12 Best Science Camps for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 3 hours ago
- 7 min read
For middle school students curious about how the world works, science camps offer a fun way to learn about scientific exploration. These programs introduce you to topics like biology, physics, astronomy, chemistry, and environmental science through experiments, fieldwork, and lab activities.
Many science camps are designed for middle school students, making advanced topics approachable while still challenging you to think critically and solve problems. You might learn how to collect and analyze data, build simple machines, explore coding, or simulate experiments using lab tools. These camps are also a great way to connect with peers who share your interests and to learn from instructors, researchers, or university students who can guide your academic and personal growth. Below are the 12 best science camps for middle school students!
12 Best Science Camps for Middle School Students
1. MIT dynaMIT
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Dates: Week 1 for rising 6th to 7th graders: August 10 to 14 | Week 2 for rising 8th to 9th graders: August 17 to 21
Application Deadline: February 10
Eligibility: Rising 6th to 9th graders
MIT dynaMIT is a free, one-week STEM program taught by MIT undergraduates for middle school students who want a deeper exploration of science and engineering. You spend the week tackling design challenges, conducting experiments, and engaging in problem-solving activities that replicate the creative process found in real research labs. The curriculum prioritizes exploration and teamwork, providing opportunities to prototype, test ideas, and explore open-ended scientific questions. Additionally, dynaMIT seeks to broaden access to STEM by actively motivating students from limited-income backgrounds to apply. Throughout the week, you receive close mentorship from MIT students who guide you through projects and share insights into college-level STEM work.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type (financial aid available)
Dates: 8 weeks, varies by cohort
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is an 8-week mentorship-based experience designed for middle school students to explore academic interests and create a project they’re passionate about. Students are paired one-on-one with mentors who are scholars from top-tier institutions like Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Duke, and LSE. The program begins with a broad exploration of four key topics within the chosen track (weeks 1-4). In weeks 5 and 6, students narrow their focus to one specific area for deeper study. The final two weeks (weeks 7–8) are dedicated to developing and completing their individual projects with continued mentorship and support. You can find the application form here.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: Free
Dates: 4 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Rising 7th and 8th graders who are residents of New York City
Science of Smart Cities explores the engineering and technology that underpin efficient and sustainable urban systems. You work with sensors, basic coding tools, and model-building materials to understand how data supports city planning and public safety. NYU mentors guide you through daily design challenges that focus on energy use, transportation, and environmental monitoring. As you prototype and test smart city components, you gain experience in systems thinking and applied problem-solving. The program ends with a public showcase where you present your model city and explain the engineering decisions behind it.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type (financial aid available)
Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (on weekends) during the spring and 25 hours over 2 weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort
Application Deadline: Rolling based on cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8
Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers is a virtual program designed to introduce middle school students to the core concepts of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Over the course of 25 hours, students explore Python programming along with topics like data analysis, regression, neural networks, image classification, and AI ethics. The program features a 5:1 student-to-mentor ratio, with learning delivered through a mix of lectures and collaborative sessions. By the end, participants complete a hands-on project tailored to their interests. Past projects have included building music genre classifiers and AI tools that recommend personalized educational resources.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open enrollment
Location: U.S. Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville, AL
Cost: $1,799, scholarships available
Dates: Multiple 1-week sessions throughout the year
Application Deadline: Rolling until full
Eligibility: Ages 9 to 11
Space Camp introduces you to space science through a combination of astronaut-style training, engineering activities, and guided STEM laboratories. You’ll engage in mission simulations that involve communication, planning, and quick problem-solving, providing insights into how actual crews operate. Robotics activities allow you to design and test programmable systems, while other modules cover flight principles, basic rocketry, and spacecraft design. Throughout the week, you’ll work with teammates, analyze mission data, and implement classroom concepts in practical settings.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 6 students
Location: Virtual
Cost: Starts at $2,699
Dates: July 14 to August 1
Application Deadline: Rolling until full
Eligibility: Students aged 12 to 18 with basic knowledge of Python
