9 Fall Biology Programs for Middle School Students

Biology programs for middle school students bridge classroom science and practical exploration. They allow you to explore specialized topics like genetics, ecology, or human physiology while building practical skills like lab work, critical thinking, and scientific communication. Beyond academics, many programs offer industry exposure through workshops or mentorship, enabling you to connect with experts and learn how biology is applied in medicine, research, and technology. 

To make things easier, we’ve narrowed down a list of 9 top fall biology programs for middle school students. These programs stand out for being rigorous, hosted by prestigious institutions, and offering valuable networking experiences.

9 Fall Biology Programs for Middle School Students

1. State Pre-College Enrichment Program (S-PREP), Columbia University

Location: Columbia University campus, New York

Cost: Free

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive

Dates: Saturdays (9 am - 3 pm) from October to May

Application deadline: Typically due in mid-May 

Eligibility: Students enrolled in Grades 7 to 12; A New York state resident or a Permanent Resident residing in the state; Economically disadvantaged, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Alaskan Native, or American Indian; (check full eligibility details here)

Columbia University’s S-PREP is a free academic opportunity for students in grades 7 through 12 who are considering careers in medicine or STEM fields. The program offers enrichment courses in subjects like anatomy, biochemistry, psychology, and neuroscience, along with math classes that range from algebra to calculus. You’ll also find structured support through PSAT and SAT preparation, college counseling, and career development workshops designed to prepare you for higher education. Field trips and college tours are built into the fall biology program for middle school students, giving you exposure to real-world settings beyond the classroom. 

2. Lumiere Junior Explorer Program

Location: Virtual

Cost: Varies depending on program

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective

Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year

Deadline: 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, you can refer to this 

Eligibility: Grade 6 - 8

The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is an eight-week online experience where students in grades 6 through 8 work closely with a PhD mentor to design their own research project. In the first half of the program, you explore different academic fields such as biology, math, and artificial intelligence before narrowing down to one area that interests you most. The later weeks are dedicated to developing a project, which could take the form of a research paper, case study, or presentation, depending on your focus. Weekly check-ins with your mentor help you refine your ideas and stay on track while still giving you room to work independently. Mentors are often affiliated with leading universities, including Harvard and MIT, so you’ll learn how researchers at top institutions approach their work.

3. MIT Museum: Maker Hub

Location: Cambridge, MA

Cost: Free with museum admission

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not selective

Dates: Available year-round

Application Deadline: Varies by workshop

Eligibility: Most workshops accept middle-school students; eligibility depends on the specific program

The MIT Museum’s Maker Hub in Cambridge provides drop-in opportunities for middle school students to experiment with science, engineering, and design through short, project-based activities. Depending on the program you choose to attend, you might explore biomaterials by making seaweed-based bioplastics, wire a simple paper circuit to light up a design, or build a balance sculpture to study center of gravity. Other activities include creating mechanical automata or assembling chain reactions that demonstrate physics in motion. The sessions are led by museum educators and MIT student volunteers, keeping projects accessible while linking them to broader research themes. For those looking for more structure, scheduled workshops run alongside the open Maker Hub, offering longer guided STEM experiences during the school year.

4. 4-H Programs

Location: Nationwide

Cost: Typically low or no cost

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; club sizes vary by county

Dates: Available year-round

Application Deadline: Rolling, sign up at your local 4-H office

Eligibility: Students ages 8–18

4-H programs run nationwide through a partnership with universities and volunteers, giving middle school students the opportunity to learn through projects. Areas of focus include STEM, agriculture, healthy living, and civic engagement, allowing you to choose projects ranging from robotics experiments to crop cultivation or public speaking. Local clubs usually meet weekly or biweekly during the school year, offering steady engagement while you work on long-term goals. With guidance from adult mentors, you’ll gain both practical knowledge and life skills like leadership and teamwork. Many projects can be entered into county or state fairs, giving you the chance to showcase your work in a community setting.

