15 Summer Research Programs for Middle School Students
If you're a middle school student interested in research, summer programs can offer opportunities to explore academic subjects in greater depth while learning how researchers investigate questions and solve problems. Depending on the program, you may conduct experiments, analyze data, complete research projects, learn laboratory techniques, or study specialized topics in fields such as biology, medicine, engineering, environmental science, and mathematics. These experiences can help you build foundational research skills while exploring subjects that may not be covered extensively in school.
What are the benefits of a summer research program?
Summer research programs introduce you to the tools, methods, and ways of thinking used in academic and scientific research. Some programs offer access to university laboratories and research facilities, while others focus on developing skills in data analysis, scientific communication, critical thinking, and project design. Many also provide opportunities to learn from researchers, university faculty, and advanced students, helping you gain early exposure to research environments and academic pathways.
Here is a list of 15 summer research programs for middle school students to help you get started!
If you’re looking for online science programs, check out our blog here.
1. Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Eight-week program conducted multiple times a year; summer opportunities available
Application deadline: Varies based on cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8
Lumiere’s Junior Explorers Program is a selective online research experience for middle school students, designed to help build advanced academic writing and research skills. You will begin by selecting a subject area, such as STEM, humanities, or social sciences, and will be matched with a Ph.D.-level mentor from a top university. Over the course of the program, you will receive a structured introduction to your chosen field, then design and carry out an independent research project focused on a real-world question. To strengthen your writing and analytical abilities, you will conclude the program by producing a formal research paper that presents your findings.
2. NYU Science of Smart Cities (SoSC)
Location: Andries Hudde Magnet School of STEAM, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 6 – 30
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Students in 6th or 7th grade who are NYC residents
SoSC introduces middle school students to engineering, computer science, and technology through the lens of how cities work and how they can be improved. Working in a team, you will use electronics, circuitry, coding, microcontrollers, and sensors to design and build a project that addresses a real-world urban challenge. The program teaches you how scientists and engineers apply fundamental STEM concepts to city infrastructure, covering energy systems, transportation, urban design, and wireless communications. NYU faculty and graduate students lead instruction, and the curriculum is updated each year based on current research and educational trends.
3. Penn SAS Future Scientists: Biology Edition
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $2,400
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Session 1: July 6 – 10 | Session 2: August 10 – 14
Application deadline: June 1
Eligibility: Current 7th or 8th grade students
This program from Penn Arts and Sciences is designed to give middle schoolers a firsthand look at life in a molecular biology research lab. Over the course of five days, you will work through a series of supervised experiments using techniques that active researchers use in the field: DNA extraction, PCR, gel electrophoresis, bacterial transformation, light microscopy, ELISA, and sterile cell culture. You will practice fundamental lab skills like pipetting, preparing cell cultures, and working with reagents. Lab tours of Penn research spaces are also part of the program, along with Q&A sessions with Penn scientists, giving you a real sense of how academic research is structured and what a career in the life sciences actually looks like day to day.
4. Lawrence Hall of Science Teen Research Programs
Location: UC Berkeley Campus, Berkeley, CA
Cost: Varies by session; typically starting at $1,550. Financial aid and a scaled tuition fee are available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Multiple week-long sessions between June and July
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7 – 9
The Lawrence Hall of Science at UC Berkeley runs week-long, immersive research-track programs across several STEM fields, including animal behavior, biomedical engineering, body systems and biomedical innovations, and AI and machine learning. Each track is developed in collaboration with UC Berkeley departments and faculty, and instructors include graduate students and postdoctoral researchers currently conducting active university-level science. You will spend the week conducting hands-on investigations using real scientific tools, exploring Berkeley's labs, and meeting professionals at various stages of their STEM careers. Both residential and commuter options are available, allowing you to benefit from exposure to university life. All participants receive a certificate of completion from UC Berkeley.
5. MST@MSU: Mathematics, Science, and Technology at Michigan State University
Location: Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Cost: $75 non-refundable application fee ($95 after March 1); tuition: $1,045 commuter/$2,100 residential (if paid before March 1) or $1,140 commuter/$2,490 residential (after March 1)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22 – 26 | July 6 – 10 (option to attend one or both weeks)
Application deadline: May 8
Eligibility: Students enrolled in grade 7 or 8; applicants must submit one of the following test scores: ACT composite/section score of 18+, SAT Math or Evidence-Based Reading & Writing score of 480+, CogAT at the 90th percentile, or an IQ test.
