15 Programs for Middle School Students in Utah
- Stephen Turban
- 2 hours ago
- 9 min read
If you’re in middle school and want to try something new outside your regular classes, joining a program can be a great way to explore your interests. These programs can introduce you to subjects such as science, technology, art, and writing while helping you build skills in problem-solving and teamwork. You also get the chance to learn in a different setting and meet other students who enjoy similar activities.
Why should I attend a program in Utah?
Utah offers a range of programs through universities, museums, and academic organizations that provide structured ways to explore different subjects. You might build science projects, take part in engineering challenges, explore museum-based activities, or develop creative skills while working with instructors and other students. Whether you’re from Utah or visiting from another state, these programs give you a chance to try new experiences, build skills, and learn in a new environment.
To help you get started, we have 15 programs for middle school students in Utah.
If you are looking for online programs, check out our blog here.
Location: Utah Valley University, Orem, UT
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Moderately selective
Dates: Runs from June to July
Application Deadline: Registrations close in January
Eligibility: Middle school and junior high students entering the 3-year PREP sequence in Alpine, Nebo, and Provo school districts
UVU PREP is a free six-week STEM-oriented program open to middle school and junior high school students in the Alpine, Nebo, and Provo school districts. It offers hands-on instruction in math, physics, engineering fundamentals, and computer science, and you can look forward to working on projects, homework assignments, and field trips. Alongside the academics, you will also get to attend lectures by guest speakers offering glimpses into potential STEM careers and explore real-world applications. This program is ideal for you to envision yourself in STEM-oriented pathways in future courses and careers.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Online
Cost: Varies; need-based financial aid available
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort. You can apply here.
Program Dates: Rolling cohorts throughout the year
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8; open to motivated students globally interested in exploring academic research or writing
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program pairs middle school students with Ph.D. mentors from universities such as Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Princeton to explore academic subjects and develop a written project. Across eight weeks, you’ll learn to read and interpret academic literature, build research questions, and create outputs such as a high school-level research paper or case study. You’ll receive individualized feedback through eight mentor sessions and two writing-coach sessions, ensuring you master both analytical and writing fundamentals. Research topics range from gene editing to behavioral economics. Lumiere also offers a Junior Research and Publication Program for students who wish to publish their research in academic journals.
Location: National History Museum of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Cost/Stipend: Camp fee varies; 100% scholarships available for eligible students
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Scholarship spots reserved each session
Dates: June to July
Application Deadline: Not specified; scholarships open in February
Eligibility: Students entering kindergarten through grade 8
The NHMU in Salt Lake City runs summer camps for kids to engage in STEM investigations, exploring museum collections and local ecosystems. Its focus is on nature-based learning and guided exploration. You will take part in experiments where you will interact with scientific specimens under the guidance of museum educators. The museum offers full scholarships to students who meet income criteria. Each camp cohort is limited to small group sizes. It is ideal for middle schoolers and is a solid chance to explore paleontology, ecology, geology, or earth science under the guidance of experts and professionals in the field.
Cost/Stipend: Varies by program type; need-based financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Scholarship spots reserved each session
Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (spring, weekends) | 25 hours over 2 weeks (summer, weekdays)
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines. You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8
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: Southern Utah University, Cedar City, UT
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: June to July
Application Deadline: Applications close in February
Eligibility: Middle school students with an interest or aptitude in STEM
SUU PREP is an outreach STEM pathway program organized by Southern Utah University’s STEM Center. It’s a free three-summer academic program designed for students interested in exploring all things STEM. For three summers, you will take part in hands-on projects, rigorous problem-solving, and daily career-awareness sessions exploring future STEM career paths. These activities will help you explore problem-solving, logic, mathematics, cryptography, and engineering. There’s also an annual cardboard boat race where you get to put your learning into practice together with like-minded peers. Overall, this is a desirable program to pursue to build confidence and feed your curiosity in the sciences.
Location: Blanding, Utah
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Six-week sessions for three summers
Application Deadline: Open registration ahead of summer
Eligibility: Year 1 applications open to current 6th-grade students from participating tribal communities
AIS PREP is a program hosted by American Indian Services, a public charity, designed to aid Native Americans and to maintain their culture and honor their heritage. The program is a free educational preparatory program for Native American Youth. This program spans three summers, providing rigorous STEM instruction to prepare you for higher education. The curriculum includes topics in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and will have you taking hands-on projects, field trips, and lectures to engage your STEM progress.
Location: Utah State University, Logan, UT
Cost/Stipend: Free for eligible students
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Summer months
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Middle school students in targeted districts
USU STARS! GEAR UP is organized by the Center for the School of the Future and the School of Teacher Education & Leadership in the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services at USU. It is a federally funded program designed to boost the number of low-income students in postsecondary education. This program provides hands-on exploration camps in biotechnology, engineering, and other STEM fields. You will also take part in mentorship, field trips, and design challenges.
