McNair Scholars
The McNair Scholars Program is a competitive program funded by the U.S. Department of Education to prepare university juniors and seniors who are low-income, first generation, and/or underrepresented in graduate education for doctoral education. This program assists students in the attainment of their educational, professional, and personal goals through participation in research and other academic/scholarly activities.
Named for physicist and astronaut Dr. Ronald E. McNair, the program was designed to increase Ph.D. awards for students from underrepresented/underserved segments of society. McNair Scholars are undergraduates preparing for doctoral studies through involvement in a summer research internship and other scholarly activities.
Applications for Spring 2025 are due by November 15, 2024.
APPLICATIONS
- Annually: October - January
McNair Scholars 2025 Application
Do I Qualify for this Program?
- First-generation college student AND low-income (at least 2/3 of participants each year) OR a member of an ethnic or racial minority group underrepresented in graduate school including African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans (or native Alaskans, Hawaiians or American Pacific Islanders)
- UTA GPA of 3.0
- Citizen or Permanent Resident
- Full-time sophomore, junior or senior (seeking first bachelor's degree)
- Sincere desire to pursue the PhD (not professional degrees such as MD, DO, JD, etc.)
- Enrolled at least through the fall semester after McNair Summer Research Internship
What Will I Be Doing During the Summer?
A major component of the McNair program is the Summer Research Internship, which takes place during the summer (late May - early August) between the junior and senior year. Scholars, who receive a stipend of $4,000, are required to participate in this aspect of the program, as it is crucial to developing their knowledge and research skills in preparation for graduate study.
What are the Benefits of McNair Scholars?
The UTA McNair Scholars Program offers a wide array of services to aid participants to reach their full academic and professional potential: informative seminars, the McNair research institute and summer research internship, help with the graduate school application process, conference participation, and other benefits. Participating fully in all aspects of the program enables Scholars to gain admittance to well-ranked graduate programs nationwide and to receive the funding necessary to earn the Ph.D.
UTA McNair Scholars Online Journal
Contact Us
Do you have more questions? Please contact The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) at mcnair@uta.edu or schedule an appointment using our Booking Advising system.
UTA McNair Scholars: Facebook Link
The McNair Scholars Program came to UTA in 1989-1990 and has been refunded continuously since its arrival. The first grant was written by Kathryn Head, former director of what was then known as SOAR (Students Obtaining Academic Readiness). Over the years the program has worked with many bright and hard-working students who have gone on to acquire graduate degrees and often enter the teaching profession.