10 Online Fall Science Programs for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Oct 18
- 7 min read
If you are a middle school student interested in science, an online program can be a great option to help you explore your interests and build skills beyond the classroom. Online programs in your preferred scientific discipline can help you explore advanced topics, build practical skills, and even get a taste of the work of real scientists and engineers. Many of these programs are offered online, allowing you to participate from anywhere without worrying about the logistics and cost of traveling to a campus or lab.
Programs in the fall also offer you the opportunity to join small cohorts, access personalized mentorship, and learn how to manage your time between school and other commitments. As a participant, you will work on projects that help you practice problem-solving and discover how science connects to everyday life. You may also get to virtually connect with researchers or professionals in the field, as well as like-minded peers, helping you build a network that could help you in the future.
To help you with your search, we have put together a list of 10 online fall science programs for middle school students.
10 Online Fall Science Programs for Middle School Students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Online
Cost: Varies by program type; financial aid available
Dates: Eight-week cohorts throughout the year, including in the fall
Application deadline: Several rolling deadlines throughout the year; Fall Cohort deadline is August 24.
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8
Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program is an eight-week virtual opportunity for middle schoolers who want to explore a field of interest through research. You will work one-on-one with a Ph.D. mentor from a top university to explore STEM fields. You will spend the first few weeks exploring four related STEM topics, and the second half of the program focusing on one topic, which you will use to build your own project. Whether your main track is physics, AI and data Science, engineering, biology, or another STEM field, the program can help you learn how to ask and investigate questions, analyze data, and present your results.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Location: Remote clubs available
Cost: None
Dates: Sessions can be scheduled throughout the school year; clubs typically meet 1–2 hours per week after school or on weekends.
Application deadline: Rolling enrollment
Eligibility: Students in grades 3–12
Girls Who Code Clubs are free group-based programs you can join during the summer, after school, or on weekends, either online or in person. The clubs offer flexible activities, ranging from beginner-friendly coding to more advanced exercises in web development, game design, and artificial intelligence. The curriculum is project-based, enabling you to develop a solution to a real-world problem. You can follow self-paced tutorials in multiple programming languages. You can also engage in sessions focused on boosting AI literacy to explore how machine learning works.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Online
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Dates: Multiple 10-week sessions available throughout the year, including in the fall.
Application deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8
The AI Trailblazers Program by Veritas AI is a virtual opportunity to explore the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Over the course of 25 hours, you will learn Python programming skills and dive into core AI concepts like data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. Within small group classes following a 5:1 student-to-mentor ratio, you will have access to personalized guidance while working on a project-based curriculum. By the end of the program, you will have worked on an AI-based solution to present, such as a model that classifies music genres or a tool that curates educational resources.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Online
Cost: $200
Dates: October – December (only on Saturdays)
Application deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Middle and high school students
UT Dallas’s Biology Camps give you the chance to explore biology in depth through a flexible, virtual learning format. Organized by the Department of Biological Sciences, these programs cover AP Biology and general biology topics. Fall sessions run on Saturdays from October to December, with three-hour classes held live on Microsoft Teams. During each session, expert instructors will guide you through key AP Biology concepts and help you practice test questions and participate in virtual activities. You will have access to recorded sessions, so you can revisit certain topics at your own pace.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies
Location: Online
Cost: Varies by course length and subject area; financial aid is available.
Dates: Starts in the week of September 8; dates and program length vary by course
Application deadline: August 12
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8 who meet CTY eligibility requirements through qualifying test scores (e.g., SCAT, PSAT).
The Johns Hopkins CTY Online program offers a wide array of courses for academically advanced students, including options in science. You can enroll in courses in engineering, biology, programming, data science, physics, and chemistry. Each course is paced to fit your schedule and taught by expert instructors who will guide you through advanced coursework. Project work, homework, challenges, and class assignments are also part of the experience to help you track your progress and build technical skills in STEM, along with problem-solving and critical thinking abilities.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective admission; course cohorts tend to be small
Location: Online
Cost: $575–$1,425/course; financial aid available
Dates: Six to nine weeks between September and December; dates vary by course
Application deadline: Typically in early September, but registration remains open for courses with available space.
Eligibility: Middle school students with qualifying test scores or portfolio (check detailed criteria here)
Northwestern’s CTD offers various online science and STEM courses designed for students who want to learn beyond standard middle school curricula. Depending on the session and course you choose, you will dive into advanced physics, environmental science, web development, or engineering concepts. Courses are available in flexible or session-based formats, so you can learn at your own pace while still benefiting from instructor guidance and structured deadlines. In the process, you will strengthen your scientific reasoning, critical thinking, and conceptual understanding. The courses can help you gain exposure to experience university-level science.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open to all
Location: Online via edX
Cost: Free to enroll; fee of $299 to earn a certificate
Dates: Self-paced courses available throughout the year
Application deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Open to all; certain courses may require prior coding experience or familiarity with a programming language
Harvard University offers various virtual courses, including options in computer science, coding, and AI. Its CS50x: Introduction to Computer Science course is designed to help you solve programming problems while learning how to use programming languages like JavaScript and Python. During the course, you will explore concepts like data structures, web development, and software engineering. You will also work on programming assignments and a final programming project. You can also opt for the Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python course, which covers concepts like algorithms, neural networks, machine learning, natural language processing, logical inference, and probability theory. Here, you will learn about the applications of AI in game-playing engines and handwriting recognition, among other areas.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 40–80 students/class
Location: Online
Cost: $400 – $600/course
Dates:12 weeks; September – December
Application deadline: Rolling enrollment until classes are full
Eligibility: Students in grades 5 – 12
While known for its math resources, AoPS also offers online science courses in physics and chemistry. You can start with classes like Introduction to Physics or advance to Olympiad prep through ChemWOOT and PhysicsWOOT. Instructors from top universities such as MIT, Princeton, and Stanford lead the classes, guiding you in building deep conceptual understanding and higher-order reasoning. Classes typically run live in an interactive text-based format; however, some self-paced options are also available. You will learn alongside peers who share your passion for science. Many courses begin in the fall, allowing you to explore advanced and introductory science during the school year.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Online
Cost: $59.95/course; the first course (Operational Systems) is free for new users and for schools/districts that license EMF.
Dates: 90 days/course; flexible dates
Application deadline: Rolling enrollment; students can enter by completing the aptitude test and beginning the first course.
Eligibility: Students who clear the aptitude test
IMACS’s Elements of Mathematics Foundations (EMF) is a self-paced online program designed to help you refine mathematical thinking beyond the middle school level. You will begin with the free Operational Systems course, which will introduce you to the logic and structures that underpin higher math. Then, you will take up subsequent courses that cover algebra, geometry, and higher-level concepts such as group theory and topology. Since the program is self-paced, you can learn flexibly and revisit portions based on your preferences.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open to all
Location: Online
Cost: $420/camp
Dates: Camps are available on demand all year round
Application deadline: None
Eligibility: Middle and high school students; specific grade level requirements vary by camp
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s DNA Learning Center offers on-demand virtual camps to middle and high school students. Each camp covers topics in genetics and biology. With each on-demand camp, you get access to pre-recorded video sessions and a lab kit (mailed to you) containing lab materials and workbooks. During the program, you will engage in activities such as constructing cell and DNA models, extracting plant and animal DNA, and genetically engineering bacteria to produce new enzymes. These camps can offer you insight into biotechnology, cell biology, genetics, and molecular biology. You will also participate in video calls with instructors to discuss your assignments and class topics.
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 research mentor to develop a research paper.
Image Source - Harvard University logo