12 Tech Summer Programs for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Jun 13
- 7 min read
If you’re a middle school student interested in technology, summer programs can be a smart, low-cost way to start exploring the field. These programs introduce you to advanced topics like coding, robotics, AI, and cybersecurity in a way that’s hands-on and easy to follow.
You’ll pick up practical skills that go beyond what you usually learn in school. Many also give you access to industry tools, project-based learning, and mentors who can show you what tech careers look like. Since they’re short and often more affordable than high school or pre-college programs, these options are ideal for trying out different areas of tech before committing to something more intensive later.
To make your search easier, we’ve picked out 12 of the best tech summer programs for middle school students!
12 Tech Summer Programs for Middle School Students
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program (JEP) is an 8-week online research program for middle school students in grades 6 to 8. You work one-on-one with PhD mentors from top universities like Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and Yale. The program starts with exploring several topics in your chosen field, then you focus on a specific research project.
You spend the final weeks developing that project with your mentor’s help. JEP offers tracks like AI and data science, computer science, physics, biology, economics, psychology, and more. By the end, you’ll have hands-on research experience and a project that shows your skills at a high school level.
Cost: $2,400; full financial aid available
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Extremely selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June-August), Fall (September-December), Winter (December-February), and Spring (March-June).
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Eligibility: Middle school students (Grades 6–8) with a strong academic interest
The Veritas AI Trailblazers Program is a virtual, project-based course for middle school students interested in AI and machine learning. The 25-hour curriculum covers Python programming, data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics.
With a 5:1 student-to-mentor ratio, you get personalized instruction and guidance on projects. You’ll work on hands-on projects like building machine-learning models to classify music and developing AI recommendation systems.
Cost: $1,790; need-based financial aid available
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly exclusive cohorts with a student-to-mentor ratio of 5:1
Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (on weekends) during the spring cohort and 25 hours over 2 weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort.
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines.
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8
The Creativity and AI Workshop is part of MIT’s Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education (RAISE) initiative. It’s a free virtual workshop for middle school students that introduces you to artificial intelligence and machine learning.
The focus is on using AI creatively. You’ll learn how to use AI tools to make art and music. The workshop is hands-on, with lots of chances to explore creating art both with and without AI. It also covers GANs, a type of AI that generates images and music.
Cost: Free
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small cohort of 20-25 students
Dates: Varies annually, keep an eye on the website for details
Application Deadline: Varies annually, keep an eye on the website for details
Eligibility: Middle school students (grades 6-8) with an interest in AI
CyberPatriot is a national cybersecurity education program run by the Air & Space Forces Association. It’s aimed at middle and high school students and includes summer camps and competitions to introduce you to cybersecurity and IT careers. The main feature is the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, where you take on the role of an IT professional tasked with finding and fixing security flaws in virtual systems.
Alongside that, week-long summer camps are held across 10 different dates, covering topics like intro to cybersecurity, cyber ethics, virtual machines, and specific systems like Windows 10 and Mint.
Camps are split into standard and advanced levels, depending on your experience. They are hosted by schools, nonprofits, and organizations registered with the CyberPatriot Program Office.
Cost: $1200 for standard camps, $1500 for advanced camps
Location: Multiple locations from partner organizations nationwide
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; varies by location
Dates: 10 programs available between June 2 to August 15, each lasting one week.
Application Deadline: Varies by location
Eligibility: Middle schoolers with an interest in cybersecurity
The Penn GEMS program is a one-week day camp hosted by the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. It introduces middle school students to different engineering fields through hands-on projects.
You’ll explore areas like bioengineering, nanotechnology, materials science, graphics, and computing. The camp focuses on teamwork and problem-solving, with mentors guiding you to apply engineering basics to real-world problems.
Cost: $650
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small, exclusive cohort
Dates: June 23 – June 27
Application Deadline: March 3
Eligibility: Students currently in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade who will be entering 7th, 8th, or 9th grade in the upcoming academic year, who live within a 60-mile radius of the UPenn campus
iD Tech runs summer camps at over 75 campuses across the U.S. for middle school students focused on technology. The camps cover coding, game development, robotics, and design.
