15 Marketing Summer Schools for Year 12 Students

TL;DR

This guide covers marketing summer schools where you can build campaigns, study consumer behaviour, and explore advertising, social media, sports, and fashion marketing. Most are short residential programmes at US universities, from week-long camps to three-week pre-college sessions, with one option in Paris. You’ll find options suited to Year 12 students, and many welcome international applicants. Penn State’s Social Media & Content Creator Camp, for example, caps each group at 12 campers. Immerse Education’s Career Insights pathway in Marketing & Entertainment runs for two weeks at Barnard College in New York for students aged 15 to 18 from around the world.

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As a high-school student interested in marketing, the subject can seem familiar yet surprisingly complex. You might think of marketing as advertisements, social media, or catchy campaigns, but there is much more to the field beyond what you see as a consumer. Marketing involves understanding consumer behaviour, researching markets, developing brands, analysing data, creating campaigns, and figuring out how businesses connect with their audiences. 

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Picture yourself developing a campaign with guidance from marketing professionals, researching what makes consumers respond to a brand, or working on a product launch in a university classroom. By spending your summer studying marketing, you’ll develop practical skills, work on applied projects, meet peers with similar interests, and get a taste of university-level academics and professional marketing environments.

How do you choose the right marketing summer school?

It can be difficult to decide which marketing programme is right for you. Some programmes may focus primarily on theory, while others may concentrate on a particular area such as advertising, digital marketing, sports, fashion, or entrepreneurship. The right programme should give you an opportunity to explore marketing beyond the textbook while matching the areas of the field you are most curious about.

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Universities and business schools offer marketing summer programmes that range from introductory courses to specialised programmes focused on advertising, branding, social media, consumer behaviour, product development, and communications. You may learn through campaign projects, case studies, market research, content creation, presentations, or practical business challenges. 

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Of course, regardless of the programme you choose, you’ll have to put in the work once it begins. For now, though, we’ve made your search easier. To help you choose, we’ve drawn up a list of the 15 best marketing summer schools for Year 12 students. 

15 Marketing Summer Schools for Year 12 Students

1. Georgetown Marketing & Personal Branding Academy

Location: Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Cost/Stipend: Varies by residential or commuter option; 2027 tuition not yet posted
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited spots
Dates: June 21st to July 3rd (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: January 31st (early bird) and April 15th (final), 2026; 2026 sessions are full
Eligibility: Current 8th graders through high school seniors; open to international students

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A client-based project forms the centre of Georgetown’s two-week Marketing & Personal Branding Academy. You’ll study the fundamentals of marketing through an intercultural lens, alongside digital marketing, data analytics, personal branding and networking, and purpose-driven, ethical marketing. Working in small teams, you’ll partner with a real DC-based client and develop an integrated pitch and marketing plan. 

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You’ll also learn to pitch your own skills and aspirations, giving you an opportunity to apply marketing principles to your professional identity. Guest speakers from across marketing, including data analytics and creative roles, share their career pathways and help you explore the range of jobs within the field. Classroom lectures, field trips, and group discussions round out each day.

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Why it stands out: You work on a live client brief while developing both a marketing plan and your own personal brand, giving you experience with applied marketing rather than coursework alone.

2. Immerse Education's Marketing Summer School

Location: Barnard College, New York City, NY

Cost/Stipend: 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

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Immerse Education's Career Insights pathway in Marketing & Entertainment aims to help high school students like you build a strong foundation for a career in marketing and entertainment. It equips you with the fundamental knowledge to succeed in the fields, teaching you branding, digital marketing, and media production. During the two-week program, you will be involved in a range of activities, including participating in group workshops, going on industry visits, and attending expert-led seminars. 

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By engaging you in such activities, Immerse Education ensures that you enhance your skills in creativity, strategic planning, problem-solving, and communication. Past cohorts shot footage with professional cameras on the streets of Manhattan, then edited it in a high-end studio with seasoned advertising specialists.

