UNC Asheville Pre-College Programs

Pre-College at UNC Asheville is a Weeklong summer immersion program at UNC Asheville that offer high school students a deep dive into academic topics and hands-on experience.

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Why Pre-College?

UNC Asheville’s Pre-College Programs introduce high school students to college-level study, university life, and career options in a dynamic learning environment. Each one-week program offers deep immersion into an academic topic, challenging activities, and the opportunity to engage with industry professionals.

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Pre-College Student Testimonials

Want to hear from actual high school students on how UNC Asheville's Pre-College Programs affected them? UNC Asheville’s Pre-College Programs introduce high school students to college-level study, university life, and career options in a dynamic learning environment. Each one-week program offers deep immersion into an academic topic, challenging activities, and the opportunity to engage with industry professionals.

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Be the First to Know When UNC Asheville’s Pre-College Summer 2026 Registration Opens!

Complete this brief interest form to receive a notification as soon as registration becomes available—expected by mid-December 2025.

Interest Form

Programs for Summer 2026 are expected to take place during June 14-19 & June 21-26, 2026.

To give you an idea of what to expect, here is a list of the programs offered in Summer 2025:


Art Programs:

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Film Scoring & Sound Design

June 15-20, 2025

Music is an important part of the storytelling process in films. Learn how to compose cinematic music that evokes emotion using Hollywood film scoring techniques In this class, we will develop a score concept, work with virtual instruments and compose music for an animation film. Sound design is taught by using textures and effects to enhance dynamics for visual impact. Musicians, non-musicians and film students are welcome.

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Music Composition & Songwriting

June 22 - 27, 2025

Develop creative and performing skills through composition, song-writing, and improvisation exercises. Create original music individually, and compose music collaboratively with other students. Perform original and improvised music on your instrument/voice. The week will culminate in a performance of a new, original musical work.

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Great Smokies Young Writers Workshop: Developing Voice & Fiction Writing

June 15 - 20, 2025

Hone your literary skills through workshops with experienced local authors and poets. Generate new pieces, revise works-in-progress and critique works of others in a collaborative workshop setting.

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Great Smokies Young Writers Workshop: Nature-Based Poetry & Worldbuilding 101

June 22 - 27, 2025

Hone your literary skills through workshops with experienced local authors and poets. Generate new pieces, revise works-in-progress and critique works of others in a collaborative workshop setting.

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Ceramic Pottery

June 15 - 20, 2025

Gain hands on experience in the ceramics studio and learn new techniques. Express creativity while learning to manipulate clay into sculpture and pottery. Create vessels by wheel-throwing and coil building. Learn to paint with underglazes. Form plates & shallow bowls by rolling out clay and carving. Take home your creations!

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Ceramic Pottery

June 22 - 27, 2025

Gain hands on experience in the ceramics studio and learn new techniques. Express creativity while learning to manipulate clay into sculpture and pottery. Create vessels by wheel-throwing and coil building. Learn to paint with underglazes. Form plates & shallow bowls by rolling out clay and carving. Take home your creations!

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Science Programs:

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Climate, Robotics, Rocketry and Aerospace Engineering

June 15-20, 2025

Interactively learn about robotics, rocketry, climate science, and aerospace and satellite engineering. Participate in numerous hands-on robotics and engineering tasks such as how to design a robotic rover, and building and launching a model rocket with ​ sensors on board. The student teams will launch the model rockets they build in camp on the UNC campus. Build an Arduino controlled mini weather station and launch them on drones, and analyze the data you collect. Learn from STEM professionals about all the opportunities STEM fields have to offer.

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Meteorology

June 22 - 27, 2025

Interactively explore the wonders of our atmosphere and experience the joys of a career in meteorology. Learn the fundamental principles of the atmospheric sciences through hands-on demonstrations and study the relationship between pressure, temperature, and elevation in the mountains. Build your own research-quality weather station. Visit the National Centers for Environmental Information, a permanent weather station, and a local media outlet to learn about careers in professional meteorology. Become a broadcast meteorologist for a day and present your forecast in a real television studio.

