10 Summer Engineering Programs for Middle School Students in New York
- Stephen Turban
- Jun 17
- 6 min read
Students in New York looking to pursue engineering can participate in summer programs to enhance their knowledge. Summer programs are designed to teach you the specifics of a particular subject. You can also build engineering-related skills that help you in future academics and a career in the field.
These programs also allow you to interact with experienced engineering professionals and like-minded peers, who become part of your network. You develop soft skills in communication, critical thinking, and collaboration. Here are a few summer engineering programs for you to benefit from.
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
If you are an ambitious middle schooler interested in pursuing research, you can opt for Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program. In this program, you are paired with PhD mentors from prestigious universities, such as Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Princeton, who are experts in engineering. By conducting research, you can develop specialized engineering knowledge. Gradually, 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. Feedback and writing coaching sessions enable you to build your scientific communication skills. You can opt for the Junior Research and Publication Program, where you can publish your research in academic journals.
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
This program by NYU enables you to delve into the fields of engineering and technology. You learn coding, microcontroller programming, electronics, and circuitry basics. The theoretical teaching also covers environmental and urban science. Through the program, which focuses on New York City, you learn how technology can help make urban life safer and sustainable. Thereafter, you work in groups on a hands-on project that uses engineering and technology to address an urban problem. The program concludes with a presentation session where you present your project to the cohort.
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
Students looking for an interdisciplinary program blending science and technology can consider participating in Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers program. Here, you learn the fundamentals of AI and machine learning. The program teaches various topics, including Python, data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. You then work on a practical project after completing the theory section. This project must solve a real-world engineering project using technology. In the 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
NYU’s College and Career Lab helps you to step into the shoes of various careers and professions based on your interests. You take college-style lectures and intensive workshops in a range of subjects, including engineering. In the engineering track, you learn about civil engineering, computer science, ethics in artificial intelligence, and more. By participating in classroom discussions and hands-on activities, you gain specialized knowledge as well as skills that prepare you for a career in engineering.
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: May 11 (Summer A) or June 8 (Summer B)
Eligibility: Students in grades 5 and 6 who meet CTY-level quantitative scores
Johns Hopkins’s CTY offers diverse programs spanning several subjects that you can choose from. Students interested in engineering can opt for The Physics of Engineering track. Here, you learn the core principles of mechanics, aerodynamics, electricity, magnetism, and orbital motion, and then apply them to engineering design projects. These hands-on projects involve building a trebuchet; designing and launching a rocket; and constructing a roller coaster. You also analyze data, write reports, and engage in discussions, thus developing scientific communication skills. You work individually and in teams to solve common engineering problems and gain skills in teamwork and problem solving.
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
Students interested in sound and sustainability can opt for this program by NYU. This program teaches you electronics and coding, which you apply to build a sound monitoring device. These topics are covered in the context of sound waves and noise pollution in New York City. You discover the consequences of noise pollution on public health. The smart city technology you build during the program will be presented 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
Stony Brook University’s engineering camp is available for elementary, middle, and high schoolers. The program teaches you various engineering disciplines, including electrical, biomedical, mechanical, and civil. Several topics are offered under this program that blend engineering with design. You also partake in hands-on activities like engineering design, programming, and data analysis to solidify your learnings. Thus, you make a smart night light, perform experiments with sensors, and learn Python basics to create a unit converter.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: July 6 – 31 (summer session) and October – May (academic year session)
Application Deadline: April 15 (summer) and November 1 (academic year)
Eligibility: 7th – 12th grade students who are interested in pursuing a career in medicine or related STEM fields and who have an 80% grade average particularly in math and science
S-PREP is a rigorous program for talented middle and high school students. This selective program prepares you for the advanced curriculum you encounter in high school and college. The program offers lectures on topics like Anatomy, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Brain & Cognitive Science, Ready for PreMed, Physics, Algebra, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, and Statistics. Although the program does not have a specific engineering focus, the allied topics introduce you to subjects in the field. You receive support with preparing for standardized tests. Furthermore, you can participate in college preparation and career development workshops, college & academic counseling services, field trips, and college tours.
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 program by Berkeley introduces you to AI, data science, and coding, subjects related to engineering and technology. You learn programming using Python, which is a gateway to understanding big data. Throughout the program, you learn how to create visualizations, build machine learning models, and apply AI in the real world. The program is structured with lecture and cohort time. Lectures involve learning new concepts and techniques while you maintain a coding notebook. In small cohorts, you complete practical projects where you apply theoretical topics covered in the lectures. You also conduct original research in these cohorts. You will have a portfolio of work and a certificate of completion at the end of the program.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20
Location: University at Buffalo, Getzville, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: August 3 – 7
Application Deadline: May 30
Eligibility: Western New York students entering grades 6 – 7
This summer camp by the University at Buffalo blends engineering and creativity to provide a holistic learning experience. Over 5 days, learn about the connection of engineering to everyday life. The program encourages you to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. You enhance your knowledge of science in a team environment. Although prior knowledge is not required, this is a selective program.
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.