11 Prestigious Research Programs for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Feb 23, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 23
Are you in middle school and looking to build a skillset in your areas of interest? Participating in research programs that allow you to learn while connecting you to mentors and experts is a great way to get started. Research experience can help you stand out as you go on to high school and apply to colleges. These opportunities are highly selective, and participating in any one of them can allow you to develop advanced academic skills.
To help you get started, we have compiled a list of 11 selective research opportunities for middle schoolers in various fields! Note that the following information is based on the most recent program, with dates subject to change but generally similar from year to year.
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is an 8-week program for middle school students to work one-on-one with a mentor to explore their academic interests and build a project they are passionate about. Our mentors are scholars from top research universities such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Duke and LSE. During this program, spanning weeks 1 to 4, participants will delve into four distinct topics within their selected track. In weeks 5 to 6, the focus intensifies as participants embark on a deep dive into one specific topic area and finally, weeks 7 to 8 are dedicated to project implementation, with participants receiving guidance and support from their mentors as they bring their projects to life. You can find the application form here.
Location: Fully Virtual
Dates: Multiple cohorts available each year, deadlines vary accordingly
Cost: $1990
Age requirements: Grade 6 - 8
Deadline: Rolling deadlines for each cohort. If you'd like to take a look at the cohorts + deadlines, you can refer to this page!
NASA Student Launch is a rigorous research-based challenge for students to explore rocket science. Students from across the US are divided into teams and tasked with designing, building, testing, and launching a high-powered rocket carrying a scientific or engineering payload. After a competitive selection process, teams conduct a series of design reviews with a NASA review panel. The program encourages you to hone your research skills within the engineering space for 9 months. The program culminates with a final launch at the home of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
Location: Participating school or college
Cost: None (Travel costs for final launch not included)
Program Dates: October to April
Application Deadline: September 11
Eligibility: Open to all U.S. students currently in grades 6 to 12
3. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: AI Trailblazers - $1,990 | AI Junior Fellowship - $2,900. Need-based financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: Rolling basis. You can apply here!
Program Dates: AI Trailblazers - 25 hours over 10 weekends | AI Junior Fellowship - 12 weeks.
Veritas AI is a virtual AI program for middle school and high school students founded and run by Harvard graduate students. Middle school students can pick from two options - the first is the AI Trailblazers bootcamp. Through this program, you will learn the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and machine learning, along with the basics of Python. You'll work on hands-on, real-world AI projects in areas like medicine, finance, autonomous vehicles, and more under the guidance of mentors from top universities. This is best suited for students who are beginners!
If you have already gone through the bootcamp or have some experience with Python, the AI Junior Fellowship is a good option for you. You get to work 1-1 with a mentor to build out your own project or research paper over 12 weeks. This is a great way to work with AI at the intersection of various topics and showcase your passion. You can take a look at the program brochure here.
Science Club at Northwestern University is an opportunity for middle school students to receive science mentoring. Covering topics such as the science of food, neuro-sports, and environmental science, the program is designed to help you explore research projects and learn real-world science skills. Science Club recognizes the advantage of applying science in everyday life rather than memorizing facts and terms and encourages you to develop skills in experimental design, data analysis, and making evidence-based conclusions.
Location: Virtual or in member schools
Cost: None
Program Dates: Fall: September to December | Winter: January to March | Spring: April to June
Application Deadline: None
Eligibility: Current middle school students
STEP is a two-week residential experience designed to help middle schoolers develop higher-level thinking skills and explore their creativity. You will choose a challenge and spend five hours researching it daily while tackling complex questions and activities. Classes offered during this program include Building with Vex Robotics, Forensic Science, Human Body Systems, Game Design, and more. This program is the ideal next step for students seeking an above-grade-level challenge as they prepare to start high school.
Location: University of Wisconsin-Madison campus
Cost: $3,000
Program Dates: June 16 to June 29
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Current 6th to 8th grade students
The Junior Scientist Training Program (JSTP) at Scripps Research offers a summer camp experience for middle school students interested in pursuing a career in science. During the program, you will work on science experiments and design challenges. You will learn how scientists conduct research and the many possibilities it offers. As a final deliverable, you will have the chance to design and conduct an independent research project that will be presented, and you will earn a certificate of completion from Scripps Research.
Location: Scripps Research campus
Cost: $300
Program Dates: June 3 to August 9
Application Deadline: May 13
Eligibility: Current middle school students
P.E.A.K.S at Georgia Tech University is designed for middle school students to increase their Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) knowledge through various activities, including research projects and experiential activities. This summer program is part of the Expanded Learning Programs at Georgia Tech, geared towards advancing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals through learning opportunities that prepare future leaders in STEAM. These programs are designed to be one to two weeks long and provide opportunities to interact with mentors across several STEAM fields.
Location: Georgia Tech campus
Cost: $450 to $640
Program Dates: June 6 to July 22
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Rising 6th to 8th grade students
The On Being Human program is designed to help middle school students question their sense of “knowing” through biological, psychological, and philosophical methods. The program covers three main topics: Math: Paradoxes and Infinities, Science: Anatomy and Physiology, and Writing: Crafting the Essay. You will conduct research and create reports on your findings while receiving mentorship that hones your skills. Additionally, you will be trained to question the interconnectedness between various topics through lab research that uses propositional logic, precision, and critical thinking.
Location: Session One: Ursinus College, Pennsylvania | Session Two: Skidmore College, New York
Cost: $6,599
Program Dates: Session One: June 23 to July 12 | Session Two: June 30 to July 19
Application Deadline: May 3
Eligibility: Current 7th and 8th grade students
The ActivityBots Camp at Oregon State University was created to introduce middle schoolers to robotics through projects. You will be put into teams of two, and using ActivityBot 360 robot kits, you will be guided on a research project. With the end goal of creating and moving a robot via remote control navigation, you will research touch, visible light, infrared light, and ultrasonic sensors. The program is designed to allow even those with no mechanical, electrical, or coding experience to build circuits of their own successfully.
Location: Oregon State University campus
Cost: $170
Program Dates: July 15 to July 19
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Rising 6th to 8th grade students
The Duke Marine Lab, located on the coast of North Carolina, provides middle schoolers interested in marine biology with a unique learning experience. With access to research labs and industry professionals as mentors, you will work on research projects related to sustainability, conservation, marine biology, and more. You will live and learn on-site and have access to all the resources the Marine Lab offers. This one-week intensive is currently open only to North Carolina residents.
Location: Duke Marine Lab, Beaufort, NC
Cost: $3,100
Program Dates: July 14 to July 20
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Current 6th to 8th grade students
The College Academy at College Gate is for students who excel in fast-paced learning environments and want to challenge themselves further. With a research and project-based curriculum that promotes collaboration, the STEM-focused summer programs offer courses in marine biology, advanced robotics, science discovery, rocketry, and graphic design. With a unique 10:1 ratio for each course, the program encourages positive peer interaction as you work on your projects. The program's goal is to hone skills through research that will prove useful in college and the workplace.
Location: Stonehill College, Massachusetts
Cost: $1,100
Program Dates: Session One: July 8 to July 26 | Session Two: July 29 to August 16
Application Deadline: Rolling applications, based on first come, first serve
Eligibility: Current 4th to 8th grade students
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.
Image Source: NASA logo