15 Online Summer Schools for Middle School Students
Middle school is a good time to start exploring interests outside regular classes, especially before high school becomes more academically demanding later on. Online summer schools can help with that because they give students a chance to explore subjects more seriously while still learning from home.
What do online summer schools cover?
Online summer schools are much more interactive than standard online classes. Depending on the program, you may work on startup ideas, coding projects, discussions, presentations, writing exercises, or collaborative activities with students from different places. A lot of programs also include mentor sessions, workshops, and project-based learning, which makes the experience feel much more practical than passive learning.
Why should I participate in an online summer school in middle school?
Online summer schools help students explore subjects earlier in a more structured setting. You spend more time actively working on projects, discussions, and activities connected to a specific field. They are also much more flexible and accessible compared to in-person programs. Over time, these programs also help students build stronger academic direction and explore what subjects they may want to pursue more seriously later on.
With that, here are 15 online summer schools for middle school students!
15 Online Summer Schools for Middle School Students
1. Stanford Middle School Scholars Program
Cost: Free
Dates: July 6–24
Application Deadline: March 25
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–7; low-income students; must attend school in the United States
SUMaC is one of Stanford’s most advanced summer math programs for high school students who already enjoy proof-based mathematics and abstract problem solving. During the program, you study topics that usually appear much later in college mathematics, including number theory, abstract algebra, topology, and higher-level mathematical structures, depending on the track you enter. The coursework is intense and moves quickly, with daily live classes, problem-solving sessions, collaborative discussions, and research-style mathematical exploration built into the schedule. In the residential version, students also spend evenings working through difficult problem sets together and presenting mathematical ideas in groups.
2. Junior Innovator Program
Cost: Varies by program; need-based financial aid is available
Program Dates: Flexible start dates; vary by cohort
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Open to middle school students
The Junior Innovator Program is a virtual entrepreneurship incubator program where you work on a project that solves a problem you care about. Over the course of the program, you take your idea from curiosity to creation by applying principles of entrepreneurship, pitching, and business thinking in a structured, hands-on setting. You work through one-on-one mentorship sessions that cover ideation, market thinking, and foundational business concepts, while also participating in fireside chats, remote socials, and group discussions with a global cohort of student founders. Throughout the experience, you receive mentorship from entrepreneurs and professionals with backgrounds at organizations such as Google, Microsoft, and McKinsey, helping you understand how innovation and venture-building work in practice. You refine your communication and leadership skills by presenting your project and incorporating feedback from peers and mentors.
3. Northwestern Summer Online
Cost: Varies based on course
Dates: Varies based on course / flexible date options available
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: Grades 6–12; must meet academic qualification criteria via test scores or transcripts
Northwestern’s Center for Talent Development (CTD) runs online summer courses that let you study advanced subjects through either live classes or flexible asynchronous formats. The course catalog is unusually broad, covering areas like engineering, creative writing, AI, mathematics, philosophy, leadership, coding, political science, and AP-level coursework, depending on the program track you choose. Some classes move at an accelerated pace and compact a semester or full year of material into a shorter summer schedule, especially the Honors and AP courses. Other enrichment courses are more exploratory and discussion-based, designed around creative problem-solving and interdisciplinary learning.
4. Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers
Location: Virtual
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines. You can apply to the program here.
Program dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (on weekends) during the spring cohort and 25 hours over 2 weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort.
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8
The AI Trailblazers program by Veritas AI is a virtual program that teaches middle school students the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Over 25 hours, you will learn the basics of Python as well as topics like data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. Students learn through lectures and group sessions with a 5:1 student-to-mentor ratio. Previous student projects have included building a machine-learning model to classify music genres and creating an algorithm to provide a custom list of educational resources based on specified criteria.
5. Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth
Cost: Varies based on course
Dates: Varies based on specific course
Application Deadline: Applications processed on a rolling basis
Eligibility: Grades 2–12; must meet the academic qualification criteria
Johns Hopkins CTY offers advanced courses for academically strong middle and high school students across subjects like mathematics, engineering, biology, climate science, coding, creative writing, economics, history, and robotics. Depending on the course you choose, you might spend the session building coding projects, studying neurobiology, analyzing climate systems, or working through advanced mathematical concepts through structured assignments and discussions. The programs are available in different formats, including online courses and residential summer options, so the experience changes based on the track you select. Most courses move faster than regular school classes and expect you to handle independent reading, discussions, and coursework throughout the session.
6. Columbia Scientific Enrichment Month
Cost: Free
Dates: July (month-long; exact dates not specified)
Application Deadline: June 19
Eligibility: Middle school, high school, and undergraduate students; interest in cancer research/STEM
The Scientific Enrichment Month offered by Columbia University is a month-long program for students interested in pursuing cancer education and professional development. The program follows a comprehensive and rigorous curriculum that takes you through cancer education by lectures on cancer research, cancer health equities, public health, and guides you in developing a hypothesis. You can participate in community service hours by joining a public health group, gaining exposure to areas such as HPV vaccination, skin cancer prevention, cancer genetics, counselling, and physical activity. You will also engage in professional development through seminars on topics such as public speaking, interviewing skills, and resume writing.
7. Wolfram Middle School Summer Camp
Cost: $500 (financial aid available)
Dates: July 26–31
Application Deadline: July 6
Eligibility: Ages 11–14; girls or gender-nonconforming students; interest in STEM; no coding required
Wolfram’s Middle School Summer Camp is a one-week virtual program focused on coding, computational thinking, and problem-solving through the Wolfram Language. The camp is designed for girls and gender nonconforming students who want a deeper introduction to programming in a highly interactive environment. Across the week, you work through coding challenges, mini projects, and guided workshops connected to areas like machine learning, computational art, data science, and algorithmic thinking. The sessions are taught directly by Wolfram instructors, so much of the learning happens through live demonstrations, experimentation, and collaborative activities rather than recorded lessons. The program also includes guest speakers, social events, and group discussions throughout the week, which keeps the environment active beyond coding sessions alone.
