13 Summer Programs for Middle School Students in Texas
Summer programs can be a great option if you’re a middle school student looking to stay engaged with learning and explore your interests beyond the classroom. Programs offered during the summer give you the chance to build practical skills, gain early exposure to different academic and career paths, and work on projects in a more flexible environment. As a participant, you may also get opportunities to connect with mentors or work alongside other motivated students who share similar interests.
Why should you attend a program in Texas?
Texas is home to a wide range of reputable universities, research institutions, and educational organizations that run structured summer programs each year. You might experiment with coding and robotics, explore scientific research, develop financial literacy skills, practice creative writing, study advanced math concepts, or take part in leadership-focused activities. Whether you live in Texas or are traveling from another part of the state, you can find programs hosted by institutions across major cities and university campuses.
To help you get started, we’ve narrowed our list down to 13 summer programs for middle school students in Texas.
If you’re looking for online programs, check out our blog here.
1. San Angelo ISD Summer Enrichment & STEM Programs
Location: Austin Professional Learning Center, San Angelo, TX
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: First-come, first-served
Dates: Various dates throughout the summer
Application Deadline: May 16
Eligibility: Open to students enrolled in San Angelo ISD; 5th – 8th graders, depending on the exact program
The San Angelo ISD Summer Enrichment & STEM Programs offer free, in-person opportunities designed to help you build academic confidence while developing future-ready skills. If you’re an incoming 6th grader, you can take part in a transition-focused program that helps you understand middle school expectations while strengthening reading and math skills. For current middle school students, SAISD’s STEM Camps provide a hands-on environment where you explore problem-solving, collaboration, and critical thinking through engaging activities. These programs, led by SAISD educators, are designed to support creativity, communication, and real-world learning.
2. Veritas AI Trailblazers
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (weekends) or 25 hours over 2 weeks (weekdays during summer break)
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines. You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8
The Veritas AI Trailblazers Program is designed to help you build a strong foundation in Python while exploring how machine learning and artificial intelligence are applied in real-world settings. Over the course of the program, you’ll start by learning core AI and data analysis concepts before moving into key topics like regression, classification, and exploratory data analysis. As the program progresses, you’ll take a deeper look at advanced topics, including image classification, neural networks, and the role of ethics in AI development. Instruction is delivered through a mix of structured lectures and small-group sessions, with a 5:1 student-to-mentor ratio to ensure personalized guidance. You’ll also collaborate with a small group of peers on a capstone project, where you apply what you’ve learned to build a functional AI model across fields like music, education, or data-driven decision-making.
3. Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas Economics for Success
Location: Junior Achievement affiliates across the state
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Depends on the location
Application Deadline: Varies by local Junior Achievement affiliate
Eligibility: Middle school students aged 11–14
JA Economics for Success is a career readiness and financial literacy program designed to help you start thinking intentionally about your future goals and choices. As a participant, you’ll explore career interests, learn how income relates to lifestyle decisions, and understand the financial responsibilities that accompany independence. The program emphasizes self-awareness, helping you identify your values, strengths, and transferable skills so you can make informed decisions about education and careers. You’ll also examine how everyday financial choices relate to long-term outcomes in a changing digital economy.
4. Lumiere Junior Explorer Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program; need-based financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort
Eligibility: 6th to 8th grade students
The Lumiere Education Junior Explorer Program is a structured, research-focused experience for motivated middle school students who want to explore their academic interests in depth. As a participant, you’ll spend eight weeks developing a project centered on a subject you care about, with guidance that emphasizes critical thinking, independent inquiry, and academic rigor. The program is designed to help you take ownership of your ideas while learning how scholars approach complex questions and long-term projects. Lumiere also offers the Junior Research & Publication Program, a longer, more intensive option in which you work one-on-one with a PhD mentor to develop a full research paper. In this track, you’ll go through the process of writing, revising, and submitting your work to an academic journal, competition, or conference.
