10 Free Research Opportunities for Middle School Students

If you’re a middle schooler curious about research, free programs are one of the smartest ways to explore big ideas without spending a lot of money. These programs give you a chance to try real college-level work like running experiments, solving problems, and learning from scientists or university mentors who treat you like a young researcher, not just a student. You get hands-on experience, exposure to different fields, and practical skills that can help you decide what you might want to study later. And because they’re free, you can focus on learning and exploring without worrying about cost.

If you’re excited by research, you’re probably also wondering where to find opportunities that are worth your time. That’s why we’ve put together this list of free research programs designed specifically for middle schoolers. Each one is rigorous, offers strong mentorship or networking, and is hosted by a respected organization or university. Some are even highly selective, which means you’ll learn alongside other motivated students who share your interests. These programs are a great way to challenge yourself and discover what you’re capable of.

1. Lumiere Junior Explorer Program

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. UMB CURE Scholars Program

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: University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD

Cost: Free for all selected scholars.

Program Dates: Ongoing, includes after-school sessions, Saturday academies, and summer enrichment beginning each year in late summer/early fall.

Application Deadline: The program typically opens applications in early fall; specific application windows and deadlines vary each cycle.

Eligibility: Students in grades 6–10 attending partner middle schools in West Baltimore who demonstrate interest in STEM and commitment to long-term participation.

This multi-year STEM research pipeline introduces middle school students to biomedical science through structured enrichment, mentorship, and hands-on learning. You will participate in after-school sessions, Saturday academies, and summer programs where you’ll explore scientific concepts related to cancer research, public health, and biomedical careers. The program emphasizes professional skill development, including scientific communication, data collection techniques, and foundational laboratory practices. You get to work closely with university mentors who guide you through inquiry-based projects and academic support. Community involvement is central, with families, schools, and local partners collaborating to ensure consistent guidance and exposure to real-world scientific environments. Scholars continue receiving support through high school and into college to prepare for research and health-related professions.

3. Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers

Location: Virtual

Cost: Varies; need-based financial aid available

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. Women’s Alliance in STEM and Humanities Summer Research Institute (WASH SRI)

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

Location: Women’s Alliance in STEM and Humanities (Virtual)

Cost: Free for all selected participants.

Program Dates: Weekly workshops from June–early August, culminating in a virtual research showcase.

Application Deadline: Applications typically open in spring; specific deadlines vary each cycle.

Eligibility: Students in grades 6–12 with an interest in STEM research or interdisciplinary STEM–humanities topics.

This virtual research institute introduces middle and high school students to structured research through weekly workshops and guided project development. You can choose among three tracks, i.e., microbiology/epidemiology, finance/computer science, or quantum physics, and explore core fundamentals, emerging applications, and discipline-specific analytical methods. Mentors from universities such as Princeton, UPenn, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, and USC provide targeted guidance as you complete research checkpoints and refine your project methodology. The program culminates in a virtual showcase where you present your work to mentors and peers. Scholars also receive feedback on publication pathways and recommendations for further study. Workshops incorporate STEM seminars, DEI-focused discussions, and interdisciplinary perspectives that build confidence in both scientific and communication skills.

5. Stanford Middle School Scholars Program (SMSSP)

Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is highly selective. Each cohort includes approximately 12 students; information on the overall application pool is not available.

Location: Online (Stanford University, Stanford, CA)

Cost: Free for all admitted students

Program Dates: Summer Course: July 6–24, 2026, Fall Semester Meetings: August 26–December 9, 2026

Application Deadline: March 25, 2026

Eligibility: Students currently in grades 6–7 who reside in and attend school in the United States; admitted families typically have household incomes under $90,000.

This program supports academically motivated middle school students through a three-week online summer course followed by weekly online enrichment meetings during the fall semester. Scholars work closely with Stanford instructors to build core academic skills in areas such as analytical writing, mathematical reasoning, and study strategies that prepare them for rigorous high school environments. The curriculum includes exploration of selective school pathways, academic planning, and structured practice with critical thinking. Live sessions create a collaborative learning environment where you discuss advanced topics with peers from across the country. Fall sessions reinforce the summer learning through guided activities and continued mentorship. 

6. Step Up to STEM – North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM)

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective. The exact number of applicants and cohort size is not publicly available.

