14 Summer Coding Programs for Middle School Students
For middle schoolers curious about programming and tech, summer coding programs can be a great starting point. Coding programs offer practical exposure to programming languages as well as coding resources and tools. They combine structured learning with creative experimentation, helping you build key skills like logic and creative thinking. Many of these programs are hosted by leading universities and organizations. They offer you a mix of learning, mentorship, and industry exposure. As a participant, you will also meet peers with similar interests and build connections.
To help you with your search, we have come up with a list of 14 of the best summer coding programs for middle school students.
1. NYU’s Science of Smart Cities
Location: Andries Hudde Junior High + STAR Early College School, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: Free
Application deadline: May 15
Dates: July 7 – August 1
Eligibility: Rising 7th and 8th graders
This free NYU program offers an introduction to how smart cities use technology to manage sustainability, safety, and efficiency. The curriculum combines technical skill-building with real-world context. As a participant, you will collaborate with teammates to build a tech-driven solution using electronics, sensors, and microcontrollers. You will gain experience in programming, environmental design, and circuit construction while working on program activities. You will apply what you learn to develop a final prototype that solves an urban issue. You will present your project at the end, explaining how it works and what problem it aims to solve.
2. Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines
Dates: 25 hours over two weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8
AI Trailblazers offered by Veritas AI is a virtual program designed to introduce middle school students to the core concepts in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Spanning 25 hours, the program covers foundational Python programming along with key topics such as data analysis, regression, neural networks, image classification, and the ethics of AI. You will learn through a combination of lectures and collaborative group sessions in a 5:1 student-to-mentor ratio. You will also work on a group project that focuses on the applications of AI. Past student projects have included developing a machine learning model to identify music genres and designing an algorithm that recommends personalized educational resources based on user preferences.
3. Northrop Grumman Summer Engineering Camp @ USC
Location: University of Southern California (USC) main campus, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: None
Application deadline: May 5
Dates: July 14 – 25
Eligibility: Rising 6th to 8th graders with at least a B grade average in science and math
The Summer Engineering Camp offers middle schoolers opportunities to explore engineering fields and learn how to code. During the program, you will work alongside Northrop Grumman engineers and USC faculty on projects in circuitry, aircraft design, structural modeling, environmental systems, mechanical fabrication, and basic app development. In the process, you will get insights into aerospace, electrical, mechanical, civil, and environmental engineering. You will also engage in daily workshops covering coding and engineering basics, as well as tours of the university’s research facilities. At the end of camp, you will participate in a team-based design showcase and get feedback from industry professionals.
4. Lumiere Junior Explorer Program
Location: Fully Virtual
Dates: Multiple cohorts available each year, deadlines vary accordingly
Cost: $1990
Age requirements: Grade 6 - 8
Deadline: Rolling deadlines for each cohort. If you'd like to take a look at the cohorts + deadlines, you can refer to this page!
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is an 8-week 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.
During this program, spanning weeks 1 to 4, participants will delve into four distinct topics within their selected track. In weeks 5 to 6, the focus intensifies as participants embark on a deep dive into one specific topic area and finally, weeks 7 to 8 are dedicated to project implementation, with participants receiving guidance and support from their mentors as they bring their projects to life. You can find the application form here.
5. UC San Diego Extended Studies: Introduction to Robotics Using Lego Mindstorms
Location: UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA
Cost: $275
Application deadline: June 16
Dates: July 21 – 25
Eligibility: 6th to 8th graders
In UC San Diego’s Introduction to Robotics Using Lego Mindstorms course, you will work with a Lego Mindstorms kit to build robots that sense and move through coded instructions. You will learn how various sensors, like ultrasonic and light, feed data to help robots respond to their surroundings. You will learn about motor systems and gear design to be able to control robot movement more precisely. Math and physics concepts are also covered in the program, helping you link theoretical concepts to your robot's actual behavior. You will learn programming using EV3 software and build a joystick control app using MIT App Inventor. A robot battle activity will wrap up the experience.
6. NYU’s Sounds of New York City (SONYC)
Location: Andries Hudde Junior High + STAR Early College School, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: Free
Application deadline: May 15
Dates: July 7 – August 1
Eligibility: Rising 7th and 8th graders
SONYC introduces you to the science behind urban noise pollution and its effect on communities, combining science, engineering, and their real-world applications. You will learn how to study sound waves, measure environmental noise, and build sound-monitoring devices using electronics and basic coding. You will also explore the public health consequences of noise through sound sampling in local settings. Communication training is part of the program, using theater-based games to help you practice public speaking and presentation. At the end of the session, you will contribute to smart city technology development and will present your solution at a final expo.
