15 Science Programs for Middle School Students
As a middle school student, science programs give you the opportunity to move beyond classroom theory and engage with subjects that interest you. Depending on the program, you might analyze environmental data, explore artificial intelligence, design inventions, build rockets, test engineering concepts, or work with electronics and sensors. This type of practical exposure helps you develop foundational skills early while providing insight into how scientific learning occurs in laboratories, research settings, and collaborative STEM environments. Many of these programs are also hosted by universities, national organizations, and established STEM education groups, offering access to experienced mentors, structured instruction, and a more rigorous academic experience than is typically found in a camp or club.
What are the benefits of a science program?
A strong science program can help students build more than subject knowledge. You may work on design challenges, code simple systems, develop prototypes, study marine ecosystems, explore mathematical ideas, or complete a final presentation based on your project work. Along the way, you strengthen core skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, communication, and analytical thinking. These experiences can also provide opportunities to connect with mentors, instructors, and like-minded peers, making science feel more exciting, accessible, and closely aligned with various careers and research pathways.
To help you get started, we’ve put together 15 science programs for middle school students.
If you’re looking for online tech programs, check out our blog here.
1. Engineering For Kids – After-school Classes
Location: Franchise centers across the U.S.
Cost/Stipend: Often free to schools | costs vary widely depending on the location
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment | class sizes usually range from 8 to 16 students
Dates: Available year-round during the academic calendar | summer camps and holiday workshops are also offered
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the location and program | early registration recommended
Eligibility: Students aged 4 - 14 years | grouped by age for appropriate curriculum
Engineering For Kids classes introduce middle school students to engineering through practical design challenges that emphasize experimentation and problem-solving. In each session, you work on a specific task such as building a stable bridge, designing a simple robot, or testing a model rocket, to understand how engineering concepts apply in real-world scenarios. Instructors guide you through the process of brainstorming ideas, creating prototypes, and evaluating design performances. Many classes also incorporate beginner-friendly technology tools, including coding platforms, 3D modeling software, and basic game development environments. The focus remains on iterative design – building, testing, and refining solutions rather than relying on theory alone.
2. Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
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 | apply to the program here
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 - 8
AI Trailblazers introduces middle school students to artificial intelligence through guided coding lessons, collaborative learning, and project-based exploration. The program begins with foundational programming concepts and progresses to topics such as data analysis, machine learning, and the ways algorithms identify patterns in data. Through interactive exercises and coding challenges, you explore how computers learn from data and apply those insights to practical problems. Mentors help explain complex ideas while encouraging independent problem-solving. As the program advances, you develop a small AI-based project to demonstrate your learning. The curriculum also includes discussions on responsible technology use, encouraging you to understand the broader impact of AI systems on real-world decisions.
3. Girls Who Code Clubs
Location: Remote and in-person options available across the U.S. and internationally
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open to all | no selection process
Dates: Ongoing during the school year | clubs typically meet 1 - 2 hours per week after school or on weekends
Application Deadline: Rolling | students join through their local school or community club
Eligibility: Students in grades 3 - 12
Girls Who Code Clubs create collaborative learning environments where middle school students explore computer science through hands-on projects and peer interaction. Meetings typically focus on activities that introduce foundational concepts such as algorithms, debugging, and logical problem-solving. Beginners often start with visual, block-based programming tools before transitioning to text-based languages used in real-world development. Projects may include designing simple games, building websites, or creating interactive digital experiences. Mentors and facilitators support your progress by helping troubleshoot errors and refine your ideas. Collaborating with peers also encourages collaboration, creativity, and confidence in technical problem-solving.
4. Lumiere Junior Explorer Program
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Multiple rolling deadlines for JEP cohorts across the year | you can apply using this application link
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 - 8
This virtual science program for middle school students immerses participants in the process of academic research through guided mentorship and structured exploration. Early sessions introduce broad disciplines such as biology, computer science, and social sciences, while teaching how researchers formulate questions and evaluate evidence. As your interests become more defined, you develop a focused research topic with guidance from a mentor.Weekly discussions help you interpret sources, organize your ideas, and develop a thoughtful analysis of your topic. You also receive guidance on writing and presenting your findings in a clear, structured format. By the end of the program, you will complete a final project such as a research paper, case study, or presentation that reflects your investigation.
