30 Programs for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 2 hours ago
- 20 min read
If you are a middle school student interested in exploring subjects beyond your school curriculum, structured academic programs can help you build new skills and discover potential interests. These opportunities introduce you to fields such as STEM, humanities, leadership, and creative arts through guided lessons, projects, and mentorship. Participating in a program early can also help you develop academic confidence, critical thinking skills, and stronger study habits.
What types of programs are available for middle school students?
Programs for middle school students come in many formats, including summer camps, research programs, academic enrichment courses, and multi-year mentorship initiatives. Some focus on specific subjects such as mathematics, engineering, artificial intelligence, or public policy, while others offer broader exposure across disciplines. Exploring different types of programs can help you identify the subjects and learning environments that suit you best.
In this blog, we’ve provided a list of 30 programs for middle school students covering a wide range of disciplines, structures, and timelines to help you plan.
If you’re looking for online programs, check out our blog here.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program type. Full financial aid offered
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Not specified
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines for each cohort
Program dates: 8 weeks, multiple cohorts each year
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8
Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program for middle schoolers offers a hands-on, mentored research experience over 8 weeks. You’ll work 1-on-1 with a PhD-level mentor, focusing on a field of your choice with options across STEM, social sciences, and the humanities. You’ll start by completing a deep dive into the discipline, studying nuanced sub-fields to gain an advanced understanding of your chosen subject. You’ll then design a research project on a topic of your choice, collaborating with your mentor to identify a problem to address, design your research approach, identify real-world data to analyze, and draw conclusions. You’ll finish the program with a full academic research paper of your own.
Location: United States Military Academy, West Point
Cost: Free housing, meals, tuition, and activities
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Not specified
Application deadline: TBD
Program dates: Typically held in June. Current session dates not yet updated
Eligibility: 6th and 7th grade students who are U.S. citizens
The West Point Middle School STEM Program is a fully funded, week-long opportunity and one of the standout programs for middle school students interested in learning about life at the U.S. Military Academy while building skills in science and engineering. You’ll live on West Point’s campus and spend your days in educational sessions and hands-on activities such as soldering circuits, designing bridges, and building robots. West Point professors lead instruction, and you’ll also receive guidance on future academic and career planning from current cadets.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program type
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Small cohorts of 5 students
Application deadline: Varies by cohort
Program dates: 10 weeks, multiple cohorts each year
Eligibility: Middle school students in grades 6 to 8
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 developing a machine-learning algorithm to generate a custom list of educational resources based on specified criteria.
Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Selective. 32 students per year
Application deadline: May 4
Program dates: July 13 to July 24
Eligibility: Rising 6th to 8th grade students, currently in grades 5 to 7. Requires a B average in math and science.
Northrop Grumman’s Summer Engineering Camp is a free, two-week program at USC that exposes middle school students to advanced engineering concepts and provides opportunities to engage with staff from a prestigious defense company. You’ll study concepts in civil, mechanical, electrical, and aerospace engineering through a combination of classwork and activities ranging from online programming work to hands-on projects like building a robot. You’ll also learn about the defense industry and careers in engineering, hearing from Northrop Grumman employees about their career trajectories and experience at the company.
Location: 100+ U.S. locations; see here for current options (may vary yearly).
Cost: Free at select locations. Other sites charge low participation fees
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Open registration. Cohort size varies by location
Application deadline: Varies by location
Program dates: Multiple five day sessions from early June to mid August
Eligibility: No fixed age requirement. Middle and high school students recommended.
The AFA CyberCamps are computer science and cybersecurity-focused middle school programs designed to both build computational skills and promote online safety. You’ll complete coursework on secure configurations and system hardening, learn cybersecurity techniques across Linux and Windows, and build programming skills. Both Beginner and Advanced programs are offered; dates are typically arranged so that you can complete both levels in one summer. At the end of the camp, you’ll compete with a small team to solve a simulated cybersecurity issue, preparing you to address security concerns in real life.