UC Berkeley Coding Academy’s Data Science program introduces you to the fundamentals of data analysis and machine learning through structured coding work. You learn to clean, visualize, and model real datasets using Python libraries like NumPy, pandas, matplotlib, and scikit-learn. Instructors guide you through essential concepts such as pattern recognition, prediction, and evaluation, helping you understand the construction of AI systems from the ground up. Working in a small cohort allows for more personalized feedback as you develop your project. The program concludes with a capstone project where you present your results and refine your skills in communicating technical ideas. You also keep access to a large library of recorded lessons and coding notebooks that support continued learning after the program ends.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Location: Georgia Tech campus, Atlanta, GA
Cost: $450
Dates: Multiple 1 week sessions between June and July
Application Deadline: Rolling until full
Eligibility: Rising 2nd to 12th graders
Georgia Tech’s CEISMC Summer P.E.A.K.S. offers week-long workshops that let you explore STEM and STEAM subjects through hands-on projects and structured design challenges. As a middle schooler, you can choose workshops focused on computing, engineering design, lab science, or applied math, each led by Georgia Tech faculty, staff, or STEM teachers. You spend your days experimenting, building prototypes, writing simple programs, or investigating scientific questions with real tools. Each workshop focuses on a specific theme, so you can dive into a topic that matches your interests and skill level. The campus setting gives you a practical look at how college-level STEM learning works while keeping the material accessible.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Location: Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Cost: $1,045 commuter | $2,100 residential
Dates: June 22 to 26
Application Deadline: May 8
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 to 8
MST@MSU is a one-week summer program designed for academically advanced middle school students who want deeper exposure to math, science, and technology. You enroll in three classes during the week, which might include an upper-level math course, a lab-based science class, and a technology or engineering session. The curriculum moves at a quicker pace and is intended to stretch you beyond standard middle school material. You may also visit research spaces on campus to observe how scientific and engineering work is conducted in practice. The program lets you work alongside peers with similar academic interests while preparing you for more rigorous STEM learning in high school.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Location: Multiple locations, including Yale University, Cornell University, UCLA, and Georgetown University
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies by course
Dates: 3-week summer sessions
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising 6th–8th graders
Summer Discovery Middle School Enrichment Programs offer three-week academic sessions where you explore a mix of STEM and interdisciplinary subjects while experiencing life on a college campus. You can choose from more than fifty course options, including robotics, engineering, biomedical topics, and introductory coding, along with non-STEM electives. Mornings typically consist of classes or hands-on labs, while afternoons may include project work or site visits like museum tours or campus activities, depending on your university. The structure gives you a balance of academic learning, exploratory workshops, and supervised recreation.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Location: University of California, San Diego, CA (some virtual courses are available)
Cost: Varies by camp
Dates: July 6 to July 24
Application Deadline: Applications open in January
Eligibility: Rising 6th to 8th graders
The Sally Ride Science Academy at UC San Diego offers short STEM and arts workshops for younger learners who want project-based experiences. You can choose from sessions in programming, robotics, engineering design, marine science, environmental science, biotechnology, and related fields. Each workshop is taught by UCSD faculty, graduate students, or industry professionals who focus on practical experimentation and problem-solving. Because sessions run independently, you can stack multiple workshops to create a personalized summer schedule.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 20 students
Location: SMU Lyle School of Engineering, Dallas, TX
Cost: $600
Dates:Co-ed: July 21 to July 25Girls only: July 14 to July 18Boys only: July 7 to July 11
Application Deadline: Opens February 17 and stays open until full
Eligibility: Rising 7th to 8th graders
The Introduction to Engineering Camp at SMU’s Lyle School of Engineering is a five-day residential program designed for middle schoolers interested in exploring core engineering fields. With an enrollment of only about twenty students, you experience a small, focused environment while learning about mechanical, electrical, civil, environmental, and introductory computing concepts. Each day involves hands-on design tasks and guided experiments created by SMU faculty to model real engineering problems. The camp is structured so you can participate fully even if you have no previous STEM background.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $650. Need-based financial aid available
Dates: June 22 to June 26
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Students entering grades 6 to 8 who live within 60 miles of campus
Penn GEMS is a week-long engineering camp designed to introduce middle schoolers to fields like bioengineering, nanotechnology, and materials science through project-based learning. You spend the week building and programming small robots, running experiments, and exploring how engineers solve problems using scientific and mathematical reasoning. The program is taught by Penn Engineering faculty, students, and researchers who guide you through interactive labs and demonstrations. As a day program, it allows you to experience the academic environment of a major research university while returning home each evening.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD 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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