Location: Three North Carolina sites - NCSSM Durham, Elizabeth City State University (ECSU), and UNC Pembroke

Cost: Free

Program Dates: June 14–19, 2026; July 5–10, 2026; July 12–17, 2026; July 19–24, 2026

Application Deadline: February 5, 2026

Eligibility: Current 8th graders living in eligible North Carolina counties; must commit to both summer and academic-year components.

Step Up to STEM is a fully funded academic enrichment program designed for rising 9th and 10th-graders across North Carolina, offering hands-on learning in STEM and communication skills. You spend three weeks in interdisciplinary study that blends real-world topics with laboratory work, quantitative reasoning, and structured problem-solving. Cohort 1 participants (rising 9th graders) are automatically invited back the next year as Cohort 2 students, creating a two-year progression that deepens STEM skills and academic readiness. Coursework emphasizes applied math, scientific thinking, and project-based investigation. You’ll also participate in weekly fall sessions covering advanced writing, high-school preparedness, and academic mindset development. 

7. East Bay Academy for Young Scientists (EBAYS) – UC Berkeley

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: University of California Berkeley & community field sites

Cost: Free (some cohorts offer paid internships)

Program Dates: Varies by session (typically summer + academic year projects)

Application Deadline: Not published; interest form required

Eligibility: Middle school and high school students, with priority for Oakland-area youth

EBAYS is a hands-on environmental research program where middle school students investigate real contamination issues in the Bay Area through fieldwork, lab analysis, and community science. You will work with UC Berkeley educators to collect soil, air, and water samples; run tests to identify pollutants; interpret environmental data; and explore how contamination disproportionately affects certain neighborhoods. The program culminates in a public-facing research presentation focused on environmental justice, helping you practice scientific communication grounded in real community issues. You will also receive mentorship from scientists, gain experience using professional research tools, and collaborate on data-driven inquiry that mirrors actual environmental field studies. Some cohorts also offer paid internship opportunities for returning students.

8. dynaMIT (MIT, Cambridge, MA)

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; exact number of seats is not publicly available.

Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

Cost: Free

Program Dates: Two one-week sessions in late summer; exact dates announced annually

Application Deadline: Spring (exact deadline released when applications open)

Eligibility: Rising 6th–9th graders, with priority for students from low-income backgrounds

dynaMIT is a free, hands-on STEM enrichment program run entirely by MIT undergraduate and graduate students, designed to introduce middle schoolers to real scientific thinking and engineering problem-solving. Participants spend a full week on the MIT campus conducting experiments, building prototypes, and exploring STEM topics through high-energy, inquiry-based activities. The curriculum changes every year, with student mentors designing new challenges inspired by college-level STEM fields. You will also receive close mentorship from MIT undergraduates, gaining early exposure to academic life and STEM pathways. 

9. Northwestern University – Science Club

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

Location: Northwestern University & Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Cost: Free

Program Dates: Varies by club location; weekly sessions during the school year and summer

Application Deadline: Varies by site

Eligibility: Middle school students (typically grades 5–8) enrolled through participating Boys & Girls Clubs

The Science Club at Northwestern University is a long-running, research-style STEM mentoring program where middle school students work directly with scientist mentors on hands-on investigations. The program focuses on inquiry-based learning, guiding you through multi-week projects in biology, chemistry, engineering, and data-driven problem solving. You’ll develop skills such as designing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, forming scientific explanations, and presenting your findings, mirroring authentic research practices. Each cohort works closely with Northwestern graduate and undergraduate mentors, providing a rare level of exposure to real scientific thinking. The program also emphasizes confidence-building and scientific literacy, strengthening your communication skills through regular discussions and collaborative work. 

10. Teen Research Programs – UC Berkeley (Lawrence Hall of Science)

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; exact number of seats is not publicly available.

Location: University of California, Berkeley, CA

Cost: Paid program; financial aid available up to 90%

Program Dates: Multiple one-week sessions between June 22, 2026 - July 31, 2026

Application Deadline: Varies by session; financial aid due April 12

Eligibility: Students entering grades 7–9

The Teen Research Programs at UC Berkeley give middle school students a structured, university-level introduction to scientific investigation through hands-on lab work, guided experiments, and problem-solving activities led by Berkeley instructors and researchers. You can choose from multiple research-focused tracks such as animal behavior, biomedical systems, engineering design, or nano-satellite programming, each of which emphasizes designing studies, collecting data, and understanding scientific reasoning. The program also provides opportunities to interact with STEM professionals and college students, exposing you to how research is conducted in real labs. 

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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