Location: Yale University, New Haven
Cost: $75. Scholarships available
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: 8 to 15 students admitted
Application deadline: February 26
Program dates: June 29 to July 30
Eligibility: Middle school students enrolled in public or parochial schools in New Haven
Yale’s Ulysses S. Grant Foundation Summer Program is a 6-week opportunity for middle schoolers from New Haven to explore advanced academic concepts, with a primary focus on the humanities and social sciences. You’ll study topics across economics, literature, philosophy, and natural sciences under Yale students, as well as concepts in natural sciences through three daily courses. Your coursework will also include training in the arts, including poetry, fiction, and speechwriting, as well as music and performing arts. In the program’s Investigations classes, you’ll also complete hands-on projects drawing from the social and natural science skills you’ve studied. Outside of classwork, you’ll participate in extracurriculars, including debate, mock trial, a book club, athletics, and field trips in the New Haven region.
Location: Sites in New York City and other areas of New York, plus Los Angeles in California
Cost: Free, includes lodging, transportation, and food
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Selective. About 40 students per site, around 120 students total
Application deadline: March 15
Program dates: Three weeks during the summer
Eligibility: Current 7th grade students living in NYC or LA with strong math ability and limited access to enrichment programs. Typical admitted students report a median household income of $38,000 and many become first generation college students.
BEAM is a fully-funded, multi-year mathematics program for middle school students, beginning with the three-week Summer Away program after your 7th-grade year. You’ll stay on a college campus to intensively study proof-based mathematics, with focus areas including number theory, combinatorics, and graph theory, all under the instruction of college professors. Outside of coursework, you’ll attend a series of guest lectures from professional mathematicians, where you’ll learn about their research focus areas and gain exposure to what you can do with a future career in math. You’ll stay involved with BEAM throughout the rest of middle school and high school, entering the Pathway Program to continue your advanced math training and prepare for the college application process. You’ll have access to extra support during college as well, including guidance on pursuing internships, selecting a major, and developing post-graduation plans.
Location: New York University, New York City
Cost / Stipend: None
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Selective
Application deadline: March 31
Program dates: July 6 to July 31. Full program spans six years with summer sessions and academic year programming
Eligibility: Current 7th and 8th-grade students enrolled in NYC public schools
The College and Career Lab is a program for middle and high school students from NYC that prepares them for higher education through support from NYU mentors. You’ll spend three weeks over the summer studying college-level subjects across law, arts, STEM, business, and medicine in courses taught by professors and students from NYU’s relevant sub-colleges. You’ll then continue your work throughout the school year, attending regular Practice Labs to hone your skills in academic planning, networking, and exploring career paths. You’ll then transition into the Immersive Stage as a high schooler, where you’ll have access to advanced research opportunities, college application counseling, and more.
9. SigmaCamp
Location: Silver Lake Camp and Conference Center, Sharon
Cost: $1,850. Financial aid available
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Selective
Application deadline: April 15
Program dates: August 2 to August 9
Eligibility: Middle and high school students ages 12 to 15
SigmaCamp is a STEM program for middle school students with strong abilities in quantitative abilities. Taught by scientists and professors from top universities such as MIT and Princeton, SigmaCamp’s courses focus on subjects across traditional and specialized STEM, from math and biology to theoretical and experimental physics. You’ll attend lectures and Semilabs (a blended interactive seminar and lab session) throughout the morning and afternoon, then spend the evening doing extracurricular activities like playing chess, learning glassblowing, and climbing trees on the high ropes course. You’ll also have opportunities to build leadership, design, and presentation skills with the option to teach a workshop of your own at the Junior Instructor Challenge or design and lead the Experiment of the Day.
Location: Columbia University, New York City
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Selective
Application deadline: April 15 for the summer session. November 1 for the academic year program
Program dates: Summer session runs July 6 to July 31. Academic year schedule not announced
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 to 12 who live in New York or hold U.S. permanent residency and live in the state. Program targets students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and underrepresented groups.
S-PREP is a fully-funded program for middle school students hosted by Columbia’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons that extends throughout high school. Over the summer, you’ll take courses in subjects such as biochemistry, anatomy, math, and psychology, expanding your STEM knowledge with a focus on medical fields. During the school year, you’ll attend Saturday sessions focusing on topics like PSAT and SAT prep, STEM career exploration, and future planning. During high school, you’ll focus more intensively on preparing for college, receiving support on your applications, and touring NYC-area colleges.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: 12 students per cohort
Application deadline: March 25
Program dates:
Summer program: July 6 to July 24
Fall semester meetings with weekly commitment: August 26 to December 9
Eligibility: Low income students in grades 6 and 7 in the United States. Typical accepted students report family income below $90,000 per year, with an average near $55,000 per year.
