15 Summer Coding Camps for Middle School Students
If you are a middle school student interested in coding, technology, or computer science, chances are you are looking for a way to take that interest further than what a regular class can offer. A summer coding camp is one of the most fun and practical ways to do exactly that.
Coding camps give you hands-on time with real programming languages, software tools, and creative problem solving in an environment built entirely around learning by doing rather than sitting through lectures. You are building actual projects, solving real problems, and developing the kind of computational thinking that technology careers and college computer science programs are built around.
Why should I attend a summer coding camp in middle school?
Coding is one of those skills that compounds significantly over time, and students who start building it seriously in middle school tend to arrive at high school and college with a solid advantage. These camps develop specific and transferable skills across programming, problem solving, logical reasoning, and project-based thinking that high school computer science courses and eventually college programs will build directly on.
Starting in middle school also gives you years to develop a portfolio of coding projects that reflects genuine technical ability and creative initiative. That kind of track record becomes increasingly valuable as you move through high school and start thinking about college applications, summer programs, and competitive technology opportunities. A summer coding camp is one of the most fun and accessible ways to start building it.
With that, here is a list of 15 summer coding camps for middle school students that offer rigorous learning experiences, mentorship, and hands-on technical training!
15 Summer Coding Camps for Middle School Students
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies | Financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Application Deadline: Varies based on cohort
Program Dates: Eight weeks | Timing varies by cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8
Lumiere’s Junior Explorers Program is a selective online research experience for middle school students, designed to build advanced academic writing and research skills. You begin by selecting a subject area, such as STEM, humanities, or social sciences, and are matched with a PhD-level mentor from a top university. Over the course of the program, you receive a structured introduction to your chosen field, then design and carry out an independent research project focused on a real-world question. To strengthen your writing and analytical abilities, you conclude the program by producing a formal research paper that presents your findings.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Paid program; financial aid available
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines. You can apply to the program here.
Program dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (on weekends) during the spring cohort and 25 hours over 2 weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort.
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 creating a machine-learning algorithm to provide a custom list of educational resources based on selected specifications.
Location: Murray State University, Murray, KY
Cost: $75 registration fee
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Limited capacity; first-come, first-served
Program Dates: June 8 – June 10
Application Deadline: Rolling registration until capacity is reached
Eligibility: Students in grade 6 and above; no prior computer science or programming experience required
The Murray State University Computer Science Summer Camp introduces middle school students to foundational computer science concepts through hands-on activities and collaborative projects in a university learning environment. During the camp, you explore topics such as programming, robotics, game development, cybersecurity, web design, data visualization, and computer architecture while building practical technical skills through guided instruction. The curriculum is designed to be beginner-friendly, making it accessible even if you have little or no previous coding experience.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Starts from $3,259.00 (Individual weekly modules are $1,099)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Small cohorts averaging 6 students
Program Dates: July 6 – July 31
Application Deadline: Rolling enrollment until spots are filled
Eligibility: Students ages 12–18 (Age 11 considered with algebra proficiency and permission)
Data Science – The AI Journey is an intensive online summer coding program that introduces students to data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning through live instruction and collaborative project-based learning. During the program, you learn Python programming alongside topics such as data visualization, machine learning models, neural networks, and AI applications while building coding notebooks and portfolio-ready projects. Interactive lectures are combined with small cohort sessions where you apply new concepts, receive individualized support, and collaborate with peers of similar coding backgrounds.
Location: Multiple locations + virtual options available
Cost: Varies by location (e.g., $699 in Palo Alto; $349–$399 in Tribeca)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Small camp groups
Program Dates: Weekly summer sessions available
Application Deadline: Rolling enrollment
Eligibility: Students ages 10+; no prior coding experience required
TheCoderSchool’s Vibe Coding Camp introduces middle school students to AI-assisted app development through hands-on project building and creative problem-solving activities. As a participant, you brainstorm startup-style app ideas and use AI-powered development platforms such as Lovable or Bolt to transform those ideas into working prototypes without needing advanced coding knowledge. The curriculum focuses on understanding how AI coding tools work, how to write effective prompts, and how to use prototyping to develop and present software concepts. Throughout the program, you work in small groups with instructor support to strengthen creativity, communication, and design thinking skills.
