15 Summer Programs for Middle School Students in Pennsylvania
Summer programs can be a useful way for you to explore different interests as a middle school student while learning outside of your regular classes. They give you the chance to build skills across subjects like STEM, arts, and humanities through structured activities and guided projects. You can also discover new areas of interest and develop confidence as you engage with new topics and peers.
Why should you attend a program in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania is home to universities and organizations that offer a variety of summer programs across different subject areas. Depending on the program, you might explore topics through academic sessions, experiments, or creative projects while developing relevant skills. These opportunities can be worth considering, whether you are a local student looking for options nearby or an out-of-state student interested in exploring a new academic environment.
If you’re looking to get started, we have compiled a list of 15 summer programs for middle school students in Pennsylvania.
If you’re looking for online math programs, check out our blog here.
1. Drexel University Young Dragons
Location: Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: 6 weekly themed camps held from June 22 to August 7
Application Deadline: Opens in late April
Eligibility: Rising 6th through 8th graders who live or attend school in West Philadelphia.
In this program, organized by Drexel University’s ExCITe Center, middle school students can explore science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. With the program allocating a theme for each week, you will complete projects and tasks assigned to you based on that theme. Past themes have included coding, smart rovers, healthcare, climate change, and more. By participating in the program, you become familiar with different scientific methods and the engineering process while simultaneously developing your creativity and self-expression.
2. Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective and group sessions have a 5:1 student-to-mentor ratio
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. You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: 6th to 8th graders
This program aims to provide middle schoolers with a basic understanding of artificial intelligence and machine learning. The program will cover a wide range of topics, including Python, data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics through lectures and group sessions. You will also work alongside three or four other students to complete a group project that demonstrates what you have learned. Some of the projects submitted by past participants include building a machine-learning model to classify music genres and creating a machine-learning algorithm to generate a custom list of educational resources based on specified criteria.
3. Pennsylvania College of Technology My Tomorrow
Location: Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport, PA
Cost: $50Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 55 campers
Dates: June 22 – 26 | July 6 – 10
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Rising 6th through 8th graders
As a middle schooler, you're likely still figuring out what career you want. This camp is a one-stop spot where you can participate in interactive activities that introduce you to various careers. You will have the opportunity to engage in simulated activities across fields such as business, arts, engineering, healthcare, sciences, technology, and more. Apart from helping you discover different career opportunities, the program also immerses you in team-building exercises.
4. Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: 8 weeks; dates vary by cohort
Application Deadline: Varies based on cohort
Eligibility: 6th to 8th graders
Lumiere’s Junior Explorers Program strives to enhance your academic writing and research skills when you are only in middle school. In this online program, you will choose a subject that interests you the most, including anything in STEM, humanities, or social sciences. Over the eight weeks of the program, you will receive structured instruction and complete an independent research project in your chosen subject area. Students must submit an academic paper based on their research that demonstrates their writing and analytical abilities by the end of the program. More importantly, you will be paired with a PhD-level mentor from a top university.
5. Discover Summer: Designers
Location: The Grayson School, Radnor, PA
Cost: $1,080; some camps may require you to pay an additional $250 for materials (need-based financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by the camp
Dates: June 15 – 26 | June 29 – July 10
Application Deadline: Not specified; students who register by March 1 get a 10% discount
Eligibility: 6th to 8th graders for the Designers group; international students are also welcome
The Grayson School hosts summer enrichment programs for students in K-12, placing them in four groups based on grade level. Middle school students will be placed in the Designers group and have the chance to attend the two-week camps offered. You will find camps across fields such as forensic science, finance, engineering, mathematics, and genetic engineering. Regardless of which camp you enroll in, you will have the chance to engage in hands-on activities that push you to solve problems and think strategically.
6. Nature Wanderers Camp
Location: 25 miles from Millbrook Marsh Nature Center, State College, PA
Cost: $200 for residents and $300 non-residents
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited spots available
Dates: June 29 – July 2
Application Deadline: Opens February 2
Eligibility: Students aged 10 to 14
Participating in this nature-focused camp, organized by the Center Region Parks and Recreation (CRPR), you will learn about the different birds, plants, and waterways in Pennsylvania’s Center Region. In addition to learning, you will be encouraged to participate in meditation, poetry writing, and nature journaling sessions. Moreover, students are required to go hiking during this camp, making it much more suitable if you enjoy adventurous activities. Over the four days of the camp, you will have explored different kinds of environments.
7. University of Pittsburgh CampBioE 2.0
Location: University of Pittsburgh Community Engagement Center - Homewood, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: $500 per week; free for students whose households qualify for the Pennsylvania National School Breakfast and Lunch Program (students who are eligible to attend for free need to pay a refundable deposit of $25 to register)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited spots available
Dates: July 20 – 24 for middle schoolers
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions; Week 3 of the camp typically gets filled by March
Eligibility: Week 3 is open to middle school students
With the University of Pittsburgh organizing CampBioE 2.0 for students from elementary to high school, week 3 of the program welcomes middle school and high school students. During this week, the program will introduce you to various STEM concepts, particularly those related to bioengineering. The program will also engage you in the practical aspects of bioengineering by giving you the opportunity to conduct experiments in the field using advanced tools. One such experiment conducted by past participants involved building bones from unconventional materials. Overall, the camp's primary goal is to get you excited about careers in science and medicine.
