Top 9 Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Programs

Carnegie Mellon University offers some of the most rigorous and specialized summer opportunities for high school students. They allow you to explore your interests under the guidance of Carnegie Mellon faculty and staff, mirroring the undergraduate experience.

This guide breaks down 9 of Carnegie Mellon’s pre-college programs, covering what each program focuses on, who’s eligible to apply, costs, and 2026 summer dates to help you decide which option aligns best with your academic goals.

• What Are Carnegie Mellon’s Pre-College Programs?
• AI Scholars
• Computer Science Scholars
• Summer Academy for Math and Science
• National High School Game Academy
• Computational Biology Pre‑College Program
• Pre‑College Summer Session
• Leadership Development
• Pre‑college programs in Architecture, Art, Design, Drama, Music, Writing and Culture, Global Cultures, and Emerging Technology
• EDG:E – Experience Designing Games: Exploration
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

What Are Carnegie Mellon’s Pre-College Programs?

Carnegie Mellon offers high school students nine pre-college programs that let them experience college-level academics online, on campus, or off campus. They can strengthen your college applications by showing schools that you spent time outside the classroom exploring your interests and improving your skills. Here’s a quick look at these programs:

Let’s discuss each program one by one.

1. AI Scholars

• 2026 program dates: June 20 – July 18, 2026 (4 weeks)
• Eligibility: Rising high school seniors (must be 16 by June 20, 2026 and between 11th–12th grade). U.S. citizens or permanent residents only.
• Program cost: Fully funded – all tuition, housing, meals, and activities are covered (no cost to participants)

AI Scholars is a selective, fully funded, four-week residential program for rising high school seniors interested in artificial intelligence and computer science. Students complete college-level AI coursework taught by CMU faculty and graduate students, collaborate on team research projects, and explore real-world applications through industry lab visits. The core curriculum will teach you the basics of foundational computing and artificial intelligence.

The program also includes college-preparation seminars, which can help you explore academic and career paths and craft a strong college application essay that has been workshopped by your instructor and peers. There’s also a capstone symposium on the last day, where you’ll present your group projects.

Prior coding knowledge isn’t required. However, you’ll be expected to finish a virtual Python course about a month before the residential program starts to give you a good foundation for the on-campus curriculum. Instructor support will be available during this phase.

2. Computer Science Scholars

• 2026 program dates: June 20 – July 18, 2026 (4 weeks)
• Eligibility: Rising high school juniors (must be 16 by June 20, 2026 and be in 10th–11th grade at application time) U.S. citizens or permanent residents only.
• Program cost: Fully funded – all tuition, housing, and meals covered (no cost to participants)

Computer Science Scholars (CS Scholars) at Carnegie Mellon University is a fully funded, four-week residential pre-college program for rising high school juniors designed to expand access to computer science.

Hosted by CMU’s School of Computer Science, the program introduces students—especially those underrepresented in STEM or with limited prior access—to college-level computing through Python programming, mathematical reasoning, faculty lectures, and exposure to research and industry. Tuition, housing, meals, and program activities are covered through donations and corporate support.

As a participant, you can expect full-day coursework, collaborative projects, mentoring, writing workshops, and community-building activities on CMU’s Pittsburgh campus. Students apply their learning in team-based projects and present their work at a final symposium, while also engaging with faculty, graduate students, and tech professionals.

Beyond technical skills, CS Scholars emphasizes personal growth, college readiness, and belonging in computing. It also serves as a pipeline to more advanced CMU programs, with select participants invited to return as AI Scholars the following summer.

3. Summer Academy for Math and Science

• 2026 program dates: June 20 – August 1, 2026 (6 weeks; opening day June 20)
• Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents only; must be 16 by June 20, 2026 and 11th grade at application time (rising high school seniors). Program targets students underrepresented in STEM.
• Program cost: Fully funded – all tuition, housing, and meals covered (no cost to participants)

Carnegie Mellon University’s Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS) is a highly selective, fully funded pre-college program for rising seniors who are historically underrepresented in STEM.

Run by CMU’s Center for Student Diversity & Inclusion, SAMS offers a rigorous academic experience taught and mentored directly by CMU faculty, giving students early exposure to the university’s research culture, expectations, and community. The program emphasizes access and equity, with no tuition required. Scholars only cover travel expenses.

SAMS follows a three-part structure that blends preparation, immersion, and long-term support. Students begin with a virtual jumpstart, then spend six weeks on campus taking college-level math and science seminars, completing a faculty-mentored research project, and presenting their work at a formal symposium.