7. The Lawrence Summer Teen Research Programs: Coding and Engineering Nano-Satellites for Space Exploration
Location: The Lawrence at the University of California, Berkeley, CA
Cost: $1,465 program fee + $1,225 residential tuition
Application deadline: June 15 for the session starting on June 23; June 29 for other summer sessions
Dates: June 23 – 27 | July 7– 11 | July 21 – 25
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7–9
In this week-long program, you will explore how coding plays a role in space exploration by building and programming a model nano-satellite. You will begin by learning block-based coding in Scratch and then use it to solve space engineering challenges. For those already skilled in Python or JavaScript, alternative coding pathways centered on these languages are available. The curriculum includes daily puzzles, satellite-focused design challenges, and a planetarium session on satellite systems. You will also participate in peer collaboration and connect with students and STEM professionals. At the end of the session, you will present your own satellite project and receive a completion certificate.
8. Penn GEMS
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $650
Application deadline: March 1
Dates: June 23 – 27 (tentative)
Eligibility: Students entering 7th, 8th, or 9th grade in the fall from Philadelphia and the surrounding area (within a 60-mile radius of UPenn’s campus) with at least a B average
At Penn GEMS, you will explore how engineering plays a role in real-world problems through labs and design activities. You will get to code simple animations, learn how computer scientists think, and test your teamwork in design challenges. Past projects have included studying disease-fighting body cells, experimenting with nano-materials, and building robots that mimic environmental interaction. You will typically work in a small group rotating through different tracks and activities. You will also meet mentors and STEM professionals and get insights into engineering careers.
9. Oregon State University’s Making with Microcontrollers Camp
Location: Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Cost: $170
Application deadline: Not specified
Dates: July 14 – 18
Eligibility: Students entering grades 6–8
The Making with Microcontrollers Camp offers an introduction to microcontrollers by guiding you through the process of building interactive devices with the mini computer micro:bit. The program accommodates students with no experience in programming or physical device construction. You start with an introduction to the MakeCode platform, where you can program using either blocks or JavaScript. Lessons will focus on how devices collect input and respond with programmed actions. You will then apply what you have learned to construct a custom project of your choice. Activities highlight hands-on learning and creative design.
10. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes
Location: Virtual
Cost: $3,080
Application deadline: March 20
Dates: June 16 – 2 | July 7 – 18
Eligibility: Students in grades 8–11
At Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes, you will participate in an online academic enrichment program. You will choose one course from over 70 options, including subjects like computer science, engineering, and more. Offerings include courses like Introduction to Java Programming and Introduction to C++. The courses are ungraded and non-credit, allowing for focused exploration in a low-pressure environment. You will attend live, small-group classes, engaging in real-time discussions with instructors and peers. You will also spend time on coding exercises and projects to gain practical experience.
11. UC San Diego’s ForMIDABLE Summer
Location: University of California at San Diego, San Diego (La Jolla), CA
Cost: Free
Application deadline: Typically in March
Dates: June 28 – July 19
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8
The ForMIDABLE Program at UC San Diego offers middle school students a four-week introduction to computer science, robotics, and engineering. You will participate in weekly Python programming sessions and gain exposure to technical career paths through invited professionals. The program includes STEM workshops, guest speaker sessions, and robotics demonstrations. Activities are designed to help you learn through interaction and exposure to real-world applications of computer science and engineering. The program will continue to support your involvement beyond the summer, offering opportunities through your middle school years.
12. GirlsWhoCode Clubs
Location: Nationwide and online; find a nearby club here
Cost: Free
Application deadline: Rolling enrolment
Dates: Regular meetups throughout the academic year; flexible commitment
Eligibility: 3rd to 12th graders
GirlsWhoCode Clubs are free groups for students who want to explore computer science with peers and mentors. Clubs are held in person or online and can be integrated into school-day classes or scheduled after school, on weekends, or during the summer. As a middle school student, you can join a club and choose from self-paced tutorials in web development, game design, cybersecurity, and other computer science topics. Coding languages vary depending on the project, and the curriculum is designed to be accessible to all skill levels. Clubs operate through partnerships with schools, libraries, and community organizations.
13. Kode With Klossy’s Summer Camp
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Application deadline: Not specified
Dates: Multiple sessions from June to August
Eligibility: Women and gender-expansive students who are 13–18 years old
Kode With Klossy offers free coding camps to students from underrepresented genders in STEM. You can choose from four tracks—Web Development, Machine Learning, Mobile App Development, or Data Science. No previous coding experience is required to participate. The program will provide you with experience in programming languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, and Swift. Through project-based learning, you will apply practical coding skills to real challenges. At the end of the camp, you will have a portfolio featuring your own websites, mobile apps, data analyses, or machine learning models.
14. StanfordOnline Computer Science 101
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free; a $249 fee for receiving a verified certificate
Application deadline: None
Dates: This is a self-paced, on-demand course that ends on August 31
Eligibility: Open to all
Stanford X: Computer Science 101 is a self-paced course designed for those with no prior programming experience. Here, you will explore the foundational concepts in computing, including how code operates and the limitations of computer systems. The course will cover hardware basics like memory, CPU, and disk, along with software topics such as program execution and digital data. Interactive browser-based exercises will let you experiment with logic, loops, and structured data. During the course, you will also explore topics like internet fundamentals, digital media, and computer security.
Image source - NYU Logo