Thank you for your interest in our McNair Scholars program!

Please carefully review the eligibility criteria below before applying.

Eligibility Requirements:

Applicants must meet all six requirements:

1.  Plan to go directly to graduate school after earning your Bachelor’s degree and have the desire to earn a PhD (Research Doctorate);

*Please note that the program is not open to students whose plans are to earn a professional degrees (MD, JD, MBA, PharmD, etc.).

2.  Must be an income-eligible student (please see current TRIO income levels here) who is also a first-generation college student (neither parent nor legal guardian had a Bachelor’s degree during the formative years);

 3.  Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident;

4.  Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 and be in Good Standing;

 5.  Must be an enrolled undergraduate student with at least 45 credits at the University of Oregon;

 6.  Must have at least six quarters left before graduation including one available Summer Term for a research internship before final year.

 Selection will be made on a competitive basis from those applicants who best meet the purposes of the program as defined by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants who best meet the federally mandated guidelines will be selected on the basis of their potential for pursuing doctoral studies and their ability to benefit from the program.

 Code of Federal Regulations - Title 34; Subtitle B; Chapter IV; Part 647; Subpart A; § 647.3 (c) (1) (2) (3)

Note. You cannot save and restart this application.

 You may want to review the included items, take some time to make notes and gather the required documents, and then return to submit your application. 

If you have any questions, please contact our office at mcnair@uoregon.edu

Local Address

Demographic Information

Availability & Prior Committments

Needs

Select all that apply.

Additional Questions

Select all that apply.

First-Generation & Income Eligibility

Download this form and complete all sections.

Note. If you are a dependent student you will also need to have a parent/guardian assist you with completing and signing the form.

Short Answer and Essays

Please provide your responses to the following short answer and essays.

We recommend downloading and using this template with all of the prompts below.

Short Answer:

Briefly answer the following prompts (approximately 150 words each)

1. Why do you have an interest in the TRIO McNair Scholars program?
2.  What is your interest in attending graduate school? What program/type of program are you considering about and why?
3. What is your research interest? What are you passionate about?
4.  Share any experience you have with or desire in conducting research? Discuss if you have had a research mentor? Please provide details.

Essay #1:

"Whether or not you reach your goals in life depends entirely on how well you prepare for them and how badly you want them." - Dr. Ronald E. McNair

Please write a carefully crafted essay (400 - 500 words) that describes your educational and research goals (past, present, and future) in relation to Ronald E. McNair's words quoted above.  Describe any obstacles you have overcome with research and/or your educational pursuits, stretches you wish to make, and challenges you foresee, as well as your plans to meet those challenges. Be sure to communicate your level of commitment to achieve those goals.

Essay #2:

Please write a carefully crafted essay (400 - 500 words) that describes how the activities and resources in the McNair Scholars Program are needed in order for you to pursue your goal of going to graduate school and earning a PhD. 

Transcripts

Please collect and upload your transcripts of ALL of your college-level coursework. This includes your UO transcript as well as from any previous community college or university enrollments in one PDF.

Resume/CV

Upload your Resume or CV that highlights: (1) academic and extracurricular awards, honors, and scholarships you have received, and (2) academic/campus/community organizations and activities in which you hold membership or participate.

References

• Please identify two references who can speak to your academic performance and to experiences that demonstrate the likelihood of your success in research and graduate school, if we contact them. 
• We only need names and contact information. NOT letters of recommendation. 
• These are academic professionals who you've worked with or had a class with and who can serve as a reference if you are advanced in the interview process.
  
• We would like one or both references to be a faculty in your field of study or major. For example, a professor or instructor you've worked with or had a class with in your major.
  
  • If you can only identify one faculty to list as a reference, the 2nd reference can be an academic advisor or supervisor in an academic setting.
  • If you are a transfer student you can list a faculty from the institution you attended prior to the UO, however you should still strive to have at least one name of a UO faculty member if possible. 
• It is courteous to provide each reference with a brief description of the McNair Scholars Program so that each will know something of the scope and goals of the program. This will give them the necessary information to convey the ways you are an excellent candidate for the program if they are contacted. Our website can help with this step.

Please read and sign the waivers below

Agreements for McNair Access and Services

I understand that the McNair Program professional staff has access to the following information:

• Admissions data
• Registration information
• Transcripts and grades
• Financial Aid verification
• Disability documentation
• Data updates
• Progress reports from professors, counselors, and the Registrar’s Office

I support this information sharing and understand that, before being admitted to McNair, information from the above sources will be used only to certify my eligibility.

 Once selected for McNair, I understand that the program has an educational need to know and may use information from the above sources to help me meet educational and program goals.

I also understand that admitted students are committed to earning first a bachelor’s degree, then pursuing doctoral degrees, and using the resources available to them for strengthening skills necessary to accomplish those goals. I am committed to those goals and will use McNair Program support to help me prepare effectively.

I authorize the UO McNair Scholars Program to collect, retain, and report my educational and program data for up to ten years after earning my bachelor’s degree, in compliance with U.S. Department of Education regulations.

Finally, I acknowledge that McNair Scholars’ names will be posted on the program website, social media, printed materials, and that Scholars’ names and UO permanent addresses may be shared with congressional representatives to demonstrate the impact of the program.

Sign and submit

You will receive a notification once we are done reviewing all applications whether or not you will be moved to the next step in the application process.

Stay tuned to your uoregon email!