5. Stanford Middle School Scholars Program (SMSSP)
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small cohort model with approximately 12 students per class
Dates: July 6–July 24 for the summer course; August 26–December 9 for weekly fall semester meetings
Application Deadline: March 25
Eligibility: Students currently in grades 6 or 7 who reside in and attend school in the United States; the program is designed for students from low-income backgrounds
Stanford Middle School Scholars Program (SMSSP) is a year-long academic enrichment program designed to help middle school students prepare for academically rigorous high schools and future advanced learning opportunities. Participants begin with a three-week online summer course taught by Stanford Online High School instructors, where they engage in live discussions, collaborative learning, and academically challenging coursework in a small cohort setting. During the fall semester, students continue meeting weekly for workshops and enrichment sessions focused on academic writing, math enrichment, growth mindset, and navigating selective academic opportunities. The program also emphasizes mentorship, community building, and long-term academic development, giving students the opportunity to connect with instructors and peers from across the United States while strengthening foundational academic skills.
6. NYU Science of Smart Cities
Location: Andries Hudde Magnet School of STEAM, Brooklyn, New York
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: July 6 - 31
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Current 6th-7th graders who are NYC residents
NYU’s Science of Smart Cities program explores how technology and engineering can make modern cities safer, more efficient, and environmentally sustainable. Working in teams, you learn the fundamentals of electronics, circuitry, and programming while experimenting with sensors and microcontrollers. These tools enable you to build small devices that measure real-world conditions, such as traffic flow, energy usage, and environmental quality. Throughout the program, instructors guide you through both the technical and creative aspects of designing solutions to urban challenges. The experience concludes with a project presentation where you demonstrate how your solution addresses a real-world urban problem.
7. Science Exploration Program
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost/Stipend: $700 non-refundable program fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Maximum enrollment of 24 students per grade level
Dates: June 29 – July 9
Application Deadline: First-come, first-served registration
Eligibility: Students entering 7th or 8th grade in September
The Science Exploration Program at Stony Brook University introduces middle school students to laboratory-based science through hands-on investigations in subjects like physics, chemistry, microbiology, ecology, biotechnology, and environmental science. Participants work through experiments, group projects, computer-based research, and scientific analysis activities that encourage curiosity and active problem-solving. Students entering 7th grade focus on developing foundational laboratory skills, while those entering 8th grade explore case studies and demonstrations in biology, genetics, and environmental chemistry. Through collaborative learning and guided scientific exploration, the program helps students strengthen research skills and build confidence in advanced science concepts before high school coursework.
8. MIT DynaMIT
Location: MIT campus, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Mid to late August | separate one-week sessions for rising 6th - 7th graders and for rising 8th - 9th graders
Application Deadline: February
Eligibility: Rising 6th - 9th-grade students
MIT DynaMIT is a week-long STEM science program for middle school students that introduces science and engineering through interactive projects on MIT’s campus. Each day introduces new concepts through demonstrations and short lessons, then transitions into hands-on experimentation. Topics vary by year but may include electricity and magnetism, materials science, forensics, or basic coding. Undergraduate mentors from MIT guide small groups as you apply new concepts through collaborative activities and design challenges. Time is also dedicated to developing a capstone project that integrates multiple concepts explored during the week.On the final day, students present their work and reflect on their learning experience.
9. Providence Country Day – Lego Engineering Camp
Location: Providence Country Day School, East Providence, RI
Cost/Stipend: $375 per week | week 2 is $350
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 29 - July 2 | July 6 - 10
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students aged 9 - 14 years
Lego Engineering Camp introduces middle school students to engineering concepts through structured building challenges using Lego components. Each activity focuses on a specific design objective, such as constructing a moving mechanism or creating a structure that can withstand stress. As you build and test your models, instructors encourage you to explore how principles from physics and engineering influence stability, motion, and efficiency. Projects often draw on themes such as transportation systems, amusement park rides, and bio-inspired machines. You get to analyze how your design performs and refine it to improve the results, and through these challenges, familiar building materials become tools for understanding real engineering ideas.
10. University of Chicago: Summer Young Scholars Program (YSP)
Location: University of Chicago campus, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: Participation fee is structured based on family income
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 29 - July 24
Application Deadline: April 10
Eligibility: 7th through 12th graders in the Chicago area and surrounding suburbs.
