# Best Summer Programs for High School Students in Florida (2027) *September 25, 2026 — by Extracurricular Hub* Florida summer programs for high schoolers, from research at UF and Mayo Clinic to music in Coral Gables, marine science in the Keys and volunteering on the coast, with what each has posted for 2027. Florida's summer options for high school students range from lab research at the University of Florida and Mayo Clinic to music camps at the University of Miami, marine science in the Florida Keys and coastal volunteering in Sarasota and Boca Raton. This guide covers programs based in Florida, plus the deadlines that are already open this fall. **About the dates in this guide.** This is the summer 2027 edition, checked against each program's official page on September 25, 2026 and rechecked on September 27, 2026. Most programs have not posted summer 2027 dates or prices yet. Where a program has, we give the 2027 detail. Where it hasn't, we give the summer 2026 figure and label it as last cycle's. We never estimate a date a program hasn't published, so confirm everything on the official page before you apply. ### Research Programs #### UF Student Science Training Program (SSTP) [SSTP](/extracurriculars/sstp-summer-science-training-program-at-uf) is a seven-week residential program at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Students join a UF faculty scientist's research team and help with its ongoing work, and they also attend a science lecture series and a UF Honors seminar, keep weekly lab notes, and finish with a paper, a poster and two oral presentations. - **Who:** current 11th graders who will be at least 16 when the program starts. UF sets aside only a limited number of places for students from non-Florida high schools. - **Cost (2026):** $5,500 plus a $50 nonrefundable application fee and a $500 nonrefundable deposit after acceptance. Housing and most program activities were included; daily meals and travel were not. Limited need-based aid was available to Florida high school students. - **Summer 2027:** not posted yet. Last cycle's application opened January 5, 2026 and was due March 25, 2026, with rolling review until the program filled. #### Mayo Clinic SPARK (Jacksonville) [SPARK](/extracurriculars/mayo-clinic-spark-research-program) is a biomedical research mentorship at Mayo Clinic's Jacksonville campus. Scholars spend at least 25 hours a week in a Mayo lab over the summer, keep working on the project into the school year, and present a poster; every scholar also enters a regional science fair. - **Who:** rising juniors and seniors enrolled at a high school in Duval or St. Johns County with at least a 3.5 unweighted GPA. Positions depend on mentor availability. - **Cost:** Mayo's pages don't state a fee or a stipend. - **2027:** Mayo lists an application window of October 15 to December 4, 2026, program dates of June 8 to December 3, 2027, and a mandatory orientation on June 8, 2027. ### Arts Programs #### Frost Summer Experience (University of Miami) The former Frost Young Musicians Camp is now the [Frost Summer Experience](/extracurriculars/frost-young-musicians-camp), a set of University of Miami music camps in Coral Gables. In 2026, high school students chose one- or two-week programs in popular music and songwriting, music production, jazz, or orchestra and chamber music, each with its own audition and requirements. - **Cost (2026):** tuition was commonly $1,250 or $1,850 depending on the program, plus a $50 application fee. Optional July housing with meals was $1,000 for one week or $1,900 for two. Limited scholarships were available. - **Summer 2027:** programs, dates, prices and deadlines haven't been announced. #### YoungArts National Arts Competition (Miami) Miami-based [YoungArts](/extracurriculars/national-foundation-for-advancement-in-the-arts-nfaa-merit-award) runs a national competition in ten disciplines, from classical music and dance to film, writing and visual arts. It isn't a summer program, but its deadline is this fall. - **Who:** students in grades 10-12, or ages 15-18 on December 1, 2026, who meet YoungArts' U.S. eligibility rules. - **Deadline:** the 2027 competition closes October 6, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. Each application costs $35, and YoungArts waives the fee for