9 Ivy League AI Programs for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Jun 22
- 6 min read
Learning about artificial intelligence (AI) in middle school can give you a strong head start in understanding one of today’s most influential technologies. Attending an Ivy League AI program as a middle school student gives you the chance to build foundational skills in coding, data science, and machine learning while being guided by world-class faculty and mentors.
Some Ivy League universities offer AI-focused programs specifically designed for younger students, combining coding, data science, and introductory machine learning in structured, accessible formats.
In this list, we’ve highlighted 9 Ivy League AI programs that currently accept middle school students—covering their focus areas, learning formats, and who they’re best suited for.
9 Ivy League AI Programs for Middle School Students
Cost: Free
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: Open enrollment, apply anytime
Program Duration: Self-paced, typically 7 weeks
Eligibility: Middle school students can apply
This is a beginner-level course by Harvard that teaches you the fundamentals of artificial intelligence using Python. You will work on hands-on projects like building game-playing engines, handwriting recognition systems, and basic machine learning models. The course covers core concepts such as search algorithms, knowledge representation, optimization, and neural networks.
You will learn to write Python code to implement AI techniques and use libraries like NumPy and scikit-learn. By the end, you’ll have practical coding experience and a strong foundation in how AI systems are designed and applied.
Cost: $530
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: Open enrollment, apply anytime
Program Duration: Self-paced, approximately 4 months
Eligibility: Open to middle school students, except residents of Iran, Cuba, and Crimea
Data Science and Machine Learning by Harvard teaches you how to apply Python programming to machine learning problems. You will work with real-world datasets and use models like regression, decision trees, and random forests to analyze outcomes and make predictions.
You will write code using libraries such as Pandas, NumPy, Matplotlib, and scikit-learn. The course also covers data preprocessing, feature selection, and model evaluation. You’ll build hands-on projects that help you understand how machine learning is used to solve real problems.
Cost: $169
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: Open enrollment, apply anytime
Eligibility: Open to middle school students, except residents of Iran, Cuba, and Crimea
Program Duration: Self-paced, typically 8 weeks
Big Data and Education by the University of Pennsylvania explores how AI and learning analytics are used to improve educational outcomes. You will work with real educational datasets to study student behavior, performance trends, and institutional data.
The course covers topics like educational data mining, student modeling, and data-driven decision-making in classrooms and online platforms. You will learn how to apply statistical models and interpret data patterns using standard tools in the field.
Cost: $249
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: Open enrollment, apply anytime
Program Duration: Self-paced, typically 12 weeks
Eligibility: Open to middle school students, except residents of Iran, Cuba, and Crimea
Artificial Intelligence at Columbia University gives you a broad introduction to core AI concepts. You will explore search algorithms, constraint satisfaction, intelligent agents, and game-playing strategies through hands-on projects.
You will build search agents, develop simple games, and work with basic machine learning tools like linear regression. The course also covers real-world applications of AI and introduces you to key ethical issues in the field.
Cost: $665
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: Open enrollment, apply anytime
Program Duration: Self-paced, approximately 6 months
Eligibility: Middle school students can apply
This course introduces you to Python programming with a focus on its use in data science and artificial intelligence. You will learn how to write functions, use loops and conditionals, and manipulate datasets using Python.
The course includes hands-on work with data science libraries like Pandas, NumPy, and scikit-learn. You will apply these tools to solve real-world problems, preparing you for more advanced studies in AI and machine learning.
Cost: Approximately $4,000–$6,000 (varies by session, financial aid available)
Location: Yale University campus, New Haven, CT
Program Dates: Typically 3 weeks (June–July, exact dates vary by course)
Application Deadline: Round 1: January 28, Round 2: March 25
Eligibility: Middle school students (grades 6–8), academically gifted
The Summer Institute for the Gifted at Yale offers middle school students the chance to dive into STEM fields through advanced enrichment courses. You will explore topics like computer science, robotics, programming, and data analysis, all designed to build a strong foundation in emerging technologies.
Courses are project-based and emphasize real-world applications, giving you the chance to write code, build models, and collaborate with peers on problem-solving tasks. Whether you're curious about machine learning, cybersecurity, or how technology can solve global issues, SIG provides the tools to begin that exploration early.
Cost: Free
Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Program Dates: Oct 28
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Middle school students (grades 6–8), interest in AI or coding recommended
The eSTEAM Saturday Scholars program at Princeton introduces middle school students to artificial intelligence through an interactive, beginner-friendly workshop. You will learn the basics of Python and apply AI concepts using tools like Jupyter Notebooks. Projects include simple machine learning models such as linear regression and k-nearest neighbors.
Led by Princeton undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers from fields like computer science and statistics, the program provides a hands-on learning experience in a university setting. It also gives you exposure to the kind of academic thinking and teamwork used in real-world AI research.
Cost: $650
Location: Philadelphia, PA (in-person, day camp)
Program Duration: 1 week, tentatively June 24 - June 28
Application Deadline: March 4 (tentative)
Eligibility: Current 6th to 8th-grade students in the Philadelphia area
Penn GEMS (Girls in Engineering, Math, and Science) is a week-long day camp offered by Penn Engineering, focusing on applied sciences, technology, and engineering. Topics include bioengineering, nanotechnology, materials science, and graphics and computing.
While not explicitly AI-focused, the "graphics and computing" component likely includes computer science elements relevant to AI, such as programming and data analysis.
Cost: Free
Location: Virtual
Program Duration: Self-paced, approximately 6 weeks
Application Deadline: Open enrollment, apply anytime
Eligibility: Open to middle school students; no prior programming experience needed
This beginner-friendly course from Harvard teaches programming fundamentals using Scratch, a visual programming language. You’ll learn concepts like loops, conditionals, and variables through interactive projects like games and animations. These skills provide a strong foundation for future AI and coding studies.
BONUS -
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines.
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8
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.
Location: Virtual
Fee: $1,990. Need-based financial aid is available.
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.
Cost: $2400. Need-based financial aid is available
Location: Virtual
Program Dates: The program runs multiple cohorts throughout the year
Deadline: Deadlines vary for each cohort
Eligibility: Middle school students are eligible to apply
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is an 8-week mentorship-based experience for middle school students. You will be paired with a mentor from institutions such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Duke, or LSE to explore academic interests and complete an independent project.
In the first four weeks, you will study four topics within a selected track. During weeks five and six, you will narrow your focus to one topic. The last two weeks are dedicated to developing a final project with support from your mentor.
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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