8 STEM Summer Internships for Middle School Students
If you’re a middle school student, summer internships and work-learn programs can provide a unique opportunity to delve into the world of STEM. These programs offer hands-on experience, mentorship, and exposure to real-world applications of STEM concepts.
Moreover, early exposure to STEM through these internships and programs can positively impact your high school trajectory and college applications. It demonstrates a proactive interest in learning, showcases commitment to personal growth, and can highlight your ability to engage in complex problem-solving and critical thinking from an early age. Such experiences can also help you make informed decisions about their academic and career paths.
Homewood Science Center offers a conservation ecology student-led internship tailored for middle school students. This internship aligns with the Ecosystems science content and practices outlined in the Next Generation Science Standards. Middle school students in the area can apply and join a spring community project supporting the Homewood Izaak Walton Preserve and Homewood Science Center through scientific investigation, discovery, and leadership. Participants will gain hands-on experience in fieldwork, project development, and community leadership.
Location: Homewood Izaak Walton Preserve
Cost/Stipend: None
Duration: Each Saturday for 5 weeks, starting May 4, 2024
Eligibility: 6th-8th grade students interested in conservation and ecology
Application Deadline: April 26, 2024
2. dynaMIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers various work-learn STEM programs for middle school students, ranging from one day to year-long. For beginners, the dynaMIT program is a good option. This free STEM outreach summer program, hosted by current MIT students, is designed for middle school students from the Boston area. It involves hands-on activities in topics such as electromagnetism, programming, and forensics. At the end of the week, students present a capstone project, which incorporates basic programming and coding skills that they worked on with their mentors. Please note that the program is non-residential, so students must arrange their own lodging if necessary.
Note: While this program isn’t branded as an internship, it follows a similar structure to that of a traditional internship program in STEM.
Location: MIT campus
Cost/Stipend: Free!
Duration: One week. The program runs from August 14 to August 18, 2024, for rising grade 6 and 7 students, and from August 21 to 25 for rising grade 8 and 9 students.
Eligibility: Rising 6-9 grade students from the Boston area
Application Deadline: March of every year
The University of North Carolina Charlotte offers a Summer Scholars work-learn program for middle school students interested in earth and environmental science. This week-long summer program provides an engaging mix of classroom lessons, hands-on experiments, daily lab sessions, and interactive activities to enhance your understanding of the natural world and environmental phenomena. Certificates of participation are awarded on successful completion of the program. Register here to participate!
Location: University of North Carolina Charlotte campus
Cost/Stipend: $250 application fee
Duration: One week. The program runs from July 15-19, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Eligibility: Middle school students
Application Deadline: June 28, 2024
At the University of Texas at Dallas Coding Camps, students will experience the dynamic intersection of mathematical principles and computer programming. Using platforms like Scratch and JavaScript, they will see how abstract math concepts come to life in the digital world. They will also delve into topics such as angles, 3D space, and recursion, immersing themselves in a variety of mathematical ideas. To ensure a high-quality experience and individual attention from the instructor, each middle school camp typically hosts 6-12 campers. The university currently offers five STEM-related camps for middle school students:
Enjoyable Coding with Alice
Bring Math to Life!
Explore Coding for Beginners
Games with JavaScript
Drawings & Animations with JavaScript
Location: In-person (ECSS Building at UT Dallas) and virtual
Cost/Stipend: $150 application fee
Duration: One week. Weekly camps from June 3 till August 2, 2024
Eligibility: Students aged 11-14 years are eligible
Application Deadline: Registration closes every Wednesday for the following week’s camps.
The Summer Engineering Experience (SEE), by Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Engineering, is a week-long program designed for rising 8th and 9th graders with an interest in math and science. SEE provides hands-on exposure to various engineering fields under the theme of ‘Making & Engineering.’ This work-learn program aims to introduce students to different engineering disciplines and the principles of design. Throughout the week, students participate in educational presentations and complete two projects using household items. The first project is a structured group assignment completed collectively over the week. The second project is an individual task conducted in smaller groups, encouraging innovation and creativity. Both projects emphasize problem-solving, critical thinking, and design concepts.
Note: While this program isn’t branded as an internship, it follows a similar structure to that of a traditional internship program in STEM.
Location: College of Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University campus. Residential housing is not available during SEE. For this reason, the university encourages applications from students who live within daily commuting distance of CMU’s campus.
Cost/Stipend: Free!
Duration: One week. June 24 - 28, 2024
Eligibility: Rising 8th and 9th graders
Application Deadline: No information available
6. Penn GEMS
Penn GEMS: Engineering, Math and Science Camp offers Philadelphia-area middle school students an opportunity to explore how engineering integrates into everyday life. This week-long day camp, designed for students in 7th to 9th grade, focuses on bioengineering, nanotechnology, materials science, graphics, and computing. Through hands-on activities, the camp aims to introduce students to various engineering disciplines, emphasizing real-world problem-solving, collaboration, teamwork, and building self-efficacy.
Location: School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania campus. GEMS is a day camp only. Overnight accommodations are not available.
Cost: $650 (Need-based financial assistance is available)
Duration: One week. June 24 - June 28, 2024
Eligibility: Middle school students in 7th, 8th, and 9th grade
Application Deadline: March of every year
This five-day camp for girls, by Penn State College of Engineering, offers a deep dive into the technology behind our modern world. Campers will learn about everyday electronics and signals, interact with female electrical engineers and students, and immerse themselves in the DIY culture. The camp prioritizes hands-on activities, transforming participants into makers. It is tiered to provide engaging content for both newcomers and advanced or returning students.
Location: Penn State University Park
Cost/Stipend: $300
Duration: Five days. July 22 - 26 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Eligibility: Open to girls entering 7th and 8th grade
Application Deadline: Rolling applications. Students can register here!
Founded in 2007, the University of New Hampshire Tech Camp offers middle school students hands-on, collaborative STEM activities. Open to all experience levels, Tech Camp provides access to state-of-the-art facilities, advanced technology, and award-winning faculty. Students explore a wide range of STEM subjects through project-based learning, emphasizing creative thinking and problem-solving. Since 2021, this micro-internship has also offered special projects focused on regenerative medicine and biofabrication.
Location: University of New Hampshire Durham campus
Cost/Stipend: Tuition for non-sponsored programs is $700 per week for day students and $1,350 per week for residential students. Limited number of scholarships available for students applying to the non-sponsored programs.
Duration: Programs run between July 8 to 26, 2024
Eligibility: Middle school students
Application Deadline: May of each year
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 Growth, Khushi Malde, at khushi.malde@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.
Image Source: Homewood Science Center logo