5. Full STEM Ahead! Summer Camp - University of Houston
Location: University of Houston, Houston, TX
Cost: Early Bird: $425 | Regular Registration: $450 | UH Faculty & Staff: $375 | Genius Hours Add-On: $100. Scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: First-come, first-served
Dates: June 8 – 12
Application Deadline: April 30
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7–9
The Full STEM Ahead! Camp is a one-week, in-person summer program where you explore a wide range of STEM subjects through hands-on, themed activities at the University of Houston. During the week, you’ll take part in interactive lessons and experiments in areas like environmental science, biology, physics, and technology. The camp aims to be inviting for everyone, whether you’re new to STEM or already passionate about science and engineering. Participants will spend their days engaged in activities focused on curiosity, problem-solving, and teamwork.
6. The Lab – Houston Museum of Natural Science
Location: Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston, TX
Cost: Members: $75 per class | Non-members: $90 per class
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Various single-day sessions between July 13 and 18
Application Deadline: Registration remains open until individual classes fill
Eligibility: 13 – 14-year-old students
The Houston Museum of Natural Science Investigative STEM Classes offer a one-day, in-depth summer experience designed for curious students who want to explore science beyond a traditional camp setting. As a participant, you’ll dive into a focused topic such as forensics, archaeology, paleontology, engineering, or plant science, through guided discussions with subject-matter specialists. Each session blends interactive classroom work with behind-the-scenes access to museum halls, labs, or exhibits, allowing you to learn directly from real artifacts, fossils, and scientific tools. You will use scientific reasoning as you analyze evidence, develop prototypes, run experiments, or test hypotheses based on the class you select.
7. Tech Revolution STEM Summer Camps – Rice University
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Cost: Depends on the camp/add-ons
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; staff-to-camper ratio is approximately 1:4 to 1:8
Dates: June 1 – August 7 (exact dates depend on the camp)
Application Deadline: Registrations open until sessions fill
Eligibility: Students ages 6–16
Camp Tech Revolution at Rice University is a weekly, in-person STEM summer camp where you explore technology through hands-on, skill-focused projects in a college campus environment. As a participant, you can choose from a variety of themed camps covering robotics, coding, artificial intelligence, game design, 3D printing, digital art, filmmaking, entrepreneurship, and more. Each week is designed to be immersive and project-based, so you’re actively building, testing, and creating rather than just listening to lectures. You’ll learn in small groups, with a strong staff-to-camper ratio, ensuring personalized support regardless of your experience level. A unique aspect of this program is the chance to experience campus life at Rice University, including dining at the Servery and spending time in dedicated STEM learning spaces.
8. Camp Invention Leaders-in-Training Program – National Inventors Hall of Fame
Location: Local Camp Invention sites across the state
Cost/Stipend: Starts at $185 (pricing varies by location)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Depends on the location
Application Deadline: Applications remain open till spots fill
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 – 9
The Camp Invention Leaders-in-Training (LIT) Program is a weeklong summer opportunity where you step into a leadership role while staying immersed in hands-on STEM learning. As a Leader-in-Training, you’ll help guide younger campers in grades K–6 through creative engineering and invention challenges designed by education experts and National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees. You’ll act as a role model and mentor, building confidence as you support campers during high-energy activities and collaborative problem-solving sessions. Throughout the program, you’ll also receive leadership training, goal-setting guidance, and ongoing support from Camp Directors and program staff.