8. Berkeley Coding Academy Summer Academy
Cost: Varies by specific course
Dates: Summer sessions (exact dates vary by program)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Middle and high school students
The Berkeley Coding Academy offers a summer program for middle school students interested in tech, for them to build their technical skills in data science and AI. The courses offered cover Python programming, data visualization, machine learning, building neural networks, deep learning, and coding. All these courses are offered over the summer with a hands-on learning approach where you will gain a foundational understanding of essential topics and work on projects, activities, and assignments to help you build the technical skills. Some courses require you to work on a final project, which helps you demonstrate your learning over the summer.
9. Middle School Virtual MUN Institute
Cost: $529
Dates: June 15–19; June 29–July 3; July 13–17; July 27–31; August 10–14
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Ages 11–13; no prior experience required
The virtual Model United Nations Institute offers a platform for middle school students to practice public speaking, diplomacy, and build confidence in their skills through a fun virtual camp experience alongside peers. During the camp, you will build an understanding of world leaders and debate on real issues while enhancing your professional skills. You will practice leadership and speaking through MUN simulations on different topics, public speaking games, lessons, and fun challenges. You will get to represent a country, deliver an opening speech, engage in debates, and also collaborate on a draft resolution. Throughout the process, you will receive feedback from mentors, learn about world issues, and build professional skills.
10. Women’s Alliance in STEM and Humanities Summer Research Institute
Cost: Free
Dates: June 22 - July 27 (weekly sessions)
Application Deadline: May 21
Eligibility: High school students interested in STEM
WASH SRI is a free six-week virtual research program where you explore advanced STEM topics through weekly live sessions and guided project work. The program is designed for middle and high school students in grades 6–11 and usually offers a small set of specialized tracks each year. In the last cycle, courses included Introduction to Number Theory, Computational Neuroscience, and Deep Learning, with sessions covering topics like RSA encryption, neural modeling in Python, and artificial intelligence systems. Throughout the program, you work through coding activities, mathematical exercises, and discussion-based lessons connected to each track. The experience ends with a capstone-style project tied to your course area, such as building a simple encryption system or modeling neuron activity through code.
11. Christa McAuliffe Academy School of Arts and Sciences
Cost: $725–$1,795 (varies by course)
Dates: May 4; June 1; July 20 (start dates); August 28 completion deadline
Application Deadline: April 30; May 28; July 14 (varies by session)
Eligibility: Middle and high school students; open enrollment; 1–3 courses allowed
The Christa McAuliffe Academy School of Arts and Sciences offers a diverse selection of courses for middle school students to explore their interests over the summer. You can choose to study language arts, mathematics, social sciences, science, world languages, visual and performing arts, health and physical education, technical education, and essential electives. You can opt for a combination of courses in the areas of your interest. Within the courses, you will delve into fundamental concepts, get your questions answered, and explore different topics in-depth.
12. Emerging Writers Institute
Cost: Varies based on the session
Dates: Offered in multiple 4-day sessions during the summer
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Grades 7–9; interest in writing
The Emerging Writers Institute offers middle school students the opportunity to explore creative writing over the summer. During the program, daily writing workshops will help you explore the fundamentals of storytelling and learn how to think like a writer. You will get to explore different writing genres such as sci-fi, screenwriting, graphic novels, travel writing, and experiment in an encouraging environment. You will work through fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction during the course of the workshop. This includes one-on-one instructor evaluations that will help you receive constructive feedback on your writing.
13. Varsity Tutors Summer Programs
Cost: Free
Dates: Weekly sessions throughout the summer
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Elementary, middle, and high school students
Varsity Tutors offers a variety of programs for middle school students to engage in topics of interest during the summer. The program offerings are diverse, including comics, economics, content creation, video game creation, and language learning. Each program delves into the topic by taking you through fundamental concepts and helps you understand practical application through fun activities. Based on the course you sign up for, you will get to work on scientific experiments, learn what it takes to start a business, learn content creation, how to build your own video game, or interact with a mentor in a new language.
14. NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program
Cost: Free
Dates: Monthly; each novel is due by 11:59 PM on the last day of the month
Application Deadline: Varies by the course
Eligibility: Grades 4-12
NaNoWriMo’s Young Writers Program (YWP) is a dynamic, month-long creative writing challenge designed to unlock the storytelling potential of young writers. The program invites participants to draft an entire novel in just 30 days, encouraging them to set and meet their own word count goals. You can join an online classroom to stay connected with their peers and educators while being supported by the program’s resources such as writing prompts, noveling workbooks, and access to advice from published authors. NaNoWriMo YWP provides an empowering and enjoyable approach to creative writing. The program aims to help young writers not only improve their writing skills but also build confidence and a sense of accomplishment.
15. Project STEM’s About CS Explorations 1: CS Fundamentals in Scratch
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Year-round
Dates: Flexible; can be taught as a 9 or 12-week unit, single semester, two semesters over multiple years, or as a full-year course.
Eligibility: Middle/early high school students, grades 6-9+
Project STEM’s CS Fundamentals in Scratch is an introductory computer science course designed to spark curiosity and build a strong foundation in technology for middle school students. The course utilizes Scratch, a block-based visual programming language, allowing students to create interactive coding projects, games, and animations. You will explore key topics such as programming, physical computing, user-centered design, and data. The curriculum is designed to be highly flexible and integrated, with inquiry-based activities, videos, assessments, and computing tools that promote an engaging digital learning environment.