10 Summer Computer Science Programs for Middle School Students in New York
- Stephen Turban
- 2 hours ago
- 6 min read
Students in New York who are interested in computer science can benefit from summer programs. Designed to increase your knowledge while providing fun summer activities, you can explore your interests through such programs. They also enable you to develop field-specific skills like coding, problem-solving, and more.
Through interactions with industry professionals and faculty, you learn about career pathways in the field. Similarly, you collaborate with peers on hands-on activities and start building a network. If this intrigues you, here are some computer science programs you can opt for.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Dates: 8 weeks, varies by cohort
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8
Students looking to conduct computer science research can opt for Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program. The program pairs you with PhD mentors from prestigious universities, such as Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Princeton, who are experts in computer science. As you progress through the program, you learn how to read and interpret academic literature, build research questions, and create outputs such as a high school-level research paper or case study, which enables you to build crucial skills. You work on building scientific communication skills through feedback and writing coaching sessions. You can publish your research in academic journals through the Junior Research and Publication Program.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: July 6 – 31
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Rising 7th and 8th graders who are NYC residents
NYU’s SoSC program is a way for you to explore the fields of engineering and technology. The program teaches you coding, microcontroller programming, electronics, and circuitry basics, which are important topics in computer science. You also study environmental and urban science. With a focus on New York City, you learn how technology can help make urban life safer and sustainable through practical projects. You then work in small groups to build a project that uses computer science and engineering to solve an urban problem. At the end of the program, you present your project to the cohort during the presentation session.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (on weekends) during the spring cohort and 25 hours over 2 weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort.
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8
Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers program is an interdisciplinary option that combines computer science and technology. The program delves into the basics of AI and machine learning. You can expect to study a diverse set of topics like Python, data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. The theoretical instruction is followed by a practical project. For this project, you must solve a real-world challenge in computer science using technology. Past students have built a machine-learning model to classify music genres and a machine-learning algorithm to provide a custom list of educational resources based on selected specifications.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: July 6 – 31
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: All NYC students in 7th or 8th grade during the application period
If you want to get a taste of what a career in computer science looks like, consider participating in NYU’s College and Career Lab. You step into the role of various professions while attending classes in the subject. In addition to college-style lectures, you participate in intensive workshops in your chosen track. In the engineering track, you learn about civil engineering, computer science, ethics in artificial intelligence, and more. The program involves lectures, classroom discussions, and hands-on activities that enhance your knowledge and prepare you for a career in computer science.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: July 6 – 30
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 and 7 who are NYC residents
This program by NYU blends engineering with sustainability for middle schoolers. Here, you learn electronics and coding, crucial topics in computer science. Using this knowledge, you build a sound monitoring device. In addition to coding, the course teaches you about noise pollution and sustainability in New York City. You explore the impact of noise pollution on public health in an urban context. You present the smart city technology you build during the program at the culminating expo.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 35 per session
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost: $500
Dates: June 29 – July 3
Application Deadline: On a first-come, first-served basis
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8
This challenging program by Stony Brook University is for students to learn about engineering. The program teaches you various engineering disciplines, including electrical, biomedical, mechanical, and civil. You study a range of topics that blend engineering with design. Students interested in computer science learn to code using Python and create a unit converter. This is a broad program that teaches you engineering through hands-on activities like engineering design, programming, and data analysis to solidify your learnings.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 14 – 16
Location: Various locations, including Speyer School, New York, NY
Cost: $4,117
Dates: June 28 – July 17 (Summer A) or July 19 – August 7 (Summer B)
Application Deadline: June 21 (Summer A) or June 8 (Summer B)
Eligibility: Students in grades 5 and 6 who meet CTY-level quantitative scores
Middle schoolers curious about robotics and computer science can opt for this program by Johns Hopkins CTY. You learn computer science topics like algorithms, sequential control flow, and Boolean operators. You also gain a basic understanding of engineering principles as you design, plan, and build interdependent autonomous machines using robotics parts. Uncover the various components and coding that go into everyday machines. By the end of the program, you will have an understanding of software, hardware, and firmware and their role in robotics.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: The City College of New York, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: July 6 – August 7
Application Deadline: May 31
Eligibility: Middle school students who reside or attend school within the five boroughs of New York City.
The City College of New York offers a range of free programs for middle and high schoolers to learn STEM subjects. Students interested in computer science can opt for the 5-week summer programs. Here, you learn app design and game design through interactive projects. You also discover the future of tech by learning robotics. By taking classes in humanities, math, and the sciences, you gain holistic knowledge that prepares you for future academics. You will develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and creativity skills.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 6 per cohort
Location: Virtual
Cost: From $2,599
Dates: July 6 – 31
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students aged 11 – 18
This virtual program by Berkeley is challenging and teaches you about AI, data science, and coding, crucial topics in computer science. The course begins by introducing you to Python, a crucial language that helps you understand big data. During the program, you learn how to create data visualizations, build machine learning models, and apply AI in the real world. The lectures cover different theoretical topics and techniques. You maintain a coding notebook during this time. In small cohorts, you work on practical projects. Cohort time also allows yout to conduct original research. By the end of the program, you will have a portfolio of work and a certificate of completion.
10. Kode With Klossy
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Various locations, including New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: August 3 – 14 (New York, NY)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Young women and gender-expansive teens aged 13 – 18
A coding-intensive camp for students interested in computer science, Kode with Klossy is selective and held at various locations. You can choose from a range of computer science tracks that best fits your interests, including AI, web development, data science, and more. Each track teaches you specific coding languages and equips you with practical skills such as data analysis, website development, and so on. You also complete hands-on projects in each of the tracks, which become part of your portfolio. Learning alongside like-minded peers, you develop your knowledge of and passion for STEM subjects.
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.