Stanford’s Middle School Scholars Program offers fully funded summer and school-year academic development and high school preparation programs for low-income students. You’ll spend the summer taking an advanced course taught by Stanford faculty; options include humanities, social science, and STEM subjects, such as Democracy and Dissent, History Through Graphic Novels, and Real-Life Applications to Mathematics. In these courses, you’ll learn skills across research, close reading, and applying academic concepts to real-world problems. During the fall portion of the program, you’ll switch to weekly meetings focused on future planning, primarily centered on preparing for high school and academic writing. The program serves as a pipeline into Stanford Online High School.
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago
Cost / Stipend: Sliding scale based on family income. Ranges from full scholarship to $1,000
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Very selective
Application deadline: April 11
Program dates: June 30 to July 25
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 to 8 living in Chicago, surrounding suburbs, or Indiana in the Northwest Indiana region. High school cohorts also offered.
The three-week Young Scholars Program at UChicago provides strong math students in the Chicago region with enrichment opportunities, alternating each year between geometry and number theory. Each day, you’ll attend two math courses led by UChicago professors, gaining additional support through breakout sessions with students from UChicago’s Department of Mathematics. Beyond math education, you’ll also learn skills in quantitative programming and conduct research merging math and computer science. The program also offers high school sessions, and former middle school attendees are encouraged to apply.
Location: New York University, New York City
Cost: $200. Financial aid available
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Not specified
Application deadline: TBA
Program dates: October 18 to May 2, school year session
Eligibility: Grades 7-12; 7th-grade students must apply to the Academic year cycle | Students must have a B average or above in Math, Science, and English, and meet state-determined income criteria.
The Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) at NYU provides low-income middle schoolers from NYC with educational and academic planning support from 7th to 12th grade. Over the summer, you’ll train under NYU professors and current students to develop your skills in science, engineering, medicine, and academic writing. You’ll also receive mentorship on discerning how your favorite STEM fields connect to future career paths. Additional program features include hands-on projects, educational workshops on specialized STEM topics, and long-term mentorship opportunities throughout your involvement in STEP. After you graduate from middle school, you’ll have access to increasingly challenging academic training, alongside test prep tutoring and support in the college application process.
Location: University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, or online
Cost: Varies by program. $750 to $1,250 for the Secondary division. Explorations courses cost about $60 to $75 per class meeting
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Selective. Classes usually include 20 to 24 students
Application deadline: February 19 for Early. March 17 for Standard. May 23 for Extended with rolling admission and limited openings
Program dates: June 16 to July 25
Eligibility: Secondary courses usually accept students in grades 6 or 7 to 11, with some course level variation
The Academic Talent Development Program at UC Berkeley features above-grade-level courses across disciplines for middle school students. STEM options focus primarily on computer science and natural sciences, including Principles, Front-end Frameworks, and Applied Physics. Social Science courses range across Social Psychology to Innovation and Entrepreneurship, while Humanities and Arts offerings include Architectural Design, Creative Writing, and introductory Japanese. These courses are highly accelerated and cover an entire semester (or full year) of material in six weeks. As a non-residential program, in-person courses are limited to California students; however, all middle school students are eligible for online offerings.
Location: Online
Cost / Stipend: $700. Financial aid available
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Competitive
Application deadline: Rolling
Program dates: October 1 to December 3
Eligibility: Grades 7-10 | Students must meet the Emerald tier, which requires above-grade-level academic skills; qualifications include scoring at least 90% on a national grade-level exam.
The Northwestern Civic Education Project’s Leadership Intensive is a nine-week program for middle school students and high school underclassmen offered in the fall. Focused on leadership and social responsibility, you’ll participate in coursework and seminars on topics across, discussing and studying current events from varying viewpoints, communicating effectively, and conducting civics-focused research. Your work will include at-home assignments, class discussions, and in-class activities. You’ll also attend a guest lecture series, where you’ll hear from government officials, nonprofit staff, and entrepreneurs about their careers and how to be an effective leader in socially-focused careers.
