7 Technology Summer Camps for Middle School Students
Are you a middle schooler curious to learn more about technology but not sure where to start? Or maybe a middle schooler who is already interested in technology looking to take that interest to the next level? If yes, participating in a technology summer camp might be a good way to spend your break.
Technology summer camps for middle schoolers play an important role in sparking curiosity and fostering an early interest in technology and engineering. These camps provide hands-on, engaging experiences that allow you to explore coding, robotics, electronics, and more in a fun and supportive environment. These skills can be helpful when you reach high school, too!
Here’s our list of 7 technology summer camps for middle school students.
Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program gives middle school students the chance to explore their academic interests and produce a high-school level project. During this eight-week program, you’ll learn about four different topics within your track before choosing one to base your project on. You’ll work with your mentor to produce a final project that you can later use for admission to more academic opportunities. Students interested in technology can choose the tracks in Engineering and AI & Data Science. The mentors are scholars from top research universities such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Duke, and LSE.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,400. Financial aid available
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. November 24, 2024 for the upcoming winter cohort
Program Dates: Vary according to cohort. December 16, 2024 onwards for the winter cohort
Eligibility: Rising 6th, 7th, and 8th graders from around the world
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. You will learn through lectures and group sessions with a 5:1 student-to-mentor ratio. By the end of the program, you will have worked on a hands-on project in a subject of your choice! 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.
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8
Program dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (on weekends) during the spring and 25 hours over 2 weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort
Fee: $1,790. Need-based financial aid is available
Location: Virtual
3. DynaMIT Camp
DynaMIT offers a free, week-long STEM summer program at MIT for underserved middle school students. The program focuses on hands-on, project-based learning in areas like engineering, robotics, and science. Through interactive workshops and team challenges led by MIT students, you will gain practical experience and problem-solving skills while exploring STEM fields. Past activities have been about polymers and materials, electricity and magnetism, and forensics. You will also learn how to code to produce a final capstone project.
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free!
Application Deadline: March 10, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: TBA for 2025, but typically two sessions offered in August
Eligibility: Rising 6th-9th grade students in the Boston area
The Science of Smart Cities (SoSC) program, offered by NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering, gives middle school students a deep dive into the future of urban living through STEM. This hands-on program introduces you to key concepts behind smart city technologies, including sustainable urban planning and energy efficiency. Over the course of the program, you will work on real-world challenges and build prototypes. You will learn about coding, microcontrollers, sensors, and electronics and circuitry.
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost: Full scholarship!
Application Deadline: April 29, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: July 8 – August 2, 2024 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: New York City residents who are at least age 12 but not older than 14 by the program start date
5. Penn GEMS
The GEMS program at the University of Pennsylvania offers a weeklong summer experience for middle school students passionate about STEM. Held by the School of Engineering and Applied Science, GEMS introduces you to advanced engineering concepts through engaging, hands-on projects. You will complete activities in bioengineering, nanotechnology, graphics, computing, and materials science. The program aims to give you an in-depth understanding of how engineering works and encourage you to study it further. To learn more about this program, check out our full guide here.
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $650. Need-based financial aid available
Application Deadline: March 4, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: June 24 – 28, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: Philadelphia-area students in grades 6, 7, and 8
The U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Space Camp offers a number of programs for middle school students interested in space exploration and STEM. At the Space Academy, students aged 12-14 will explore space science through hands-on activities. You will launch your own mission to the moon, Mars, or the International Space Station. You’ll get to simulate being in a spaceship on NASA’s ⅙ gravity chair. You’ll also work with peers to solve engineering problems and design a rocket. The program includes educational programming about leaders in space exploration.
Location: U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville, AL
Cost: $1,899
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Program Dates: Multiple one-week options in May, June, July, and August 2025. See options here
Eligibility: Students aged 12-14
CyberCamp by the Air Force Association offers middle and high school students an immersive introduction to cybersecurity. Through engaging, hands-on activities, you will learn the fundamentals of online security, cyber defense, and ethical hacking. Led by cybersecurity professionals, the camp covers topics like cryptography, system vulnerabilities, and network protection. To participate, your school or an organization like a boys and girls club must register with the CyberPatriot Program office.
Location: Varies by host institution
Cost: $1,200 (standard camps)
Application Deadline: N/A (locations are posted in early May)
Program Dates: Multiple one-week sessions between June 2 – August 15, 2025
Eligibility: Middle school and high school students
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.