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Why it stands out: The summer school will expose you to different marketing and media formats, thus helping you decide the best career path for you in the field of marketing.

3. Young Founders Lab

Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer, fall, winter, and spring
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. You can access the application link here!

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The Young Founder’s Lab is a start-up boot camp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a complex problem. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X.

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Apart from building the start-up itself, you will also participate in interactive classes on business fundamentals and business ideations, workshops and skill-building sessions, case studies, panel discussions, and more. The program is an excellent opportunity to delve into the world of business in high school and have a space to explore multiple theoretical as well as practical frameworks that lead to a successful business. You can check out the brochure for the program here.

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Why it stands out: You work on building a startup with expert mentorship.

4. Columbia University Pre-College: NYC Residential Summer

Location: Columbia University, Morningside Heights, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: $12,837 per three-week residential session or $6,380 per three-week commuter session (2026), plus an $80 application fee; need-based financial aid available for eligible US students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 29th to July 17th (Session A) or July 21st to August 7th (Session B), 2026; 2027 dates not yet posted
Application Deadline: Summer 2027 applications open in mid-November 2026; deadlines not yet posted
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9 to 12 (commuter students may also be entering their first year of college); residential students who are 15 must turn 16 by December 31st of the programme year; open to international students

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Columbia’s Pre-College programme lets you explore marketing and communications while studying on an Ivy League campus in Manhattan. Marketing-focused courses, such as The Business of Sports: Marketing the Game, sit within a wider catalogue, so you can choose the area of the field that interests you most. Daily classroom sessions give you structured exposure to university-style study, while the wider pre-college experience lets you live in Columbia’s residence halls if you choose the residential option. 

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At the end of the programme, you’ll receive a Columbia University Certificate of Participation and an evaluation letter reflecting your performance. The experience can help you assess whether marketing, communications, business, or related fields are worth pursuing at university.

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Why it stands out: You can combine marketing coursework with a residential experience at Columbia University, giving you exposure to both the academic and residential sides of university life.

5. NYU SPS Integrated Marketing: Innovation and Strategy

Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: $2,579 course fee plus a $50 non-refundable application fee; optional $684 housing and dining fee (summer 2026 rates)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: One-week sessions; 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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A one-week format gives you a concentrated introduction to integrated marketing through NYU’s School of Professional Studies High School Academy. You’ll examine how marketing works both on its own and within an integrated communication plan, studying tactical and strategic approaches through an industry expert’s eyes. 

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Studying in Greenwich Village also gives you direct exposure to the academic environment of a major university. With your classmates, you’ll produce marketing plans that you can add to your portfolio for college applications. Optional housing is available if you want to experience campus living while completing the course.

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Why it stands out: You focus specifically on integrated marketing and campaign strategy while studying in New York, a major centre for advertising, media, and communications industries.

6. Syracuse University Summer College: Creative Advertising Art Direction & Copywriting

Location: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Cost/Stipend: Varies by residential or commuter option; see the Summer College cost page
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 19th to 31st (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: March 1st (scholarships) and May 1st (final), 2026; rolling review until courses fill
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors, or current-year graduates not enrolling at Syracuse; open to international students

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Creative advertising takes centre stage in this two-week course, where you don’t just learn what advertising art directors and copywriters do but become art directors and copywriters yourself. Working in art director and copywriter teams, you’ll create your own ad campaign ideas across print, outdoor, and digital media. 

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You’ll also study the craft of art direction design and copywriting, which helps you develop and produce your campaign ideas. The course is taught by Mel White, who spent 17 of her 25-plus years in advertising as a creative director and art director at New York agencies such as Young & Rubicam and Ogilvy. You’ll finish with a Certificate of Completion and can request a Syracuse University noncredit transcript, while the residential option gives you a two-week campus experience.

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Why it stands out: You build campaign ideas under the guidance of a veteran New York creative director, making this a focused option if you want to explore the creative side of advertising rather than marketing more broadly.