16. Stanford seeME
Location: Stanford University, Stanford
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Selective
Application deadline: Rolling registration. Check program site for updates
Program date: May 17
Eligibility: Current middle and high school students in the San Francisco Bay Area. Students from underserved schools receive strong encouragement to apply.
seeME is a Stanford-hosted, fully-funded middle school program focused on Mechanical Engineering. You’ll select two workshops to focus on, with the opportunity to explore topics such as autonomous vehicles, computational mathematics, biomedical research, and the biomechanics of flight. Each workshop has a strong hands-on focus, so you’ll apply the topics you study to interactive activities like building robots and programming. Current Stanford graduate students will mentor you, learn about college majors and STEM careers, and learn what life is like as a professional engineer.
Location: Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York City
Cost: $1,250
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Not specified
Application deadline: December 15
Program dates: February 5 to May 7
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 and 8. Students from underserved communities receive strong encouragement to apply.
CMT's Math Program for Young Minds is a spring program for middle schoolers providing advanced math training through weekly sessions. In this program, you’ll study college-level concepts, including geometry, topology, and number theory, with a focus on mathematics’ real-world applications. You’ll work under the guidance of Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences faculty and NYU graduate students in math, combining your coursework with problem-solving practice, group research projects, and interactive games.
Location: Oak Ridge
Cost / Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Selective. 26 students per session
Application deadline: December 3
Program dates: One week in July
Eligibility: Middle school students living and attending school in the Appalachian region | Students must be U.S. citizens
Bringing middle school students from the 13 Appalachian region states to Oak Ridge for a fully-funded program, the Appalachian STEM Academy provides a week of hands-on STEM and leadership training. Throughout the program, you’ll work in small groups to complete research projects in science and engineering; focus areas include urban and city planning, 3D printing design, and AI. You’ll complete activities in data science and visualization, digital simulation, and apply experimental work to real-world issues. The program culminates in a final entrepreneurship project in which you’ll identify a problem in an Appalachian region and design a STEM-focused solution to support your community.
Location: University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley
Cost: $850. Full financial aid available for students from low income and underrepresented backgrounds. Families receiving CalWORKS, CalFresh, or Medi-Cal qualify for scholarships.
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Competitive. 30 students per session working in teams of five.
Application deadline: March 28
Program dates:
July 7 to July 11, Session 1
July 14 to July 18, Session 2
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8 from the San Francisco Bay Area. Program focus on girls and gender diverse students, with priority for underrepresented or disadvantaged applicants.
Girls in Engineering is an NSF-funded program at UC Berkeley that empowers girls and gender-diverse students to pursue higher education and careers in STEM and engineering. You’ll participate in interactive activities, ranging from building prosthetic hands to learning how to code for engineering projects. Alongside academic development, you’ll also develop leadership skills from delivering academic presentations to giving elevator pitches for innovative ideas. You’ll also take part in both science-focused and just-for-fun field trips, including visiting the Lawrence Hall of Science and Pixar studios. Other features include guest lectures from women in STEM, providing advice on planning for your future.
Location: Andries Hudde Junior High School and STAR Early College School, New York City
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Not specified. Around 84 students participated in past cohorts
Application deadline: May 15
Program dates: July 6 to July 31
Eligibility: Rising 7th and 8th grade students living in New York City, ages 12 to 14.
The fully-funded Science of Smart Cities is a middle school program hosted by NYU focused on engineering, sustainability, and urban studies. You’ll build engineering and computer science skills, and learn about their applications to sustainable infrastructure on a large urban scale. Focus areas range across civil and electrical engineering, the environmental benefits of “smart cities”, and the internet of things. The program is highly activity-based, so you’ll take on assignments like programming microcontrollers, designing drones to measure climate, and developing transportation grids. Your work will culminate in a final project developing a smart city infrastructure proposal, which you’ll present at the end of the program.
