12 Engineering Summer Camps for Middle School Students
Finding the right summer camp for middle school students can be a game-changer for early exposure to engineering and valuable peer networks. Summer camps offer a cost-effective way to explore different fields, including engineering, in a supportive environment. Many universities and organizations host these camps, providing opportunities for summer enrichment.
For students interested in engineering, technology, and design, attending a summer camp is a great way to explore these interests. You will gain practical experience, meet peers with similar interests, and connect with mentors. We've narrowed down the 12 best engineering summer camps for middle schoolers. Each camp provides a good balance of learning, exploration, and fun.
1. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign - Materials Science & Engineering Middle School Day Camp
Location: Champaign, IL.
Acceptance rate: 25-40%.
Dates: June 16 - 20.
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines.
Eligibility: Middle school students in grades 7th and 8th, preference given to local students.
Cost: $20.
In this camp, you will adopt the mindset of a materials scientist by examining the various substances that make up the world around us. Throughout this week-long opportunity, you will study how materials are assembled, their potential uses, and how they can be altered or enhanced. Through activities, you will delve into the materials that drive our society, explore the methods used to create them, gain insight into their functions, and learn how to predict their future developments. Additionally, you will investigate techniques for making materials stronger, cleaner, more intelligent, vibrant, or lighter.
2. Veritas AI - AI Trailblazers
Location: Virtual.
Acceptance rate: Highly selective.
Dates: 25 hours over 2 weeks (weekdays during the summer).
Application Deadline: Early Admission: March 23 | Regular Admission 1: April 27 | Regular Admission 2: May 25 | Summer II: June 22.
Eligibility: Middle school students in grades 6-8 are eligible to apply.
Cost: $1,990. Need-based financial aid is available.
AI Trailblazers is a 10-week bootcamp designed for middle school students interested in exploring the fundamentals of artificial intelligence. The first two weeks focus on developing skills in Python programming, providing the necessary tools to begin creating individual data science projects. In weeks three to five, you will be introduced to core concepts in AI, such as regression analysis, neural networks, and natural language processing. The latter half of the program, spanning weeks six through ten, allows you to engage deeply with advanced topics and apply your skills to real-world datasets, gaining practical experience with AI systems. Throughout the bootcamp, you will explore areas like image classification, deep learning, sentiment analysis, and the importance of ethics in AI development.
3. Oregon State University - Engineering Camp
Location: Corvallis, OR.
Acceptance rate: Selective.
Dates: July 21 - 25.
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines.
Eligibility: Middle school students entering grades 6-8 are eligible to apply.
Cost: $320. Need-based scholarships are available.
Over a week, middle school students will engage with a variety of disciplines within engineering. Activities include constructing solar-powered cars, experimenting with chromatography, designing chemical reaction vehicles, reverse engineering exercises, working with super absorbent polymers, 3D modeling and printing, programming with Ozobots, and participating in K'NEX building challenges. You will be introduced to key engineering design elements, collaboration, and problem-solving. The activities explore various engineering principles by integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
4. Lumiere - Junior Explorer Program (JEP)
Location: Virtual.
Acceptance rate: Highly selective.
Dates: The program runs for 8 weeks in the summer.
Application Deadline: Early Admission: February 9 | Priority Admission: March 9 | Regular Admission 1: April 13 | Regular Admission 2: May 11 | Summer II: June 23.
Eligibility: Middle school students in grades 6-8 can apply.
Cost: $2,400. Need-based financial aid is available.
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program allows middle school students to explore topics like engineering, biology, computer science, mathematics, and more. You will work on small research projects, gaining hands-on experience in scientific methodologies, receive one-on-one mentorship from PhD candidates from leading universities, and present your findings at the end of the program. In the first few weeks, you’ll explore various topics within your chosen track before choosing one to create a high school-level project in. The program helps you improve your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities by giving you access to real-world activities, experiments, and mentorship opportunities.
5. NC State University - Imagine Engineering Camp
Location: Raleigh, NC.
Cohort size: 6 students per camp.
Dates: Camp I: July 7–11 | Camp II: July 14–18.
Application Deadline: Applications open on January 13 and close on March 28.
Eligibility: Rising 6th to 8th graders are eligible to apply.
Cost: $500. Need-based financial aid is available.
Throughout this week-long day camp, you will work in groups to explore how engineers contribute to society, gaining experience through projects, experiments, and design challenges. New activities are introduced each year, offering fresh perspectives on the Engineering Design Process. Previous activities have included building earthquake-resistant bridges, creating solar-powered boats, programming with SNAP, and making nitrogen ice cream. These experiences will teach you how engineers approach and solve problems to benefit communities.
6. University of Georgia - Robotics A
Location: Athens, GA.
Dates: July 7 – 11.
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines.
Eligibility: Middle school students aged 11-14 can apply.
Cost: Day Camp: $530 | Residential Camp: $1,255.
