If you’re a middle schooler who loves writing, a well-designed writing program can give you an early look into college-level academics without the overwhelming cost of a full summer residential experience. These programs let you experiment with storytelling, essays, journalism, or creative nonfiction while building practical skills, like editing, structuring ideas, and giving peer feedback, that you’ll use long after middle school. Many also offer glimpses into real writing careers through workshops, publication opportunities, and interactions with authors or instructors who work in the field. Some even help you build early connections with peers who share your interests, which can become a surprising source of support and collaboration as you grow.

For students serious about writing, scholarships can make these opportunities even more accessible. That’s why we’ve curated a list of the best writing programs for middle schoolers with options that are rigorous, selective, and intentionally designed to challenge young writers. Each program on this list is hosted by a reputable institution, offers meaningful networking or mentorship, and provides substantial financial support or full funding.

1. Lumiere Junior Explorer Program (JEP)

Location: Online (Founded by Harvard and Oxford researchers)

Cost: Varies; need-based financial aid available

Program Dates: 8 weeks (rolling cohorts throughout the year)

Application Deadline: Varies across different cohorts

Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8; open to motivated students globally interested in exploring academic research or writing.

The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program pairs middle school students with Ph.D. mentors from universities such as Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Princeton to explore academic subjects and develop a written project. Across eight weeks, you’ll learn to read and interpret academic literature, build research questions, and create outputs such as a high school-level research paper or case study. You’ll receive individualized feedback through eight mentor sessions and two writing-coach sessions, ensuring you master both analytical and writing fundamentals. Research topics range from gene editing to behavioral economics. The program’s rigorous selection process and personalized mentorship make it one of the most competitive and enriching academic writing experiences available for middle school students. Lumiere also offers a Junior Research and Publication Program for students who wish to publish their research in academic journals.

2. Middle School Advanced Writing Exploration Program (AWE) — Writopia Lab

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; exact acceptance rate and cohort size not published.

Location: Writopia Lab, Multiple Locations across the USA (primarily New York, NY).

Cost: $645; limited financial aid available.

Program Dates: Offered during the school year in trimester-based sessions.

Application Deadline: Rolling admissions.

Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8.

The Middle School AWE Program is an advanced, application-based workshop series where middle schoolers develop writing across multiple genres while learning to revise and refine their work through continuous peer and instructor feedback. You will participate in student-driven, author-led workshops that emphasize drafting, revision, storytelling techniques, and experimentation with different forms. The curriculum also includes a one-on-one session that can focus on academic essays, admissions pieces, or a creative genre of your choosing. You’ll work closely with professional instructors who guide you through structured workshops and master classes that strengthen voice, narrative clarity, and technical skill. The program also serves as early preparation for Writopia’s more intensive high school Creative Portfolio program, giving you a clear developmental pathway in writing.

3. Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers

Location: Virtual

Application deadline: Rolling deadlines. You can apply to the program here.

Program dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (on weekends) during the spring cohort and 25 hours over 2 weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort.

Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8

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 student projects 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.

4. Creative Writing Summer Program — Interlochen Arts Camp

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; exact acceptance rate and cohort size not published.

Location: Interlochen Center for the Arts, Interlochen, MI.

Cost: $7,265; limited financial aid available.

Program Dates:

• Session 1: June 28–July 18

• Session 2: July 19–August 9

Application Deadline: January 15, for both sessions.

Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8.

This three-week immersive program introduces middle school writers to fiction, poetry, and writing for the stage through daily workshop-based classes led by professional writers. You will participate in roundtable critiques, where you’ll learn how to analyze peer writing, give constructive feedback, and revise your own drafts with intention. The curriculum includes master classes through the Creative Writing Forum, covering topics such as narrative construction, worldbuilding, and preparing work for literary journals. You’ll attend readings by visiting authors, complete environmental writing exercises on campus, and contribute your work to a printed camp anthology. The program concludes with a showcase reading, where you will present your strongest pieces to peers and faculty. 

5. Emerging Writers Institute — Education Unlimited

Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is selective; exact acceptance rate and cohort size are not published.

Location: Various university campuses across the U.S. (locations vary by year).

Cost: Pricing varies by session; residential and online options available.

Program Dates: One-week sessions; exact dates vary by location.

Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until sessions are full.

Eligibility: Rising 7th–9th graders.

The Emerging Writers Institute is a week-long creative writing program that introduces middle schoolers to fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction through seminar-style classes and daily writing workshops. You draft new material, participate in structured critique sessions, and learn how to revise your work with guidance from instructors who specialize in youth creative writing education. Afternoon electives expose you to additional genres such as science fiction, screenwriting, travel writing, and graphic storytelling, allowing you to experiment broadly while developing core narrative craft. You also receive one-on-one evaluations to strengthen voice, structure, and writing habits. The program includes opportunities to prepare work for youth literary publications and concludes with an informal reading where you present polished pieces to an audience. Each writer contributes to a printed anthology issued at the end of the summer, giving you a tangible portfolio sample for future applications.

6. Writers Workshop for Middle School — University of Washington

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Exact cohort size not published.

