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Writer's pictureStephen Turban

8 Free Summer Camps for Middle School Students

If you're a middle school student looking for free summer camps to make the most of your summer, this blog is for you! Summer camps provide a great opportunity to dive into subjects you're interested in or explore new areas. Covering topics from STEM and art to design and career preparation, these camps go beyond the traditional classroom experience by promoting hands-on learning, critical thinking, and collaboration in an engaging environment. 


Through interactive and immersive projects, you'll expand your understanding of theoretical concepts while working in a dynamic setting. You'll also collaborate with peers on team-based challenges, helping you develop key skills like problem-solving, communication, and teamwork. 


By participating in summer camps during middle school, you can gain important skills, build confidence, and get an early start in areas you might want to pursue in the future. Many universities and institutes offer free camps for talented middle school students, which can also enhance your academic profile by showcasing your skills and passion in your chosen field.


Here’s a list of 8 free summer camps for middle school students that you can consider!



Location: MIT campus, Cambridge, MA 

Application Deadline: March 10, 2024; TBA for 2025

Dates: August 14–August 18,  2024 (rising 6th–7th graders) | August 21–August 25, 2024 (rising 8th–9th graders); TBA for 2025

Eligibility: Rising 6th–9th grade students can apply.


DynaMIT is a free summer program hosted by MIT, aimed at fostering a passion for STEM among middle school students, especially those from low-income backgrounds. The program combines hands-on activities with educational challenges, allowing participants to explore STEM concepts in a collaborative environment that encourages curiosity and strengthens problem-solving skills. You will engage in interactive projects and real-world applications under the guidance of MIT's faculty and mentors.


Beyond classroom activities, DynaMIT participants will take trips to advanced labs on the MIT campus and work on group projects that culminate in presentations to their peers and mentors. These experiences, along with the opportunity to experience life at one of the world's top technical institutions, offer valuable insight into MIT's culture. DynaMIT will provide you with a comprehensive introduction to STEM, equipping you with the skills to pursue further studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.



Location: Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 

Application Deadline: May 1, 2024; TBA for 2025

Dates: June 25–June 28, 2024; TBA for 2025 

Eligibility: Current 7th–8th-grade students are eligible to apply. 


Purdue University's Physics Inside Out program provides middle school students with an opportunity to explore the field of physics. The program is designed to offer a hands-on, exploratory learning experience, where you will engage in experiments and activities that demonstrate the principles of physics in everyday life. You will get to study the process of discovery and experimentation. Guided by Purdue faculty and research staff, you will explore key concepts in physics, astrophysics, and astronomy, learning about current innovations and practical applications in these areas.


A key feature of Physics Inside Out is the access it provides to Purdue’s renowned physics laboratories and research facilities. These visits will give you a chance to observe real-world applications of physics, interact with university researchers, and gain insight into the professional field of scientific research. The program also includes special demonstrations and collaborative team projects to further deepen students' understanding of physics concepts.



Location: Community Education Center, Pasadena, CAApplication Deadline: May 31, 2024; TBA for 2025Dates: June 24–August 2, 2024

Eligibility: Rising 7th and 8th graders can apply.

Pasadena City College provides a free five-week math program specifically designed for middle school students to help them transition smoothly into high school mathematics. The program consists of regular instruction-based classes and assigned homework, with topics covering areas such as pre-algebra, algebra, basic math concepts, geometry, and additional related subjects. 


At the end of the program, you will receive a letter grade based on your performance. While all the math courses in this program are noncredit, there may be instances where certain middle schools, through their counselors, offer credits upon the program's completion. Each class will consist of up to 25 students.



Location: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX

Application Deadline: Applications are closed for 2024; TBA for 2025

Dates: June 4–June 14, 2024; TBA for 2025

Eligibility: Current 8th-grade students can apply.


UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Biology Camp is designed for biology teachers and current 8th-grade students who will be taking freshman-level Biology in the upcoming school year. The curriculum features lab exercises covering topics such as the scientific method, basic chemistry and water properties, membranes and biomolecules, cell transport, energy processes, chemical reactions, and enzymes, an overview of photosynthesis and cellular respiration, cellular organelles, DNA structure and function, and protein synthesis. Additionally, you will engage in afternoon activities that focus on team building, mobility simulation, anatomy labs, and DNA genetics.


