15 Online Programs for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 2 hours ago
- 11 min read
If you’re a middle schooler eager to go beyond what’s taught in class, you should consider joining an online program. They let you explore advanced subjects, work on projects, and build skills from the comfort of your home, making these opportunities flexible and accessible. These programs are hosted by prestigious institutions, giving you access to resources and networking opportunities to help you build your profile.
Whether you want to code your first app, write a short story, or conduct a science experiment, online programs offer access to expert mentors, structured learning, and a community of curious peers. Each one offers a different pathway for you to deepen your interests while developing skills like problem-solving, communication, and creativity.
To help you find the right fit, we’ve selected 15 online programs for middle school students.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: 8-week sessions run in multiple cohorts year-round.
Application Deadline: Several rolling deadlines throughout the year; you can apply using this application link.
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 - 8
Junior Explorer Program is an eight-week online program where you’ll work one-on-one with a PhD mentor from universities like Harvard, MIT, or Oxford and build a project you’re passionate about. In the first four weeks, you’ll explore topics to find a research area that fascinates you. Then, during weeks five and six, you’ll narrow down your topic and begin shaping your project under mentor guidance. In the final two weeks, you’ll work intensively with your mentor to bring your research paper or case study to life, refining your writing and thinking along the way. As it’s fully remote, you can join from anywhere and get a head start on exploring scholarly research across subjects from astronomy to business strategy.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Location: Virtual or various locations nationwide
Cost: Free
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; students can usually join at the beginning of the school year.
Eligibility: Students in grades 3 - 12
Girls Who Code Clubs gives you a chance to discover the field of coding in a fun and supportive space with students who share your curiosity. Through the web-based Girls Who Code HQ platform, you can join a Club entirely online, giving you flexible access even if there is no local Club nearby. You will work in small groups using guided tutorials and interactive activities to explore both block-based and text-based programming languages while creating a project that solves a problem you care about. The curriculum introduces you to the basics of coding, including loops, conditionals, and functions, while allowing you to explore areas such as web development, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. Along the way, you will strengthen your teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program; financial aid available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: 25 total hours across 10 weekends in the spring cohort, or over 2 weeks of weekday sessions in the summer cohort.
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines. Deadline for the Winter Cohort is October 19. You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8
The AI Trailblazers program by Veritas AI introduces middle school students to the field of artificial intelligence in an engaging and beginner-friendly way. You will learn how to code in Python and explore real AI topics like data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. Classes combine live lectures and small group sessions, giving you plenty of time to ask questions and work closely with mentors in a small group setting. You will also create your own project, such as training a model to recognize music genres or building a tool that recommends educational resources based on user input. Throughout the program, you will have hands-on experience and a stronger understanding of how AI shapes the world around you.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective, with only 12 students per cohort.
Dates: 3-week summer course: July 7 - 25, plus fall semester meetings: August 27 - December 10.
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: Current 6th or 7th-grade students from low-income families with a household income below $90,000.
Stanford Middle School Scholars Program allows you to take part in a three-week summer course followed by weekly fall seminars that expand your learning beyond the classroom. In small, interactive online classes led by Stanford instructors, many of whom hold doctoral degrees, you’ll explore advanced subjects, including academic writing, study skills, and enrichment math. Throughout the sessions, you’ll gain confidence, learn how to communicate your ideas clearly, and explore high school options. By the end of the program, you’ll have sharpened your writing and critical thinking skills while getting a deeper exposure to academics.
Location: Online through edX
Cost: Free; $299 fee for a certificate (optional)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced courses offered year-round
Application deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Open to all learners; some advanced courses may suggest prior coding knowledge
Harvard University provides a range of online courses on edX that let you explore computer science, coding, and artificial intelligence. In the CS50x: Introduction to Computer Science course, you’ll learn to approach problems like a programmer while working with languages such as JavaScript and Python. You’ll study key concepts including data structures, web development, and software engineering through interactive lessons and hands-on projects. You can also dive deeper into AI with the Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python course, where you’ll examine topics like algorithms, machine learning, neural networks, and natural language processing. By completing projects such as game-playing engines or handwriting recognition, you’ll see how AI powers real-world technologies.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective, less than 5%.