Location: University of Washington (Online), Seattle, WA.

Cost: $700; nonrefundable $50 quarterly registration fee.

Program Dates: March 31–May 28

Application Deadline: Registration open until seats are filled; refund deadline is March 2.

Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8 with strong English proficiency.

This twice-weekly online workshop introduces middle school writers to fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction through instructor-led lessons and collaborative peer discussions. You will learn how to read like writers, analyze craft elements, and apply techniques such as imagery, narrative structure, and revision strategies in your own work. Each session includes writing prompts, small-group critique, and guided feedback to help you refine your voice and develop stronger creative habits. The course also emphasizes constructive workshop skills, teaching you how to give and receive meaningful critique, edit your own drafts, and revise confidently. Students finish the program with a polished piece of writing and participate in a celebratory showcase during the final class. 

7. Bay Area Writing Project Young Writers Camps — UC Berkeley

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; exact cohort size not published.

Location: University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA (with additional partner sites in Oakland, San Ramon, and San Francisco, CA, plus virtual options).

Cost: $400–$750 per session, depending on camp length and format.

Program Dates: June 2–August 1 (multiple 1–2 week sessions).

Application Deadline: Registration accepted on a rolling basis until sessions are full.

Eligibility: Students in grades 3–8 (middle school students in grades 6–8 are fully eligible).

Run by the Bay Area Writing Project at UC Berkeley, these camps immerse young writers in focused workshops that blend direct craft instruction, independent writing time, and guided peer feedback. You can choose from creative-writing themes like general multi-genre workshops, science fiction and fantasy, storytelling, argumentative writing, and identity-focused courses such as Room to Explore. Across sessions, you’ll work with experienced classroom teachers (BAWP Teacher-Consultants) on concrete skills like imagery, character development, clarity, drafting, and revision. Each camp builds in structured response groups and daily sharing, so you can learn how to give and receive critique and refine your work over multiple drafts. Additional elements such as optional 1-on-1 revision sessions, family write nights, and the Youth Takeover Digital Zine provide authentic outlets to present and publish your writing. 

8. Journalism and Media in the Digital Age — Georgetown University

Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is moderately selective. Information on the size of the application pool and exact cohort size is not available.

Location: Online

Cost: $1,895 (need-based scholarships available)

Program Dates: Multiple 1-week, 2-week, and 4-week sessions throughout the year

Application Deadline: Varies by session

Eligibility: Students ages 13 and up

This journalism-focused writing program introduces middle schoolers to reporting, storytelling, and the realities of media in the digital era. You learn how to identify newsworthy ideas, conduct effective interviews, verify information, and write for different platforms, including print, digital, video, and social media. The curriculum also covers ethics, structure, revision, and the principles journalists use to craft clear, accurate, and engaging stories. Throughout the course, you receive one-on-one guidance from experienced mentors and complete a capstone project: a polished news story tailored to the medium of your choice. The program is designed to help young writers build confidence, strengthen analytical and communication skills, and experience the fast-paced process of reporting from pitch to publication.

9. The Writer’s Workshop: Crafting, Revising, and Publishing — Johns Hopkins CTY

Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is highly selective. Information on the size of the application pool and exact cohort size is not available.

Location: Online

Cost: Varies by format and session (financial aid is available)

Program Dates: 12-week course; specific start dates vary by session

Application Deadline: Rolling; enrollment opens seasonally

Eligibility: Grades 7–11; CTY-Level qualification + completion of a prior CTY writing course

This advanced workshop is designed for students who have already taken a CTY writing course and want to refine, revise, and publish their best work. Over twelve weeks, you join a small writing community where you exchange detailed, structured peer feedback and work closely with an instructor to strengthen your prose. The curriculum focuses on revision techniques, craft refinement, and digital accessibility, guiding you from raw drafts to publication-ready writing. Each student contributes to a digital zine, designing pages, collaborating on layout and theme, and showcasing polished pieces that can be shared with family or included in academic portfolios. The course mirrors real editorial processes and prepares you for CTY’s literary journal, Lexophilia, making it a strong stepping stone for young writers seeking serious, mentorship-driven practice.

10. Creative Nonfiction — Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY)

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective. Information on the size of the application pool and cohort is not available.

Location: Online

Program Dates: Sessions run throughout the year; 12-week live classes with weekly meetings

Application Deadline: Rolling until classes fill

Application Deadline: Varies

Eligibility: Grades 7–11; CTY-Level verbal qualification required

This CTY course introduces students to the craft of narrative nonfiction through close reading, structured writing exercises, and guided workshops. You’ll study how published authors use detail, pacing, character, and sensory description to bring real experiences to life, and then apply those techniques across five writing projects. The course emphasizes revision, targeted editing, and peer feedback, helping you build stronger drafts through weekly discussions and instructor input. You’ll learn how to choose effective starting points, shape scenes, and balance factual accuracy with engaging storytelling. By the end, you will leave with a polished portfolio of nonfiction pieces and a clear framework for continuing to improve your writing independently.

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 in which students work one-on-one with a mentor to develop an independent research paper. 

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