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Program Application

Pre-Application Check List

Before beginning a McNair Scholar application, please answer the following questions in advance to determine whether you are eligible to participate in the Program:

  • Are you firmly committed to earning a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Ed.D.)? If you are interested in a professional degree (such as an MD, DMD, VMD, JD or MBA) you should not apply for the Program.
  • Do you meet the program eligibility criteria (see below)?
  • Are you willing and available to participate in regularly scheduled meetings, workshops, graduate school visits, and other activities during the regular academic year?

If you answered "yes" to each of the bulleted questions, you are eligible to participate in the McNair Scholars Program. Please proceed with the application process.

Application Materials

Prior to starting the application, please gather the following materials prior to beginning the online application:

  1. Recommendation Contact Information: You will be asked to provide emails for 3 individuals who are willing to complete a recommendation letter/form on your behalf (Any combination: Teaching faculty, academic advisor or college counselor, work supervisor, or TRIO counselor/director- if you are a former TRIO participant).
  2. Personal Statement: In 300 – 500 of your own words, write an essay outlining your academic and career goals, your strengths and weaknesses regarding preparation for graduate study, plans to attain a doctoral degree, and how a doctorate is essential to those pursuits.
  3. Research Interest: In your own words describe the research interest/question that will be the basis of your McNair project and proposed methods for implementing it.

  4. Income level is only one way to determine eligibility (see criteria below). Using the chart (https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ope/trio/federal-trio-programs-current-year-low-income-levels), determine whether your family’s TAXABLE income meets the TRIO low-income guidelines. Note: If you are considered a dependent student for FAFSA purposes, your program eligibility is determined using your and your parent’s information.

  5. Optional Resume: You have the option to upload a resume or provide a list of any academic acheivements.

Eligibility Criteria

Program participants must meet the following criteria:

  1. Have completed at least 45 credit hours by the beginning of the fall 2026 semester
  2. Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
  3. Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 or a GPA of 3.0 or better in last 60 credit hours
  4. Be currently attending Wichita State as a full-time student enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours.

Participants must also meet eligibility requirements set forth by the U.S. Department of Education:

First-generation status, meaning neither of your parents have a four-year degree, and low-income status (determined by federal guidelines https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ope/trio/federal-trio-programs-current-year-low-income-levels)

For more details on eligibility, please see U.S Department of Education Federal Regulations

Applying

The Program is highly selective and seeks to enroll only those academically talented applicants who are firmly committed to attaining a Ph.D. The information you provide on this application and other documents will aid the selection committee in choosing the next McNair Scholars from among many well-qualified applicants.

View WSU McNair Scholars- I Am McNair with Audio Description

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