Location: UC Berkeley Campus, Berkeley, CA
Cost: $1,550 tuition | Optional residential add-on: $1,350
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Limited spots available
Program Dates: Multiple sessions between June 22 and July 31
Application Deadline: Rolling registration until spots are filled
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7–9
Coding and Engineering Nano-Satellites for Space Exploration is a STEM-focused summer program at UC Berkeley that introduces middle school students to computer programming and aerospace engineering through hands-on satellite design projects. During the program, you learn block-based coding in Scratch and apply programming concepts to real-world engineering challenges related to deep space exploration. You will build and program model nanosatellites, participate in iterative design challenges, and explore how coding is used in modern scientific missions and aerospace technologies. For students with prior programming experience, additional coding challenges can be completed in Python or JavaScript. The program also includes visits to UC Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory, planetarium experiences, engineering activities, and opportunities to interact with scientists, STEM professionals, and university students.
Location: Andries Hudde Magnet School of STEAM, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: Fully funded
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective; limited to 80 students
Program Dates: July 6 – July 30
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Current 6th and 7th-grade NYC residents aged 12–14
Science of Smart Cities (SoSC) is a fully funded summer STEM program that introduces middle school students to engineering, computer science, electronics, and urban sustainability through hands-on collaborative projects. During the four-week program, you learn foundational concepts in circuitry, coding, microcontroller programming, sensor integration, and environmental science, and apply those skills to real-world urban challenges. Working in teams, students design and build technology-driven solutions to make cities safer, more efficient, and more sustainable. The curriculum emphasizes project-based learning through activities involving electronics, hardware systems, smart infrastructure, and environmental monitoring technologies.
Location: Andries Hudde Magnet School of STEAM, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: Fully funded
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Program Dates: July 6 – July 30
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Current 6th and 7th grade NYC residents
Sounds of New York City (SONYC) is a fully funded summer STEM program that introduces middle school students to coding, electronics, environmental science, and urban technology by studying noise pollution and sound analysis. During the four-week program, you explore how sound waves and noise pollution affect public health and city life while learning to sample sounds, analyze audio data, and build sound-monitoring devices using coding and electronics. The curriculum combines training in engineering, computer science, and communication through collaborative, project-based activities focused on developing smart city technologies. You will also participate in theater-based communication exercises and presentation activities that strengthen teamwork and public speaking skills alongside technical learning.
9. SigmaCamp
Location: Multiple U.S. locations
Cost: Tuition varies; financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective | Small collaborative teams of 10 students
Program Dates: One-week summer sessions
Application Deadline: Varies by program and session
Eligibility: Students ages 12–17; middle school students are eligible
SigmaCamp is an intensive STEM summer program that allows middle and high school students to explore advanced mathematics, science, engineering, robotics, and computer science through immersive, hands-on learning experiences. During the program, you attend lectures and workshops led by professors, researchers, and scientists from institutions such as MIT, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Oxford, and Stony Brook University. The curriculum emphasizes interdisciplinary learning, allowing students to engage with topics ranging from theoretical physics and advanced mathematics to chemistry, biology, coding, and robotics engineering. You also participate in laboratory experiments, engineering design challenges, and collaborative problem-solving activities that encourage creativity and analytical thinking.
