15 Online Science Programs for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 7 days ago
- 8 min read
If you're a middle school student interested in science, an online program can help you explore topics that aren’t usually covered in regular school classes. These programs focus more on how science is applied to everyday problems, research, or technology.
Some programs introduce you to biology, chemistry, or physics through real-world examples. Others focus on coding, robotics, space science, or environmental studies. You might be asked to complete short projects, attend live sessions, read scientific material, or work on problems using logic and data. Because they’re online, you can join from anywhere and work at your own pace in many cases.
To get started, here are 15 online science programs designed for middle school students!
15 Online Science Programs for Middle School Students
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Program Dates: Vary by cohort, offered in summer, fall, winter, or spring.
Eligibility: Highly motivated students in grades 6–8
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is an 8-week online research experience for middle school students in grades 6 to 8. You’ll work one-on-one with a PhD-level mentor from a top university to explore subjects like AI, psychology, medicine, environmental science, or economics. In the first few weeks, you’ll try out different topics. Then, you’ll choose one area to focus on and build a research project that reflects your interests. You’ll meet with your mentor weekly, learn how to ask good questions, and develop skills in reading, writing, and critical thinking. By the end, you’ll complete a high school–level project and receive a certificate of completion.
Location: Virtual
Dates: Several cohorts year-round
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary by cohort
Eligibility: Open to 6th to 8th graders
The AI Trailblazers Program by Veritas AI is a 10-week online course for middle school students in grades 6 to 8. You’ll learn the basics of Python programming, data analysis, and key AI concepts like regression, classification, and neural networks. As the program progresses, you’ll explore advanced topics like convolutional neural networks and model evaluation. You’ll work in a small group to build and present your machine learning project. Along the way, you’ll also discuss the ethics of AI and how it affects the world. The program includes live lectures and mentor-led sessions, and you’ll finish with a certificate of completion.
3. Khan Academy
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: None
Eligibility: Open to all
Khan Academy offers a flexible, self-paced way to explore science topics at your own pace. You can learn about Earth and space, climate and weather, chemistry, physics, and more. Lessons include short videos, interactive exercises, and hands-on activities that help you understand real-world science. You’ll also find guided investigations and experiments using everyday materials. Since the content is created by experts and updated regularly, you’ll get accurate and engaging instruction without any pressure or deadlines.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $200
Dates: Saturdays at 2 PM during school breaks and holidays
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Middle and high school students who are currently taking or planning to take AP Biology
The UT Dallas Biology Camps are virtual weekend sessions for middle and high school students who want to strengthen their biology skills or get a head start on AP Biology. You’ll learn from instructors familiar with the AP curriculum, explore advanced topics, and practice solving test-style questions. Each session lasts three hours and includes guided problem-solving and interactive lessons.Â
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The previous cohort had 276 students
Dates: June 22 – July 27
Application Deadline: May 21
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–11
WASH SRI is a six-week online research program for middle and high school students that blends advanced STEM learning with real-world impact. You’ll choose a specific research track: microbiology and epidemiology, finance and computer science, or quantum physics, and work closely with a mentor from a top university like Princeton, UPenn, Cornell, or Johns Hopkins. In microbiology, you might study disease transmission or antibiotic resistance. In finance and computer science, you could build a fintech tool or explore algorithmic trading. If you choose quantum physics, you’ll model quantum systems and dive into quantum computing.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $420
Dates: Available year-round
Application Deadline: Open year-round
Eligibility: Students entering grades 6 or 7 for the Fun with DNA camp; students entering grade 8, or Fun with DNA alumni entering grade 7 for the World of Enzymes camp
The DNA Learning Center’s On-Demand Camps let you explore genetics and biotechnology from home through hands-on experiments and expert guidance. These online programs for middle school students include pre-recorded lessons and mailed lab kits, so you can complete full camp experiences on your schedule. You’ll extract DNA from fruits, genetically engineer bacteria using plasmids, work with fruit flies to study inheritance patterns, and build models of molecular structures like proteins and chromosomes.Â
Even though the content is asynchronous, you’ll have access to instructors through Google Classroom, email, or video chat to ask questions and share results. Some camps also include live processing of DNA samples you submit, giving you a chance to contribute to real lab analysis. Whether you’re exploring CRISPR, gel electrophoresis, or bacterial transformation, the program makes molecular biology interactive and accessible.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Starts at $2,699
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Each cohort has a maximum of 8 students grouped by age and experience
Dates: July 14 – August 1. Additional packages include one week before and/or after the core program
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students between the ages of 12–18 who can write their own Python functions and access libraries via dot-notation
The AI Journey from Berkeley Coding Academy is a summer program open to students aged 12 to 18. It’s structured by age group and coding experience, so middle schoolers can join if they already know some Python. The first part of the course covers Python and basic data science, which works for most middle schoolers who are confident in math. The second part moves into machine learning and needs stronger abstract thinking, so it’s better for students who are highly motivated and already comfortable using Python libraries like pandas and sklearn.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,085