The curriculum integrates quantitative and computational coursework, hands-on laboratory research, writing workshops for college applications, and a credit-bearing “Student to Scholar” course focused on identity, transition, and academic success. After the residential experience, scholars continue with virtual enrichment sessions on college access, financial aid, and STEM pathways.

If you want to strengthen your quantitative skills while learning in a collaborative, university-level environment, dive into our comprehensive guide to CMU’s Summer Academy for Math and Science.

4. National High School Game Academy

• 2026 program dates: June 20 – August 1, 2026 (6 weeks)
• Eligibility: Must be 16 by June 20, 2026 and a current high school sophomore or junior (rising junior/senior); strong interest in games (program is selective and residential).
• Program cost: $13,281 (residential only). The program is residential (no commuter option) due to its intensive, team-based nature.

The National High School Game Academy (NHSGA) at Carnegie Mellon University is a six-week, residential summer program held in CMU’s Entertainment Technology Center and modeled after the university’s Master of Entertainment Technology (M.E.T.) program.

Students learn industry-standard game development practices through intensive coursework and collaborative production, gaining hands-on experience across programming, art, design, sound, narrative, and project management while building portfolio-ready game prototypes.

The program begins with two weeks of rigorous skill-building, followed by four weeks of full-scale team production, during which students are assigned roles and develop original games under the close guidance of faculty mentors. The program culminates in a playable game demo that often serves as a strong portfolio piece for college applications.

5. Computational Biology Pre‑College Program

• 2026 program dates: June 20 – July 18, 2026 (4 weeks)
• Eligibility: Must be 16 by June 20, 2026; current high school sophomore or junior (talented sophomores encouraged; most applicants are juniors).
• Program cost: Residential $10,750; Commuter $8,041. Both living options are available.

The Pre-College Computational Biology program at Carnegie Mellon immerses high-school students in the interdisciplinary field where biology, computer science, robotics, and AI converge. It’s led by faculty who direct CMU’s undergraduate and graduate programs in computational biology and automated science

Over four intensive weeks, students generate biological data in the lab—such as collecting and sequencing microbial DNA—and analyze it through coding hackathons using computational and machine-learning techniques. Drawing on CMU’s leadership in automated science, the program exposes participants to robotic lab systems and research-inspired problems, from ecosystem microbiomes to viral evolution, offering an authentic introduction to how modern biological discovery works.

The curriculum also includes pre-program coding modules to ensure accessibility regardless of prior experience.

With daily lab-and-hackathon rhythms, close faculty mentorship, and exposure to cutting-edge tools, the Pre-College Computational Biology program offers a rare, hands-on pathway for students who excel in math and science to explore the future of biology through computation.

6. Pre‑College Summer Session

• 2026 program dates: June 20 – August 1, 2026 (6 weeks)
• Eligibility: Must be 16 by June 20, 2026 and be a current high school sophomore or junior (thus a rising junior/senior)
• Program cost: Varies by course load – e.g. Residential (2 courses) $14,688; Commuter (1 course) $7,409; Commuter (2 courses) $11,308. (Optional fees: $50 application, $800 deposit)

The Pre-College Summer Session at Carnegie Mellon allows high school students to experience undergraduate academics by enrolling in CMU courses for college credit.

Rather than offering custom pre-college classes, the program places students directly into first- and second-year courses alongside CMU undergraduates across disciplines such as science, engineering, computer science, humanities, and the arts. Students choose from roughly thirty undergraduate courses and complete a full-time workload comparable to a regular college semester, with the option to live on campus or commute locally.

Over six intensive weeks, students build independence, sharpen time-management skills, and demonstrate their readiness for college-level work, earning an official CMU transcript upon completing the program.

A distinctive grade-forgiveness policy retains only A and B grades on the transcript, encouraging students to challenge themselves without long-term academic risk.

7. Leadership Development

• 2026 program dates: June 20 – July 18, 2026 (4 weeks)
• Eligibility: Must be 16 by June 20, 2026 and current high school sophomore or junior (rising junior/senior).
• Program cost: Residential $9,926; Commuter $7,574. Both options are available.

The Pre-College Leadership Development program, offered through the Tepper School of Business, is a non-credit four-week summer experience focused on building the social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) skills essential for effective, people-centered leadership.

Through lectures, reflection, collaboration, and real-world projects, students explore leadership as both a discipline and a practice—developing self-awareness, communication, ethical decision-making, and confidence in an era shaped by rapid technological change.

The curriculum progresses from self-discovery to leadership in action, culminating in individual leadership projects and TED-style presentations. Students learn from CMU faculty and industry professionals, participate in company visits, and engage in team-based challenges that emphasize empathy, adaptability, and interpersonal effectiveness.