Location: Olin College of Engineering, Greater Wellesley | Gann Academy / Bentley University, Waltham | The Newman School, Boston
Cost: $699 commuter option or $1,398 residential option
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Small group cohorts
Application deadline: Rolling admissions
Program dates: Multiple one week programs from mid June to early August, depending on the program
Eligibility: Students entering grades 6 to 8
BLI’s Pre-High School Programs provide middle schoolers with an entry-level version of their high school offerings. If you’re looking for programs for middle school students with STEM opportunities, you can choose from project-based programs including Astronomy, Hands-On Physics, Marine Science, Boats: Design & Engineering, and Mini Med School. Your work will vary by program, but activities include studying neuroscience and orthopedics, making bottle rockets, learning to test patient vital signs, and building structurally sound bridges. Options in other disciplinary areas include Intro to Sports Statistics, Intro to Architecture, and Junior Shark Tank, providing opportunities for students interested in data science, design, and business the opportunity to take on advanced projects in fields not typically offered in middle schools.
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by course and session length
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Not specified
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines
Program dates: Multiple sessions in March, June, and July. Exact dates vary by course
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 to 11
JHU’s CTY is an above-grade-level institution offering academic programs for advanced middle schoolers across STEM, social sciences, and humanities. STEM options include Coding and Creating With Arduino®, Logic and Proofs, and medicine-focused classes; humanities and social sciences programs range from African history to economics to law. A unique feature of the program is the wide array of extracurricular-focused courses, where you can prepare for competition success in activities like chess, math, and robotics. These courses are condensed and fast-paced, making them an academically rigorous option; some offerings are additionally eligible for course credit, meaning you may be able to skip taking classes like Pre-Algebra based on your performance.
Location: Purdue University, West Lafayette
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Limited enrollment, small cohort size
Application deadline: April 17
Program dates: June 9 to June 13
Eligibility: Current 7th and 8th grade students. As a non residential program, students should live in or near West Lafayette.
Purdue’s Physics Inside Out program offers middle schoolers academic training across subfields of physics. Taught by Purdue faculty and researchers, you’ll study concepts like astrophysics, nanotechnology, and the history of physics, with a combination of class lectures, labs, and experiments. You’ll see how advanced physics research takes shape by taking guided tours through facilities like Purdue’s nuclear reactor and particle accelerator. Graduate students will also mentor you, attend research presentations, and learn about careers in physics, including personal support on planning your academic journey.
Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles or Remote
Cost: $600 for in person participation. $200 for virtual participation
Acceptance rate / Cohort size:
6 to 10 students for in person sessions
6 to 8 students for virtual sessions
Application deadline: Rolling
Program dates: Varies. Each course includes 10 sessions
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8
CS@SC is a middle school computer science program offering specialized courses in both in-person and online formats. You’ll enroll in a specific class based on your interests; options include Scratch, Mobile App Development, Game Design, Drones, and more. Though more advanced courses are designed for high school students, if you’ve attended previous CS@SC classes or have a strong coding background, you may be eligible for the more challenging versions of the courses. In each session, you’ll cover a new sub-topic in the field, integrating lectures with hands-on coding to put your knowledge into practice for future research projects.
Location: Duke University, Durham
Cost:
Residential: $6,050 for middle or high school students
Commuter: $3,905 for middle school students
$500 enrollment deposit required
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Not specified
Application deadline: Rolling admissions. Applications open in December. Courses fill by April
Program dates: Multiple one week and two week sessions between June and July
Eligibility: Current students in grades 6 to 11. Some courses include additional requirements.
Duke’s Pre-College Program provides specialized one- and two-week courses for middle school students in fields across STEM, humanities, and social sciences. Some options include creative writing, politics, business management, multimedia art, aerospace engineering, and animal cognition, making them a unique opportunity to move beyond traditional middle school subjects. You’ll undertake a combination of classwork, group discussions, and research projects, though the exact structure varies by course. Other features include field trips in the Durham area, tours of Duke’s campus, lectures from Duke faculty and guest speakers, and extracurricular activities.
Location: Virtual or Northwestern University, Evanston
Cost / Stipend: Varies by program
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Selective
Application deadline: Rolling
Program dates: 6 to 9 week programs offered in the fall, spring, and summer
Eligibility: Students must meet above grade level academic benchmarks based on Center for Talent Development assessment standards. Courses open to middle school students split by grades 5 to 6, 6 to 8, 7 to 11, or 6 to 12.
