2026 Call for Applications will Open December 15
Driving Clinical and Academic Excellence is a significant focus of RVH’s Vitally You strategic plan. The RVH Research Institute is committed to supporting the scholarly development of Canadian students or students enrolled in Canadian universities or colleges.
The RVH Student Program in Applied-Research & Knowledge Building (SPARK) Award is a competitive award that enables successful students to engage in an immersive summer research training experience intended to supplement and give practical meaning to their academic coursework. Successful candidates will be eligible to receive up to $7,500.00 for a full sixteen (16)-week period.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must be actively enrolled in at least their second year of a bachelor's degree or in a course-based graduate/professional program (e.g., BSc, BME, MSc, MPH, MD, PharmD). Students transitioning between programs during the award are also eligible. Those unable to find a supervisor should apply through the General Application Stream. If matched, the student will be contacted.
Please see the 2026 RVH SPARK Award’s Terms and Conditions for full eligibility criteria
2026 DATES AND DEADLINES
Call for Applications Open: Monday, December 15, 2025
General Application Deadline: Monday, February 2, 2026
Research Proposal Application Deadline: Monday, March 2, 2026
Award Decision: week of Monday, March 30, 2026
Reflections from Our Alumni
"RVH's SPARK Award helped me develop invaluable research skills, from mastering data collection to quickly digesting complex scientific papers. These highly transferable skills are not only essential for my medical-related studies but also opened doors to future opportunities"
Leah Kogan
University of Limerick