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Wildlife Wonders: Appalachian Zoology

PROGRAM FULL & ON A WAITLIST

June 15 - 20, 2025

Aspiring biologists and naturalists will explore the animal life of the southern Appalachian Mountains through discussions, workshops, hands-on lab experiments, and local field trips. Identify local species by searching for salamanders at a private nature reserve, snorkeling in mountain streams, and using microscopes and zoology collections. Learn to properly use field and lab equipment such as aquatic and insect nets, binoculars, and dissecting and compound microscopes. Field trips will focus on observing and identifying vertebrate wildlife in diverse habitats of Western North Carolina. Finally, we’ll wrestle with big questions through readings and discussion—like which species of wolves once lived in these mountains.

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Pre-Med

June 22 - 27, 2025

Work with a team on a simulated patient case, run microbiological and biochemical tests, debate treatment options and navigate the patient-doctor relationship. Learn about heart anatomy and function through a hands-on pig heart dissection.

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River Ecology & Adventure

June 15 - 20, 2025

Explore and discover our natural, aquatic world. Engaging field-based learning will pair with outdoor skills and trips. Learn about Southern Appalachian stream ecology while canoeing sections of pristine rivers, hiking to wilderness swimming holes and investigating local aquatic species, and be challenged to think critically about human impact on the environment while rafting exciting whitewater.

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River Ecology & Adventure

June 22 - 27, 2025

Explore and discover our natural, aquatic world. Engaging field-based learning will pair with outdoor skills and trips. Learn about Southern Appalachian stream ecology while canoeing sections of pristine rivers, hiking to wilderness swimming holes and investigating local aquatic species, and be challenged to think critically about human impact on the environment while rafting exciting whitewater.

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Geology & Adventure

June 15 - 20, 2025

Learn about the geology of the Southern Appalachians while hiking and rafting to scenic landmarks. Practice field-based learning while rock climbing and rappelling on the beautiful granite bodies of western North Carolina. Experience the geology of caving systems while spelunking. Enjoy time outdoors, build lifelong friendships, participate in adventure experiences, and see what it is like to be a geologist for a week!

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Geology & Adventure

June 22 - 27, 2025

Learn about the geology of the Southern Appalachians while hiking and rafting to scenic landmarks. Practice field-based learning while rock climbing and rappelling on the beautiful granite bodies of western North Carolina. Experience the geology of caving systems while spelunking. Enjoy time outdoors, build lifelong friendships, participate in adventure experiences, and see what it is like to be a geologist for a week!

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Video Game Design

June 15 - 20, 2025

Learn the fundamentals of game development using industry-standard Unreal Engine software. Playtest games in UNCA’s Esports Center and transform from consumers of video games into creators as you start to think about games from a developer’s perspective.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Participants enrolled in both Pre-College weeks will need to check out on Friday, June 20 and check in again on Sunday, June 22, as we do not have the ability to house students over the weekend in-between sessions.

Participants with a roommate request, please have both parties email precollege@unca.edu

There are some need based scholarships available for Climate, Robotics, Rocketry & Aerospace Engineering. Email info@destinationspace-stem.org for more information.

Check-in will be on Sunday from 3:30pm – 5:00pm and check-out will be on Friday at 11:00am.

○ Students will have a closing session on Friday from 9:00am-11:00am where they are presenting material they learned over the week. All parents and guardians are invited to the closing session.

Linens are not provided, so you’ll need to bring your own. Bed size is extra-long twin. We recommend 1 twin sheet set (xl twin), pillow with case, bath towel, and wash cloth

For participants that live outside of a reasonable driving distance, you may fly into the Asheville Regional Airport (AVL).  Upon registration, please choose the appropriate “add on” shuttle option.

Have additional questions? Please contact us at precollege@unca.edu.