5. American Museum of Natural History – Science Alliance Middle School Program

Location: New York City

Cost: $1,000

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Dates: Varies by session; Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer cohorts

Application Deadline: Varies by session

Eligibility: Local students in grades 6–8

The Science Alliance program at the American Museum of Natural History offers middle school students the opportunity to explore a wide range of scientific topics. Courses cover areas such as evolutionary biology, astrophysics, anthropology, and conservation science, with classes scheduled on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Depending on the schedule, courses run for either eight weeks or four weeks in the fall semester. Hands-on activities take place in the Museum’s classrooms and exhibit halls, where you may work with specimens, conduct lab-based investigations, and interact directly with scientists. 

6. Saturday Enrichment Programs – William and Mary School of Education

Location: College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA

Cost: $125 per Saturday class, includes a non-refundable $25 registration fee

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 18 students per class

Dates: Multiple sessions throughout the year

Application Deadline: Not specified; enrollment continues until the course is full

Eligibility: Students in grades K–12 during the current school year; additional academic requirements vary by course

SEP, offered through the Center for Gifted Education, provides K–12 students with inquiry-based learning experiences that extend beyond standard classroom instruction. Courses are designed to challenge students academically while encouraging exploration across disciplines, including science, mathematics, humanities, and the arts. Learning takes place in small-group settings that support collaboration and independent inquiry. Seasonal enrichment options allow students to explore biological topics while connecting with peers who share similar academic interests.  The program is designed to meet the needs of gifted and advanced learners by fostering curiosity, confidence, and deeper engagement with scientific concepts. 

7. Foundations of Medicine -  Pre-college Program at Rice University

Location: Virtual

Cost: $1,495

Acceptance rate: Not selective

Dates: Multi-length courses available between June and August, details here

Application deadline: Rolling 

Eligibility: Students aged 13 and above

The Foundations of Medicine pre-college course at Rice University focuses on physiology, or how different organ systems in the human body work together. Across 20 to 30 hours of virtual instruction, you’ll explore the nervous, muscular, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems in detail, learning about processes like neuron communication, muscle contraction, circulation, and breathing. Alongside this, you’ll study basic principles such as flow and resistance, electrical conduction, and gas exchange to understand how biology and physics intersect in the body. Practicing physicians contribute by explaining what happens when these systems fail and how doctors address those problems. To apply what you’ve learned in this fall biology program for middle school students, you’ll complete a final project that models how the systems interact to keep the body alive.

8. Johns Hopkins CTY

Location: Virtual

Cost/Stipend: Cost varies by course and course format

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective

Dates: Starting the week of September 8 for the fall session

Application Deadline: August 12 for the fall session

Eligibility: Students in grades 7–10

The Johns Hopkins CTY runs online courses that allow academically advanced middle school students to study subjects beyond their everyday school curriculum. Classes cover a wide range of areas, including science, engineering, computer science, mathematics, history, and language arts, with some options focusing on topics like space colonization or crime scene investigation. Instruction is led by experienced teachers who guide you through interactive lessons that encourage problem-solving and independent thinking. Many classes focus on project-based learning, so you may complete research projects, creative assignments, or problem sets that deepen your understanding. The program has multiple sessions year-round, allowing you to enrol according to your own schedule!

9. STEM Saturday Academy – UNC Charlotte

Location: UNC Charlotte Woodward Building, NC

Cost: $125

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 100 students

Dates: August 23 to December 11

Application Deadline: July 31

Eligibility: Middle school students interested in STEM

The STEM Saturday Academy at UNC Charlotte is a five-weekend program with two added virtual sessions that helps middle school students build skills in math and science. Instruction combines lessons from educators with problem-based activities, experiments, and group projects that encourage collaboration and critical thinking. A key feature is preparation for Science Olympiad competitions, with practice events in areas like anatomy, ecology, physics, and engineering. The virtual Thursday sessions extend learning through online labs, discussions, and guest presentations. Participants complete 23 hours of contact time and receive a certificate of participation.

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.

Image Source - Columbia University logo