Northwestern’s CTD is a gifted and talented program for middle and high school students that offers above-grade-level instruction in both traditional school subjects and specialized fields. STEM students can get ahead in subjects like biology and physics, or opt for something new, such as genetics or conceptual chemistry. Other options include analyzing the stock market, studying Chicago’s public transportation system, or learning about criminal law. Courses include a combination of lectures and both in- and outside-of-class activities, with homework assignments to solidify your knowledge. While most are intended purely for intellectual development, some options (primarily in math) provide credit that can let you skip over a course level in school.
Location: University of California, Irvine, Irvine
Cost: $967. Scholarships available
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Not specified
Application deadline: Rolling, first come first served enrollment
Program dates:
June 23 to June 27
July 7 to July 11
July 14 to July 18
July 21 to July 25
Eligibility: Students ages 8 to 17. Programs split by age with separate sessions for ages 8 to 12 and 13 to 17.
IC Irvine hosts a Chemistry-focused Summer STEM Summit for middle and high school students, featuring applications of chemistry across diverse STEM fields. You’ll choose your preferred course from options including Chemistry of Medicine, Paleontology, The Chemistry of Sustainable Cities, and Forensic Science, and learn how chemistry skills can contribute to scientific innovations from fighting climate change to catching criminals. You’ll work with a combination of UCI professors, students, and professional chemists to learn both about the field and how to pursue it in college and as a career. You’ll complete experiments related to each concept you cover; examples include testing food samples for safety, analyzing ballistics to detect the gun used in a crime, and simulating a fossil excavation.
28. MIT dynaMIT
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: 40 students per session
Application deadline: February 10
Program dates: Mid to late August. One week session for rising grades 6 to 7. One week session for rising grades 8 to 9
Eligibility: Students in Massachusetts entering grades 6 to 9. Students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds without access to STEM enrichment programs encouraged to apply.
The dynaMIT program is an MIT-student-led initiative providing specialized STEM training and activities for middle school students in the greater Boston-Cambridge area. As student mentors design the programming, the exact study areas vary; however, you’ll dig into advanced topics such as forensic science, polymers and materials science, and electromagnetism. Each day will focus on a new topic and include hands-on work that puts your knowledge into practice. You’ll also tour MIT’s campus, receive personal mentorship from MIT students, and finish the program with a capstone project.
Location: Sally Ride Science Academy / USCD Division of Extended Studies, San Diego, CACost/Stipend: Varies; between $275 and $320 for in-person workshopsAcceptance rate/cohort size: Limited cohort size for each courseDates: 3 sessions: July 7 – 11, July 14 – 18, or July 21 – 25 | Specific courses may not be offered in every sessionApplication Deadline: Rolling admissionsEligibility: Middle school students in grades 6-8 | Requires approval from the school Principal or Guidance Counselor
Sally Ride Science Academy is a program for California middle school students offering specialized STEM coursework throughout the summer. You’ll have the option to study topics like CAD and 3D Printing, Pharmaceuticals, and Robotics; each course opens with background education in the field before moving into experiential and project-based learning to apply your skills to hands-on work. The program offers three separate sessions, so you can take multiple week-long classes throughout the summer.
30. MathPath
Location: Various United States college campuses. Site varies each year
Cost: $6,600. Full financial aid available
Acceptance rate / Cohort size: Selective
Application deadline: Rolling admissions closing on March 31
Program dates: June 29 to July 27
Eligibility: Middle school students ages 11 to 14 with advanced skills in math
MathPath is a month-long residential program for middle school students with strong mathematical abilities seeking an intensive summer experience. Under the instruction of university faculty, you’ll study advanced math topics including matrix algebra, combinatorics, number theory, and more. Beyond classwork, you’ll also attend specialized Plenary guest lectures, interactive workshops, and interdisciplinary sessions blending math with physics, logic, and other disciplines. Other skill development opportunities include tutoring math competition students, reviewing college-level math exams, learning proof-writing skills, and developing techniques for academic presentations.
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 mentor to develop an independent research paper.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here, check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics. 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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