MST@MSU is a one-week summer program held on the Michigan State University campus, where you will take three two-hour classes in science and math each day. You can choose from classes in 3D animation, proteins, data science, nuclear astrophysics, game design, and calculus. Some of these classes offer research exposure. In the proteins class, you will work like a real biological researcher, extracting proteins from plants, running lab experiments, collecting data, and presenting your findings, following the same question-design-experiment-interpret process used by university scientists. Other options, like the nuclear astrophysics class sponsored by MSU's Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, give you a look at real scientific research happening at the university. The program's goal is to give you challenging STEM work that goes beyond what you cover in regular school, without speeding through your standard curriculum.
6. California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS)
Location: UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Merced, UC Santa Cruz, or UC San Diego
Cost: $5,518 + $46 non-refundable application fee; financial assistance available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~160 – 200 students/campus
Dates: July 5 – 31/August 1
Application deadline: February 6
Eligibility: Students in grades 8 – 12 who are California residents; certain campuses typically accept graduating 8th graders who demonstrate academic excellence in science or math courses beyond the typical 8th grade level.
COSMOS is California's flagship pre-college STEM summer program that places students at UC campuses for four weeks of intensive, faculty-led coursework in advanced STEM clusters. Each cluster focuses on a specific subject area, with past offerings across campuses having included topics in bioengineering, physics, environmental science, computer science, robotics, pharmaceutical sciences, and more. You will work with distinguished university faculty and researchers, conduct experiments in university labs, work on research projects, and tackle material that extends well beyond the standard high school curriculum. The program is fully residential, and the academic experience is complemented by campus tours, professional development, and peer community-building. For 8th graders, admission is rare, and the bar is high, so you will need to demonstrate that you are already working well above grade level in science and mathematics.
7. dynaMIT @ Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Location: MIT Campus, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: 1 week during the summer
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Rising 6th through 9th grade students
dynaMIT is a free, week-long science and engineering day program run entirely by MIT undergraduate students on the MIT campus. Each day follows a different theme, and sessions have previously covered chemistry, biology, physics, earth and space science, computer science, and mathematics, all through hands-on activities. Examples of past activities include investigating fingerprints in mock crime cases, learning about diseases, and working on Arduino projects. You will be paired with an MIT student mentor throughout the week, and the curriculum itself is developed by a student executive board during the academic year, with a consistent focus on hands-on, application-based learning over passive instruction.
8. American Museum of Natural History Science Alliance Middle School Summer Courses
Location: American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), New York, NY
Cost: $1,300/summer course; fees scaled by family income and size
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 10 | July 13 – 17
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Middle school students in grades 6 – 8
AMNH Science Alliance offers short, intensive STEM courses for middle schoolers. The curriculum focuses on the major scientific fields represented at AMNH, including genetics, microbiology, ecology, animal behavior, evolutionary biology, astrophysics, and more. You will work with microscopes and scientific specimens, conduct investigations using methods researchers actually use, and discuss findings with museum educators and scientists. Each course is designed to help you develop skills in critical thinking, scientific communication, and inquiry-based reasoning. Conducted within a natural history institution, each course offers access to collections and research spaces not available in a standard classroom environment.
9. Sanford PROMISE Finding Your Roots: A Genetics and Genealogy Experience
Location: Sanford Research Center, Sioux Falls, SD
Cost: No cost; a $100 deposit is required and will be refunded after the program.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Up to 24 students
Dates: July 21 – 24
Application deadline: Not specified; registration on a first-come, first-served basis
Eligibility: Students entering grades 6 – 8; parental or guardian permission required to submit a DNA sample before camp.
Finding Your Roots is a fully funded four-day summer program at the Sanford Research Center, where you will engage in scientific inquiry to learn about your own genetics. Before the camp starts, you will use a DNA collection kit provided by Living DNA and submit a cheek swab to receive an analysis of your sample along with an ancestry report. During the four-day camp, you will learn about human evolution, extract and study your own DNA, explore how genetic tech works, and hear from genetic counselors about their careers. The curriculum is designed to help you connect science to your personal family history in a real research lab setting.
10. Georgetown University’s Medical Research: Clinical Trials Resulting in Medical Discoveries
Location: Online
Cost: $1,895; need-based scholarships are available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Multiple sessions available; one- to four-week options throughout the year
Application deadline: Varies by session; applications typically close a week before each session starts
Eligibility: Students, ages 13 and up
This online course offered by Georgetown University is designed to help you learn how medical research actually works, from asking a research question to evaluating the evidence from clinical trials. You will explore evidence-based medicine, how researchers design studies, and the real ethical questions that arise in medical research. The course uses video lectures you can watch at your own pace, totaling 20 to 30 hours of instruction and coursework. To finish the course, you will complete a capstone project where you will deliver a video presentation applying the scientific method to a topic in cancer research, using two to three real research papers of your choice. Throughout the course, you will get feedback and guidance from a mentor who will be a Georgetown student or graduate with a background in biology or health sciences.
