Application Eligibility
Eligibility Requirements:
1. Must have a desire to earn a PhD (Research Doctorate). Please note that an MD or other professional degrees (JD, MBA, PharmD, etc.) are not eligible for the program.
2. Must be an income-eligible student (please see table below) who is also a first-generation college student (neither parent nor legal guardian had a Bachelor’s degree during the formative years);
OR
be a member of a group that is underrepresented in graduate education defined for all McNair Programs. Ethnic and racial groups considered underrepresented in graduate education are Black (non-Hispanic), Hispanic, American Indian, Alaskan Native (as defined in section 7306 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the ESEA), Native Hawaiians (as defined in section 7207 of the ESEA), and Native American Pacific Islanders (as defined in section 320 of the HEA).
3. Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
4. Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
5. Must be an enrolled undergraduate student at WSU Pullman
6. Must have at least four semesters left before graduation (The program takes a minimum of four semesters to complete)
Application for the McNair Scholars Program is now open. |
What is considered low-income?
| Size of Family Unit | 48 Contiguous States, D.C., and Outlying Jurisdictions | Alaska | Hawaii |
| 1 | $22,590 | $28,215 | $25,965 |
| 2 | $30,660 | $38,310 | $35,250 |
| 3 | $38,730 | $48,405 | $44,535 |
| 4 | $46,800 | $58,500 | $53,820 |
| 5 | $54,870 | $68,595 | $63,105 |
| 6 | $62,940 | $78,690 | $72,390 |
| 7 | $71,010 | $88,785 | $81,675 |
| 8 | $79,080 | $98,880 | $90,960 |
For family units with more than eight members, add the following amount for each additional family member: $8,070 for the 48 contiguous states, the District of Columbia and outlying jurisdictions; $10,095 for Alaska; and $9,285 for Hawaii.
The term “income-eligible individual” means an individual whose family’s taxable income for the preceding year did not exceed 150 percent of the poverty level amount.
The figures shown under family income represent amounts equal to 150 percent of the family income levels established by the Census Bureau for determining poverty status. The poverty guidelines were published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Federal Register on January 17, 2024, and are effective as of January 11, 2024.