8 Ivy League Engineering Programs for Middle School Students
Middle school is the perfect time to explore your passions and set the stage for an enriching high school and college experience. Ivy League programs, in particular, provide students access to world-renowned professors and researchers who are leaders in their fields. Learning directly from such experts introduces you to a level of education beyond what you typically experience in classrooms. These programs are designed to delve deep into a specific subject area and help you identify your interests early, guiding future academic decisions and potential career paths.
Ivy League programs are designed to challenge students to think critically and solve problems using a hands-on approach and analytical mindset. An Ivy League experience will ultimately give you a competitive edge while applying to high school honor programs, summer internships, and college, as it demonstrates dedication, motivation, and engagement with advanced learning.
To help you get started on your Ivy League journey, here’s a list of 8 Ivy League Engineering Programs for Middle School Students.
1. Penn GEMS by the University of Pennsylvania
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $650
Application Deadline: March 2025 (Tentative, based on 2024 program dates)
Dates: 1 week | June (based on 2024 program dates)
Eligibility: Open to rising 7th, 8th, or 9th graders with at least a B average who live and attend school within a 60-mile radius of Penn’s campus at the time of application.
The Penn GEMS is a day camp by Penn Engineering, University of Pennsylvania for middle schoolers interested in science, engineering, and math. The topics covered during the camp, such as nanotechnology, materials science, bioengineering, environmental engineering, chemical engineering, robotics, graphics, and computing, help you develop deeper subject knowledge and build better conceptual clarity.
Programs like “It’s a Robot” teach you the basic electromechanical principles behind robotics technology, and the “Nanotech 101” program lets you experiment with nanomaterials. The camp emphasizes real-world problem-solving, collaboration, teamwork, and building self-efficacy.
2. STEM for Rising 9th and 10th Graders by Brown University
Location: Brown University campus, Providence, Rhode Island
Cost: $5,498
Application Deadline: May 9, 2025
Dates: July 13 – July 25, 2025
Eligibility: Open to students completing grades 8 to 9, between the ages 13 to 15 by June 15, 2025
STEM for Rising 9th and 10th Graders is designed for rising 9th and 10th graders who are eager to advance their knowledge in STEM disciplines. This program runs for 2 weeks and involves students in hands-on team projects, experiments, and design-build challenges. As a participant, you get the chance to work closely with a diverse group of peers and learn in a rigorous environment that combines academic content, laboratory or field exercises, and a research project or design challenge, which will be your area of academic focus.
STEM9/10 also gives you the opportunity to interact with Brown graduate students and learn about graduate-level research projects. The program concludes with a final presentation showcasing your project for your peers, families, and instructors. When you complete the course, you will receive a Digital Certificate of Completion and a Course Performance Report.
3. State Pre-College Enrichment Program (S-PREP) at Columbia University
Location: New York, NY
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Dates vary depending on the program you choose (Summer Session/Academic Year/ SAT Prep Course)
Dates: Dates vary depending on the program chosen
Eligibility: This program is open to students enrolled in grades 7-12 who are economically disadvantaged or from underrepresented communities, such as African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Alaskan Natives, or American Indians.
S-PREP is a free high school and college preparatory program for 7th-12th graders interested in STEM. The program comprises two sessions; the Summer Session and the Academic Year. In addition to the regular enrichment courses covered in both sessions, the Summer Session provides PSAT coaching while the Academic Year provides SAT preparation.
You also get to participate in college preparation and career development workshops, college & academic counseling services, field trips, and college tours. The selection criteria for this program include Maintenance of an 80% grade average particularly in math and science and a strong interest in STEM.
4. International Summer School (ISSOS) at Yale
Location: New Haven, CT
Cost: $500 enrollment fee and $8,800 tuition fee
Application Deadline: Applications are open currently.
Dates: 13 July – 3 August, 2025
Eligibility: Open to students aged 13 – 18 from all around the world
The ISSOS program at Yale is designed for middle school students looking to spend their summer at a prestigious Ivy League university. As a participant, you will get to select one academic and one elective to follow for three weeks; you will also take part in evening events and go on cultural trips. Academic classes meet for 3 hours each weekday morning and are taught by a highly qualified team of teachers who are all experienced, working professionals in their fields.
