11 Free + Online Summer Programs for Middle School Students
Free and online summer programs for middle school students not only provide exposure to advanced academics, practical skills, industry insights, and valuable networks but also offer students an accessible pathway to explore their interests before committing to more intensive high school initiatives. Whether you are drawn to science, technology, the arts, or leadership, these opportunities foster skill development, introduce potential career paths, and facilitate connections with like-minded peers.
Online programs, in particular, offer the convenience of remote participation, reducing logistical challenges and eliminating travel costs. Moreover, free programs usually have a competitive process and are thus a solid mention to have on a resume for a middle schooler. We have curated a list of 11 free and online summer programs for middle school students, covering a wide range of disciplines and interests. From coding and medicine to business and finance, these opportunities provide enriching and diverse experiences for motivated students.
Acceptance rate: Highly selective.
Cost: $2,400. Need-based financial aid is available.
Dates: The program typically runs for 8 weeks. Summer Cohort I start date: June 2 | Summer Cohort II start date: July 14.
Application Deadline: Summer Cohort I: April 13 | Summer Cohort II: June 23.
Eligibility: Middle school students (Grades 6–8) with a strong academic background are eligible to apply.
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program (JEP) is an advanced research experience for middle school students interested in computer science, biology, mathematics, engineering, economics, business, international relations, and more! You will collaborate with PhD mentors from prestigious universities like Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and Yale to develop independent research projects based on your interests.
This program emphasizes critical thinking, scientific inquiry, and independent research, preparing you for academic competitions and future research opportunities. With expert mentorship and hands-on project development, JEP offers a personalized learning experience that nurtures young scientists' curiosity and analytical skills.
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Highly selective; 12 students per cohort.
Cost: Free!
Dates: Summer Program: July 7 - 25 | Fall Semester Meetings: August 27 – December 10.
Application Deadline: March 20.
Eligibility: Students from low-income backgrounds in grades 6 or 7 who reside in and attend school in the United States are eligible to apply.
The Stanford Middle School Scholars Program (SMSSP) offers a comprehensive academic experience designed to prepare students for the demands of a rigorous high school education. The program includes a three-week online summer course followed by weekly after-school virtual sessions from August to December. Participation in both the summer and fall components is mandatory.
During the summer, you will engage in daily live discussions led by a Stanford OHS instructor, combining academic enrichment with community-building activities. In the fall, weekly after-school meetings feature course discussions and specialized workshops hosted by the Stanford OHS Office of Admissions, Counseling, and Writing and Tutoring Center. Participants rank their preferred summer course from four options: Democracy & Dissent, History through Graphic Novels, Media Literacy in the Post-Truth Era, and Real-Life Applications to Mathematics, and are admitted to one course based on availability and preference.
Acceptance rate: Highly selective.
Cost: $1,990. Need-based financial aid is available.
Dates: 25 hours over 2 weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort.
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines.
Eligibility: Middle school students in grades 6-8 are eligible to apply.
The AI Trailblazers program by Veritas AI is a virtual program that teaches middle school students the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Over 25 hours, you will learn the basics of Python as well as topics like data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. Students learn through lectures and group sessions with a 5:1 student-to-mentor ratio. Previous projects done by students have included building a machine-learning model to classify music genres and creating a machine-learning algorithm to provide a custom list of educational resources based on selected specifications.
Acceptance rate: Open for all.
Cost: Free!
Dates: This is a self-paced program.
Application Deadline: No deadline.
Eligibility: Female middle school students are eligible to apply.
The Girls Who Code Python Activities online program teaches middle school students to code in Python. You will work on practical, real-world projects like building a chatbot, visualizing data through various graph types, and analyzing datasets to identify trends. Through these projects, you will learn to create line, bar, pie, histogram, and scatter plot graphs using Python. A key project involves analyzing data from Kickstarter, a popular crowdfunding platform. This hands-on experience introduces you to essential data science skills, including data cleaning, analysis with advanced algorithms, and presenting insights to stakeholders like policymakers, business leaders, and researchers.
Acceptance rate: Open for all.
Cost: Free!
Dates: June 2 - June 13 | July 7 - July 18 | July 21 - August 1 | August 4 - August 15.
Application Deadline: March 31.
Eligibility: Young women and gender expansive teens aged 13 years or older are eligible to apply.
Kode With Klossy offers free, intensive two-week summer coding camps tailored for students from traditionally underrepresented genders in STEM. The program features a high-quality curriculum designed not only to equip you with foundational coding skills but also to ignite a lasting enthusiasm for STEM fields. You will engage in one of four specialized curricula: web development, machine learning, mobile application development, or data science. Beyond coding instruction, the camps include additional enrichment activities, such as a speaker series featuring accomplished women in technology. Each camp is led by two licensed educators, with additional support from at least two instructor assistants.
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Highly selective; small cohort sizes.
Cost: Free!
