10 Free Summer Programs for Middle School Students in NYC
If you are a middle school student in New York City looking for a way to learn something new during your school break, then an academic or extracurricular summer program is worth considering.
Based on your interests, you can find programs that can help you develop new skills, explore concepts beyond the school curriculum, or network with professionals and peers. A few organizations and universities in the city offer programs to middle schoolers for free! Also, fully-funded programs are a lot more competitive to get into that programs that require you to pay - showcasing your participation for the former can give your high school trajectory in research or professional experience a solid boost!
These programs often cover concepts you have yet to study in school, helping make the transition to the high school curriculum easier.
In this blog, we have listed 10 free summer programs for middle school students in NYC:
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: Middle school students can apply.
Application deadline: Deadlines vary for each cohort. The applications for the Summer cohort typically close in May.
Program dates: Multiple 8-week sessions are scheduled in a year. The Summer cohort typically starts in June.
Note: Need-based financial aid is available.
Lumiere Education is an organization founded by Harvard and Oxford PhDs that aims to offer students research opportunities. Its Junior Explorer Program is an opportunity for middle schoolers to explore their interests and work on a high school-level project.
In this 8-week virtual program, you will choose a track of your interest, explore four topics within the chosen track, and work on your project with a mentor. You can choose from various tracks, from economics, history, and entrepreneurship to medicine, AI, and astrophysics. The program includes weekly 1-on-1 sessions with a mentor, who will help you work on your project. You will be expected to commit a minimum of five hours per week to the program. You can find out more about the program and apply here.
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: All middle school students can apply.
Application deadline: Deadlines vary for each cohort.
Program dates: Multiple 10-week sessions are scheduled in a year.
Note: The program fee is $1,790, but up to 100% need-based financial aid is available.
Veritas AI Trailblazers is a 10-week boot camp-like program for middle schoolers. It focuses on the fundamentals of Python and key topics in the fields of artificial intelligence and machine learning, like neural networks, deep learning, natural language processing, and more. The experience involves working on a group project. You are expected to spend 25 hours on the program, which can be completed over 10 weeks if you participate on the weekends or over 2 weeks if you attend virtual sessions on weekdays in the summer. The program is conducted via Zoom. During the program, you will attend lectures and group sessions and work with mentors, who are graduates from leading universities like Harvard, Columbia, and Stanford. You can check out the program brochure before filling up the application form.
Location: Online
Eligibility: Low-income students in grades 6 and 7 can apply. Applicants should be planning to attend a college preparatory, academically rigorous high school.
Application deadline: Applications typically close in March.
Program dates: The program runs for 3 weeks in July but participants also get to attend weekly online after-school meetings during the fall.
Stanford University’s Middle School Scholars Program is a high school preparatory program for middle schoolers. It is conducted in two parts—a 3-week summer course and a fall component involving weekly instructor-led course discussions and workshops. The summer course will help you engage with various academic disciplines and prepare for rigorous high school academics. You can choose one out of four summer courses, all of which focus on enhancing critical thinking skills and academic knowledge. In the fall, you will attend workshops that cover academic writing, math enrichment, and other topics that help you prepare for applying to Stanford Online High School and other rigorous schools or programs. Each year, the program only accepts 12 students.
Location: New York University Washington Square campus, New York, NYEligibility: Students in grades 7 or 8 (rising 8th and 9th graders, respectively) in a New York City public school can apply. Check the detailed eligibility criteria here before applying.Application deadline: Applications typically close in March.Program dates: The 4-week program typically runs from July to August.New York University’s College and Career Lab is a fully funded commuter program for middle and high school students interested in engaging in college-level academics. This is a six-year program, which encourages New York students to first participate in 7th grade and keep returning each year till they graduate high school. As a middle schooler, you get to participate in the Exploratory Stage of the program, where you will explore subjects taught at university and career pathways. Throughout the program, you will get to learn about different fields, from business and arts to STEM. Also part of the program are college-style lectures and workshops led by NYU faculty. Along with classes, you will get to go on field trips around the city and explore life on a college campus.
Location: New York Institute of Technology campus, New York, NY
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8 can apply.
