14 Chemistry Summer Programs for Middle School Students
As a middle school student, summer programs give you a chance to explore subjects beyond your regular classroom and discover what truly interests you. They can help you build confidence, meet peers with similar passions, and get early exposure to higher-level concepts. You’ll also start forming connections with mentors and students who share your interests, helping you build your network.
What are the benefits of a chemistry program?
Chemistry programs let you explore how substances interact and change, showcasing the practical applications of the subject. You’ll learn to observe, measure, and analyse changes in matter while uncovering how chemistry connects to everyday life, from food and medicine to energy and the environment. These experiences often combine academic exploration with practical skill-building, giving you the space to experiment, ask questions, and think more independently.
To help with your search, we have 14 chemistry summer programs for middle school students.
If you are looking for STEM summer programs, check out our blog here.
1. dynaMIT
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Week 1: August 11 – 15; Week 2: August 18 – 22
Application Deadline: March 3.
Eligibility: Rising 6th to 9th-grade students attending school in Massachusetts
At dynaMIT, you’ll spend a week exploring science and engineering through hands-on experiments guided by MIT student mentors. This chemistry summer program for middle school students encourages experimentation and collaborative problem-solving across several STEM fields. You’ll analyse real-world problems using math, biology, chemistry, and physics concepts while discovering how scientific ideas connect to everyday life. Activities have included investigating fingerprints in mock detective cases, modelling the life cycle of stars, and programming Arduino microcontrollers. You’ll also learn to observe patterns, test hypotheses, and interpret data like a scientist.
2. Veritas AI's AI Trailblazers
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (spring cohorts) or 2 weeks (summer cohorts)
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Middle school students
In the AI Trailblazers program by Veritas AI, you’ll study how data and algorithms can be applied to real-world problems, including those found in chemistry and materials science. You’ll learn Python and explore key topics in data analysis, regression, image classification, and neural networks. Working in small groups with a mentor, you might build a model that predicts chemical reactions or classifies different compounds based on their molecular properties. Along the way, you’ll discuss AI ethics and learn how machine learning supports modern scientific research.
3. State Pre-College Enrichment Program (S-PREP)
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 31
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: Students in grades 7–12 with an 80% grade average in math and science
The S-PREP program offers a mix of advanced math and science courses designed to prepare you for future studies in medicine, chemistry, and related STEM fields. You can take subjects such as General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Biochemistry, all structured to strengthen your understanding of molecular interactions and lab research. The program also includes workshops on college readiness and scientific careers, connecting classroom theory with long-term academic goals. You’ll work alongside instructors and peers who share your interest in exploring how chemistry underpins biology and medicine. For middle school students seeking a chemistry summer program that bridges academic and professional development, S-PREP provides both structure and depth.
4. Lumiere Junior Explorer Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Several cohorts year-round
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Middle school students
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program pairs you with a research mentor from top universities to explore academic topics that interest you. You can choose any topic you’re interested in, including chemistry. Over eight weeks, you’ll design and complete an independent project, ranging from a research paper to a case study, while learning how to conduct research systematically. Early sessions help you identify areas of curiosity, while later weeks focus on deep analysis and project creation. You’ll gain experience in writing, critical thinking, and inquiry-based learning through one-on-one mentorship.
5. UT Southwestern STARS Middle School Camp
Location: UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 30 students/camp
Dates: June 26 – July 2
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Current 7th-grade students
The STARS Middle School Camp at UT Southwestern gives you hands-on experience across biology, physics, and chemistry through guided lab exercises. You’ll explore foundational chemical ideas by balancing equations, identifying elements and compounds, and experimenting with the Law of Conservation of Mass. Other activities, like making ice cream or studying seasonal changes, help you connect chemistry to biology and the physical world. The instructors are experienced middle school teachers who walk you through every experiment and discussion.
6. Stony Brook University’s Science Exploration Program
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY,
Cost: $675
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 24 students/grade level
Dates: June 30 - July 10
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising 7th, 8th, and 9th graders
The Science Exploration Program is a chemistry summer program for middle school students that introduces them to laboratory-based investigations in chemistry, biology, and environmental science. You’ll strengthen your lab techniques through guided experiments, data collection, and analysis while exploring how science helps explain everyday phenomena. In the chemistry-focused sessions, you’ll study topics like bioremediation, genetics, and environmental chemistry through case studies such as cholera and homeostasis. Each session involves hands-on lab work, reading, computer research, and teamwork, giving you a strong foundation in scientific thinking.
7. Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY)—Chemistry in Society
Location: Loyola Marymount University, CA; Dickinson College, PA; Skidmore College, NY
Cost: Varies by location (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 18–20 students/class
Dates: Several sessions across June – August
Application Deadline: May 16
Eligibility: 7th to 11th graders who haven’t taken high school chemistry and have achieved a qualifying score on an advanced placement test
Chemistry in Society introduces you to the chemistry behind modern challenges like clean energy, food production, and medicine. This chemistry summer program is designed to blend laboratory skills with discussions about how chemistry shapes communities and technology. You’ll work in a lab to analyse water samples, test solubility, and conduct calorimetric experiments. Classroom simulations, such as a mock town hall on water safety, show how chemistry informs public decisions. You’ll also create biodiesel, make aspirin, and examine how chemical reactions relate to sustainability and health.
