10 Summer Project-Based Learning Programs for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Mar 17
- 6 min read
Middle schoolers looking to get a head start in their academics could consider project-based learning programs. Such programs enable hands-on and experiential learning. They allow you to go beyond classroom academics. As a result, you build practical skills that are relevant to the field you are interested in.
These programs are typically led by experienced faculty and professionals, who act as mentors and become part of your network. You also interact with like-minded peers as you develop communication and collaboration skills. Here are some project-based programs for you to choose from.
10 Summer Project-Based Learning Programs for Middle School Students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: 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 may consider Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program. In this guided research program, you are paired with PhD mentors from prestigious universities, such as Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Princeton, who are experts from various fields. You can expect to conduct original research and gain specialized knowledge in your chosen subject. During the program, you learn 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 also develop research and scientific communication skills through 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: $1,895; scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Various sessions with different lengths
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students aged 13 and older
This is a medical research program for students looking to pursue medicine and related STEM fields, such as medical research, pharmacology, biostatistics, and the sciences.. Here, you discover how researchers formulate and conduct experiments and analyze data. You develop an original study based on the techniques you learn. The capstone project involves creating a video presentation on the components of the scientific method for clinical trials. You learn clinical research, the process of evidence-based medicine, and the ethics of medical research. You also explore basic biostatistics and epidemiology along with the role of clinical trials in driving innovation.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (weekends) during the spring cohort, or 25 hours over 2 weeks (weekdays) during the summer cohort
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8
If you are looking for an interdisciplinary program, Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers program may meet your requirements. You can gain a fundamental understanding of AI and machine learning through this program. It teaches you a diverse set of topics such as Python, data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. Upon completing the theoretical component, you apply your learnings to a practical project. This project must apply a technological solution to 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.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: July 6 – 31
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Rising 7th–8th graders who are NYC residents
SoSC is a selective program for you to explore engineering and technology. This program teaches you coding, microcontroller programming, electronics, and circuitry basics. The theoretical aspects cover environmental and urban science. Together, you gain a holistic understanding of how technology can help make urban life safer and sustainable. You then work in groups on a project to address an urban problem using engineering and technology. At the end of the program, you present this project to the cohort.
Location: Duke University, Durham, NC
Cost: $3,905 (commuter) | $6,050 (residential)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 13 – 24 (Session 1) | June 28 – July 9 (Session 2) | July 13 – 24 (Session 3)
Application Deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8 with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, at least 11 years old, and who have completed one year of middle school
Duke University offers a range of pre-college programs for middle and high schoolers. Throughout the 12-day programs, you can expect to engage with a rigorous curriculum and complete practical activities in groups. Each track culminates in a capstone project specific to the subject, thereby solidifying your learnings. Practical activities may involve debates, case studies, role-playing activities, and so on. The courses are taught by Duke Ph.D. and graduate students as well as industry experts.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited spaces
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Cost: $699 per week
Dates: June 8 – 12
Application Deadline: First-come, first-served basis
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8
This program by Rice University invites middle schoolers to explore a career as a scientist or engineer. You partake in hands-on activities involving Computer-Aided Design (CAD) programming. You learn manufacturing techniques using rapid prototyping and 3D printers. You use robotics, and microelectronics to develop programming skills and complete projects. Thus, through this program, you explore STEM fields and their real-life applications.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: July 13 – 17
Application Deadline: March
Eligibility: Rising 8th–9th graders
SEE is a week-long program for you to study science, engineering, and math with like-minded peers. As a middle schooler, you can opt for the Making & Engineering track. Here, you delve into engineering and design concepts. As the week progresses, you complete two projects. The first is a group project, where you complete a structured assignment. You can work individually or in a small team for the second project. Through this program, you strengthen your problem solving, design, and critical thinking skills.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Cost: $1,550; financial aid available
Dates: June 22 – 26 (Session 2) | July 6 – 10 (Session 3)
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7–9
This program by the Lawrence Hall of Science is for middle schoolers to explore the world of animals and the way they behave. You learn how scientists and researchers observe, describe, and figure out what drives animal actions in both natural habitats and in environments that have been changed for experiments. For the practical project, you design and execute an original animal observation study, thus developing critical thinking and research skills. You present this project at the end of the program. Beyond academics, you tour the research facilities and interact with STEM professionals.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 6 students per cohort
Location: Virtual
Cost: From $2,599
Dates: July 6 – 31
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students aged 11–18
Students interested in coding can opt for this Berkeley program in AI and data science. The program introduces you to coding using Python, which is crucial for understanding big data. During the program, you discover how to create visualizations, build machine learning models, and apply AI in the real world. You participate in lectures as well as cohort time. In the lectures, you learn new concepts and techniques. You also maintain a coding notebook as you go. In small cohorts, you apply theory to complete practical projects in small groups. This involves conducting original research on a relevant topic. By the end, you will have a portfolio of work and a certificate of completion.
10. EXPLO 360°
Location: Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
Cost: $6,295 (overnight) | $4,045 (day); financial aid may be available
Dates:
Session 1: June 28 – July 11 (overnight) | June 29 – July 10 (day)
Session 2: July 12 – July 25 (overnight) | July 13 – July 24 (day)
Application Deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Rising 7th–9th graders
This is a customizable program where you can choose from a range of tracks based on your interests. You select 2 workshops and 2 electives that you participate in throughout the program. Tracks are available in science, law, government, arts, and more. While workshops are collaborative and project-based experiences, electives focus on skill development. The program allows you to step into the shoes of various professions and determine your future career path.
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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