Eligibility and Benefits
Who can apply and why they should
The TRIO program requirements will lay out the guidelines for who can apply to become a McNair scholar.
In order to be considered for the McNair program, a student needs to meet both Federal TRIO and UW-Eau Claire criteria:
Federal TRIO criteria, scholars must be:
- A U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
- Income eligible: 150% below federal government determined poverty line ("low-income") and from a family in which neither parent graduated from a four-year postsecondary educational institution
OR
- From groups that are traditionally underrepresented in graduate studies and among doctoral recipients. The federal government defines "underrepresented" to include:
Black (non-Hispanic)
Hispanic
American Indian/Alaskan Native
Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders
UW-Eau Claire criteria, scholars must be:
- A UW-Eau Claire student; all majors are elegibile.
- Have the potential and desire to apply for, enter, and pursue a graduate program.
- Be supported by a recommendation from a UW-Eau Claire faculty or staff member.
- Have a minimum standing of rising sophomore with a GPA of 2.75 or greater.
Take this quiz to find out if you are eligible.
Why become a McNair Scholar? Immediate benefits include:
- Receive intense mentoring in a nurturing and supportive environment
- Undertake collaborative research with UW-Eau Claire faculty members
- Participate in the program's personalized services including seminars, Summer Research Institute, workshops, presentation opportunities at professional venues, and networking opportunities
- Receive personalized assistance with graduate school selection and application
- Benefit from application fee waivers available from many graduate schools across the country
- Learn about financial aid, fellowships, and grant opportunities
Long-term benefits: A McNair Scholar for life
The expected long-term benefits of the McNair program are derived from the program purpose of providing disadvantaged college students with effective preparation for doctoral study. Research provides irrefutable evidence that a doctoral degree bestows monetary and non-monetary benefits that last over a lifetime. These include highest annual median income compared to lower levels of educational attainment, an unemployment rate of close to zero percent, a life-time earnings curve that is much higher than lower levels of educational attainment, and a wide array of research and academic employment possibilities.