12 Summer Academic Programs for Middle School Students
If you’re a middle school student looking to explore academic interests, gain advanced skills, and prepare for high school, summer academic programs can be a great opportunity to do so. These programs offer a focused and intensive learning experience that fits into the summer break; they can help you discover your passions, widen your knowledge base, and build a strong foundation for future academic success. Moreover, summer programs provide an opportunity to meet like-minded peers, engage with experienced mentors, and participate in unique projects and activities, all before high school.
Here are 12 solid summer academic programs for middle school students, each offering a unique experience:
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies (financial aid available)
Eligibility: Middle school students
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Dates/Duration: Flexible, year-round
Cohort Size: Small, personalized
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is designed for middle school students to work one-on-one with a mentor from top universities such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Duke, and LSE. This rigorous, fully virtual program allows students to explore their academic interests and build a personalized project they are passionate about. The curriculum is tailored to each student's interests and goals, providing a unique opportunity to delve deeply into a chosen subject. Students engage in regular meetings with their mentor, complete assignments, and develop a final presentation or research paper. The program emphasizes critical thinking, creativity, and academic rigor, preparing students for future academic challenges. Cohort sizes are small, ensuring personalized attention and guidance throughout the program.
Location: New York University
Cost: $350
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-12
Application Deadline: March
Dates/Duration: July 5 - August 4
STEP offers New York students the opportunity to learn from NYU faculty and students through courses and workshops covering STEM subjects. Middle school students can dive into Math and English, covering topics like Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus AB, and Calculus BC to take their knowledge to the next level. The English component teaches critical thinking and persuasive communication, both important skills. High school students part of the program can sit for dedicated research and college preparation classes.
Location: Various locations
Cost: $4,850 (financial aid available)
Eligibility: Grades 5-7
Application Deadline: January
Dates/Duration: Three weeks, June-August
The CTY Summer Programs at Johns Hopkins offers middle school students on-campus residential opportunities across the U.S. Students can study math, STEM, writing, and the arts. In addition to classroom instruction, courses include hands-on experiments, group projects, and cultural activities. For specific course offerings, you can view the entire catalog here.
Location: Boston, MA
Cost: Free
Eligibility: Grades 6-7
Application Deadline: Fall
Dates/Duration: six weeks, July-August
The Dive In Commonwealth program is a free enrichment initiative for high-achieving middle school students from low-income families in Boston. Starting after sixth or seventh grade, the program continues until high school and includes rigorous academic courses in English and math, along with electives like theater, biology, and computer science. Students engage in athletic activities, field trips, and social outings. Past projects include theater performances, biology experiments, and coding challenges. The program aims to prepare students for competitive high schools and college.
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Eligibility: Grades 7-9
Application Deadline: March
Dates/Duration: One week in July
The EduCATE program at MIT focuses on technology and engineering, providing middle school students with a unique opportunity to engage in hands-on workshops, build projects, and visit MIT laboratories. Participants learn about the principles of radar systems, signal processing, and applications in real-world scenarios. The program includes lectures, lab sessions, and team-based projects, where students design and build their own radar systems. Participants also have the chance to interact with MIT researchers and engineers, gaining insights into cutting-edge technologies and career opportunities in engineering.
Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, and other locations nationwide
Cost: $25-$50
Eligibility: Girls in grades 7-10
Application Deadline: Varies by location
Dates/Duration: One-day conferences, year-round
EYH conferences encourage young girls to pursue STEM careers through hands-on workshops, interactive sessions, and mentorship from female scientists and engineers. Led by Cornell students, the conferences are held at various locations across the country, each offering a unique program tailored to local interests and resources. You will engage in activities such as coding, robotics, chemistry experiments, and more. The conferences also include keynote speeches, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, allowing students to connect with role models and peers who share their interests and aspirations. Some of the workshops even include a tour of laboratories in Cornell’s Ithaca campus, which can be a solid opportunity if you’re looking to apply to Cornell for an undergraduate program!
Location: Washington, D.C.
