Applied research & academic writing problem set
“Can your child use research & academic writing thinking on a problem they have never seen?”
What they hand inWorked problems and short write-ups reviewed by the mentor each session.
Early sessionsProgrammes / Research & Academic Writing
Programme · Research & Academic WritingYoung Researchers Program
A first research programme: ask real questions, analyse data and write a structured research essay. A beginner-friendly research programme for middle schoolers. Students learn to ask research questions, evaluate evidence, design investigations, collect and analyse data and write a structured research essay - with guidance toward competitions like Broadcom MASTERS, National History Day and the Conrad Challenge.
Next cohort starts Sat, 10 Oct 2026 · early-bird USD 799
Cohorts of Small live cohort
Length6 weeks · 6 live sessions
Cohort sizeSmall live cohort
EligibilityGrades 6–8 (11–13)
Live sessionsSaturdays, 5:00 PM–6:00 PM GMT+4 (Saturdays, 9:00–10:00 AM ET) · live on Zoom
What your child will actually do
Live, mentor-led sessions - worked problems and real output, not lectures.
1
Learn research & academic writing the applied way
A first research programme: ask real questions, analyse data and write a structured research essay. Every session is live and mentor-led, with discussion instead of lecture.
2
Work on something real each week
Across 6 weeks · 6 live sessions, students produce work rather than notes - cases, drafts, builds or analyses depending on the programme.
3
Get individual mentor feedback
Cohorts are kept small so mentors know each student by name and push them at the right level.
4
Finish with something to show
A final project or presentation your child can put in front of a university, a school or you.
Skills your child will gain
Named, practised skills - grouped the way universities read them, tied to how each is used in this programme.
Thinking & analysis
How your child breaks a problem down before touching it.
- Literature review
Practised on live problems in every session - never taught as theory.
- Academic citation
Mentors make your child justify each step out loud before moving on.
- Note-taking and synthesis
Applied to unfamiliar research & academic writing material, not rehearsed examples.
- Basic field vocabulary
Practised on live problems in every session - never taught as theory.
Communication
Writing and speaking so an adult expert takes them seriously.
- Speaking up in a live room
Rehearsed in front of a mentor and peers, then corrected on the spot.
Building & doing
The hands-on craft that turns an idea into a finished artefact.
- Method design
Used directly on the work your child hands in across 6 weeks · 6 live sessions.
Working with people
Deadlines, teams, feedback - the habits universities and employers notice.
- Team work with strangers
Built through real deadlines and written mentor feedback.
Projects they finish with
Sample briefs from recent cohorts - the actual work that comes out of the programme, not a syllabus.
The main project
“What is worth building in research & academic writing in 6 weeks · 6 live sessions?”
What they hand inA finished programme project - the piece that goes into the portfolio.
Middle of the programmeFinal presentation
“Can they explain the work to someone who was not there?”
What they hand inA live presentation plus mentor feedback in writing.
Final sessionA short project or presentation to close the programme
The strongest single signal available to a school student: published, citable research. By the end of Young Researchers Program, the aim is simple: a published paper with a permanent link, plus a supervisor's letter.
What you end up holding
- Certificate of completion
- A small project or presentation
- A clear yes or no on the interest
What they'll take away
Certificate of CompletionProject or portfolio artefactLive mentor feedbackParent progress updates
How this strengthens their university profile
The point isn't the certificate. It's the line a family can honestly write afterwards - and the artefact sitting behind it.
Before
"My child is interested in research & academic writing."
Nothing an admissions officer can check.
After Young Researchers Program
"My child completed Young Researchers Program and finished a short project or presentation to close the programme."
A line with an artefact behind it.
Why this programme counts
Exploration, cheaply and quickly. Short live programmes let a child test a field over a couple of weekends before committing months to it - and they are the natural first step in Grades 5–8.
The strongest single signal available to a school student: published, citable research.
What a university can verify
- Certificate of completion
- A small project or presentation
- A clear yes or no on the interest
- Certificate of completion
- A small project or presentation
Upcoming cohorts
Starting soon
Sat, 10 Oct 20266 weeks · 6 live sessions · Grades 6–8Batch 1
Saturdays, 5:00 PM–6:00 PM GMT+4(Saturdays, 9:00–10:00 AM ET)
Sat, 16 Jan 20276 weeks · 6 live sessions · Grades 6–8Batch 2
Saturdays, 6:00 PM–7:30 PM GMT+4(Saturdays, 10:00–11:30 AM ET)
Sat, 10 Apr 20276 weeks · 6 live sessions · Grades 6–8Batch 3
Saturdays, 5:00 PM–6:00 PM GMT+4(Saturdays, 9:00–10:00 AM ET)
Session times shown in Dubai time (GMT+4) with US Eastern alongside. Fees are correct at time of publishing - confirm on the programme page.
Live mentors, every single session
Young Researchers Program is taught live by mentors from leading universities and partner organisations - never pre-recorded. Small cohorts mean your child is spoken to by name, not counted in an audience.
Parents usually ask
Is my child the right age for this?
It is designed for Grades 6–8. No prior background is assumed - mentors calibrate to the cohort in the first session.
How much time does it take?
6 weeks · 6 live sessions in total, with live sessions saturdays, 9:00–10:00 am et plus light preparation in between. It is built to sit alongside school.
What if we miss a session?
Tell the team in advance and they will share the materials and arrange a catch-up so your child rejoins without falling behind.
How do we pay and confirm a place?
Places are confirmed on the Young Researchers Program application page. Fees shown here are correct at time of publishing - always confirm on the programme page before paying.
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USD 799USD 1,499Early bird · next cohort 10 Oct