15 Free Summer Math Programs for Middle School Students
Summer math programs for middle school students offer a chance to keep learning when school’s out. These opportunities help you build skills in problem-solving and logical thinking while having fun with math. Most are free, while some offer financial assistance, effectively making them free of cost. By joining one of these programs, you can strengthen your foundations for high school and even begin building an academic profile that will stand out to college admissions officers.
Many programs are taught by college faculty, industry professionals, or trained mentors, giving you early exposure to the applications of mathematics. You’ll tackle challenges beyond the standard school curriculum, which can boost your confidence and prepare you for more advanced courses.
Here are 15 free summer math programs for middle school students that you can check out!
15 Free Summer Math Programs for Middle School Students
1. Stanford Middle School Scholars Program: Real-Life Applications to Mathematics
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Cohort Size: 12 students per cohort
Dates: July 7 – July 25
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: 6th or 7th graders typically from low to medium-income backgrounds in the U.S.
SMSSP is a summer math program for middle school students that begins with a three-week intensive course where you learn to apply math to scenarios like cryptography and finance. The classes are live and interactive, and instructors teach you how to visualize problems and apply mathematical thinking to everyday situations. After the summer segment concludes, the program will resume with weekly online sessions during the fall. They’ll guide you through topics like academic writing, exploring selective high schools, and advanced math enrichment.
2. Veritas AI: Trailblazers Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Full need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Varies by cohort
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8
The AI Trailblazers program by Veritas AI is a virtual program that teaches middle school students the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and machine learning. You will participate in lectures and group sessions with a 5:1 student-to-mentor ratio. Over the course of more than 25 hours, you will cover the fundamentals of Python programming, along with topics such as data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. 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.
3. Math Corps (University of Michigan)
Location: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Cost: Free
Cohort Size: ~60 students (tentative)
Dates: July 7 – August 8
Application Deadline: Typically late spring
Eligibility: Students entering 6th-8th grade attending school in the Ypsilanti, MI area
Math Corps is a summer program that combines mathematics with mentorship and community-building by pairing middle school participants with high school student mentors and college-aged instructors. In a supportive environment, you will learn both basic and advanced math topics through engaging lessons in the mornings. You’ll also get help on problems and puzzles from your near-peer mentors in the afternoon. The curriculum teaches core skills and also introduces topics like modular arithmetic tricks or math-based magic card tricks to keep things interesting. Outside of math class, you’ll participate in enrichment activities such as robotics, art projects, and even field trips, making this feel more like a summer camp than summer school.
4. Lumiere Junior Explorer Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: 100% need-based financial aid available
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: 8 weeks per cohort; Multiple cohorts in a year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Rising 6th-8th graders
Lumiere Education’s Junior Explorer Program gives middle school students the chance to dive into an academic field and create a high-school-level research project. In this 8-week virtual program, you work one-on-one with a PhD mentor from a top university like Harvard, MIT, or Yale to explore math in depth. During the first half of the program, you’ll sample four different math topics within the curriculum, which could include areas like number theory, cryptography, data science, or geometry. After exploring several fields, you choose one focus area that excites you and spend the remaining weeks developing an independent project.
5. Pasadena City College Math Academy
Location: Pasadena City College, Pasadena, CA
Cost: Free
Cohort Size: 25 students per class
Dates: June 23 – August 1
Application Deadline: May 31
Eligibility: Rising 7th and 8th graders
Pasadena City College (PCC) offers a Math Academy each summer that is aimed at helping local middle schoolers strengthen their math fundamentals and get ahead for the next school year. When you enroll in the Math Academy, you choose from various courses, including math basics, pre-algebra, algebra 1, geometry, and more. Classes meet on the PCC campus, giving you a preview of college life as you walk the halls and even use campus facilities. In each course, you’ll cover key concepts, complete daily homework, and take quizzes or tests just like in a regular class. Upon conclusion, you will receive a letter grade to measure your progress. The program bridges middle and high school math, offering you a relaxed summer environment to develop your math skills while ensuring accountability through graded assignments.
