11 Online Summer Programs for Middle School Students in California
- Stephen Turban
- 4 hours ago
- 6 min read
Middle schoolers in California looking to enhance their knowledge this summer can opt for online programs. These programs tend to be challenging and available in a wide variety of subjects. You can learn numerous topics from the comfort of your home. Online programs also reduce the cost of travel and stay.
Through these programs, you also build field-specific skills. Led by experienced faculty, you gain career insights from their professional journey. If these aspects suit your needs, you can consider participating in one of the online summer programs listed below.
11 Online Summer Programs for Middle School Students in California
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies; financial aid available
Dates: 8 weeks; varies by cohort
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8
Students interested in hands-on research can opt for Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program. The program pairs you with PhD mentors from prestigious universities, such as Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Princeton, who are experts from various fields. You conduct original research and gain specialized knowledge. Furthermore, during the program, you learn how to read and interpret academic literature, build research questions, and create outputs such as a high school-level research paper or case study, which enables you to build crucial skills. You polish your scientific communication skills with the help of feedback and writing coaching sessions. You can opt for the Junior Research and Publication Program, where you can publish your research in academic journals.
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded
Dates: July 6–24 (summer) | August 26 – December 9 (fall)
Application Deadline: March 25
Eligibility: Low-income students in grades 6–7 in the U.S. with a family income under $90,000
SMSSP is a virtual program for ambitious middle schoolers. Held over the summer and fall, you can choose from a range of tracks to partake in. Some of the tracks are Democracy & Dissent, Discovering Geometry: From Flatland to the Fourth Dimension, History through Graphic Novels, and Real-Life Applications to Mathematics. In the summer, you attend live, interactive classes led by Stanford faculty. In the fall, you attend weekly debates and discussions regarding your chosen track. You also receive guidance with applying to other prestigious programs.
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies; financial aid available
Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (spring, weekends) | 25 hours over 2 weeks (summer, weekdays)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8
Students interested in an interdisciplinary program involving technology can opt for Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers program. Here, you develop a foundation in AI and machine learning. You delve into a range of topics like Python, data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. After the theoretical component, you work on a practical project. This project must develop a technological solution for a real-world issue in any field of your choice. Past students have built a machine-learning model to classify music genres and a machine-learning algorithm to provide a custom list of educational resources based on selected specifications.
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: $1,895; scholarships available
Dates: Multiple sessions with varying lengths
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students age 13+
This program by Georgetown University explores the themes of law and justice. You examine case studies to learn how legal professionals counsel clients, investigate facts, build arguments, and advocate in the courtroom. The program imparts the foundation of legal concepts as well as constitutional rights. Legal professionals provide insights into various career pathways. You develop practical skills, such as direct and cross-examination, used to argue cases. For the capstone project, you analyze a legal scenario to understand how courts resolve disputes and constitutional rights shape government behavior. Then, you respond as a legal advocate to a dispute.
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: From $2,599
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 6 per cohort
Dates: July 6–31
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students ages 11–18
Middle schoolers interested in pursuing a career in data science and AI can consider the Berkeley Coding Academy. Here, you learn to create visualizations, build machine learning models, and apply AI in the real world. Lectures teach you to code and maintain a coding notebook. Thereafter, you work on group projects during cohort time. You also conduct original research based on your classroom and cohort learnings. By the end of the program, you will have a portfolio of work and a certificate of completion.
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: $1,795
Dates: Multiple course lengths available year-round
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students ages 13+
This course on space exploration by Rice University teaches you how private companies are changing the future of aeronautics. Through this program, you explore the history and milestones of the space program, the future of moon landings, and the scientific reasons for going to Mars. The course teaches you how space impacts the human body. The lessons are imparted through videos as well as interviews with astronauts and space exploration leaders. For the final project, you design your own space mission to Mars, from goal and value to logistics.
Location: Online or in-person
Cost/Stipend: Varies by program
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Dates: Varies by program
Application Deadline: One week before the start date
Eligibility: Students entering grades 6–8; additional criteria vary by program
Northwestern’s CTD offers a range of programs for gifted middle schoolers. These programs are designed to enhance your knowledge in specific fields. You receive the opportunity to explore and consider various career pathways based on your interests. Here, you develop practical skills relevant to the field of your choice. You also interact with industry experts who act as mentors and become part of your network.
Location: Virtual or in-person
Cost/Stipend: Varies by program
Dates: Varies by program
Application Deadline: May 11 (Summer A) | June 8 (Summer B)
Eligibility: Middle school students; additional criteria vary by program
Similar to the previous option, Johns Hopkins CTY programs are available in diverse topics and fields. These programs typically have a small cohort, facilitating personalized learning. The courses are rigorous and allow you to interact with peers from around the world. You also develop practical skills alongside specialized knowledge in your chosen subject. Many courses also involve hands-on projects to solidify your learnings.
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: $1,895
Dates: Various 4-week sessions throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students ages 13+
Courses in AI are increasing in relevance. If you are curious about the subject, you can opt for this track by Dartmouth University. You discover how AI is shaping fields in science as well as the arts. You gain hands-on experience as you build, test, and refine your own AI interaction through professional no-code platforms. The program introduces you to AI ethics by teaching you to identify "hallucinations," hidden biases, and common failure points. The capstone project involves creating a functional AI demo, mockup, or interaction that applies specific AI tools and systems to a real-world scenario. You also write a supporting report on the design process and ethical implications.
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: $1,895
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Various 4-week sessions throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students ages 13+
Students looking to build their own ventures and start a business can opt for the Young Entrepreneurs Academy. In this 20-part learning series, you receive practical business tips and strategies. Through entrepreneur interviews and other resources, you discover what it takes to build a successful business and develop financial literacy. Towards the end of the program, you will have the opportunity to pitch your business to YEA Dragons and receive investments. You receive a UCL-accredited certificate upon completing the program.
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Dates: June 22 – July 27 (tentative)
Application Deadline: May 21 (tentative)
Eligibility: Motivated students in grades 6–11
In this free virtual program, you nurture your interests in STEM subjects. You can choose from a range of courses, such as number theory, computational neuroscience, and deep learning. The course delves into a different theme each week relevant to the chosen track, such as cryptography, modular arithmetic, Python, data science, and more. You also complete practical activities that enhance your knowledge and skills. No prior experience is needed to participate in this program.
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 where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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