15 Game Design and AI Camps for High School Students

TL;DR

You’ll find 15 game design camps for high school students here, from five-day sessions at Indiana University to six-week programs at Carnegie Mellon. The biggest difference is credit, since UCLA, NYU Tisch, and USC award college credit while shorter camps focus on building a first playable game. Most programs suit students aged 15 to 18, and many end with a public showcase of your finished game. 

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If you love playing games, a game design camp is your chance to find out what it takes to make one. Game design camps for high school students teach you how mechanics, art, story, sound, and code come together into something people actually want to play. Depending on the program, you might build a tabletop prototype, script a level in Unity, or pitch an original idea to faculty mentors.

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Many of these camps run at universities with respected game programs, like Carnegie Mellon, NYU, USC, and Champlain. You’ll work in teams the way real studios do, then playtest, refine, and often present your finished game at a showcase. Some even award college credit, so your summer can count toward a future degree.

What are game design camps for high school students?

Game design camps for high school students are summer programs where you learn to design, build, and test games, usually at a university or art school. They range from five-day camps to six-week residential programs, and most end with a playable game or prototype you can add to your portfolio.

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Camps differ in focus and difficulty. UCLA Game Lab treats game-making as an art form, while NYU’s Coding for Game Design and MSU’s Making a Game of IT lean more on programming. Check prerequisites before you apply, since some camps welcome complete beginners and others expect coding experience. Deadlines also vary, from NYU Tisch’s December 1st cutoff to open registration at UNC Asheville and Champlain.

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To help you compare your options, we’ve put together a list of 15 game design camps for high school students!

15 Game Design and AI Camps for High School Students

1. UCLA Game Lab Summer Institute

Location: University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA | Virtual option available
Cost: $3,591 (virtual) | $6,541 (residential)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; rolling admission
Dates: June 22nd - July 9th (virtual) | July 12-29 (residential), 2026 (2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: June 15th, 2026 (2027 deadline not yet posted)
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12 who are at least 15 by the program start and not enrolled full-time in college | Open to international students, including through the virtual option

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At UCLA Game Lab, you’ll explore game-making as an artistic practice while learning how design, animation, world building, and programming come together. Over three weeks, you’ll create a tabletop game, develop a 2D character or avatar in After Effects, build a game environment in Unity, and code a playable video game. 

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The courses are taught by practicing game artists and educators affiliated with UCLA Game Lab. You’ll also playtest your work, refine your designs, and show your projects in an end-of-program exhibition. By completing the program, you earn four units of pass/no pass UC college credit and can use your game art in a college application portfolio.

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Why it stands out: You get to combine artistic experimentation with practical game development while earning four units of UC college credit.

2. Immerse Education's Artificial Intelligence Summer School

Location: Oxford, Singapore, and Toronto

Cost: Varies; summer school scholarship available through our bursary programme

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; an average of 7 participants per class

Application Deadline: Multiple cohorts with rolling admissions

Program Dates: 2 weeks during the summer

Eligibility: Students aged 15-18 (16-18 in Oxford and Singapore); open to international students

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Immerse Education's Academic Insights pathway in Artificial Intelligence provides school students with an opportunity to take undergraduate-level classes at universities around the world. Participants work with expert tutors from leading institutions in small seminar groups averaging 7 students, alongside two 1:1 tutorials, masterclasses, and guest speakers. 

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The program includes exploring machine learning, neural networks, and AI ethics through hands-on coding projects, team challenges, and simulations led by expert tutors. By the end of the program, you will complete a personal project and receive written feedback and a certificate of completion. You can find more details about the application here.

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Why it stands out: It gives you structured, project-based AI training with expert mentorship, helping you build real machine learning and ethical AI understanding early.

3. Veritas AI

Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Program dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Application deadline: Rolling. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.

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Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, students are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects.

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Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that students have access to the in-house publication team to help them secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.

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Why it stands out: You get 1-1 mentorship with a Ph.D. mentor and produce an independent research project by the end.

4. Carnegie Mellon University: National High School Game Academy (NHSGA)

Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: Listed on CMU Pre-College’s Cost and Scholarships page
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; most admitted students are juniors
Dates: June 26th - August 7th, 2027
Application Deadline: February 1st, 2027 (scholarship) | March 1st, 2027 (basic)
Eligibility: Current sophomores or juniors who are at least 16 by June 26th, 2027, with a B average (3.0/4.0) or better | Open to international students

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At Carnegie Mellon’s National High School Game Academy, you’ll spend six weeks learning how different disciplines come together to create original games, using methods from CMU’s Master of Entertainment Technology program. The first two weeks cover programming in Unity, 2D and 3D art, game design, animation, interactive storytelling, sound design, and project management. 