6. MathPath
Location: Varies each year (rotating college campus)
Cost: $6,300; Up to 100% financial aid available
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: June 29 – July 27
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Students aged 11-14
MathPath is a four-week residential math camp designed for middle school students who are ahead in math and eager to explore challenging topics not usually taught in school. The program’s curriculum spans a range of deep mathematical topics, including number theory, combinatorics, geometry, game theory, the history of math, and more, giving you a taste of what mathematicians study. Each week, you’ll get to choose mini-courses and workshops that match your interests and ability level. There will also be daily “plenary” sessions where all students come together for interactive talks or guest lectures, and smaller breakout classes where you work hands-on in a specific area. Beyond academics, MathPath offers a variety of fun activities (from sports to board games) to help balance out the mental workload.
7. Texas State Mathworks Junior Summer Math Camp (JSMC)
Location: Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
Cost: $2,200; Need-based scholarships available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: ~20% (around 60 students per session)
Dates: June 1 – June 13
Application Deadline: February 15 (round 1); March 15 (round 2); April 16 (round 3)
Eligibility: Students entering 6th-8th grade
The Junior Summer Math Camp at Texas State (often referred to as JSMC) is a residential program designed to transform curious middle schoolers into creative problem solvers. Over two weeks, you will engage in intensive math classes taught by university professors and trained instructors. The curriculum is fast-paced and can explore advanced topics like combinatorics, number theory, non-Euclidean geometry, and probability. In the afternoons and evenings, you’ll join small study group sessions to work through problem sets (with help from camp counselors). JSMC offers academics blended with the fun of a summer camp, featuring math puzzles, competitions, sports, board games, and a field trip. It’s also not uncommon for JSMC alumni to go on to compete in math competitions or pursue advanced STEM courses in high school.
8. Mathcamp
Location: Lewis & Clark College, Portland, OR
Cost: $6,600; Free for U.S. and Canadian families with household income under $100,000; Need-based aid available for others
Cohort Size: 120 students
Dates: June 29 – August 3
Application Deadline: February 26
Eligibility: Students aged 13-18
Mathcamp is a math program that brings together some of the most talented students for five weeks of intense learning. There are no set classes you have to take. Instead, the camp offers dozens of courses and lectures on varied topics every week, and you get to decide what your schedule looks like. You might choose to study abstract algebra or topology in the morning and then attend a fun lecture on the mathematics of juggling in the afternoon. The faculty includes PhD students and professors, and they treat campers like young colleagues, exploring problems and conjectures together. Evenings and weekends have optional activities such as strategy game tournaments, talent shows, hiking trips, and campus-wide puzzles.
9. SigmaCamp
Location: Silver Lake Camp & Conference Center, Sharon, CT
Cost: $1,850; Up to 100% financial aid offered
Cohort Size: ~40-48 students
Dates: August 2 – August 9
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: Students between the ages of 12-16
SigmaCamp is a one-week sleepaway camp where you can explore mathematics and other STEM fields in an interdisciplinary environment. Its faculty is composed of professors and researchers from top universities like MIT, Yale, and Princeton who volunteer each summer. During the day, you’ll attend “Semilabs,” which are core workshops mixing theory with hands-on experiments or problem-solving. In the math Semilab, for example, you might tackle complex problems or learn about a branch of math rarely covered in school. Afternoons have elective lectures and, in true camp spirit, there’s a healthy dose of recreation and competition. Every year, campers compete in the Sigma Tournament, which involves solving math games and engineering challenges in teams. There are also traditional camp activities like swimming, sports, and campfires in the evenings.
10. Epsilon Camp
Location: Washington University in St. Louis, MO
Cost: $3,250 tuition + $150 registration fee; Up to 100% need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: July 13 – July 27
Application Deadline: January 8
Eligibility: Students between the ages of 7-12
Epsilon Camp is a two-week residential program aimed at exceptionally gifted younger math students, essentially the math prodigies of the middle school and late elementary age group. The camp divides participants into groups by age, and each group delves into deep mathematical topics appropriate for their level. Past Epsilon students as young as 8 or 9 have studied number theory and proof-based geometry, while the older kids explore subjects like combinatorics, algebraic curves, or even beginning calculus. Classes are taught by mathematicians and experienced educators who know how to challenge young minds while keeping things engaging. Camp days are balanced with fun activities, such as game nights, field trips to local sites (city explorations or museum visits). The goal is to provide a stimulating environment where you can push your limits and thrive, both academically and socially, among a community that.
