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Spring Pre-College Programs

Portfolio-building spring programs for high school students interested in art and design.

Spring Pre-College Programs include virtual and in-person studio classes offered in May and early June. Classes are open to current high school students (grades 9 – 12) interested in building new skills for their creative pursuits. Students will receive personalized training and advice from Stamps faculty and staff on building a competitive portfolio.

Sign up to receive information about our upcoming programs, register for a pre-college info session, or start your application today.

  • Early Action Application Deadline: February 1, 2024
  • Final Application Deadline: March 15, 2024
    Start Your Application

    Spring Studios

    • 2D Visualization (Virtual)
      Virtual Studio for grades 9-12

      2D Visualization is an online class introducing students to fundamental visualization skills used by artists and designers when working creatively in two dimensions. Students will gain familiarity and hands-on experience with a variety of two-dimensional practices and media.

      This online class is designed to introduce content synchronously and asynchronously. This format will give students opportunities to get direct feedback from their instructor and time to build their skills and to apply new concepts. Lectures, demonstrations and slides will enhance covered material.

      2D Visualization meets online Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00-5:25 pm for a total of ten sessions.

      • Modality: Virtual
      • Dates: May 7 - June 6, 2024
      • Day/Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:00-5:25 pm ET
      • Location: Online
      • Cost: $245.00

        This program fee includes instructional materials and shipping costs. Please note that we will not ship instructional materials internationally.

        Upon acceptance to the program, a $50 nonrefundable deposit will be required to confirm your attendance and reserve your space in the program. This deposit is included in the overall program fee. If you withdraw from the program after classes begin, no portion of your tuition will be refunded.

    • 4D Animation (Virtual)
      Virtual Studio for grades 9-12

      4D Animation is an online class introducing students to techniques used by artists and designers when working creatively with the fourth dimension, time. Students will learn the fundamentals of working with time by exploring basic audio, video and animation techniques that can easily be used at home to make creative work.

      This online class is designed to introduce content synchronously and asynchronously. This format will give students opportunities to get direct feedback from their instructor and time to build their skills and to apply new concepts. Lectures, demonstrations and slides will enhance covered material.

      4D Animation meets online Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30-6:55 pm ET for a total of ten sessions.

      • Modality: Virtual
      • Dates: May 7 - June 6, 2024
      • Day/Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5:30-6:55 pm ET
      • Location: Online
      • Cost: $245.00


        This program fee includes instructional materials and shipping costs. Please note that we will not ship instructional materials internationally.

        Upon acceptance to the program, a $50 nonrefundable deposit will be required to confirm your attendance and reserve your space in the program. This deposit is included in the overall program fee. If you withdraw from the program after classes begin, no portion of your tuition will be refunded.

    • Drawing for Artists & Designers (Virtual)
      Virtual Studio for grades 9-12

      The ability to draw is essential for all practicing artists and designers. In Drawing for Artists & Designers, students will learn drawing concepts fundamental to contemporary art and design practice. Students will gain knowledge and experience in a variety of approaches, ranging from observational to experimental drawing.

      This online class is designed to introduce content synchronously and asynchronously. This format will give students opportunities to get direct feedback from their instructor and time to build their skills and to apply new concepts. Lectures, demonstrations and slides will enhance covered material.

      Drawing for Artists & Designers is offered in 2 virtual sections on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a total of ten sessions.

      Section 1 - Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:00-5:25 pm ET
      Section 2 - Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5:30-6:55 pm ET

      • Modality: Virtual
      • Dates: May 7 - June 6, 2024
      • Location: Online
      • Cost: $245.00


        This program fee includes instructional materials and shipping costs. Please note that we will not ship instructional materials internationally.

        Upon acceptance to the program, a $50 nonrefundable deposit will be required to confirm your attendance and reserve your space in the program. This deposit is included in the overall program fee. If you withdraw from the program after classes begin, no portion of your tuition will be refunded.