applicants who upload the required request letter. - **What winners get:** $250 for winners and up to $10,000 for winners with distinction, who are also invited to National YoungArts Week in Miami, January 9-17, 2027, with travel, hotel and meals covered. ### Marine Science and Aviation #### Seacamp (Big Pine Key) [Seacamp](/extracurriculars/seacamp-marine-science) is a residential marine-science camp in the Florida Keys, with field classes, labs, kayaking and snorkeling trips. - **Cost (2027):** two-week sessions for ages 12-17 are $5,150, with optional SCUBA for another $650; one-week sessions for ages 10-17 are $2,350. Payment plans and scholarships are available. - **Summer 2027:** registration is open. Two-week sessions run June 25 to July 9 and July 12 to July 26; one-week sessions run July 29 to August 4 and August 5 to August 11. Seacamp takes $100 off for a deposit paid by December 31. #### National Flight Academy (Pensacola) The [National Flight Academy](/extracurriculars/national-flight-academy) runs six-day residential aviation-STEM "Deployments" aboard a simulated aircraft carrier at Naval Air Station Pensacola, for students ages 10-17 entering grades 6-12. A parent or guardian registers. When our catalog last checked in August 2026, the registration system listed no upcoming sessions or tuition, so check the site for new dates. ### Summer Volunteering #### Mote High School Blue Crew (Sarasota) Mote Marine Laboratory's [High School Blue Crew](/extracurriculars/mote-high-school-blue-crew) is a year-round volunteer program that brings new members in each summer. Volunteers start as Aquarium Guides at Mote Science Education Aquarium, explaining exhibits and Mote's research to guests. - **Who:** high school students at least 15 who are not seniors when they apply and have reliable transportation to the aquarium. - **2027:** Mote says to check back in February for information about the 2027 Blue Crew. Applications open in mid-February and are due in mid-April each year. #### Gumbo Limbo Nature Center (Boca Raton) [Gumbo Limbo](/extracurriculars/gumbo-limbo)'s summer student volunteer program had two tracks in 2026: Daily Summer Operations for ages 16-20 (at least 50 summer hours, educating visitors about coastal and marine ecosystems) and Counselor in Training for ages 16 and up (at least two full camp weeks). It accepted 35 students, both tracks required an interview, and the deadline was April 20, 2026. The 2027 cycle isn't posted yet. #### More Florida Volunteer Listings - [Boca Raton Regional Hospital teen volunteers](/extracurriculars/volunteer-hospital-junior-volunteer-boca-raton-regional-hospital): nonclinical hospital volunteering with a live application and no fixed deadline. - [Surfrider beach cleanups in Palm Beach County](/extracurriculars/volunteer-beach-cleanup-volunteer-surfrider-foundation-south-florida): event-based coastal cleanups; dates, sites and age rules vary. - [Feeding South Florida](/extracurriculars/feeding-south-florida-high-school-volunteer-program-community-serv): shift-based food-bank volunteering with role-specific age rules. - [Habitat for Humanity](/extracurriculars/habitat-for-humanity) in Palm Beach County: rolling volunteer shifts with role-specific age rules. ### Bright Futures and Service Hours If you plan to use a [Florida Bright Futures Scholarship](/extracurriculars/florida-bright-futures), summer is a good time to build service hours. For students who graduated in 2025-26, the Florida Academic Scholars award required 100 volunteer hours, 100 paid work hours or a combination, and Medallion Scholars required 75 volunteer hours, 100 paid hours or a combination. Requirements can change by graduating class, so check the current handbook and ask your counselor which hours your district accepts. ### National Programs Florida Students Apply To Many Florida students also apply to national programs such as the Research Science Institute and MITES at MIT. Our [summer planning guide](/blog/summer-planning-guide-high-school-students) covers them, with what each has posted for 2027. ### A Planning Calendar for Summer 2027 - **October 6, 2026:** the YoungArts 2027 competition closes. - **October 15 to December 4, 2026:** Mayo Clinic SPARK takes applications. - **February 2027:** Mote says to check back for the 2027 Blue Crew. - **Now:** Seacamp's 2027 registration is open. - **For reference, last cycle's deadlines:** UF SSTP March 25 and Gumbo Limbo April 20, 2026; Mote's Blue Crew is due in mid-April each year. ### How to Choose 1. **Match the program to what you already do.