7. Wharton Global Youth Program: Essentials of Entrepreneurship

Location: The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: $8,299 (2026); need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 6th to 19th, June 20th to July 3rd, July 11th to 24th, or July 25th to August 7th, 2027
Application Deadline: January 27th (priority) and March 19th (final), 2027
Eligibility: Students graduating from high school in 2028, 2029, or 2030; open to international applicants

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Entrepreneurship is approached through both business strategy and marketing at Wharton’s two-week residential programme. You explore innovation, customer discovery, business model development, brand identity, marketing narratives, and entrepreneurial finance with Wharton faculty and instructional staff. 

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Independent market research, Minimum Viable Product development, and pitch-deck preparation form part of the programme. Your work culminates in a pitch competition where you present your startup concept to a panel of judges and receive structured feedback. The Wharton Global Youth Speaker Series and residential activities add further opportunities to engage with faculty, entrepreneurs, and other participants.

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Why it stands out: The programme takes you from developing a startup idea to testing and pitching it, giving you practical experience with how a business concept is evaluated before reaching the market.

8. FIT Precollege: Advertising, Marketing & Communications

Location: Fashion Institute of Technology, Manhattan, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: $550 per 10-day class and $440 per 4-day workshop, including all fees (2026)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Registration-based; limited seats per class
Dates: 10-day classes ran on July 6th, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, and 21, 2026; 2027 dates not yet posted
Application Deadline: 2026 registration ran from February 4th to June 10th
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 to 12 as of the fall term; open to international students, though housing is not provided

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At the Fashion Institute of Technology, you can choose from short workshops and 10-day classes covering areas such as advertising and marketing communications, cosmetics and fragrance marketing, fashion merchandising, international trade and marketing, and event planning. Classes such as Introduction to Advertising and Marketing Communications connect marketing concepts with industries where branding, retail, visual communication, and consumer behaviour play a central role. 

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You learn with FIT professionals, giving you exposure to both academic and industry perspectives. Precollege classes don’t carry college credit, but your grades appear on an FIT transcript you can submit with college applications. The Manhattan campus also places you close to major fashion, media, retail, and advertising businesses.

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Why it stands out: Its industry-specific options let you explore marketing through fields such as fashion, cosmetics, fragrance, and international trade rather than studying marketing as a broad discipline.

9. Wake Forest Sports Marketing Institute

Location: Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
Cost/Stipend: $60 non-refundable application fee plus a $3,500 programme fee; a $550 non-refundable deposit secures your seat
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Waitlist implemented for 2026
Dates: July 19th to 24th (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: Applications open November 1st for the following summer
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9 to 12; international eligibility not specified

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Sports marketing gives you a specialised way to explore how brands, audiences, media, and professional sports intersect. During the week at Wake Forest, you’ll cover the fundamentals of sports marketing and branding before creating a marketing plan of your own. Workshops, marketing strategy sessions on professional sports, and guest speakers on sports media and commentary make up much of the schedule. 

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You’ll even share lunch with pro-sports marketing executives, giving you a closer look at the different roles within the field. You’ll receive an official Wake Forest University Certificate of Completion at the end of the week.

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Why it stands out: Rather than treating sports as one example within a general marketing course, the programme makes sports marketing and branding the central focus of your week.

10. UNC Chapel Hill Explore@UNC Advertising & Public Relations

Location: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Cost/Stipend: Not listed on the tracks page
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22nd to 26th, June 29th to July 3rd, July 6th to 10th, or July 13th to 17th (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students; this is a commuter programme; international eligibility not specified

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A one-week format gives you a focused introduction to advertising and public relations at UNC Chapel Hill, where you travel to campus each day and return home in the evening. In this track, you’ll explore how advertising and PR shape public perception, build brand identities, and create campaigns that influence consumer behaviour. 

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The track is led by Associate Professor Lightning Czabovsky of the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media. You’ll tour labs and studios, meet faculty and current students, and hear from alumni and practitioners about career pathways. Explore@UNC also has you choose two majors, so you can pair advertising with another field you are curious about.