Each camp lasts two to four weeks and offers day and overnight options. The teaching uses the iD Tech Pathway system, which gamifies learning to build skills through hands-on projects. These camps combine education with fun to help you develop a strong interest in technology.
Cost: Camp prices vary by location and duration
Location: More than 75 universities across the country
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; class sizes typically 5-10 students
Dates: Two- to four-week sessions held on varying dates throughout the summer
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until sessions are full
Eligibility: Students aged 10-15
The Science of Smart Cities (SoSC) is a fully funded, four-week program at NYU Tandon School of Engineering for rising 7th and 8th graders. It explores computer science, engineering, and technology focused on making cities more sustainable and safe.
The program covers basics like electronics, circuitry, coding, microcontroller programming, and environmental science. You work in teams with other students to develop solutions to real-world environmental challenges related to smart cities and urban planning.
Cost: Fully funded
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Extremely competitive
Dates: July 7 – August 1
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: New York City residents aged 12 to 14 with a strong academic record and a passion for STEM
The Tech Explorer Camp at the University of North Texas is a five-day program for middle and high school students interested in technology. Held at Frisco Landing, the camp is led by UNT faculty and PhD researchers from the Department of Information Science.
You’ll get an introduction to careers like user experience research, IT, and library and information science. The camp starts with the basics and builds up to advanced topics like human-computer interaction, informatics, and future human-technology partnerships.
Cost: $350
Location: Frisco Landing, University of North Texas, Frisco, TX
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 8 – 12
Application Deadline: July 5
Eligibility: Middle and high school students with an interest in technology
RoboCamp is a one-week daytime program at Illinois Tech for middle school students interested in robotics. You’ll build and program your robots using an Arduino kit, learning how to work with sensors, motors, and basic coding.
The camp focuses on hands-on, team-based projects that involve solving real design challenges. Along the way, you also get a feel for what college life is like at a STEM-focused university, giving you early exposure to engineering and technology in action.
Cost: $600
Location: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small batch sizes
Dates: June 23 – 27
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Rising sixth through eighth graders
Summer P.E.A.K.S. (Programs for Enrichment and Accelerated Knowledge in STEAM) is a modular summer program hosted at Georgia Tech for middle school students interested in science, technology, engineering, art, and math. You can choose from weekly courses in subjects like coding, 3D game design, engineering, data science, and AI.
All courses are taught by Georgia Tech faculty and designed to give you a hands-on. introduction to advanced topics. You get to decide how many courses to take, making it flexible based on your schedule and interests.
Cost: Each course costs $500, with residential options costing $1,550. Financial aid is available.
Location: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No minimum GPA requirement, but limited spots per course.
Dates: The program runs between June and July, depending on which courses you opt for.
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines for each course.
Eligibility: Rising 6th–8th grade students
Build + Learn Middle School Camp at Indiana Tech is a week-long day camp for middle school students interested in exploring science, engineering, math, and technology through hands-on projects. You’ll get to run experiments, design and test structures, and use computer-aided design software.
The camp introduces you to skills and topics that go beyond your regular middle. school classes. You’ll also tour Indiana Tech’s labs and facilities, which gives you a feel for what studying STEM in college could look like.
Cost: $200
Location: Indiana Tech, Fort Wayne, IN
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small batch size but relatively open entry criteria
Dates: June 2–6
Application Deadline: May 26
Eligibility: Middle school students
12. Camp Invention
Camp Invention is a nationwide STEM program for students entering grades K–6, including middle schoolers in the early years. Every year, the camp rolls out a new set of hands-on activities focused on invention, creativity, and problem-solving.
You’ll take on challenges like building prototypes, working with circuits, and designing engineering solutions. The camp is led by local teachers and runs in over 1,500 locations across the country—schools, community centers, and local facilities, so there’s a good chance you’ll find one near you.
Cost: Starts at $275; varies by location
Location: Over 1,500 locations nationwide
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; varies by location
Dates: Varies by location
Application Deadline: Varies by location
Eligibility: Students entering grades K–6
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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