5. Summer Pre-College’s Residential Program at Duke
Location: Durham, NC
Cost: One-week program: $1,400 + Room & Board: $750 | Two-week program: $2,800 + Room & Board: $1,900 (as per 2024)
Application Deadline: Dates for 2025 are TBD; sign up here for updates.
Dates: June to July (tentative, based on 2024 program dates)
Eligibility: Must be high school students in grades 6-11
Summer at Duke is a residential program that provides students the opportunity to learn on the vibrant Duke University campus. As a participant, you will have access to world-class facilities and visit significant locations throughout campus and the surrounding area. You will also have several opportunities to interact and collaborate with Duke faculty and PhD students as well as industry experts.
The courses offered in this program include Aerospace Engineering, which introduces you to the basics of space exploration and the fundamental physical laws that govern space flight and orbital mechanics. This will give you the tools needed to understand some primary parameters that underlie the design of space missions; subsequently, you’ll get to design a space mission of your own. The Audio Engineering course explores topics like electrical circuits, acoustics, audio, and other important topics in electrical engineering.
6. Summer Explorations at Harvard
Location: Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Dates for 2025 are TBD
Dates: July (tentative, based on 2024 program dates)
Eligibility: Open to Harvard Ed Portal members (or Ed Portal eligible) who meet the age/grade requirements
The Summer Explorations program at Harvard University offers a unique opportunity for middle school students to cultivate their academic curiosity and develop essential skills across a variety of disciplines. Designed to spark intellectual excitement, this program allows you to explore a wide range of subjects, from STEM to the humanities, giving you a chance to discover new interests or deepen existing passions. You are welcome to join as many programs within your grade level as you wish, though availability is limited and differs across each program.
7. The Ulysses S. Grant Foundation at Yale
Location: New Haven, CT
Cost: $75
Application Deadline: Dates for 2025 are TBD
Dates: 6 weeks | June to August (tentative, based on 2024 program dates)
Eligibility: Open to students entering grades 6-9 in New Haven public and parochial schools
This 6-week program, led by undergraduate instructors from Yale, offers a diverse curriculum that spans STEM, scientific inquiry, and creative electives. As a participant, you will engage in small, interactive classes of 8-15 students benefitting from an intimate and collaborative learning experience. The Investigations classes focus on developing problem-solving abilities through hands-on projects in both the natural and social sciences, making it an ideal choice for students interested in STEM fields.
Additionally, the program offers a range of electives and clubs where you can explore your passions in a more relaxed setting, interacting with peers from different grades. Held at Dwight Hall on Yale’s historic campus, the program offers a well-rounded educational experience, catering to students with interests across various academic disciplines.
8. Math for AI Programming & Data Structures by Columbia Online
Location: Virtual
Cost: $135
Application Deadline: This course can be purchased at your convenience.
Dates: 1-3 hours per week for 2 months
Eligibility: Open to middle school students
Columbia University is offering a 2-month virtual course on Math for AI Programming & Data Structures through the edX platform. This program aims to build a strong foundation in key mathematical concepts such as discrete math, calculus, linear algebra, and probability theory while applying this knowledge to solve problems in artificial intelligence.
It also focuses on developing proficiency in Python programming, including using essential packages like NumPy, Matplotlib, Sci-kit Learn, and Pandas for data analysis, visualization, and machine learning. As a participant, you will learn to write and debug Python code and utilize functions, object-oriented programming, and core data structures like lists and dictionaries.
One other option – The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program was founded by a Harvard & Oxford PhD who met as undergraduates at Harvard. It is a rigorous and fully virtual program where middle school students can 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.
You can find the application in the brochure! To learn more, you can reach out to our Head of Partnerships, Maya, at maya.novak-herzog@lumiere.education or visit our website.
There are multiple rolling deadlines for JEP cohorts across the year; you can apply using this application link! If you'd like to take a look at the cohorts + deadlines for 2024, you can refer to this page!
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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