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You’ll then join faculty-selected teams of five or six and build two games, starting with a one-week “Lightning Round.” Your second project begins with a pitch of three ideas to faculty before your team builds an original game from scratch with daily mentoring. You apply on a specific track, such as software development, visual arts, sound design, or game generalist, and the program doesn’t award college credit.

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Why it stands out: You’ll experience the full game-development process on two team projects designed to become portfolio pieces.

5. Parsons Summer Intensive Studies: Game Design

Location: Parsons School of Design, The New School, New York, NY
Cost: $5,805 + $274 university fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 28th - July 16th, 2027
Application Deadline: April 1st (international) | May 1st (domestic)
Eligibility: Students aged 16-18 | Open to international students

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You’ll explore game theory and interaction design while learning how analog and digital games are created. The course introduces you to game structure, play experiences, and the role of gaming communities through studio work. 

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You’ll experiment with physical objects and digital interfaces, then use basic coding and software to develop your own games. Along the way, you’ll analyze existing games, hear from guest game designers, and take part in peer-to-peer playtesting. You’ll also earn three college credits when you complete the course.

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Why it stands out: You’ll combine game theory, coding, studio practice, and playtesting while earning three college credits through Parsons.

6. NYU Tisch Summer High School Game Design Program

Location: NYU Game Center, New York, NY (classes in Brooklyn, housing in Manhattan)
Cost: $12,552 tuition for 6 units + $200 program fee, $1,308 housing, $824 meal plan, and $513 in lab fees | $75 application fee | Limited need-based scholarships
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; a select group of students
Dates: July 11th - August 7th, 2027
Application Deadline: December 1st, 2026
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors who are at least 15 | International eligibility not specified

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You’ll explore digital game development through game design, programming, visual art, animation, sound design, and writing at the NYU Game Center. Your coursework includes Game Literacy, Game Design Workshop, and Game Development Workshop, giving you both critical and practical perspectives on games. 

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You’ll learn to create interactive experiences through rules and play, then move into building a playable digital game from start to finish. Fridays include studio visits or field trips, and the program emphasizes collaboration and managing complex creative projects. Along the way, you’ll earn six college credits through NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

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Why it stands out: You’ll earn six college credits in a residential program run by one of the country’s leading game design departments.

7. UNC Asheville: Game Design & AI Pre-College Summer Program

Location: University of North Carolina Asheville, Asheville, NC
Cost: $1,590, including lodging, meals, course materials, activities, and excursions
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 21-26, 2026 (2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: Enrollment open until all spaces are filled
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors; no prior coding experience required | International eligibility not specified

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At UNC Asheville, you’ll explore how artificial intelligence is changing the way games are designed and built. You’ll work in design teams to create an AI-enhanced or AI-themed game, using “vibe-coding” tools and low-code 2D and 3D platforms. 

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Daily design labs have you break down favorite games, remix their mechanics, and run rapid playtesting rounds. You’ll also explore game systems such as gameplay loops, economies, difficulty curves, and balance. The week ends with a showcase where you present your creation, and optional sessions in the Esports Center and VR lab round out the experience.

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Why it stands out: You’ll explore game design through the emerging world of AI while building and playtesting your own prototypes.

8. Clark University: Summer Game Studio

Location: Becker School of Design & Technology, Clark University, Worcester, MA
Cost: Not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 3-17 (Game Studio) | July 18-31 (Game Studio, Next Level), 2026 (2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: 2027 registration is open
Eligibility: High school students and recent high school graduates; no prior game design experience required | International eligibility not specified

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At Clark University’s Summer Game Studio, you’ll move from enjoying games to actually making one. Over two weeks, you’ll explore concept art, coding, animation, motion capture, sound design, and playtesting through workshops and mentorship from full-time faculty. 

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You’ll also learn from game designers at companies like Riot, WB Games, and Epic Games. Each team builds a playable original game, along with a trailer, posters, and a final presentation. On the last Saturday, you show your game at a Game Expo Showcase for family, friends, and the community.

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Why it stands out: You’ll leave with a playable original game and portfolio-ready work created in a studio-style environment.