Location: OSU Campus
Cost: $200 | Needs-based scholarships available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open enrollment
Program Dates: July 6 – July 10
Application Deadline: Rolling registration until spots are filled
Eligibility: Students entering grades 6–8
Making Arcade Games is a beginner-friendly summer coding camp that introduces middle school students to programming and game development through hands-on arcade game design projects. During the program, you learn to use the MakeCode programming platform, which supports both block-based coding and text-based JavaScript programming. You will begin by exploring core programming concepts before designing and building multi-level platformer and top-down arcade-style games. The curriculum emphasizes creativity, computational thinking, and interactive problem-solving while helping you understand how coding is used to create playable games and digital experiences.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open participation with competition-based advancement
Program Dates: Five-week summer program
Application Deadline: Varies by competition cycle
Eligibility: Middle school students
The Zero Robotics Middle School Program is a virtual coding and robotics competition that introduces students to programming, physics, and space engineering through challenges connected to the International Space Station (ISS). During the program, you learn to create, test, and submit code that controls SPHERES satellites operating aboard the ISS through simulation-based programming activities and engineering tasks. Over five weeks, students explore concepts in computer science, mathematics, and robotics while participating in collaborative competitions that advance from classroom and regional rounds to a live championship in space. Finalist teams have their code executed aboard the ISS by astronauts in a microgravity environment during a live broadcast.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $199–$499, depending on the camp
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Limited seats available
Program Dates: Multiple sessions from June to August
Application Deadline: Rolling enrollment until sessions fill
Eligibility: Students ages 11–13 for middle school camps; no prior coding experience required
CodeWizardsHQ Summer Coding Camps offer middle school students a game-based introduction to programming through hands-on projects focused on Minecraft, Roblox, Fortnite, and artificial intelligence. During the camps, you can learn concepts such as Redstone logic in Minecraft, Lua programming through Roblox game development, Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), or foundational machine learning and AI applications. The curriculum emphasizes interactive, project-based learning through live online classes where students build playable games, prototype applications, and AI-powered tools while strengthening coding and computational thinking skills. Camps are beginner-friendly and designed to help students explore programming concepts through creative, familiar gaming environments.
13. AI Camp
Location: OSU Campus
Cost: $200 | Needs-based scholarships available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open enrollment
Program Dates: July 13 – July 17 | Morning or afternoon session options available
Application Deadline: Rolling registration until spots are filled
Eligibility: Students entering grades 6–8
AI Camp is a beginner-friendly summer program that introduces middle school students to machine learning and artificial intelligence through interactive coding and hands-on projects. During the program, you learn how machine learning models are created and trained while exploring practical AI applications connected to image recognition, gesture detection, and problem-solving. You will work on activities such as building simple classifier models, training systems to recognize movements and gestures, and writing code that integrates machine learning tools into creative or real-world projects. The curriculum also explores the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and introduces students to emerging careers connected to AI and technology.
Location: Virtual (global access) + select in-person locations
Cost: Fully funded
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Program Dates: Multiple two-week sessions between June and August
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Young women and gender-expansive students ages 13–18; middle school students are eligible
Kode With Klossy Camps are free two-week coding programs designed to introduce students from traditionally underrepresented genders in STEM to programming, artificial intelligence, data science, and web development through immersive, project-based learning. During the camp, you can choose from specialized curricula focused on AI and machine learning, data science, or web development while learning programming languages and tools such as Python, SQL, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. The curriculum combines technical instruction with collaborative projects, allowing students to build applications, websites, chatbots, and data visualizations connected to real-world topics and personal interests. In addition to coding skills, the program also explores broader topics such as algorithmic bias, accessibility, responsive design, and user experience.
Location: OSU Campus
Cost: $200 | Scholarships available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open enrollment
Program Dates: July 20 – July 24
Application Deadline: Rolling registration until spots are filled
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7–8
NW Cyber Camp – Middle School Edition introduces students to cybersecurity through hands-on activities focused on digital safety, online investigations, and problem-solving challenges. During the camp, you explore topics such as phishing detection, digital forensics, encryption, password security, and cyber threats while learning how technology systems and personal information are protected. The curriculum emphasizes interactive exercises and mystery-style challenges that encourage students to think like cybersecurity investigators while developing analytical and computational thinking skills. You also gain exposure to cybersecurity careers through interactions with professionals and college students working in technology and information security fields.
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.