About

The Mayo Clinic Science Program for the Advancement of Research Knowledge (SPARK) — Florida is a free, intensive research mentorship for high school students. Hosted on the Mayo Clinic campus in Jacksonville, SPARK provides rising juniors and seniors from Duval or St. Johns counties the opportunity to work in world-class laboratories. Scholars contribute to research in fields such as cancer biology, immunology, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, and artificial intelligence.

For the 2026 cycle, the program runs from June 2 to December 3, 2026. The experience begins with two weeks of mandatory in-person orientation and safety training starting June 2. During the summer, scholars must spend at least 25 hours per week in their assigned lab. When the school year resumes, students maintain a flexible schedule agreed upon with their mentors. A hallmark of the program is the requirement to compete in either the Northeast Florida Regional Science and Engineering Fair or the St. Johns County Secondary STEM Fair.

Admission is highly competitive and restricted to students with a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.5. The application window for 2026 is November 1 to December 31, 2025. Applicants must submit a resume, a science teacher recommendation, and a "Program Official Abstract"—a one-page proposal demonstrating scientific reasoning. Candidates must also provide an ORCID identifier as part of their professional development.

The program is tuition-free, though students must arrange their own transportation. Final admission depends on passing a drug screen and meeting institutional health requirements, including TB and vaccination attestations. SPARK functions as a significant pipeline for future researchers, with many alumni advancing to Mayo Clinic's undergraduate and medical school programs.