During this camp, you will learn about robotics and mechanical engineering. From understanding the mechanics of vehicles to exploring the complex coding behind gaming consoles, you will discover how robotics connects various technologies. This camp emphasizes hands-on learning, giving you the tools and coding skills necessary to build and refine your own robots. Throughout the program, you will navigate the design process, seeing your creations evolve with each new challenge. Participants are required to purchase a robotics kit before attending the UGA Robotics Camp.
7. University of Illinois Chicago - Engineering Summer Camp
Location: Chicago, IL.
Cohort size: 30 students.
Dates: July 14 – 18.
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines.
Eligibility: Rising 6th to 8th graders are eligible to apply.
Cost: $500.
In the camp, you will explore a different engineering discipline daily, engaging with five topics over five days. You will tackle challenges based on concepts developed by UIC Engineering faculty and graduate researchers, with over 15 engineering projects integrated into the camp experience. Working in teams of two to three, you will complete tasks ranging from writing computer code to projects in robotics and biomechanics. In addition to the practical sessions, you will gain insight into emerging engineering fields such as nanotechnology, autonomous vehicles, and organ transplantation. The five areas of focus for the camp include Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Software Engineering, Environmental Sustainability Planning (ESP), and Mechanical and Industrial Engineering.
8. Temple University - Philadelphia Youth for STEM (PY-STEM)
Location: Philadelphia, PA.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment.
Dates: July 7 - 11.
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines.
Eligibility: Middle school students who have completed 5th- 7th grades can apply.
Cost: $415. Need-based scholarships are available.
Temple University's Philadelphia Youth STEM Camp offers a week-long experiential learning opportunity for middle school students interested in STEM fields. The camp aims to introduce you to the mechanics of the world around us. The curriculum combines problem-based learning activities with laboratory tours, demonstrations, and teamwork and leadership development. You will collaborate with mentors from Temple’s College of Engineering, gaining exposure to the interdisciplinary nature of engineering, design thinking, and problem-solving.
9. Colorado State University - Engineering Your World
Location: Fort Collins, CO.
Dates: June 23 – 27.
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines.
Eligibility: Middle school students aged 12 - 14 can apply.
Cost: $500. Need-based scholarships are available.
Throughout this week-long camp, middle school students will work within CSU’s mechanical engineering laboratories, including its advanced 3D printing facility. You will explore mechanical, civil, electrical, chemical, and biomedical engineering through a series of projects. In previous sessions, students have designed, built, and tested spaghetti bridges, prosthetic legs, Mars lander egg-drop devices, swamp coolers, saltwater circuits, artificial biceps, clay boats, and analyzed the effectiveness of sunscreens and created slime. The program offers ten activities that simulate lab environments and encourage creativity while addressing engineering challenges across five disciplines. You will strengthen key critical thinking, time management, and problem-solving skills. You will also engage in data collection and analysis, experimentation, modeling, investigation, and material processing.
10. Southern Methodist University - Introduction to Engineering
Location: Dallas, TX.
Cohort size: 20 students.
Dates: Boys Only Camp: July 7–11 | Girls Only Camp: July 14–18 | Co-ed Camp: July 21–25.
Application Deadline: Applications open on February 17 and are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Eligibility: Rising 7th and 8th-grade students are eligible to apply.
Cost: $600.
This camp is for middle school students with minimal or no experience in engineering, design, or integrated STEM. Through activities and projects that reflect the engineering design process, you will learn foundational concepts and processes across fields such as electrical, mechanical, civil, environmental, and computer science. Faculty, staff, and counselors from the Caruth Institute for Engineering Education develop the curriculum and projects. You will receive guidance from SMU Lyle Engineering students, who will provide support in class and serve as mentors.
11. UC Berkeley - Girls in Engineering
Location: Berkeley, CA.
Cohort size: 75 students.
Dates: Session 1: July 7 – July 11 | Session 2: July 14 – July 18.
Application Deadline: Applications open on January 22 and close on March 28.
Eligibility: Middle school students entering 6th - 8th grades in the Fall who live in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Cost: $850. Need-based full and partial scholarships are available.
Designed for middle school students interested in science, technology, engineering, art, and math, this camp is led by Berkeley faculty, engineers, and student counselors. You will explore engineering leadership through communication and teamwork, learn design innovation through collaborative projects, and engage in problem-solving through lab demonstrations. The program provides a curriculum focused on teamwork and communication skills. Small group settings encourage peer connections and offer individualized attention. You will have opportunities to express your creativity and deepen your understanding of engineering.
12. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign - Discover Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Middle School Day Camp
Location: Champaign, IL.
Acceptance rate: 25-40%.
Dates: June 16 - 20.
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines.
Eligibility: Students in grades 7th and 8th. Preference is given to local students.
Cost: $550. Need-based financial aid is available.
This day camp offers middle school students an introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). You will explore foundational concepts in ECE, including electronic circuits and digital logic, and more advanced subjects such as probability and biomedical imaging. The program is designed to help you appreciate how technological advancements in ECE influence everyday life. You can also tour cutting-edge research and instructional facilities across the university. A key camp component involves working on a team project under the mentorship of current ECE undergraduate students, culminating in a final team presentation at the camp’s end.
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