The camp will be held in person at the UT Southwestern campus, with the exact location provided to selected participants. The camp will offer a mix of laboratory and classroom activities, along with campus tours and lectures presented by UT Southwestern staff and guest speakers from the faculty.



Location: NCSSM-Durham and Elizabeth City State University campuses, NC

Application Deadline: Applications for Summer 2025 will open in December 2024.

Dates: July 7–July 12, 2024 (ECSU) | July 14–July 19, 2024 (NCSSM-Durham); TBA for 2025

Eligibility: Current 8th-graders who live in North Carolina can apply. You can check the specific requirements for Step Up to STEM at the NCSSM-Durham and ECSU campuses here.


North Carolina State University's Step Up to STEM is a summer program designed for underrepresented minority students entering ninth grade (current 8th-graders), to foster interest in STEM fields. You will engage in a curriculum featuring interactive STEM workshops, hands-on experiments, and collaborative projects, led by NC State's faculty and student mentors.


The program offers an interdisciplinary curriculum in science, mathematics, and biomedical engineering, along with a writing component. You will also explore biological systems and cellular processes. Outside of class, enrichment activities will support both social and academic development through various events and field trips, including past activities like planetarium shows, baseball games, lab visits, hip-hop writing workshops, board game nights, STEM career panels, sports, ice cream socials, and university campus tours. Each class will consist of about 16 students.



Location: Carnegie Mellon University College of Engineering, Pittsburgh, PA

Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Dates: June 24–June 28, 2024; TBA for 2025

Eligibility: Rising 8th and 9th graders can apply.


The Summer Engineering Experience (SEE) is a week-long program designed to introduce rising 8th and 9th graders to various engineering concepts. SEE focuses on providing students with hands-on experience across different branches of engineering. In addition to educational presentations throughout the week, you will complete two projects using primarily household items.


During the first session, the entire group will work on a structured project that is carried out collaboratively over the week. The second project will be completed individually within smaller groups, offering opportunities for unique and innovative ideas. The program aims to strengthen your skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, and design while giving you practical experience in developing creative solutions to real-world challenges.



Location: University of Buffalo North Campus, NY

Application Deadline: Applications for 2024 are closed; TBA for 2025

Dates: August 5– August 9, 2024; TBA for 2025

Eligibility: Western New York students entering grades 6-7 are eligible to attend. Applications are especially encouraged from minority and underrepresented students.


The National Grid Young Innovators Engineering Camp at the University at Buffalo is a five-day program designed to spark students' interest in engineering. This camp will give you the chance to explore the field alongside university students and staff, offering insights into engineering while building essential skills.


During the camp, you will enhance their problem-solving and critical thinking abilities, learning how engineering concepts relate to everyday life. The program emphasizes using creativity to deepen the understanding of basic science principles. You will work in a collaborative, team-based environment, encouraging both innovation and a sense of community. Transportation is available for students residing in the City of Buffalo, with bus stops arranged after the camp roster is finalized. The camp has a limit of 20 students.



Location: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX

Application Deadline: Applications are closed for 2024; TBA for 2025

Dates: June 11–June 14, 2024; TBA for 2025

Eligibility: Current 7th-grade students can apply.


UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Middle School Camp is available for 6th and 7th-grade teachers, as well as current 7th-grade students. This camp features hands-on labs and classroom activities covering a wide range of science topics, all taught by middle school teachers. You will engage in lab exercises on various subjects, including microscope usage, muscle fatigue, elements and compounds, dichotomous keys, constructing phylogenetic trees, the law of conservation of mass, seasonal changes, and the science behind making ice cream.


In the afternoons, activities will focus on inferences and observations, cell theory, body systems, balancing chemical equations, and more interactive tasks such as a scavenger hunt and an escape room. The camp will take place in person at the UT Southwestern campus. The exact location will be shared with students who are selected to participate. The camp will include a combination of laboratory and classroom activities, along with guided tours and lectures led by UT Southwestern staff and guest speakers from the faculty.





One more option - 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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