The Young Scholars Program at the University of Chicago engages mathematically curious students to explore topics rarely covered in standard school courses. In this Chicago-based science program for middle school students, you attend lectures and small-group sessions that introduce topics such as number theory and geometry. Problem-solving forms the core of the experience, with students working collaboratively to analyze challenging questions and develop creative strategies. Faculty members and college mentors guide discussions that focus on reasoning and conceptual understanding rather than memorization. You also engage in independent exploration and computer-based activities related to the course material.
11. Engineering Summer Camps at UAH
Location: University of Alabama, Huntsville, AL
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on the camp | scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Multiple programs throughout June and July
Application Deadline: Opens in February
Eligibility: Students in grades 5 through 10
The University of Alabama in Huntsville hosts engineering summer camps where middle school students explore how science and technology are applied to solve real-world problems. Daily activities include hands-on experiments, design projects, and demonstrations led by university faculty and engineering students. As you move through the camp, you explore areas such as structural design, electronics, and energy systems.Many sessions involve building prototypes or completing challenges that validate how well your ideas work in the real world. Lab tours and mentoring sessions offer insight into how engineers apply these principles in research and industry. The experience concludes with a final project that integrates the skills and concepts you developed during the week.
12. Oregon State University – iINVENT Summer Camp
Location: Multiple locations across Oregon (Corvallis, Grants Pass, Independence, St. Helens, Woodburn, Klamath Falls, Lebanon)
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Varies by camp location
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising 6th - 8th graders
Oregon State University’s iINVENT Summer Camp introduces middle school students to how inventors transform ideas into functional solutions. Early activities focus on identifying real-world problems affecting a specific user or community. With guidance from college mentors, you brainstorm possible solutions and begin designing a prototype.The process includes experimenting with materials, testing your design, and refining it through multiple iterations. Along the way, you also learn about creativity, innovation, and the fundamentals of how patents protect new inventions. The program concludes with a presentation in which students showcase their solutions and explain how their designs address the chosen challenge.
13. Animal Behavior and Investigations @ The Lawrence
Location: UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Cost: $1,550 tuition; optional residential add-on available for $1,350
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited spots available with a student-to-staff ratio of 1:12 during instruction
Dates: June 22–June 26 or July 6–July 10, from 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. daily
Application Deadline: Registration remains open until sessions fill
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7–9
Animal Behavior and Investigations introduces middle and high school students to the scientific study of animal behavior through hands-on research and observation activities at UC Berkeley. Participants learn how scientists investigate why animals behave the way they do by designing experiments, collecting observations, and analyzing behavior in both natural and controlled settings. Throughout the program, students participate in wildlife observations, research lab tours, field trips, and discussions with STEM professionals, while also developing critical thinking and scientific investigation skills. The camp concludes with student presentations, during which participants share their findings and projects with peers, instructors, and families.
14. NOAA Science Camp
Location: NOAA's Sand Point facility, Lake Washington, Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: $450 | scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 - 10
Application Deadline: Opens in early Spring
Eligibility: Students entering grades 6 - 8 in the fall
NOAA Science Camp engages middle school students in oceanography, climate science, and environmental research through interactive hands-on activities. During the week, you explore how scientists study marine ecosystems, weather patterns, and ocean health. Activities may include examining marine mammal specimens, analyzing water samples, and learning how navigation charts help scientists map ocean environments. Students also visit different research facilities to observe how scientists collect and interpret data. Working in teams, you apply your learning to a small project focused on solving an environmental challenge.
15. Science Club for Girls Summer Rocketry Program
Location: Graham & Parks School, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Two-week sessions in the summer | dates vary by year
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising 6th - 8th-grade girls and gender expansive students from the Greater Boston area | Priority will be given to those who are the most underrepresented in STEM
This science program for middle school students introduces students to aerospace engineering through hands-on experimentation. Over two weeks, students design model space stations, experiment with robotic rovers, and construct rockets for launch. Each activity is linked to physics and engineering principles that explain how spacecraft travel and operate. Mentors guide discussions about how these technologies are used in real-world space missions. The program also includes career panels where professionals share their experiences working in aerospace fields. Field trips and collaborative challenges further help students see how science and engineering intersect in space exploration.
Tyler Moulton is Head of Academics and Veritas AI Partnerships with 6 years of experience in education consulting, teaching, and astronomy research at Harvard and the University of Cambridge, where they developed a passion for machine learning and artificial intelligence. Tyler is passionate about connecting high-achieving students to advanced AI techniques and helping them build independent, real-world projects in the field of AI.