Dates: Sessions are held on July 8 – 10, July 15 – 17, July 29 – 31, and August 12 – 14.
Application Deadline: Applications will open in April.
Eligibility: Middle school students are eligible to apply.
The McDonald Institute, in collaboration with the Carbon to Metal Coating Institute, hosts the Queen’s University Summer of Science program in the summer. This free afternoon enrichment program is conducted in person for students in Kingston (Ontario) and nearby areas, with a virtual cohort available based on interest. Over 12 afternoon sessions held three times a week for four weeks, the program focuses on physical sciences and the scientific process.
Led by undergraduates and joined by scientists from the McDonald Institute and C2MCI, you will engage in hands-on activities that reflect real-world scientific practices. The program emphasizes not only scientific content but also the tools and methods essential for conducting research. You will also have the opportunity to contribute to your instructor’s research projects at Queen’s University. The program concludes with student presentations.
Acceptance rate: Highly selective.
Cost: 1 Credit Honors: $835 | 2 Credit Honors: $1,425. Need-based financial aid is available.
Dates: June 4 - August 13.
Application Deadline: Flexible enrollment period.
Eligibility: Middle school students going into grades 6-8 are eligible to apply.
Northwestern Accelerated Summer Online courses offer summer learning opportunities designed to help middle school students accelerate their coursework and maintain a more balanced academic year. These online courses effectively condense one or two credits of the curriculum into a compact format. You will benefit from flexible summer scheduling, allowing you to take challenging or hard-to-schedule electives while earning high school credit and advancing your studies.
The summer session lasts 9 to 11 weeks, depending on the enrollment date, with students dedicating 10–15 hours per week for one-credit courses and 20–25 hours per week for two-credit courses. Coursework is rigorous and independent, supported by instructor guidance and personalized feedback to keep you on track.
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Highly selective; 6 students per cohort.
Cost: $2,199. Need-based financial aid is available.
Dates: July 14 – August 1.
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines.
Eligibility: Middle school students aged 12-14 years old are eligible to apply.
The Data Science: The AI Journey summer program prepares middle school students for a future in data science and AI by teaching Python, big data analysis, data visualization, and machine learning. You will complete a portfolio project, coding notebooks, and earn a Data Science Scholar Certificate. Interactive lectures focus on hands-on coding, with access to annotated materials stored in Google Drive. You will also collaborate in age- and skill-based cohorts to apply concepts and develop projects, with the program concluding with a final presentation.
Acceptance rate: Highly selective.
Cost: $1,365 - $1,433. Need-based financial aid is available.
Dates: Multiple dates during the summer. The program typically runs for 12-15 hours per week (3-hours of class time, 9-12 hours of independent work).
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines.
Eligibility: Middle school students in grades 7-8 are eligible to apply.
The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth’s online summer programs provide middle school students with opportunities to deepen their knowledge beyond the standard school curriculum. In the Diagnosis: Be the Doctor course, you will learn how medical professionals make critical decisions based on limited symptoms, applying their expertise in biology and chemistry to real-world scenarios.
You will collaborate in small groups to interpret medical case studies from the perspectives of various specialties such as cardiology, neurology, pulmonology, hematology, and immunology. By the end of the course, you will be able to explain the structure and function of vital body systems, understand the impact of diseases, describe diagnostic methods, and write basic medical case studies. Though the course is ungraded, you will receive detailed feedback on your assignments, which include essays, disease research, and case study development.
Acceptance rate: Open for all.
Cost: $1495. Need-based scholarships are available.
Dates: Multi-length courses available throughout the year, including summer.
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the course.
Eligibility: Middle school students aged 13 years or older are eligible to apply.
This online program provides middle school students the opportunity to explore genome engineering and its potential to treat hereditary conditions such as Sickle Cell and other blood disorders. You will examine the human genome, genetic mutations, and ethical considerations of gene editing while gaining hands-on experience with genome-engineering tools. Guided by expert mentors, you will analyze CRISPR/Cas9-based treatment strategies and complete a capstone project on beta-thalassemia. The program culminates in a Certificate of Completion from Rice University.
Cohort size: Small cohort sizes.
Cost: Starting at $429. Need-based financial aid is available.
Dates: Multiple week-long sessions between June and July.
Application Deadline: Open enrollment.
Eligibility: Middle school students aged 10-12 years are eligible to apply.
In this online summer program, middle school students can begin their game design journey and create their own interactive game. Using GDevelop, a beginner-friendly game engine, you’ll explore fundamental game design principles and bring your ideas to life. Throughout the program, you’ll design levels, create custom sprite art, and build game mechanics using visual code and built-in behaviors.
Once complete, you’ll even have the opportunity to publish your game on the official GDevelop website for others to play online. This camp also serves as a foundation for advancing to professional game engines like Unity and Unreal Engine. Over the weeklong virtual program, you will participate in small group sessions led by expert instructors.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD 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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