Dates: 6 weeks, June 22 - July 27
Application Deadline: May 21
Eligibility: Motivated female middle schoolers interested in STEM
The WASH Summer Research Institute lets you explore areas of STEM through a six-week virtual learning experience. You can choose from three advanced courses: Number Theory, Computational Neuroscience, or Deep Learning - each filled with interactive lessons, coding challenges, and real research-inspired projects. You will learn how to encode messages with math, simulate how neurons communicate using Python, or even train an AI to recognize images. Every week, you meet online with instructors and peers to dive into new concepts and apply what you learn through hands-on activities. Throughout the program, you’ll strengthen your STEM knowledge, sharpen your research skills, and build lasting friendships with curious learners from around the world.
Location: Offered both virtual and in-person options.
Cost: Free (full scholarships provided)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 2-week sessions, June 2 - August 15
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Young women and gender-expansive youth ages 13-18. No prior coding experience is needed.
Kode With Klossy Summer Camp helps you build coding skills in a friendly and creative environment with other young women and gender-expansive participants. You’ll spend two weeks working closely with instructors and peers, either online or in person, on a curriculum that includes web development, mobile app development, machine learning, or data science. Together you’ll use programming languages like JavaScript, Python, Swift, or SQL to create a project that matters to you and solves a real challenge. Beyond code, you’ll learn how to work in a team, communicate your ideas, and present your project confidently at the end of your session. By the end, you’ll have new tech skills and will be a part of a community of other young tech creators to keep learning with.
Location: Virtual
Cost: From $2,699
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small-group cohorts averaging 6 students.
Dates: Core Program: July 14 - August 1, additional AI modules last until August 8
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students aged 12 - 14 and 15 - 18 (depends on cohort). Having basic Python knowledge is suggested but not necessary.
Berkeley Coding Academy’s Summer Program gives you the chance to learn the Python code behind artificial intelligence and data science from the comfort of your home. You’ll create data visualizations, build machine learning models, and design real AI applications using libraries like pandas, matplotlib, seaborn, scikit-learn, and Keras. In live online lectures, you’ll code along with instructors, save annotated notebooks to your Google Drive, and apply what you learn in small cohorts of about six students matched to your age and skill level. You’ll get one-on-one support, collaborate on coding projects, and even take “bonus time” breaks to connect and have fun with your classmates. By the end, you’ll present your own research project, earn a Data Science Scholar Certificate, and walk away with hundreds of coding notebooks and lifelong access to course materials.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Tuition applies; tuition for Nevada residents is waived.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective admissions with testing and readiness required; exact rate not specified.
Dates: Academic year enrollment for full-time students; some single-course enrollment is also available.
Application Deadline: January 15 (for the next school year)
Eligibility: Middle and high school students who have at least completed 5th grade, are age 16 or younger at the time of application, U.S. or Canadian residents, and who meet qualifying testing scores.
Davidson Academy Online gives middle school students the chance to join a rigorous virtual school where their academic exposure goes beyond typical middle school classes. You’ll take live courses in subjects like English, math, science, history, and world languages, all taught by experienced instructors who encourage you to think deeply and challenge yourself. Because classes are grouped by ability, you can work at a level that matches your strengths while collaborating with equally driven students from across the country. You’ll also be part of an online community through clubs, social activities, and mentoring that help you grow both academically and personally. By the time you complete the program, you’ll have stronger problem-solving and communication skills, a deeper understanding of advanced topics, and a better understanding of your future academic pathways.
