Summer Design Camp听
Our next summer design camp will be held from July 12 鈥� 18, 2026.听听听
Our Summer Design Camp is offered to high school students from all over the nation! We are excited to welcome campers to campus for a week of immersive design learning and exploration.
Registration is Open
Registration is now open for the 2026 Summer Design Camp. Spots go fast, so don't wait!
What to Expect听
Explore how to communicate ideas and information through foundational design principles such as color, pattern, space, form, and composition, using both 2D and 3D analog and digital representation techniques. Study key design topics, including theory, history, technology, and professional practice, while gaining a glimpse into design education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.听
Campers traveling from near and far will work with award-winning faculty and upper-class students who will help guide them through design exercises and projects. We鈥檒l explore Knoxville and get our hands dirty! A kit of supplies will be provided to each camper upon their arrival to campus. This kit will include materials and tools to make and create.听
Curiosity is the sole prerequisite鈥� previous architecture, interior architecture, or design experience is not necessary to participate.听
A Typical Week听
Camp days will be filled with a variety of design exploration throughout our Art + Architecture building, UT campus, and downtown Knoxville. We will be offering one-on-one guidance as you explore your creative approach to design and making. Campers will get to learn about each of the design disciplines we offer here at UT while seeing how they all weave together to create our built environment. We will enjoy meals in our campus dining halls and spend evenings painting the rock, swimming in the Olympic-sized campus pool, or kicking the soccer ball around on the recreation fields.
Commuter Option听 听
For campers local to Knoxville, we offer a commuter-friendly opportunity. This includes camp tuition, programming fees, and all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner.) Students will arrive on campus by 8 a.m. and depart after dinner around 6:30 p.m. There may be additional programming in the evening, and commuter campers are welcome to stay and participate. The total cost for this option is $1150.
Residential Option听 听
For campers traveling to Knoxville, we offer on-campus housing, which is noted in the cost. This includes camp tuition, programming fees, all meals, and six nights in a two-person suite with a private bathroom. Campers should be moved in by 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 12, and depart by 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 18, following a wrap-up celebration. The total cost for this option is $1450.
Scholarships听
A limited number of scholarships are available for summer camp, and the application deadline is May 1, 2026. Learn more about eligibility and access the application upon completion of registration.听
Have questions?听
Feel free to contact us at designmatters@utk.edu听with any questions you might have.听