and community college students aged 15 to 19; international eligibility not specified

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Arizona State University’s FIDM runs multiple summer camps with the aim of introducing high school and community college students like you to the various career opportunities available within the fashion industry, including designing, styling and marketing. 

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In this particular camp that focuses on fashion design, you will spend your time learning illustration, sewing, patternmaking, trend forecasting and more. After this camp, you can also consider Intro to Fashion Design II, which builds on the skills you learned in the first week.

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Why it stands out: In 2026, campers also toured Mattel’s global headquarters and joined a panel with creative executives from Barbie and the fashion brand Edikted.

12. Banson NYC Fashion Summer Camp

Location: New York, NY (hotel stay in Midtown Manhattan)
Cost: 2,125perstudentinaquadroom(1,925 if you register with a friend) or 2,475perstudentinadoubleroom(2,275 if you register with a friend)
Dates: July 25th to 30th, 2027
Application Deadline: Accepted on a first-come, first-served basis; limited to 20 participants
Eligibility: Students entering 9th through 12th grade; international eligibility not specified

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Banson NYC welcomes you to this camp if you want to pursue a career in fashion. This can be an interest in learning how retail stores select their merchandise, becoming familiar with the day-to-day responsibilities of the people behind design studios and showrooms, or any other career in the fashion industry. 

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You will attend a series of seminars and lectures that will provide you with a fundamental understanding of the fashion industry. You will also get to see for yourself how the industry functions through visits to key players in the industry and educational shopping trips. Your schedule will also include an assortment planning seminar that shows you how the buying process works.

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Why it stands out: As a participant, you will take part in a photoshoot in Central Park with a professional photographer.

13. St. Catherine University Fashion Summer Workshop

Location: St. Catherine University, Saint Paul, MN
Cost: $300; a reduced cost of $50 is available for families who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch
Dates: July 6th to 10th, 1 to 5 p.m. (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10 to 12 who identify as women, nonbinary, or genderqueer; international eligibility not specified

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St. Catherine University’s Fashion Summer Workshop gives you an outlook on having a career in the fashion industry. Over the five days, you will be learning how designers create their mood boards, sketch their designs, drape designs on mannequins, and more. 

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Moreover, you will learn from the university’s fashion faculty and current students, who will give you a clearer picture of the industry and the career paths you can choose across fashion and retail.

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Why it stands out: The workshop specifically focuses on sustainable fashion, thus teaching you how you can reduce your carbon footprint as a designer and giving you the opportunity to design an upcycled garment.

14. Lipscomb University Summer Fashion Academy

Location: Lipscomb University, Nashville, TN
Cost: $350
Dates: July 20th to 23rd, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: June 12th (2026); 2027 deadline not yet posted
Eligibility: Rising 9th through 12th graders; international eligibility not specified

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Lipscomb University runs this fashion academy to help high school students like you learn fashion designing, sewing, and accessory making by actually doing them. As a participant in the program, you will find yourself attending a series of immersive workshops in which you will complete design and sewing projects. 

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The program will also equip you with fashion illustration, basic pattern making, garment construction and other skills. Moreover, the program will also explore sustainability in the fashion industry, so you will learn to use secondhand and upcycled materials in your designs.

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Why it stands out: In addition to making garments, you will also learn to make accessories, including leather working, using a variety of fabrics and materials.

15. Kent State University Summer Fashion Academy

Location: Kent State University, Kent, OH
Cost: $1,650, including six nights in a residence hall, all meals, supplies, and materials
Dates: June 14th to 20th (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: First-come, first-served; 2026 registration opened March 1st and was limited to 30 participants
Eligibility: Students who have completed 10th grade and are 16 to 18 years old; international eligibility not specified

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In this summer fashion academy, you will study some of the important aspects of fashion designing and merchandising. More specifically, you will be attending lectures and engaging in activities that let you explore both the design and business sides of the fashion industry. 

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You will work individually and in teams to complete a variety of creative projects throughout the week. The program also gives you a preview of college life and insight into what being a fashion student entails.

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Why it stands out: You will spend the week living in a Kent State residence hall alongside other participants who are also passionate about the fashion industry.

Frequently asked questions: Fashion Summer Camps for High School Students

How much do fashion summer camps for high school students cost?

Fashion summer camps for high school students usually cost anywhere from $100 to just under $4,000, depending on how long they run and whether housing is included. Kansas State’s Summer Fashion Institute cost $100 in 2026, while FIT’s 4-day workshops cost $440 with all fees. Two-week programs sit at the higher end, with Marist’s portfolio program at $3,700 and Istituto Marangoni Miami charging $3,500 for domestic students in 2027. Some camps also cut costs for families, such as St. Catherine University’s $50 rate if you qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

Do you need sewing experience to attend a fashion summer camp?

No, many fashion summer camps welcome complete beginners. Kansas State’s Summer Fashion Institute says no previous sewing experience is required, and Iowa State’s Fashion Camp says no experience is necessary, with camp leaders helping you pick your workshops. If you are new to sewing, a camp that teaches garment construction from the ground up, like Texas Woman’s University’s, is a good place to start. Longer programs, such as Marist’s portfolio course, go deeper into sketching and rendering, so check each camp’s description before you apply.

Can a fashion summer camp help you build a portfolio for fashion school?

Yes, several fashion summer camps are built around portfolio work you can use in your college applications. At Marist University, you put together a portfolio of your fashion capsule collection, while Istituto Marangoni Miami ends with a final portfolio presentation where you receive professional feedback. Drexel’s one-week pre-college program also helps you expand your skills and portfolio through studio projects. If you want more structured design training afterward, these fashion design courses for high school students can help you keep building your work.

Can you earn college credit at a fashion summer camp?

Yes, but only some fashion summer camps offer college credit, so check before you enroll. Marist University’s Fashion Design Portfolio program awards three transferable college credits for its FASH 105N course. Many shorter programs do not carry credit, including FIT’s precollege workshops and NYU’s Career Edge courses. Immerse Education’s Career Insights pathway in Fashion & Design offers an optional accredited route where your work is formally assessed, so you can finish with 8 UCAS points or 3 US college credits.

Can international students attend fashion summer camps in the US?

Yes, several US fashion summer camps accept international students, though visa rules and housing options vary. Istituto Marangoni Miami lists international tuition of $3,950 for 2027, and NYU’s Career Edge program welcomes international students, most of whom need a student visa. FIT also welcomes international students in its precollege programs, but housing is not provided. Immerse Education’s Career Insights pathway in Fashion & Design at Barnard College is open to students aged 15 to 18 from around the world, and you can compare more options in these fashion summer programs in NYC.

When should you apply to fashion summer camps?

You should plan to apply in late winter or early spring, since many camps open registration between February and March and some fill up fast. Texas Woman’s University opened registration on February 1st in 2026, and all of its summer sessions filled. FIT’s 2026 registration began on February 4th, while Kent State’s opened on March 1st with space for just 30 participants. For savings, Istituto Marangoni Miami offers a $500 early bird discount for 2027 applications made by March 31st.

Where a fashion summer camp can take you

A single week of sketching, draping, or styling can tell you more about your future in fashion than months of scrolling through runway photos online.

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The fashion summer camps for high school students on this list range from four-day workshops to two-week programs, so you can pick one that fits.

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Whether you leave with a sewn garment, a portfolio, or a clearer sense of which fashion career suits you, your next step gets much easier.

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To keep mapping out roles in design, merchandising, and beyond, browse our Career Exploration blogs for practical guides on building your future in fashion.