** A program in your area of interest gives you more to build on than a famous name. 2. **Check eligibility first.** SPARK is limited to two counties, SSTP to rising seniors, and the volunteer programs have age minimums. 3. **Price the whole summer.** Meals, travel and housing can be extra even when tuition is listed. 4. **Keep a free backup.** Volunteering or a self-directed project can't reject you. ### Keep Exploring Browse every [Florida program](/extracurriculars/florida) in our catalog, see [free summer programs](/extracurriculars/free/summer-programs) nationwide, or take the [Find My Fit quiz](/find-my-fit) for matches based on your interests. ## Sources - [UF Student Science Training Program (SSTP)](https://www.cpet.ufl.edu/students/uf-cpet-summer-programs/student-science-training-program/) (checked September 27, 2026) - [Mayo Clinic SPARK (Florida)](https://college.mayo.edu/academics/non-clinical-education/science-program-for-the-advancement-of-research-knowledge-spark-florida/) (checked September 27, 2026) - [Frost Summer Experience, University of Miami](https://www.frostsummerexperience.com/) (checked September 27, 2026) - [Seacamp](https://www.seacamp.org/) (checked September 27, 2026) - [Mote High School Blue Crew](https://mote.org/support/volunteer/high-school-volunteer-programs/) (checked September 27, 2026) - [Volunteering at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center](https://www.myboca.us/2107/Volunteering-at-Gumbo-Limbo-Nature-Cente) (checked September 27, 2026) - [YoungArts National Arts Competition](https://youngarts.org/) (checked September 27, 2026) - [National Flight Academy](https://nationalflightacademy.com/) (checked September 27, 2026) - [Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program](https://www.floridabrightfutures.gov/) (checked September 27, 2026) - [Seacamp: 2027 dates and rates](https://www.seacamp.org/dates.htm) (checked September 27, 2026) - [Frost Summer Experience: Popular Music Experience (tuition and housing)](https://www.frostsummerexperience.com/popularperformance) (checked September 27, 2026) - [Frost Summer Experience: Instrumental Intensive (tuition and housing)](https://www.frostsummerexperience.com/instrumental) (checked September 27, 2026) Last reviewed against these sources on September 27, 2026. ## Frequently asked questions ### When should Florida students apply for summer 2027 programs? Start now. Mayo Clinic's SPARK program in Jacksonville takes applications October 15 to December 4, 2026, and the YoungArts competition closes October 6, 2026. UF's SSTP opened January 5 and closed March 25 last cycle, and Mote's Blue Crew says to check back in February for 2027. Most other Florida programs haven't posted 2027 dates yet. ### Are there free or low-cost options in Florida? Summer volunteering is the most reliable free option: Mote's High School Blue Crew in Sarasota and Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton both take high school volunteers. Paid programs such as UF's SSTP offer limited need-based aid to Florida high school students, and YoungArts waives its $35 fee on request. ### Can students from outside Florida attend UF's SSTP? Yes, but UF designates only a limited number of places for students from non-Florida high schools, and its need-based aid is for Florida high school students. ### Do Bright Futures scholarships count summer volunteering? Bright Futures awards require service or paid work hours: for 2025-26 graduates, the Florida Academic Scholars award required 100 volunteer hours, 100 paid work hours or a combination, and Medallion Scholars required 75 volunteer hours, 100 paid hours or a combination. Requirements can change by graduating class, so confirm which hours your district accepts with your school counselor. --- Last updated: 2026-10-05. Canonical page: https://extracurricularhub.com/blog/best-summer-programs-high-school-students-florida ExtracurricularHub (https://extracurricularhub.com) is a program discovery directory. Details come from the catalog record shown on the canonical page above.