Application deadline: July 12, 2024
Program dates: July 29, 2024–August 2, 2024
The New York Institute of Technology, a private research university, offers this week-long program to middle schoolers interested in 3-D modeling, 3-D printing, Arduino programming, and laser cutting/engraving. The program also focuses on developing these skills by working on a UN sustainability goal-oriented project. So, you will work on building a Clean Cargo Allocation Ready Truck (CCART), which can safely deliver products. The final product should align with the UN Sustainability Goal # 3, which is ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages. You will be guided by instructors throughout your project. Along with the main project, the program has individual and team-based mini-challenges, with which you can win prizes and feel better equipped to take on the main CCART design challenge. At the end of the program, you, along with your team, will present your CCART design. The program is held at two locations, of which the New York campus cohort only accepts 20 students each year.
Location: Columbia University, NY
Eligibility: Students in grades 7–12 who have maintained an 80% grade average can apply
Application deadline: TBA, but applications will open in February 2025.
Program dates: The program typically runs from July to August.
The State Pre-College Enrichment Program (S-PREP), also called Columbia’s Science & Technology Entry Program, is a free college preparatory program meant for students interested in pursuing a career in medicine or STEM. It is offered by Columbia University’s Office of Student Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. During the program, you will get to attend classes covering various courses, including biochemistry, physics, algebra, psychology, and more. Also part of the program is an SAT prep course. Additionally, the program offers college preparation and career development workshops, academic counseling services, field trips, and college tours. You can join the mailing list to get updates regarding S-PREP applications.
Location: New York University campus, New York, NY
Eligibility: Students in NYC who are 12–14 years old can apply.
Application deadline: Applications typically close in April.
Program dates: The 4-week program typically runs from July to August.
NYU’s SONYC is a program that focuses on the study of noise pollution, a key concern for NYC. During the program, you will explore the public health consequences of sound, study sound waves in local communities, build devices that produce and track sound, and assess the impact of pollution on well-being. You will be expected to work on coming up with smart city technologies that address real-world problems. This experience may help you enhance your knowledge of STEM topics, particularly engineering, physical, and computer sciences. You will also explore concepts like waves and sound and hardware like microcontrollers, sensors, circuitry, and electronics. You will also get to present your project at the end of the program. Additionally, you will participate in Irondale, which is a mandatory theater and improv-based program meant to boost your communication and public speaking skills.
Location: Baruch College, New York, NY
Eligibility: New York state students in grades 7–12 who have maintained at least an 80% grade average, particularly in science and math, can apply. Check the detailed eligibility criteria here before applying.
Application deadline: Applications typically close in May.
Program dates: The program typically runs from July to August.
The Baruch College STEP (Science and Technology Entry Program) Academy is a NY education department-funded program for middle and high school students interested in pursuing STEM careers. The program consists of courses in math and science, SAT prep, and college preparatory workshops. During the four-week program, you can enroll in one course based on your interests. Here, you will also get to explore career paths in STEM and interact with professionals and college faculty. At the end of the program, you will share your experience at the Baruch College Summer Showcase. To know what to expect from the summer program, you can check out the 2024 program flier here.
Location: New York University campus, New York, NY
Eligibility: Students in NYC who are 12–14 years old can apply.
Application deadline: Applications typically close in April.
Program dates: The 3-week program typically runs from July to August.
Another free NYU summer program for middle school students, the Science of Smart Cities (SoSC) introduces participants to topics in the fields of engineering, computer science, and technology to make cities safe, sustainable, and efficient. The focus of the program is on using STEM-based knowledge and skills to solve urban challenges and enhancing the creativity and problem-solving skills of middle schoolers. So, during the program, you will work with your team on projects that address a real-world problem. Here, you will have to work with electronics and circuitry, coding, microcontrollers, and sensors, among other hardware. At the end of the program, you will present your work to other participants.
Location: New York City, NY and Los Angeles, CA
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 and 7 from backgrounds underrepresented in STEM careers can apply. Applicants must live in NYC or Los Angeles, CA. You can check the detailed financial eligibility criteria here before applying.
Application deadline: Applications are typically open from February to March each year.
Program dates: The program usually runs from July to August.
BEAM, or Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics, is a free program for underserved middle schoolers interested in math. It offers two summer programs—BEAM Discovery and BEAM Pathway, for 6th and 7th graders, respectively. BEAM Discovery is a 5-week camp consisting of classes, field trips, and activities. The classes cover four areas: logic, math fundamentals, math team strategies, and applied math. BEAM Pathway is a residential program, where you will stay on a college campus, attend classes in college classrooms, engage in group problem-solving sessions, and participate in recreational activities. The classes will focus on concepts like number theory, incidence geometry, and logic as well as real-world application of math in astrophysics and computer programming. BEAM also offers long-term support to its program participants, from middle school to college.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded
Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research
program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent
research paper.
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