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Application Process

Positions

High school juniors and seniors in participating Florida school districts who are interested in the SPARK Research Mentorship Program must apply through a competitive selection process. The number of students accepted depends on the availability of Mayo Clinic research faculty mentors.

Accepted students work on Mayo Clinic's Florida campus with research scientists. SPARK is a full-time summer commitment. Students must work 40 hours per week during the summer and complete project-related work as needed when school resumes in the fall.

Admission requirements

Prerequisites

Applicants to SPARK must at the time of application opening:

  • Be enrolled as a junior or senior at a school in Duval County or St. Johns County in Florida for the upcoming academic year.
  • Have a minimum 3.5 unweighted grade-point average.
  • Be serious about the time commitment required for SPARK mentorship.
  • All students must be available the first two weeks of June to attend the mandatory orientation and training — no exceptions will be given.

How to apply

Application timeline

  • Oct. 15: Application opens.
  • Dec. 4: Application deadline.
  • Feb. 15: Interviews for selected applicants.
  • June 3: SPARK begins with mandatory orientation.
  • Aug. 2: Student oral presentations.
  • Oct. 20: Poster submission deadline.
  • Dec. 6: Awards ceremony and poster symposium.
  • Jan.-May: Scholars participate in regional, state, and international science fairs.

All application materials, including the required recommendation form, must be received by December 4. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. We strongly encourage applicants to request recommendation forms from their science teachers as early as possible to ensure timely submission.

Application instructions

Complete the following steps:

  1. Create an account and start the Application for Admissions.
  2. Select Office of Non-Clinical Education Programs.
  3. Select Science Program for the Advancement of Research Knowledge (SPARK).
  4. Select Create a New Application.
  5. Select Start a Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science Experience Application.
  6. Complete all application sections and submit. Use a personal email address, not a school email address.
  7. After submission:
    • Select View next to your application.
    • Open the Supplemental Items and Documents tab.
    • Upload all required supplemental materials.
    • Complete the Recommendation Request section.  

Additional Required Items

  • Personal Reflection, Experiences, and Scientific Reasoning Exercise: Complete the fillable PDF and upload it to the Supplemental Items area. Save your responses before uploading.
  • High School Transcript(s): Upload unofficial or official transcripts covering grades 9 and above.
  • Science Teacher Recommendation: Complete the Recommendation Request section. Your teacher will receive an email with a link to the recommendation form. Do not submit a separate recommendation letter.
  • ORCID iD: Register for an ORCID identifier and include your 16-digit ORCID iD in your submission. Enter your school name in the Employer field during registration.

Application Integrity Requirement

Your application must reflect your own experiences, ideas, and writing. Do not use AI tools, including ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, or similar platforms, to generate or revise responses. Applications may be reviewed for authenticity, and AI-generated content may affect program eligibility.

 

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