    • Drawing for Artists & Designers (In-Person)
      In-Person Studio for grades 9-12

      The ability to draw is essential for all practicing artists and designers. In Drawing for Artists & Designers, students will learn drawing concepts fundamental to contemporary art and design practice. Students will gain knowledge and experience in a variety of approaches, ranging from observational to experimental drawing. Each class session is structured as studio time, giving students ample opportunity to build their drawing skills and apply new concepts. Lectures, demonstrations and slides will enhance covered material.

      Drawing for Artists & Designers meets on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:00-6:30 pm ET for a total of nine sessions. This class will meet in-person at the Stamps School of Art & Design.

      • Modality: In-Person
      • Dates: May 6 - June 5, 2024
      • Day/Time: Mondays and Wednesdays, 4:00pm-6:30pm ET
      • Location: Stamps School of Art & Design
      • Cost: $295.00


        This program fee includes instructional materials.

        Upon acceptance to the program, a $50 nonrefundable deposit will be required to confirm your attendance and reserve your space in the program. This deposit is included in the overall program fee. If you withdraw from the program after classes begin, no portion of your tuition will be refunded.

    • Weekend Workshop: Drawing Fundamentals (In-Person)
      In-Person Studio for grades 9-12

      The ability to draw is essential for all practicing artists and designers. In Weekend Workshop: Drawing Fundamentals, students will learn drawing concepts fundamental to contemporary art and design practice. Students will gain knowledge and experience in a variety of approaches, ranging from observational to experimental drawing. Each class session is structured as studio time, giving students ample opportunity to build their drawing skills and apply new concepts. Lectures, demonstrations and slides will enhance covered material.

      Weekend Workshop: Drawing Fundamentals meets on Saturdays from 9:30am-12:00pm ET for a total of four sessions. This class will meet in-person at the Stamps School of Art & Design in Ann Arbor, MI.

      • Modality: In-Person
      • Dates: May 11 - June 8, 2024
      • Day/Time: Saturdays, 9:30am-12:00pm ET
      • Location: Stamps School of Art & Design
      • Cost: $245.00

        This program fee includes instructional materials.


        Upon acceptance to the program, a $50 nonrefundable deposit will be required to confirm your attendance and reserve your space in the program. This deposit is included in the overall program fee. If you withdraw from the program after classes begin, no portion of your tuition will be refunded.

    • Weekend Workshop: Watercolor Painting (In-Person)
      In-Person Studio for grades 9-12

      In Weekend Workshop: Watercolor Painting, students will learn concepts and techniques fundamental to watercolor painting. Students will gain experience using this material to explore composition, color and working from direct observation. Each class session is structured as studio time, giving students ample opportunity to build their watercolor painting skills. Lectures, demonstrations and slides will enhance covered material.

      Weekend Workshop: Watercolor Painting meets on Saturdays from 9:30am-12:00pm for a total of four sessions. This class will meet in-person at the Stamps School of Art & Design in Ann Arbor, MI.

      • Modality: In-Person
      • Dates: May 11 - June 8, 2024
      • Day/Time: Saturdays, 9:30am-12:00pm ET
      • Location: Stamps School of Art & Design
      • Cost: $245.00


        This program fee includes instructional materials.

        Upon acceptance to the program, a $50 nonrefundable deposit will be required to confirm your attendance and reserve your space in the program. This deposit is included in the overall program fee. If you withdraw from the program after classes begin, no portion of your tuition will be refunded.

    • Weekend Workshop: 3D Exploration (In-Person)
      In-Person Studio for grades 9-12

      Did you know that all Stamps undergraduate students are required to take Studio: 3D as a part of their first year experience? Adding three-dimensional work to your portfolio is a great way to prepare for our undergraduate curriculum!

      3D Exploration is an in-person class that surveys the elements of 3D design and introduces students to the rigor of a college-level course in 3D Design and/or Sculpture. Students will learn the fundamentals of working with form and space by exploring materials and processes used to create three-dimensional works of art and design. Each class session is structured as studio time, giving students ample opportunity to build skills and apply new concepts. Lectures, demonstrations and slides will enhance covered material.