8. PAFA Summer Art Camp
Location: PAFA’s Hamilton Building, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $400 per week and $340 per week for students with PAFA Household Membership (students who register for three or more camp weeks in one sitting will get the mult-camp discount, paying $390 per camp)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by the week of the camp
Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application Deadline: Opens in mid-December
Eligibility: Students from ages 5 to 14; 11- to 14-year-olds are placed in one separate group
PAFA’s Summer Art Camp is a strong way to explore different art forms. Hosted over a seven-week period, each week focuses on a specific skill. For middle school students, the camp offers sessions in comic illustrations, painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, and more. You can choose to attend only the weeks that interest you or sign up for all 7 weeks. In addition to honing artistic skills, you'll have the opportunity to visit museum galleries. The camp also hosts an art exhibition every Friday, allowing you to showcase your work from the week.
9. York College of Pennsylvania Summer Academy: Spartan Explore
Location: York College of Pennsylvania, Grantley, PA
Cost: $315
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by the camp
Dates: Sessions held June 22 – 26, July 6 – 10, and July 20 – 24
Application Deadline: Opens in mid-January
Eligibility: Rising 6th through 8th graders
The program runs for three weeks, allowing students to select one of the two camps available each week. Your options include choosing between STEAM and art, robotics and health and wellness, and E-sports and photography. No matter what you choose, you'll learn different concepts and techniques in that field and do hands-on activities. For instance, students enrolled in the robotics session build a robot, learning everything from building the hardware to coding it. Your daily schedule will consist of lectures in the mornings and activities in the afternoons.
10. College of Engineering's Philadelphia Youth STEM Camp
Location: Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $425 (Scholarships are available for Philadelphia residents and limited scholarships for non-residents.)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 10
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: 6th to 8th graders
Part of Temple University Middle School Summer Programs, this particular one provides middle schoolers with the opportunity to learn basic STEM concepts and ultimately understand how the different things we see in the world work. For this purpose, you will attend lectures and complete hands-on exercises to solve various problems. You can also expect to participate in lab tours and watch scientific demonstrations. The camp will especially focus on engineering and design thinking.
11. From STEAM to SPACE: A Scientific Journey
Location: Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $345 (Scholarships are available for Philadelphia residents and limited scholarships for non-residents.)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 29 – July 2
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: 6th to 9th graders
Another camp offered by Temple University for middle school students is this one held at its Ambler campus. Students who sign up for this camp will spend their time learning some scientific concepts and completing different scientific tasks. One of the stand-out components of this four-day camp is the chance to fly a full-size flight simulator. This exercise helps you form a better understanding of physics concepts such as power, propulsion, inertia, and flight. You will also cover some terms associated with GPS. The program also aims to enhance your critical thinking and problem-solving by engaging you in both independent and group activities.
12. Riverbend Trailblazers Program
Location: Riverbend Environmental Education Center, Montgomery County, PA
Cost: $660/week
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Up to 12 students per week
Dates: Weekly sessions held from June 8 to September 4
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students aged 11 to 13
The Riverbend Trailblazers Program invites you to study various aspects of nature while learning how to preserve them. The program has four themes, and multiple one-week sessions of them run between June and September. The Summer Camp Classics will immerse you in exciting activities like hiking, arts and crafts, cooking, and more that students typically do at classic camps. Wild & Well will have you participate in yoga, nature walks, and other activities that help improve your health. If you are looking for something more educational, there is Riverbend Animals, which lets you examine and learn about the animals in the ecosystem, and Messy Science, which engages you in science experiments that help you understand nature better.
13. Future Scientists: Biology Edition
Location: Penn’s Leidy Labs, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $2,400; $300 off for students who submit a deposit by May 15
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited space available
Dates: July 6 – 10 | August 10 – 14
Application Deadline: June 1
Eligibility: 7th and 8th graders; local students are welcome, as this is a commuter program
Part of Penn Arts and Sciences Middle School Programs, this summer program gives you the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a molecular biology lab. You will have professors guiding you through experiments and teaching you to use different lab instruments. By the end of the program, you will become familiar with lab techniques such as DNA extraction, PCR, gel electrophoresis, bacterial transformation, light microscopy, ELISA, and sterile cell culture. Overall, the five-day program aims to teach you the tools and techniques used by molecular biology researchers.
14. Summer at AIM
Location: AIM Academy, Conshohocken, PA
Cost: $3,950 for full day | $2,950 for mornings only ($150 off for students who pay before February 28)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Space is limited
Dates: July 6 – 31
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Rising 6th through 8th graders
Through Summer at AIM, you can spend four weeks of your summer attending sessions that help improve your reading, writing, comprehension, and mathematical skills. You will also get to attend special classes in the middle school subjects you need more help with. To make things more intriguing, the program assigns a theme for each grade level, and the one for middle schoolers is superheroes. In addition to the morning sessions, students get to immerse themselves in extracurricular activities such as filmmaking, fishing, sports, and more, choosing one per week.
15. West Chester University Middle School Summer Music Camp
Location: Wells School of Music at WCU, Chester County, PA
Cost: $225 (standard registration), $210early registration (register before April 1st)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: June 22 – 26
Application Deadline: June 14
Eligibility: 6th to 8th graders
This summer camp is well-suited for students passionate about music, offering the opportunity to join a small or large ensemble. You can choose vocals or play an instrument like the flute, clarinet, saxophone, brass ensemble, or percussion. Based on your singing level, the camp will also provide vocal training to help you strengthen your vocal skills. Moreover, the program hosts faculty recitals so that you can watch their performances and learn from them. You'll be part of a concert performance, usually held on the camp's last day.