9. Michigan State University: Making a Game of IT (MGIT) Residential

Location: Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Cost: $1,199
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 19-24, 2026 (2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: July 10th, 2026 (2027 deadline not yet posted)
Eligibility: Students entering grades 11 or 12, plus recent graduates | Open to international students

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At Michigan State University’s Making a Game of IT program, you’ll build your software skills while designing a video game. You’ll develop software in Python and apply your coding knowledge in a game-design setting. 

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The program is taught by MSU faculty and graduate students who are experienced researchers and teachers. It’s designed to build computer and coding skills that connect directly to STEM careers. You’ll also get a closer look at MSU’s computer science degree program as you consider whether the field is right for you.

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Why it stands out: You’ll combine Python programming with video game design while learning directly from MSU faculty and graduate students.

10. Indiana University: Game Development Camp

Location: The Media School, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN | Online camp available
Cost: Listed on each camp’s page | Scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Five-day sessions in summer 2027 (dates announced on the camp site)
Application Deadline: Full payment due four weeks before your camp starts
Eligibility: Students aged 12-18 (minimum age varies by camp) | Open to students from around the world

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At Indiana University’s Game Development Camp, you’ll learn game-making from Media School instructors and professional game developer guest speakers. You can choose from the Game Development Camp, the Advanced Game Development Camp, the Game Art & Storytelling Camp, or a new online Game Programming Camp. 

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Each option focuses on a different side of making games, from professional design software to coding fundamentals. The Game Art & Storytelling session lets you build interactive art and story projects while starting a portfolio. Whichever track you choose, you’ll work on your own game project throughout the week.

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Why it stands out: You can pick a track that matches your interests, from core development to game art, storytelling, or programming.

11. USC SCA Summer Program: Game Design

Location: USC School of Cinematic Arts, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: Listed on the SCA Summer Program Tuition & Fees page
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 25th - August 6th, 2027
Application Deadline: March 15th, 2027 (international) | April 15th, 2027 (U.S. citizens, green card holders, and current F-1 holders); applications open December 1st, 2026
Eligibility: Students aged 16 and older | Open to students from around the world

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USC’s School of Cinematic Arts Summer Program offers six weeks of classes across film, television, animation, and game design. Through the Game Design & Animation track, you can take college-level game design coursework taught by SCA’s faculty of industry professionals. 

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Classes take place on USC’s campus, where you’ll use the school’s facilities and join screenings, seminars, and conversations with industry leaders. Courses are worth 4 or 8 units, and you earn transferable college credits when you complete them. You can take between 4 and 12 units in total.

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Why it stands out: You’ll study game design at one of the country’s best-known cinematic arts schools while earning transferable college credit.

12. Harvard Secondary School Program: Computer Science and Engineering

Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA | Online and commuter options available
Cost: Listed on Harvard’s 2027 Cost and Aid page here
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 4- and 7-week sessions in summer 2027 (see Harvard’s program calendars)
Application Deadline: Listed on Harvard’s Program Admissions page
Eligibility: High school students admitted to the Secondary School Program | Open to international students

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Harvard’s Secondary School Program lets you build a focused summer around college-level computer science and engineering courses. You can take game development or animation courses alongside subjects such as Python programming, artificial intelligence, computer vision, robotics, and media production. 

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In the seven-week format, you can take two courses and design your own computer science summer around your interests. Seven-week residential students earn 8 credit hours, and you can request an official transcript afterward. Courses meet for three hours on class days, at the pace of Harvard Summer School classes.

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Why it stands out: You can build your own computer science pathway at Harvard while earning college credit and exploring game development.

13. Champlain College: Champlain Game Academy

Location: Champlain College, Burlington, VT
Cost: $4,500 (early bird rate until January 4th, 2027, with code EARLYBIRD27)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; space is limited
Dates: July 5-16, 2027
Application Deadline: 2027 registration is open until spaces fill
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10-12 and recent high school graduates (ages 15-18) | International eligibility not specified

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At Champlain Game Academy, you’ll experience game development in a collaborative environment modeled on the college’s Game Studio, which The Princeton Review ranked a Top 10 school for game design in 2025. You’ll explore game art and animation, design and narrative, programming, production management, business, and sound design. 

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With guidance from professors and industry veterans, your team builds an original game using Maya, Unity, and C#. By the end, you’ll have a playable prototype to showcase in a college application portfolio. If you already work in Unity, Unreal, Maya, or Blender, the Indie Game Studio track runs on the same dates for students aged 16-19.

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Why it stands out: You’ll work across every area of game development and finish with a playable prototype built as part of a team.