8. Pre‑college programs in Architecture, Art, Design, Drama, Music, Writing and Culture, Global Cultures, and Emerging Technology

• 2026 program dates: Most creative and interdisciplinary Carnegie Mellon pre-college programs run from June 20 through late July or early August 2026, with lengths ranging from 3 to 6 weeks. Art, Music, and Writing & Culture are typically 3–4 weeks, while Architecture, Design, Drama, and Global Cultures & Emerging Technology usually run 5–6 weeks.
• Eligibility: Applicants must be at least 16 years old by June 20, 2026 and be current high school sophomores or juniors (rising juniors or seniors). Some programs require additional materials, such as portfolios (Art, Design, Writing & Culture), auditions (Music), or track selection (Drama).
• Program costs: Residential: approximately $8,000–$12,500; Commuter: approximately $6,000–$9,000

Carnegie Mellon’s creative and interdisciplinary pre-college programs offer college-level study across architecture, arts, humanities, and emerging technology. In Architecture, Art, and Design, students follow studio-based curricula similar to CMU undergraduates, building skills in drawing, modeling, prototyping, and human-centered design through intensive projects and faculty critiques. These programs emphasize portfolio development and hands-on work using professional tools.

Drama and Music provide conservatory-style training led by faculty from CMU’s School of Drama and School of Music. Drama students focus on acting, design, or musical theater through rehearsals, master classes, and final performances, while music students complete private lessons, ensemble work, and theory study in three- or six-week formats.

Writing & Culture combines creative writing with film, visual media, and cultural analysis through workshops and project-based learning. Global Cultures and Emerging Technology integrates humanities coursework with technical labs in areas such as AI, robotics, game design, and digital art, culminating in a collaborative final project presentation.

Across these Carnegie Mellon pre-college programs, students benefit from small classes, faculty mentorship, and an academic environment that closely mirrors undergraduate study, providing a focused introduction to CMU’s creative and interdisciplinary fields.

9. EDG:E – Experience Designing Games: Exploration

• 2026 program dates: June 20 – August 1, 2026 (6 weeks) (commuter only)
• Eligibility: Must be 16 by June 20, 2026 and a current high school sophomore or junior (rising junior/senior). Program is commuter-only and geared to students with a strong passion for game design and development.
• Program cost: No cost (commuter only; all accepted students attend free)

The Experience Designing Games: Exploration (EDG:E) program is a six-week, non-credit summer program offered through the Entertainment Technology Center. Designed as an exploratory alternative to CMU’s intensive game-production programs, EDG:E introduces high-school students to the full range of disciplines behind modern game development—from art and programming to sound, narrative, and production.

The commuter-only program is free to attend and is intentionally structured to broaden access for students historically underrepresented in gaming and technology.

Through lectures, hands-on workshops, and a culminating “lightning round” game build, students gain college-level exposure to industry tools, creative workflows, and potential academic and career pathways without the pressure of earning credit or producing large-scale projects.

EDG:E stands out for its strong equity-focused mission, local accessibility, and emphasis on discovery rather than specialization, helping underrepresented students explore game development broadly, identify their interests, and envision future opportunities in entertainment technology.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are Carnegie Mellon’s pre-college programs worth it?

Yes, Carnegie Mellon’s pre-college programs are worth it for students who want rigorous, subject-specific academic exposure and a realistic preview of college-level work. They help you explore advanced fields like computer science, engineering, arts, and design while demonstrating intellectual curiosity and initiative beyond the classroom.

2. What is the Carnegie Mellon pre-college program?

The Carnegie Mellon pre-college program is a collection of summer academic programs for high school students that offer college-level courses, project-based learning, and mentorship from CMU faculty across STEM, arts, humanities, and emerging technology fields.

3. How prestigious is the Carnegie Mellon pre-college program?

Carnegie Mellon’s pre-college programs are highly prestigious due to CMU’s global reputation in computer science, engineering, and the arts, along with selective admissions and academically demanding curricula that attract high-achieving students from around the world.

Takeaways

• Carnegie Mellon’s pre-college program offerings give high school students a rare opportunity to engage with advanced academics in one of the world’s most innovative university environments.
• These nine Carnegie Mellon pre-college programs allow you to build skills, test your interests, and gain clarity before applying to college.
• If you want personalized guidance on which of Carnegie Mellon’s pre-college programs matches your goals, check out our Academic & Extracurricular Profile Evaluation to make your experience stand out on college applications.