Eligibility & Requirements

To be eligible an applicant must:

• Be a US citizen or permanent resident
• Be a UNG undergraduate student with 30 or more credit hours when applying and 60 credits by the end of your first full year in the program
• Have a 2.7 or higher overall grade point average
• Applicant must be a full-time student (minimum of 12 hours) and maintain full-time status as they matriculate through their undergraduate program.
• Meet at least one of the following requirements:
  • Be a first-generation college student who meets the low-income guidelines, or
  • Be a member of a group underrepresented in graduate education (Black, Hispanic, Alaska Native, Native American, Native Hawaiian, Native Pacific Islander).
• Intend to pursue a Ph.D. or Ed.D. after graduation.

The term "low-income individual" means an individual whose family's taxable income for the preceding year did not exceed 150 percent of the poverty level amount.

Current Federal TRIO Program low-income levels.

Eligibility criteria are set by the US Department of Education. For more information, please email the UNG McNair Scholars Program.

• A copy of your financial aid eligibility.
• A copy of your family’s most recent tax forms.
• Personal Statement: This two-page personal statement should be typed (12 pt. font) and double-spaced and include honest responses to the following questions:
  1. Describe your career and professional goals and aspirations. How do you envision the McNair Program assisting you in reaching your goals? 
  2. Describe your primary research interest(s), or general research areas in which you have an interest. Do you have any prior research experience? If so, please describe. 
  3. What characteristics do you possess that you believe make you a strong doctoral candidate? 

• Statement of Research Interests: Your statement should explain in as much detail as possible the academic discipline and area of your research interests, possible research project(s), how this research can contribute to academia, and why this research appeals to you. Your statement of research interest should be no longer than 250 words.
• Two academic letters of recommendation: You will be asked to submit two academic letters of recommendations, one of which must be from a faculty member in your major. Please note that letters of recommendation should be written by persons who can best assess your ability for academic research and your motivation to attend graduate school.
• Complete the online application.