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Why it stands out: You explore advertising and PR alongside a second major of your choice, which lets you compare two possible university paths in one week.

11. IÉSEG School of Management: High School Summer Program

Location: IÉSEG School of Management, Paris, France
Cost/Stipend: Not listed on the FAQ page; insurance and airport pickup are arranged for high school participants
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6th to 17th (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 on the first day of the programme; open to international students

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A two-week format lets you combine introductory business study with an international college experience in Paris. The programme includes two intensive courses taught in English, with International Business and Management in the first week and Marketing Fundamentals in the Digital Age in the second. The marketing course introduces you to digital marketing and brand strategy, while corporate sessions connect classroom concepts with professional practice. 

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Your assessed coursework earns a 4 ECTS transcript, along with a certificate of participation on completion. Accommodation with a host family also gives you an opportunity to experience everyday life in Paris alongside the academic programme.

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Why it stands out: The combination of marketing, business management, ECTS credits, and cultural immersion gives you both an academic introduction to marketing and experience studying in an international business-school environment.

12. Montclair State University: Influencing, Marketing, and Creative Strategy

Location: Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ
Cost/Stipend: Not listed on the programme page
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 26th to August 1st (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students; international eligibility not specified

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Digital marketing and the creator economy form the focus of this one-week residential programme at Montclair State University. Working in small teams, you’ll create a social media campaign and present your plans and content to the class at the end of the week. You’ll learn from Montclair faculty and guest speakers with experience in social media and influencer marketing, using data analytics tools in the School of Communication and Media’s Center for Strategic Communication. 

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A field trip to a media outlet or creative agency shows you how social media teams plan campaigns and react to trends or a crisis in real time. Montclair State’s location in northern New Jersey also places you close to New York’s advertising, media, and creative industries.

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Why it stands out: The programme focuses specifically on influencer marketing and social media analytics, giving you an opportunity to examine how content, audiences, and brands intersect in digital marketing.

13. Saint Mary’s College Business and Marketing Institute

Location: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN
Cost/Stipend: $799, including overnight accommodation and one hour of elective college credit
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 19th to 24th (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Girls entering grades 9 to 12 as of September 2026; international eligibility not specified

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Marketing, product development, and entrepreneurship come together in this week-long overnight programme at Saint Mary’s College. You’ll develop your own product idea, identify its audience, and build a mock-up in the Saint Mary’s Spark Lab makerspace. 

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Working with Saint Mary’s students and professors, you’ll plan a marketing campaign, strategise promotional materials, and write, direct, and edit your own marketing videos for social media. On completion, you’ll receive one hour of elective college credit, which you can apply if you later enrol at Saint Mary’s. You’ll also hear from local women in business about their journeys to becoming entrepreneurs.

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Why it stands out: At $799, the programme combines a marketing curriculum, residential experience, and college credit in a compact format, while being specifically designed for high school girls.

14. Penn State Bellisario Social Media & Content Creator Camp

Location: Penn State University, University Park, PA
Cost/Stipend: $1,500 (early bird) or $1,700 (regular), including room and board; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited to 12 campers
Dates: July 5th to 10th (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: April 30th (early registration) and May 31st (payment deadline), 2026
Eligibility: Students aged 14 to 18; international eligibility not specified

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Social media marketing and digital content creation are at the centre of this one-week overnight camp at Penn State’s Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications. You’ll learn how to use social media to build a personal creator presence and help a new business engage its audience. Full-time Penn State faculty lead the camp, with current Penn State students serving as counsellors. 

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You’ll work in the Bellisario Media Center while learning how to find the right platform and audience for your own content ideas. The camp doesn’t award college credit, but all meals and accommodation are included for the full week.

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Why it stands out: The combination of marketing strategy and content production lets you explore the creative and analytical sides of social media marketing within a university communications school.