Location: Online
Cost: $400 - $600/course
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 40 - 80 students/class
Dates: 12 weeks; September - December
Application deadline: Rolling enrollment until classes are full
Eligibility: Students in grades 5 - 12
Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) Online School gives you the chance to dive into advanced math and science topics from the comfort of your home. You can start with introductory courses like Introduction to Physics or Chemistry Fundamentals, or challenge yourself with Olympiad-level programs such as PhysicsWOOT and ChemWOOT. Taught by instructors from leading universities like MIT, Princeton, and Stanford, each class focuses on building your problem-solving skills and conceptual understanding rather than rote memorization. You’ll join live, text-based discussions that encourage you to think critically and explain your reasoning while learning from peers who share your curiosity. Whether you take self-paced lessons or live sessions, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of the subject and be prepared to participate in science and math competitions.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Online
Cost: $59.95 per course; the first course, Operational Systems, is free for new users and schools that license EMF
Dates: Each course lasts 90 days with flexible scheduling
Application deadline: Rolling admission; students start after completing the aptitude test
Eligibility: Students who successfully pass the aptitude test
The Elements of Mathematics Foundations (EMF) program by IMACS helps you explore the logic and structure that form the foundation of advanced mathematics. You’ll begin with Operational Systems, a free introductory course that strengthens your reasoning and prepares you for higher-level math. As you move forward, you’ll dive into topics like algebra, geometry, group theory, and topology through interactive lessons that challenge you to think abstractly and solve problems creatively. Because the program is fully self-paced, you can learn whenever you want and spend extra time on concepts that interest you most.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by course length and subject area; financial aid is available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Offer year-round, with various formats having different registration and start dates.
Application Deadline: Deadline varies by cohort. The upcoming deadline for Spring courses is December 15.
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 - 8 who meet CTY eligibility requirements through qualifying test scores (e.g., SCAT, PSAT).
Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) Online Programs helps you explore topics you are interested in that are beyond your regular school lessons, like space exploration, computer coding, or solving mysteries through science. Guided by expert instructors, you’ll engage in live or self-paced learning, collaborate in discussion forums with classmates from around the world, and receive personalized feedback. Whether you like following a set schedule or learning at your own pace, you can find a format that fits you best. Along the way, you’ll build stronger study habits, think more critically, and discover how fun learning can be. With every new idea you explore, you’ll grow more confident and prepared for greater challenges ahead.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $575-$1,425/course; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective admission; course cohorts are expected to be small
Dates: 6-9 week sessions around the year; dates vary by cohort.
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines throughout the year.
Eligibility: Middle school students with qualifying test scores or portfolio (check detailed criteria here)
Northwestern Center for Talent Development (CTD) Online Programs let middle schoolers explore exciting subjects like creative writing, computer programming, and advanced math through small virtual classes. You will work closely with instructors who guide you through interactive lessons, projects, and discussions that challenge you to think deeper and solve real problems. The program offers both flexible and live class formats so you can learn in a way that fits your schedule and learning style. As you progress, you will build strong study habits, sharpen your problem-solving and writing skills, and learn how to manage complex ideas with confidence. By the end, you will discover new interests, grow academically, and connect with other motivated students.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Location: Online
Cost: $420 per camp
Dates: Camps are available on demand throughout the year
Application deadline: No formal deadline
Eligibility: Open to middle and high school students; specific grade requirements vary by camp
The DNA Learning Center's On-Demand Virtual Camps allow you to explore genetics and molecular biology from the comfort of your own home, using video lessons and a hands-on lab kit mailed directly to your door. You’ll perform real experiments, building cell and DNA models, extracting DNA from plants and animals, and even modifying bacterial DNA to produce enzymes while following pre-recorded lessons created by expert instructors. You’ll join a virtual class space where you can ask questions, troubleshoot with educators via video chat or Google Classroom, and share your lab results and discoveries. Designed for students entering grades 6 - 12, the program gives you flexible learning and the chance to dive deep into biotechnology topics that many high schoolers don’t experience. After completing your projects, you’ll gain confidence in scientific methods, a deeper understanding of how biology works, and real experimentation experience.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $3,050
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective, cohort sizes tend to be small and specialized
Dates: Session One: June 16 - 27 | Session Two: July 7 - 18
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: Current students in grades 8 - 11
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes offer a two-week online learning experience where you can dive deeply into one subject alongside motivated peers from around the world. With more than 70 courses in topics like computer science, data science, engineering, creative writing, and biosciences, you’ll explore advanced ideas through live classes, projects, and discussions. Small seminar-style groups make it easy for you to share perspectives, ask questions, and work closely with instructors who are experts in their fields. Since the courses are ungraded and not for credit, you can focus on curiosity and exploration without the stress of exams. Through this experience, you’ll sharpen your academic habits, expand your knowledge, and connect with others who share your passion for learning.
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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