Location: Natural History Museum of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not publicly listed
Dates: School-year and outreach cycles
Application Deadline: Varies by cycle
Eligibility: Middle school students, typically from partner schools, with an interest in science and teaching
Youth Teaching Youth is a science-oriented outreach and enrichment program by the NHMU. Its focus is to engage middle school students in learning museum-level science content and, true to its name, to have kids teach younger students. You will receive training from museum educators in natural history topics such as paleontology and biology. You will also be taught public speaking and teaching methods, and you will have the chance to lead lessons for elementary students. YTY offers a unique experience to learn museum-specific sciences and to contribute to information building. Overall, it’s a great fit if you’re interested in natural history, science communication, and peer leadership.
Location: University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Cost/Stipend: Fees vary by camp; tuition discounts available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not publicly listed
Dates: Weekly sessions throughout the summer
Application Deadline: Registration closes the week before each camp begins
Eligibility: Youth ages 6–17
Campus Camps offers kids from ages 6 to 17 the chance to explore their interests in STEAM and creative arts. Through weekly half-day or full-day programs, you’ll get to choose from tracks such as game design, robotics, graphic art, coding, creative writing, and fine arts. All activities and lectures are delivered by the University of Utah’s staff and within the university’s facilities. The program includes hands-on learning through real-world coding projects, art creation, and engineering challenges, helping you build skills beyond the traditional classroom.
Location: University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Cost/Stipend: Varies by camp
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive program
Dates: Summer and school breaks
Application Deadline: Varies by camp and session
Eligibility: Youth ages 5–17
Club U is the University of Utah’s youth education summer program that offers weekly day-camp experiences for children and young teens. There are on-campus and off-campus activities that include field trips, pool time, arts and crafts, STEM electives, and creative skills. Its setup is structured yet flexible, and provides ample avenues for exploring new interests, building new connections, and getting a feel for the campus environment. Club U is a well-rounded summer experience for fun and learning that’ll get you used to college space and culture.
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Runs throughout the academic year
Application Deadline: Rolling enrollment
Eligibility: K–12 students in Utah
Utah Virtual Academy (UTVA) is a tuition-free, fully accredited online public school serving students in grades K-12 across Utah. Through its live classroom instruction led by licensed teachers, the program offers traditional schooling accessible from home. You can opt for either full-time or part-time enrollment through the Statewide Online Education Program. You will be able to take core or elective courses tuition-free while staying enrolled in another school. The flexibility makes UVA useful if you need alternative scheduling to pursue arts or athletics, catch up on credits, or learn at a different pace.
Location: University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Cost/Stipend: Needs-based supports available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Multiple cohorts year-round
Dates: Multi-week summer academy with year-round supports
Application Deadline: Varies by year
Eligibility: Students entering high school
PATHS is a four-year college program at the University of Utah designed for students entering high school. It especially selects students from underserved and first-generation backgrounds.
You will participate in two-week summer camps. There are also monthly workshops, tutoring, mentoring, and skills-building sessions during the school year. You will develop your academic readiness, practice leadership, writing, and research skills, and explore future career pathways. PATHS, with its comprehensive support structure, is a great way for you to connect with fellow students, university mentors, and other campus resources that’ll support you in your future academic endeavors.
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Cohort size varies
Dates: Full academic year
Application Deadline: Enrollment open throughout the school year
Eligibility: K–12 students residing in eligible Utah counties
Utah Connections Academy is a tuition-free online public charter school serving students in grades K–12 throughout Utah. As an accredited online school, it offers the full range of standard academic courses, allowing you to learn from home with certified Utah teachers. This program offers a flexible, no-cost education alternative. Because it’s statewide, it helps students in rural areas or anywhere in Utah. Overall, it’s a reliable, free option for K–12 students wanting a full academic program online.
Location: Utah Valley University, Orem, UT
Cost/Stipend: Fees vary by camp; scholarships available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Small weekly cohorts
Dates: Closes in June
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students in grades 7–9
UVU’s Youth Summer Science Camp invites kids to explore hands-on science projects across fields such as earth science, physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, and even rocket science. Past activities have included building model rockets, studying stars, mixing chemicals, and examining fossils and living organisms. The camp is structured into short week-long sessions with small age-group cohorts. This program is a great way for you to get a taste of STEM disciplines while experiencing summer-camp fun.
Location: Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
Cost/Stipend: Fees vary; limited scholarships and waivers available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Moderately competitive; class cap of 35 per section
Dates: Semester-based
Application Deadline: Registration runs on a semester-by-semester basis
Eligibility: Students in grades K–12
Jumpst(ART) is an art education program run by BYU’s Department of Art for K-12 students. Under the mentorship of BYU art students and faculty, you’ll get to participate in sessions to learn drawing, painting, ceramics, and other media. You will often work in small groups, with a maximum of 4 students per teacher. This program offers individualized attention and support, making it ideal for you if you want to build art skills, explore different media, and start building your portfolio. Though not entirely free, considering the university-level art instruction and exposure to campus art resources, Jumpst(ART) offers a good chance to grow your interest in art.
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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