# DigiPen Academy Pre-College Programs

Four-week online summer intensives from game-dev pioneer DigiPen in Game Programming, Game Design, Art & Animation, and Music & Sound Design, for students 16+ entering junior or senior year; earn tuition credit.

## Key facts

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Organization | DigiPen Institute of Technology |
| Category | stem |
| Cost | $2,995 |
| Deadline | Rolling / check official site |
| Eligibility | Grades 11–12 |
| Format | Online / virtual |
| Location | Various |
| Time commitment | ~35 hours/week |
| Program dates | 2026-07-06 to 2026-07-31 |
| Apply | https://academy.digipen.edu/academic-programs/pre-college-programs/ |

## About this program

# DigiPen Academy Pre-College Programs

DigiPen Institute of Technology, the Redmond, Washington college that pioneered video game degree programs, runs four-week Pre-College Summer Programs through DigiPen Academy. In 2026 the programs ran fully online, July 6-31, Monday through Friday from 9:30am to 4:30pm PST, mirroring DigiPen's college curriculum in four tracks: Art & Animation for Games, Game Design, Game Programming, and Music & Sound Design for Games.

## What You'll Do

- Take three core academic subjects each morning in your chosen track
- Join students from all four tracks in a daily afternoon project lab to build a game from start to finish
- Learn from instruction aligned with DigiPen Institute of Technology's degree curriculum
- Earn a final transcript to include in your college applications

## Who Should Apply

Students at least 16 years old who are entering their junior or senior year of high school (or graduated within the last 18 months). Game Programming students should have completed Algebra 2; Music & Sound Design students ideally play an instrument; Art and Game Design tracks require no prior experience. Tuition runs $2,995 to $3,195 per program. Registration for 2026 is closed; the next cycle typically opens in winter, with a recent early-bird discount running through January 31.

## Outcomes

Students finish with a collaborative game project, a college-level transcript from a specialized games institution, and - if they later enroll at DigiPen within three years - tuition credits matching what they paid for the program.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does DigiPen Academy Pre-College Programs cost?

DigiPen Academy Pre-College Programs costs $2,995. Many paid programs offer need-based financial aid or fee waivers — check the official site before ruling it out.

### Who is eligible for DigiPen Academy Pre-College Programs?

DigiPen Academy Pre-College Programs is open to high school students in grades 11–12. Some programs have additional requirements (GPA, coursework, essays, or recommendations) — the full criteria are on the official site.

### Is DigiPen Academy Pre-College Programs online or in person?

DigiPen Academy Pre-College Programs is fully online — students can participate from anywhere with an internet connection. Expect a time commitment of roughly 35 hours per week.

### How do I apply to DigiPen Academy Pre-College Programs?

Apply directly through DigiPen Institute of Technology's official website. ExtracurricularHub links to the official application — we list and verify programs but don't process applications.

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Last updated: 2026-07-28.
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