11. Bard Math CAMP
Location: Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
Cost: $500; Need-based scholarships available
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: August 4 – August 8
Application Deadline: Not specified; Rolling
Eligibility: Students in grades 5-8
The Bard Math CAMP (Computational Algebraic Math Program) is a one-week, non-residential program for middle school students who are excited about mathematics. This program is ideal if you have a solid grasp of your school math and want to see what else math can do. Classes are taught by Bard College faculty and experienced educators, and they emphasize teamwork and creative problem-solving rather than rote learning. You might find yourself working with a team on an open-ended problem or doing a project that connects math to another field. Bard Math CAMP gives you a taste of college-style learning in a low-pressure environment. You get to explore advanced topics, experiment with math games and puzzles, and see how math is applied creatively, all while working closely with other motivated middle schoolers.
12. C& (Campersand)
Location: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
Cost: $1,850 tuition + $1,400 housing; Financial assistance available
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: July 6 – July 12
Application Deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Students aged 9-18
Campersand is a math and computer science camp hosted at UNM that functions as a family residential camp. Students attend classes during the day, and a parent or guardian stays on campus as well, with parallel workshops sometimes offered for the adults. The camp offers a variety of classes separated by age group and subject. As a middle school participant, you might take a class on creative number theory puzzles, dive into a beginner programming course, or explore an exciting topic like zero-knowledge proofs or cryptography. The classes emphasize discovery and playfulness, ensuring you learn concepts through games, interactive demonstrations, and collaborative projects rather than tests and grades. Outside class time, there are group activities and family recreation events to enjoy the camp atmosphere.
13. AlphaStar Math Program
Location: St. Joseph of Cupertino School, Cupertino, CA (in-person) or Virtual
Cost: $875 – $3,250; Discounts available
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Varies by course; Multiple sessions typically run from June – August
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Middle school students
AlphaStar Academy’s Math Program is for students who want to excel in math competitions and Olympiads. The curriculum in AlphaStar’s program is aligned with contests like MATHCOUNTS and the AMC 8/10. This makes it a good summer math program for middle school students preparing for competitions, where you will focus on problem-solving strategies across topics such as algebra, geometry, number theory, and combinatorics. Classes are taught by expert faculty, including former math contest winners and coaches, who give you lots of practice with past contest problems. This program is challenging, but it is designed to track your progress and pinpoint areas to improve. Depending on your level, you might start in a “Fundamentals” course that solidifies the entire competition curriculum, or if you’re more advanced, you might jump into an intensive AMC 10 Bootcamp or even USAJMO training.
14. AwesomeMath Summer Program
Location: Virtual (online)
Cost: $1,275 – $1,575 per session; Discounts are available for multiple sessions
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Session 1: June 9 – June 27 | Session 2: June 30 – July 18 | Session 3: July 21 – August 8
Application Deadline: May 27
Eligibility: Students aged 12-18 (middle and high school students)
AwesomeMath, founded by a former USA Math Olympiad team coach, is an online summer camp for mathematically gifted students, particularly those interested in math competitions. In each session, you’ll be placed in classes appropriate to your level (based on the required entrance exam), where you’ll engage with advanced topics. Algebra, combinatorics, geometry, and number theory are courses that are covered at various depths. You will also have homework and periodic tests to make sure you’re keeping up with the material. Beyond academics, AwesomeMath fosters a supportive online community where it hosts virtual game nights, math trivia contests, and guest speaker sessions.
15. University of Chicago Young Scholars Program
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: Sliding scale of $250 – $1,000; Scholarships available
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June 30 – July 25
Application Deadline: April 11
Eligibility: Chicago-area students entering grades 7-12 (the following school year)
The Young Scholars Program (YSP) at UChicago is a summer experience designed for students who excel in math and want to dig deeper into advanced mathematical concepts. As a participant, you’ll attend two lectures each day, led by university faculty, and then work in small groups led by undergraduate math majors. Instead of rushing through a broad curriculum, YSP encourages you to explore one theme in depth. The specific topic changes each year, ranging from number theory to topology. You’ll engage in problem-solving sessions and get personal guidance from instructors as you tackle challenging problems, and by working closely with talented peers and mentors, you experience a real mathematical community. This program strengthens your understanding of key concepts and also shows you what mathematical research and advanced study feel like.
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