McNair Scholars

McNair Eligibility

Eligibility for McNair Application

The objective of the McNair Program is to prepare currently enrolled eligible UW undergraduate students for doctoral study in their chosen fields.

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for the McNair Program, you must meet the following eligibility criteria set by the U.S. Department of Education. UW McNair program is a federally funded TRIO program; these are strict requirements.

To be eligible, you must:

  • be a low-income student who is also a first-generation college student (for detailed definitions, click on the links).

    OR

  • be a member of a group that is underrepresented in graduate education as defined by the U.S. Department of Education:
    • African American
    • American Indian/Alaskan Native
    • Hispanic/Latino
    • Native Hawaiian/ Native Pacific Islander
  • be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or in the process of obtaining permanent residency.

Additional eligibility requirements:

  • be currently enrolled as an undergraduate in a degree program or a pre-major at the UW1
  • have at least one year remaining before graduation (i.e., if you are graduating within this current academic year, you are not eligible for the program)
  • have a STRONG desire to attain a Ph.D.2

1Post-baccalaureate students and students who already have a bachelor’s degree are not eligible for the program.

2Students whose career goals include a medical (MD) or other professional degree (JD, MBA, PharmD, etc.) are not eligible for the program. Please refer to the Additional Resources page.

If you have any eligibility questions E-mail uwmcnair@uw.edu or call 206-543-6460.