11. AMNH Lang Science Program
Location: American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY
Cost: $7,865/year; free and reduced tuition available based on family income and size
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Six-year program: July 20 – August 7 (three weeks) + 15 – 18 Saturdays in the school year
Application deadline: Varies by year; typically, the application is open from January to March.
Eligibility: Current 6th-grade students who live or attend school in New York City
The Lang Science Program is a six-year science pipeline beginning in middle school and continuing through 12th grade, in which you will spend three weeks at AMNH each summer and 15–18 Saturdays during the school year. The Museum serves as your classroom: you will explore collections, visit research labs and exhibits, and take courses in anthropology, geology, astrophysics, genetics, and other life sciences studied at AMNH. In high school, you can choose your own research topics and concentrations, and in upper-level high school, you can apply for paid research internships. The summer immersion is the anchor of each year's program, and the museum's scientific community of curators, researchers, and educators is accessible to participants for mentorship throughout.
12. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes
Location: Fully online
Cost: $3,200; need-based financial aid available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small class sizes; selective admissions
Dates: Session 1: June 15 – 26 | Session 2: July 6 – 17
Application deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Students currently in grades 8 – 11
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes offers two-week, single-subject online courses for advanced learners in grades 8 through 11. Courses span a wide range of academic areas, including bioscience, artificial intelligence, data science, engineering, mathematics, philosophy, and more, each designed by Stanford-affiliated instructors to go well beyond standard school curricula. Classes meet each weekday synchronously with live instruction, small-group sessions, and asynchronous assignments that deepen engagement with the material. For 8th graders, this is one of the few programs offering access to Stanford instructors and a rigorous online academic environment that exposes you to and prepares you for research.
13. University of Arizona’s Toxic Detectives
Location: University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Cost: Free or reduced cost for eligible families; $275 otherwise
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 1 – 5
Application deadline: Registration opens in the spring
Eligibility: Students entering grades 6 – 8 in the fall
Toxic Detectives at the University of Arizona's College of Pharmacy lets you explore environmental health and toxicology through hands-on scientific inquiry. Over the course of a week, you will participate in science experiments, tour research labs, and hear from professionals in STEM about their careers. You will also tour the University of Arizona campus and engage in off-campus field trips. On the last day, you will deliver an oral presentation discussing a toxin.
14. Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) Summer Residential Programs
Location: Multiple residential campuses across the U.S.
Cost: Varies by site and course; typically, $3,000 – $6,800 for three weeks, depending on campus and course. Financial aid is available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Vary by session and site; most residential programs run for three weeks from late June through early August
Application deadline: Varies by course and site; usually around 7 weeks before the course begins
Eligibility: Students in grades 5 – 12; students must qualify through above-grade-level testing (e.g., SAT, ACT, or SCAT) under the CTY talent search criteria.
Johns Hopkins CTY is an established gifted education organization, and offers residential programs for middle schoolers that run for three weeks on university and independent school campuses. You will take a single rigorous course in a subject of your choice, with options including experimental sciences, mathematics, computer science, bioethics, engineering, and more. Courses are taught by instructors who specialize in working with academically advanced youth. You will also benefit from participating in academic programming and evening recreational activities on campus. The courses combine instruction with assignments, including research-based work.
15. Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine’s Virtual Academy for Middle and High School Students
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 13 – 17
Application deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Middle and high school students
The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine offers this free, one-week virtual program for students seeking an introduction to the science of regenerative medicine, a field that focuses on repairing or replacing damaged tissues and organs. Over four days of live virtual sessions, you will learn directly from WFIRM faculty and researchers about the technologies and principles behind tissue engineering, 3D bioprinting, and other advances in the field. The program covers both the science and the career and educational pathways it opens up. On the final day, you will have the option to travel to the WFIRM campus in Winston-Salem for on-site workshops, lab tours, and a graduation event.
If you are looking to build a project/research paper in the field of AI & ML, consider applying to Veritas AI!
With Veritas AI, which was founded by Harvard graduate students, you can work one-on-one with mentors from universities like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and more to create unique, personalized projects. In the past year, over 1,000 students chose to learn AI & ML with us. You can apply here, and check out a past student’s experience in the program here!