9. UT Prep STEM Pathway
Location: University of Texas, Austin, TX
Cost: $2,700; scholarships available for low-income status students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: First-come, first-served
Dates: June 15 – July 23
Application Deadline: Rolling applications
Eligibility: Students graduating from 6th or 7th grade with a minimum 85 in Match, Science, and English (80 allowed for advanced courses), and 70+ for all other courses
UT PREP 1 is a 5-week, in-person summer enrichment program designed for students graduating from 6th or 7th grade who want to explore advanced STEM topics in a university setting. As a participant, you’ll dive into mathematical problem solving, logic, electrical engineering, robotics, and computer science through inquiry-based coursework rather than traditional lectures. The program is taught and supported by UTeach Master and preservice teachers, K–12 educators, and UT students, faculty, and staff, giving you consistent academic and mentorship support. You’ll also explore UT Austin’s campus, including research labs and facilities like Gregory Gym, while engaging with career speakers and collaborative projects. A unique feature of UT PREP 1 is that completing the program qualifies you to continue into UT PREP 2–4, a multi-year pathway approved by the Texas Education Agency to award high school credit, giving you a strong foundation to pursue STEM further.
10. Research in Life Sciences Camp – UT Austin
Location: University of Texas, Austin, TX
Cost: $649 (includes materials, snacks, and a t-shirt)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Session 1: June 1 – June 5 | Session 2: July 27 – July 31
Application Deadline: Applications remain open till sessions fill
Eligibility: Students who have graduated from 4th, 5th, or 6th grade
Research in Life Sciences Camp is a short, immersive summer experience that introduces you to life sciences through hands-on exploration. During the program, you’ll work on experiments and activities connected to topics like biochemistry, genetics, environmental science, and planetary exploration. You’ll be guided by instructors and supported by UT student interns and faculty, gaining insight into how scientific research is conducted at the university level. Beyond lab-based activities, you’ll spend time exploring UT Austin’s campus, touring research spaces, and participating in recreational and community-building activities. This camp is a good fit if you want to explore science in a focused, one-week format while getting a feel for learning on a college campus.
11. Rice University Creative Writing Camps
Location: Online and in-person at various locations in Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: On-Campus Single Student: $525
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Various dates throughout June, depending on the camp
Application Deadline: Registrations close January 24; registering does not guarantee admission
Eligibility: K-12th-grade students; exact eligibility depends on the session
Creative Writing Camp is a weeklong, in-person summer program where you explore writing as a tool for creativity, communication, and critical thinking. As a participant, you’ll experiment with different forms of storytelling such as poetry, fiction, interviews, and world-building through hands-on, exploratory writing activities. Instruction is led by experienced educators and professional writers, many of whom hold advanced degrees in writing and education, and it offers close guidance and individualized feedback. Rather than focusing on rigid rules, the camp encourages you to see writing as an evolving process and a way to express ideas, curiosity, and perspective.
12. Dallas Museum of Art Summer Art Camps
Location: Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, TX
Cost: Not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Depends on the session; exact dates TBA
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students aged 9–12
The Dallas Museum of Art Summer Art Camps offer a weeklong, hands-on creative experience where you explore art-making while learning directly from museum galleries and studio spaces. As a camper, you’ll spend the week creating original artwork inspired by what you see in the Museum, experimenting with materials such as paint, sculpture, collage, and mixed media. Each day focuses on creativity, observation, and self-expression, fostering confidence as an artist through peer collaboration. Camps are crafted to be inviting and exploratory, whether you already enjoy creating art or are exploring your interests.
13. Stanford Middle School Scholars Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: around 12 students/cohort
Dates: Summer Course: July 6 – 24 | Fall Meetings: August 26 – December 9
Application Deadline: March 25
Eligibility: Students from low-income backgrounds in grades 6–7 residing in the U.S. who can attend both the summer course and fall meetings
Stanford offers free summer programs for middle school students in Texas and across the country, in the form of online enrichment courses that are designed to help you prepare for a challenging high school experience. As a Scholar, you’ll begin with a three-week summer course where you’ll engage with academic materials. Then you’ll have weekly after-school online meetings in the fall, focused on topics like academic writing, math enrichment, growth mindset, and exploring high school options. You’ll learn in engaging, live, interactive classes taught by PhD instructors who will work closely with you to build strong academic habits.