8. Calvin University Chemistry Camp
Location: Calvin University, Grand Rapids, MI
Cost: $220
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Several weeklong camps across June – July
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising 6th, 7th and 8th graders
At Calvin University’s Chem Camps, you’ll experiment with concepts that go far beyond the typical classroom lesson. You’ll explore how gases behave using CO₂ cannons, analyse everyday materials like food and slime, and test the properties of acids, bases, and metals. Each activity connects chemical theory to a physical reaction, helping you see the patterns that define matter and energy. Led by professors and experienced chemistry teachers, this chemistry summer camp for middle school students lets you conduct experiments in real university labs.
9. UC San Diego’s Sally Ride Science Academy—A Dose of Pharmacreations
Location: University of California, San Diego, CA
Cost: $275 (scholarships available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 14–18
Application Deadline: June 6
Eligibility: Middle school students
This is a chemistry summer program for middle school students where you’ll explore the intersection of chemistry, medicine, and technology through the lens of pharmacy. You’ll meet pharmaceutical experts, learn how drugs are formulated, and experiment with medical device trainers like EpiPens and inhalers. Activities are designed around real-world scenarios, showing how pharmacists use chemistry to solve problems and improve patient health outcomes. You’ll also practice essential STEAM skills such as communication, decision-making, and analytical thinking while customising a medication for a fictional patient.
10. Michigan Tech’s Summer Youth Programs—Wild World of Chemistry
Location: Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI
Cost: Starts at $1125 (residential) and $695 (commuter) + $50 lab fee (scholarships available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 11
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8
At Michigan Tech’s Wild World of Chemistry, you’ll dive into experiments that reveal how chemistry operates in the real world. You’ll synthesise aspirin, recycle plastics into cleaning agents, extract metals, and even use chemical evidence to solve a crime. Each lab shows how chemical reactions influence everything from medicine to sustainability. You’ll work with Michigan Tech researchers to connect hands-on investigations to ongoing scientific advancements. This chemistry summer program for middle school students offers a broad view of how chemical principles shape technology, energy, and everyday life.
11. North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics’ Beauty by Chemistry
Location: North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Durham, NC
Cost: $1,495 (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22 – 27 and July 13 – 18
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising 7th, 8th, and 9th graders
Beauty by Chemistry blends creative design with scientific experimentation as you explore how cosmetics are formulated. You’ll learn about the chemistry of emulsions, surfactants, and fragrances while creating lotions, lip balms, and bath bombs in the lab. Each activity connects ingredient function to chemical principles like solubility, pH balance, and reaction types. Discussions on sustainability and product safety help you understand how chemistry influences the beauty industry’s environmental impact. This chemistry summer program for middle school students encourages experimentation that turns chemistry into an everyday art form.
12. Penn GEMS (Girls in Engineering, Math, and Science)
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $650
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22 – 26
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Rising 7th, 8th, and 9th graders of all genders with a B average or higher, who live and attend school within 60 miles of Penn’s campus
At Penn GEMS, you’ll take part in projects that combine chemistry, engineering, and technology to explore how materials shape the world around us. You might learn about luminescent reactions during “Glow in the Dark Science” or investigate how chemical principles inform bioengineering and robotics design. Activities emphasise experimentation and teamwork, giving you a taste of research and engineering methods used by professionals. Each session connects big scientific ideas to hands-on projects guided by Penn faculty and mentors. While broader than a typical chemistry summer program for middle school students, it lets you experience how chemistry drives innovation across STEM fields.
13. Georgia Tech CEISMC Summer P.E.A.K.S.
Location: Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA
Cost: $400–$650 (scholarships available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Weekly sessions in June – July
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising 6th – 8th graders
Georgia Tech’s CEISMC Summer PEAKS program introduces middle school students to the applied side of science and engineering through project-based exploration. You’ll perform experiments and creative challenges that reinforce chemical, physical, and mathematical concepts while emphasising collaboration and problem-solving. Some sessions focus on topics like materials chemistry, environmental science, or the chemistry behind everyday products. With guidance from Georgia Tech faculty and students, you’ll learn to think like a scientist: testing hypotheses, collecting data, and presenting results.
14. Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY)—Crystals and Polymers
Location: Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA
Cost: $7,259 (residential), $6,459 (commuter) + $55 application fee (can be waived) + $180 (additional fees). Financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 14–16 students/class
Dates: Session One: June 22 – July 11; Session Two: July 13 – August 1
Application Deadline: May 16
Eligibility: Students in grades 5–6 who achieve a qualifying score on an advanced placement test (SAT/ACT or CTY's own test)
In JHU CTY’s Crystals and Polymers, you’ll explore the molecular science behind gems, plastics, and biopolymers. Starting from atoms and ions, you’ll grow crystals, make Silly Putty, and isolate DNA to understand how molecular structures determine material properties. You’ll investigate how temperature, bonding, and cross-linking change the behaviour of everyday materials, from packing peanuts to superabsorbent polymers. Along the way, you’ll use experiments and readings to connect chemistry concepts to real-world materials. This chemistry summer program for middle school students offers a hands-on approach to learning how molecular structure influences everything from colour to texture.
Image source - DynaMIT