14. NYU Steinhardt: Coding for Game Design High School Summer Program

Location: CREATE Lab, NYU Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: $3,245 in tuition and fees + $50 application fee | Optional housing extra | Need-based scholarships for New York commuter students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; rolling decisions
Dates: June 21st - July 2nd or July 12-23, 2027
Application Deadline: Applications open in early January 2027 | Scholarship deadline May 31st, 2027
Eligibility: Students entering sophomore, junior, or senior year in fall 2027, with intermediate coding experience | Open to international students

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At NYU’s Coding for Game Design program, you’ll learn how game design principles connect with coding to create playable experiences. You’ll study mechanics, dynamics, aesthetics, rules and play, level design, and audio design while developing skills in C# and Unity. 

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During the first week, you’ll alternate between game design and coding lessons before moving into team production on a final 2D game. The program also includes workshops on using generative AI effectively and ethically in game development. It ends with a showcase where each team presents its finished game, followed by a commencement ceremony.

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Why it stands out: You’ll build on your existing coding skills while creating a 2D Unity game as part of a team.

15. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes: Game Design

Location: Online
Cost: Listed on the Tuition and Financial Aid page | Financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Average class size of 16
Dates: June 15-26 or July 6-17, 2026 (2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: 2026 applications have closed; 2027 dates not yet posted
Eligibility: Students in grades 8-11 who have completed a pre-algebra course | Open to students from around the world

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At Stanford’s Game Design course, you’ll learn to look at games from a designer’s perspective rather than simply as a player. You’ll examine player behavior, emotional responses, and the design choices that make a game feel engaging. 

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The course also covers game-development history, studio team structures, industry terminology, and the design documents used in modern game production. You’ll test your ideas through prototyping and playtesting in Unity, and explore how games are monetized ethically. Classes meet live online for two hours each weekday, plus a daily hour of office hours.

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Why it stands out: You’ll study game design as both a creative discipline and a professional process, from anywhere in the world.

Frequently asked questions: Game Design Camps for High School Students

What do you learn at a game design camp?

At a game design camp, you learn how to turn an idea into a playable game. Most programs cover game mechanics, prototyping, and playtesting, plus some mix of art, sound, storytelling, and code. Many use professional tools, like Unity at Carnegie Mellon and NYU, or Maya and C# at Champlain. You usually finish with a team-built game or prototype you can show others.

Do you need coding experience for a game design camp?

No, many game design camps welcome complete beginners. UCLA Game Lab has no course prerequisites, and UNC Asheville and Clark don’t require prior experience. Some camps do expect skills, like NYU’s Coding for Game Design, which asks for an intermediate coding level.

How much do game design camps cost?

Game design camps range from about $1,200 to over $13,000. Michigan State’s MGIT costs $1,199, and UNC Asheville charges $1,590 including lodging and meals. NYU’s Coding for Game Design costs $3,245, and Champlain’s Game Academy is $4,500 at the early bird rate. Credit-bearing programs cost more, with NYU Tisch’s tuition alone at $12,552. For more options at different prices, browse these coding summer camps for high school students.

Do game design camps give college credit?

Some game design camps award college credit. UCLA Game Lab gives four UC units, NYU Tisch awards six units, and Parsons offers three credits. Harvard’s seven-week residential students earn 8 credit hours, while Carnegie Mellon’s NHSGA doesn’t award credit.

Can you build a portfolio at a game design camp?

Yes, many game design camps are built around portfolio work. Carnegie Mellon’s NHSGA team games are designed to become portfolio pieces, and UCLA Game Lab encourages you to use your game art in college applications. Champlain’s prototype and IU’s Game Art & Storytelling projects can also go into a portfolio. If you enjoy the art side, compare these animation summer camps for high school students.

What can you do after a game design camp?

After a game design camp, you can keep building games on your own, enter game jams, or look for internships to see how studios work. Many students also keep practicing their coding through online courses during the school year. You can explore these game design internships for high school students or try these online coding programs to keep your skills growing.

Find the game design camp that fits you

The right game design camp depends on whether you want to code, draw, write stories, or lead a team building something playable.

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Compare game design camps for high school students by prerequisites, credit, and length, since a five-day camp and six-week academy feel very different.

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NYU Tisch closes on December 1st and Carnegie Mellon’s scholarship deadline is February 1st, so start your portfolio and essays early.

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If you’re curious where game design could take you professionally, explore our Career Exploration blogs for guidance on roles, skills, and industry pathways.