Cost: Free
Eligibility: Grades 6-8
Application Deadline: March
Dates/Duration: Two weeks, July-August
The Smithsonian Summer Camp lets middle school students explore topics like natural history, space exploration, art, design, history, and world cultures through interactive and hands-on activities. Campers engage directly with Smithsonian experts, participate in games, and enjoy educational excursions to museums, historic sites, monuments, and the National Zoo to foster curiosity and a passion for learning. Each session is designed to be both fun and educational by incorporating hands-on activities and ensuring collaboration among campers.
Location: Chicago, IL
Cost: Reach out to the program organizers (pme-outreach@uchicago.edu) for more details
Eligibility: Grades 6-8
Application Deadline: not listed
Dates/Duration: not listed
The annual "No Small Matter" Molecular Engineering Fair at the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering is designed to spark middle school students' interest in STEM. Past experiences have included UChicago deans and other STEM role models presenting different stations showing concepts like levitation, simple machines, and microscopy. Additionally, the fair features hands-on activities, demonstrations, and interactive exhibits showcasing the principles of molecular engineering. Students engage with graduate students and faculty, gaining insights into real-world applications of science and engineering.
Location: Virtual/In-person
Cost: $289 for Virtual, $525 for In-Person
Eligibility: Ages 5-18
Application Deadline: May
Dates/Duration: Week-long course offered year-round
Coding with Kids offers computer programming classes for elementary and middle school students through evening classes, after-school enrichment sessions, and camps. Their in-person coding camps cater to students aged 5-18 and cover a variety of programming languages, including Roblox, Minecraft, Scratch, Python, C++, Java, and more. These camps help young learners develop coding skills through creative projects and activities that promote problem-solving and critical thinking.
Location: Wayne, NJ
Cost: Given during registration
Eligibility: Grades 6-8
Application Deadline: Depends on session
Dates/Duration: Monday-Thursday, June-August
The William Paterson University Middle School Program offers a range of engaging and educational courses designed for middle school students. The program includes academic enrichment classes in STEM, arts, and humanities. Courses include robotics, creative writing, digital media, and environmental science aim to stimulate intellectual curiosity and enhance learning. Students participate in hands-on projects, such as building robots, creating digital art, and conducting scientific experiments, fostering both creativity and problem-solving skills.
Location: North Grafton, MA
Cost: $1250 (financial aid available)
Eligibility: Grades 7-9
Application Deadline: April
Dates/Duration: One week, June-July
Cohort Size: Small
The Adventures in Veterinary Medicine program at Tufts University offers middle school students an in-depth look at veterinary careers through lectures, labs, and hands-on activities. Participants learn about animal anatomy, surgery, and diagnostics, gaining practical skills and knowledge. The program includes visits to Tufts’ veterinary hospital, where students can observe veterinary professionals in action. The curriculum is designed to encourage students to consider careers in animal care and biomedical sciences.
Location: University of California, Berkeley, CA
Cost: $3,200 (financial aid available)
Eligibility: Grades 7-9
Application Deadline: May
Dates/Duration: Two weeks in July
The Molecular Medicine Workshop introduces middle school students to molecular biology and biomedical research through lectures, lab sessions, and projects that explore the molecular mechanisms of disease, including cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and infectious diseases. The program is taught by experienced scientists and educators, providing students with a solid understanding of biomedical research techniques and principles. The workshop culminates in a research presentation, where students showcase their findings and receive feedback from experts. Past research projects include work on neurological disorders, vaccine development, and immunotherapy, among others. The program also includes social activities and networking opportunities.
The program offers virtual and in-person sessions at leading global universities, including UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, Columbia University, and Imperial College London. Online workshops cover cellular and molecular medicine and students learn to use online tools to analyze biochemical data. In-person workshops cover topics like neuroscience, cancer, aging, and immunology.
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is a 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.
The program was founded by a Harvard & Oxford PhD who met as undergraduates at Harvard. The program is rigorous and fully virtual. We offer need-based financial aid for students who qualify. You can find the application in the brochure!
To learn more, you can reach out to our Head of Partnerships, Maya, at maya.novak-herzog@lumiere.education or go to our website.
Multiple rolling deadlines for JEP cohorts across the year, you can apply using this application link! If you'd like to take a look at the cohorts + deadlines for 2024, you can refer to this page!
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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