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Typically 6 students in a class
Dates: July 14 – 18 (Genetics), July 21 – 25 (Cardiology and Astrophysics)
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Middle school students
Education Unlimited’s online science camps for middle schoolers are designed for students who want to go deep into subjects like genetics, astrophysics, and cardiology. These are live, instructor-led programs that feel like real summer camps, with 20–30 hours of interactive sessions each week. In genetics, you’ll study DNA and inheritance patterns. In astrophysics, you’ll simulate the Big Bang, explore sunspots, and build water rockets. In cardiology, you’ll dissect real specimens and learn how the heart works. Lab kits are mailed to your home so you can do hands-on experiments alongside your instructors.Â
Location: Virtual
Cost: FreeÂ
Dates: Open year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Open to all learners
Virtual Science Teachers is a free website that offers interactive science lessons for middle school students. The activities cover Earth, Life, and Physical Sciences, with topics like climate change, water filtration, photosynthesis, Punnett squares, magnetism, and energy transfer. You’ll get instant feedback as you work through simulations, virtual labs, and games that help you understand graphs, data, and scientific reasoning.Â
Location: Virtual
Cost: $450–$475 for one semester; $775–$950 for the full year + $100–$125 registration fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 15–20 students per class
Dates: Full academic year or Spring/Fall semesters
Application Deadline: Mid-August for Fall semester and full-year registration, mid-January for the Spring semester
Eligibility: Middle school students
Well-Trained Mind Academy offers live, online science classes for middle school students who want to go deeper into subjects like biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, and anatomy. These courses are taught by experienced teachers and include real-time discussions, hands-on experiments, and structured analysis. You’ll get to ask questions, work through challenging ideas, and build your scientific reasoning in a supportive, interactive setting.Â
Location: Virtual
Cost: $3,080 + any course-specific costs (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The average class size is 15 studentsÂ
Dates: Session One: June 16 – June 27 | Session Two: July 7 – 18
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: Students in grades 8–11
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes is a two-week online program for high school students in grades 8–11 who want to dive deep into a single subject. With over 70 course options, including bioscience, computer science, engineering, and mathematics, you’ll study advanced topics that go beyond what’s typically taught in school. Classes are live and discussion-based, with small groups that let you interact closely with instructors and classmates. You won’t get grades or credit, but the content is rigorous and designed to stretch your thinking. You’ll explore complex ideas through hands-on projects, collaborative discussions, and real-time feedback from experts in the field.
12. K12 STEM Clubs
Location: Virtual
Cost: Typically free for students enrolled in K12 schools
Dates: Varies by school and club
Application Deadline: Varies by school and club
Eligibility: All students, although some clubs may have specific requirements
K12 STEM Clubs are a fun and informal way for middle school students to explore science and technology beyond the classroom. You can join clubs focused on robotics, coding, engineering, animal care, and more, all through interactive, team-based activities. Whether you're building virtual structures in LEGO Club or solving challenges in Minecraft, these clubs help you develop creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. You’ll connect with students from across the country and learn through games, projects, and live sessions.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Groups of 10 or more
Dates: Available by reservation
Application Deadline: None
Eligibility: Middle school students
The National Air and Space Museum’s virtual programs are designed for students in grades K–8 and offer a mix of live sessions and on-demand content that brings aerospace science to life from home. You can join 45-minute guided lessons led by museum educators and aerospace experts, where storytelling, science, and observation come together. For middle schoolers, the museum offers interactive planetarium shows that explore patterns in Earth’s sky and how the solar system affects everyday life. You’ll also find a full library of free virtual tours, explainer videos, and the STEM in 30 series, which covers topics like flight mechanics, gyroscopic motion, and space science in real-world contexts.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Subscription plans starting from $40/month
Dates: Varies by course
Application Deadline: Varies by course
Eligibility: K-12 students
Outschool offers one of the most flexible and engaging online science platforms for middle school students. You can choose from hundreds of live classes on topics like marine biology, zoology, space science, chemistry, and even equine science. Whether you want to study coral reef ecosystems, explore the physics of rocket launches, or learn how horse anatomy connects to veterinary science, there’s a class for it. You’ll join small, interactive sessions led by passionate teachers, ask questions in real time, and work on creative projects with other students.Â
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Dates: Open year-round
Application Deadline: None
Eligibility: Open to all learners
OpenSciEd offers a full middle school science curriculum that, while designed for classroom settings, is highly adaptable to home or online use. You start with a question, like why some materials carry electricity or how air moves during a storm. You test ideas, look at data, and talk through what you notice. You learn by doing, not by reading and repeating. You also use coding and design tools while you work. You might write code to show how a population changes over time or use sensors to measure heat. These tools are part of the lesson, not something extra. You build science skills and problem-solving skills together.
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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