15. Rutgers Marketing & Product Innovation Summer Academy

Location: Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Cost/Stipend: Varies by academy and in-state or out-of-state status
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 25th to August 1st (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students completing sophomore or junior year who are aged 16 to 18; open to international students

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Product development provides the framework for this one-week residential marketing programme at Rutgers University. You’ll take part in an interactive product innovation challenge that has you turn ideas into a marketing strategy. As part of the academy, you’ll develop a social media and marketing campaign for your product concept. 

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The programme takes place through Rutgers’ pre-college division, giving you access to a full university environment during the week. You’ll earn a Rutgers Pre-College Digital Badge credential to display on your CV and college applications.

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Why it stands out: The programme follows a product innovation framework, giving you a practical view of how market research, branding, and campaign strategy connect within a single business process.

Frequently asked questions: Marketing Summer Schools for Year 12 Students

Are marketing summer schools worth it for Year 12 students?

Yes, if you want to test whether marketing suits you before choosing a university course. Short programmes like Penn State’s week-long camp let you try content creation in a small group, while Georgetown’s academy has you work with a real DC-based client. You also leave with tangible work, such as the marketing plans you add to your portfolio at NYU or the ad campaign ideas you build at Syracuse. These experiences give you concrete examples to discuss in personal statements and interviews.

How much do marketing summer schools cost?

Costs range from under $1,000 to more than $12,000, depending on length and housing. Saint Mary’s Business and Marketing Institute costs $799 including overnight accommodation, and FIT’s 10-day classes cost $550 with all fees. Wake Forest’s Sports Marketing Institute sits in the middle at $3,500, while Columbia’s three-week residential session costs $12,837. Some programmes, such as Penn State’s camps and Wharton’s Essentials of Entrepreneurship, offer financial aid or need-based scholarships.

Can you earn credit at a marketing summer school?

Yes, a few marketing summer schools award credit, though most do not. Saint Mary’s Business and Marketing Institute gives you one hour of elective college credit, and IÉSEG’s High School Summer Program in Paris comes with a 4 ECTS transcript. Penn State’s camps and most Rutgers academies are non-credit. Immerse Education’s Career Insights pathway in Marketing & Entertainment offers an optional accredited route where your work is formally assessed, so you can earn 8 UCAS points to strengthen a UK university application.

Can international students attend marketing summer schools in the US?

Yes, many US marketing programmes welcome international students, though housing and visa rules vary. Columbia’s NYC programmes and NYU’s High School Academy accept students from around the world, and Rutgers designs its Summer Academies for international and US students. FIT also welcomes international students but does not provide housing. Immerse Education’s Career Insights pathway in Marketing & Entertainment at Barnard College is open to students aged 15 to 18 worldwide, and you can compare more marketing summer programs in New York.

Do you need marketing experience to attend a summer school?

No, most marketing summer schools are designed for beginners. FIT’s precollege courses are at beginner level unless a course description says otherwise, and Saint Mary’s institute walks you through developing a product idea, finding its audience, and building a prototype from scratch. Syracuse’s Creative Advertising course teaches you the craft of art direction and copywriting as you go. If you already create content, a more specialised option such as Penn State’s content creator camp can help you build on it.

What else can Year 12 students do to explore marketing?

Beyond summer schools, you can build marketing experience through placements, internships, and your own projects. Business work experience in Year 12 can show you how marketing teams operate day to day, and if you can spend time in New York, these marketing internships in NYC for high school students offer another route. You can also run social media for a school club or local business, which gives you campaign results to discuss in your personal statement.

Your first step into the marketing industry

Writing a campaign brief, shooting an ad, or pitching a product to a panel can show you which corner of marketing actually excites you.

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With marketing summer schools for Year 12 students covering advertising, social media, sports, and fashion, you can test a specialism before choosing a degree.

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Treat whichever programme you choose as a trial run, paying attention to the tasks that energise you and the professionals whose work you admire.

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When you’re ready to look beyond the summer, our Career Exploration blogs break down marketing roles, the skills they need, and how to get started.