10 Winter Science Enrichment Programs for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 1 minute ago
- 7 min read
Winter is a good time for middle schoolers to pursue academic enrichment opportunities. If you’re considering a future in STEM, there are plenty of science programs that can provide valuable exposure to advanced concepts, teach you skills, and help you explore potential career paths. Enrichment programs offer a chance to engage in practical learning, connect with mentors, and collaborate with other students on projects.
We have narrowed down a list of the 10 top winter science enrichment programs for middle school students. Our selection criteria focused on academic rigor, strong networking opportunities, and the prestige of host organizations.
10 Winter Science Enrichment Programs for Middle School Students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Around 20%
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by program
Dates: Cohort 1 – December 8 to January 26, Cohort 2 – January 19 to March 16
Application Deadline: Multiple rolling deadlines for JEP cohorts across the year, you can apply using this application link!
Eligibility: Ambitious students in grades 6-8
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is a program for middle school students to work one-on-one with a mentor to explore their academic interests and build a project they are passionate about. Our mentors are scholars from top research universities such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Duke, and LSE.
The program was founded by a Harvard & Oxford PhD who met as undergraduates at Harvard. The program is rigorous and fully virtual. We offer need-based financial aid for students who qualify. You can find the application in the brochure!
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: Free
Dates: After-school and weekend sessions throughout the school year
Application Deadline: Applications are typically accepted in the summer for the upcoming school year.
Eligibility: Philadelphia-area students entering grades 6-9
The Partnerships for Achieving Careers in Technology and Science (PACTS) program at The Franklin Institute is a year-round youth development program. Students participate in science workshops, career exploration, and mentorship activities outside of school, including weekends during the winter. There are three different workshops that each meet twice a month: a robotics workshop which will have you designing, building, programming, and operating a robot and even using it to compete in robotics challenges, a Science in the City workshop that teaches you all about modern architecture and city planning, and a broad-scope Science Investigators workshop that covers everything from environmental science to forensics. Regardless of which workshop you’re interested in, you’ll benefit from peer-to-peer mentorship from PACTS Ambassadors who are high school STEM scholars, greatly improving your overall learning experience. The program is a long-term commitment designed to build a strong foundation for a future STEM career. This program is offered completely free of charge to accepted students. It provides consistent, high-quality engagement with science in a world-class museum setting.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective, with small class sizes
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by program
Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (on weekends)
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8. No prior coding experience is required.
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.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment at club locations
Location: Various schools, libraries, and community centers nationwide
Cost: Free
Dates: Typically run weekly throughout the school year.
Application Deadline: Varies by club; many accept members in the fall
Eligibility: Girls in grades 3-12 (specific clubs for grades 6-12), all skill levels welcome
Girls Who Code offers free after-school clubs across the country for students to learn computer science in a supportive environment. These clubs run throughout the school year, making them a great winter enrichment option. The curriculum is project-based, allowing students to learn coding fundamentals while working on projects that interest them. The clubs aim to build a strong sisterhood and close the gender gap in technology. Finding a local club (or even creating your own!) can be an empowering and educational experience for any middle school girl interested in STEM.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Top 10% of participants from affiliated fairs are invited to apply; 30 finalists are selected nationally.
Location: Local science fairs; national competition in Washington, D.C.
Cost: No cost to enter the competition; affiliated fair fees may apply
Dates: Affiliated fairs run from January through March
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary by local science fair
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8 who participate in a Society for Science-affiliated fair
The Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge is a prestigious national competition for middle school science fair winners. To qualify, students must first participate in a Society for Science-affiliated science fair, many of which take place during the winter months. The process of developing a science fair project is a powerful enrichment experience in itself, teaching students research methodology, data analysis, and presentation skills. Placing in the top 10% at a qualifying fair earns a nomination to the national final, offering a pathway to national recognition and significant awards.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by course (typically ~$800-$1,500 per course); financial aid is available.
Dates: The CTY Winter Session runs from January to March; the Spring Session runs from April to June
Application Deadline: December 15
Eligibility: Students in grades 2-12
The Johns Hopkins CTY offers a wide range of online courses for academically advanced students. Their winter sessions allow you to explore STEM subjects, from biology and physics to computer science and engineering, at an accelerated pace. Courses are offered across a variety of formats, such as live, session-based, and even individually paced. All courses are instructor-led and designed to foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills. While not a single cohort-based program, these courses provide academic rigor and the flexibility to explore a specific passion from home, making it a top-tier enrichment option.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open to school-based teams
Location: Competitions are held locally and at the state level
Cost: Team registration fees vary by state
Dates: The competition season is primarily January through March
Application Deadline: School registration typically occurs in the fall
Eligibility: Middle school students (Division B) participate through their registered school
Science Olympiad is a premier team-based STEM competition where students compete in 23 events spanning various scientific disciplines, from anatomy and physiology to engineering and physics. The season ramps up during the winter, with regional and state tournaments taking place between January and March. Students work collaboratively to prepare for events, which can involve studying advanced concepts, building devices, or even conducting lab experiments. This program offers an extensive breadth of exposure to various STEM fields, thanks in part to the prep materials, webinars, and science kits available on their website. It’s a valuable enrichment experience for students who want to explore multiple areas of science in a hands-on, competitive environment.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open to anyone who can form a team
Location: Teams are often school or community-based; competitions are local and regional
Cost: $325 registration, an estimated $1500 for materials, and optional professional development and training courses that can vary from $0 to $2500
Dates: The competition season runs from fall through early spring, with most qualifiers in winter
Application Deadline: Team registration is typically in the late summer/early fall
Eligibility: 7th -12th graders
FIRST offers team-based robotics programs that are highly engaging and educational. The FIRST Tech Challenge asks teams to design, build, and program a robot to compete in an annual challenge. The competitions range from the local to the international, and it’s a great opportunity to learn the fundamentals of robotics, mechanics, and electronics in a high-stakes environment. FIRST Tech also provides a wealth of resources on their website, right from Technical Resources to help you create your robot, to Career Awareness courses to help you understand the career benefits of pursuing a robotics challenge. If you are interested in any or all of engineering, coding, and strategy, the FIRST Tech Challenge makes for a highly enriching experience.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open to all middle schools; teams can be quite selective at the school level.
Location: School-based teams with local, state, and national competitions.
Cost: Low registration fee per school (financial aid available to Title I schools)
Dates: School-level training runs through the fall and winter; competitions are in February
Application Deadline: School registration closes December 15; November 5 for the early bird discount
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8 are eligible to participate through their school
Mathcounts is one of the most respected mathematics competitions for middle school students in the United States. While it is a competition, the preparation and team practices function as a rigorous enrichment program throughout the school year. Students work with a coach to master topics in algebra, geometry, probability, and number theory, with local and chapter competitions typically held in February. Preparation for the competition builds problem-solving skills, mathematical confidence, and teamwork. The competition is structured across 4 levels – school, chapter, state, and national, and each level comprises 4 rounds—Sprint, Target, Team, and Countdown Round. This makes each tier function as a rigorous test of your skills, making success in Mathcounts a notable achievement that signals strong analytical abilities.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $500 per quarter
Dates: January 13 – March 19, with days depending on batch
Application Deadline: Applications for the winter session are usually due in December
Eligibility: Students in grades 7-8
Stanford's Online Math Circles are enrichment courses designed for students who are passionate about mathematics. In these live, online sessions, you will collaborate to explore complex mathematical topics and solve challenging problems under the guidance of expert instructors. The program emphasizes creative thinking and a deep understanding of concepts beyond the standard curriculum. It is a highly prestigious and engaging enrichment program that runs throughout the school year, with a dedicated winter session.
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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