| Application deadline | February 1, 2027 (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site | December 4, 2026 (2027 cycle) |
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| Cost | Free attendance; check separate expenses (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | On-campus boarding: $0. Covered by program funders.; Food: $0. Covered by program funders. (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Stipend or pay | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Eligibility | Grades 10–11 when applying; summer rising grade is one higher | Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 11–12 (provider uses rising grades) |
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| Additional eligibility | Residency: Texas high school students; Requirement: Open to students currently in grades 10–11 when applying; Requirement: Students enrolled in summer school during the program dates cannot participate (full-time attendance required) | Ages 13–17 | Residency: Enrolled at a school in Duval County or St. Johns County, Florida; Requirement: Open to rising grades 11–12; Requirement: Minimum 3.5 unweighted GPA; Requirement: Available the first two weeks of June for mandatory orientation and training; Requirement: Work 40 hours per week in mentor laboratories during the summer, plus project work during the school year |
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| Session dates or duration | Starts June 20, 2027; Ends June 25, 2027 (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site | Starts June 3, 2027 (2027 cycle) |
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| Format | In person | In person | In person |
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| Housing and supervision | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Non-residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Austin, TX | Apple Valley, MN | Jacksonville, FL |
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| Selection and application | Selection: McCombs describes desired qualities but publishes no current applicant count, cohort size, acceptance rate, fixed GPA cutoff, identity quota, geographic quota, scoring rubric, interview process, or waitlist policy. Historical cohort figures must not be treated as a future guarantee. Application materials: Essay(s); One letter of recommendation | Selection: The zoo closes applications when the summer cohort is filled, but it does not publish applicant counts, cohort size, interview process or selection rate. | Application materials: Science teacher recommendation form; Interview for selected applicants |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-08-20Source 3 · checked 2026-08-20 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-10-24Source 3 · checked 2026-08-21 |
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