      3D Exploration meets Saturdays from 1:00pm-3:30 pm for a total of four sessions. This class will meet in-person at the Stamps School of Art & Design in Ann Arbor, MI.

      • Modality: In-Person
      • Dates: May 11 - June 8, 2024
      • Day/ Time: Saturdays, 1:00pm-3:30pm ET
      • Location: Stamps School of Art & Design
      • Cost: $245.00


        This program fee includes instructional materials.

        Upon acceptance to the program, a $50 nonrefundable deposit will be required to confirm your attendance and reserve your space in the program. This deposit is included in the overall program fee. If you withdraw from the program after classes begin, no portion of your tuition will be refunded.

    • Weekend Workshop: Relief Printmaking (In-Person)
      In-Person Studio for grades 9-12

      Take your portfolio to the next level in Relief Printmaking!

      Relief Printmaking is an in-person class that introduces media and methods associated with relief printmaking. Class demonstrations introduce making and printing images in color from a variety of relief surfaces and cover a range of single and multi-plate methods. Through hands-on projects, students engage print concepts such as multiplicity, serialization, and sequence. Each class session is structured as studio time, giving students ample opportunity to build skills and apply new concepts. Lectures, demonstrations and slides will enhance covered material.

      Relief Printmaking meets Saturdays from 1:00pm-3:30 pm for a total of four sessions. This class will meet in-person at the Stamps School of Art & Design.

      • Modality: In-Person
      • Dates: May 11 - June 8, 2024
      • Day/Time: Saturdays, 1:00pm-3:30pm ET
      • Location: Stamps School of Art & Design
      • Cost: $245.00


        This program fee includes instructional materials.

        Upon acceptance to the program, a $50 nonrefundable deposit will be required to confirm your attendance and reserve your space in the program. This deposit is included in the overall program fee. If you withdraw from the program after classes begin, no portion of your tuition will be refunded.

    • Weekend Intensive: E-Textile Design (In-Person)
      In-Person Studio for grades 9-12

      Curious about technology available to students studying art and design at our top-tier, public research university? Weekend Intensive: E-Textile Design introduces students to the Stamps Digi-Fab Studio, home to our cutting edge digital fabrication technology!

      Over the course of four weeks, participants will be introduced to textile design through the context of digital fabrication. Students will gain a basic understanding of textile-printing and surface embellishment while expanding knowledge of tools such as the vinyl cutter, embroidery machine and laser cutter. This program will help aspiring artists and designers earn confidence and experience with digital fabrication.

      Weekend Intensive: E-Textile Design meets Saturdays from 9:30 am-3:30 pm for a total of four sessions. This class will meet in-person at the Stamps School of Art & Design. Participants will break for lunch each session between 12:00 -1:00 pm.

      • Modality: In-Person
      • Dates: May 11 - June 8, 2024
      • Day/Time: Saturdays, 9:30am-3:30pm ET
      • Location: Stamps School of Art & Design
      • Cost: $395.00


        This program fee includes instructional materials.

        Upon acceptance to the program, a $50 nonrefundable deposit will be required to confirm your attendance and reserve your space in the program. This deposit is included in the overall program fee. If you withdraw from the program after classes begin, no portion of your tuition will be refunded.

    Application Information

    Deadlines

    • Early Action Application Deadline: February 1, 2024
    • Final Application Deadline: March 15, 2024
      Start Your Application

      Scholarships

      Scholarships are available to select students who have been accepted into the program. Students seeking financial assistance for Stamps Pre-College Studios must complete the ​“Financial Assistance” section of the application with the help of a parent/​guardian and provide all required materials. A limited number of full and partial awards will be provided to students who demonstrate need and merit. If the application fee presents financial hardship, students may request a fee waiver by emailing us at stamps-​precollege@​umich.​edu.

      Questions

      Please contact us with any questions about our Pre-College programs.