Eligibility for the UI McNair Program
Eligibility
Each year, nine University of Iowa undergraduates will be competitively appointed to the UI McNair Scholars Program as “Iowa Scholars.” In addition, eighteen undergraduates from outside the University of Iowa will be competitively appointed to the UI McNair Scholars Program as “Visiting Scholars” each year. Students must submit a completed application for review by the UI McNair Program Advisory Committee. Eligible candidates are required to:
- hold “junior” standing toward completion of the bachelor’s degree. (UI students hold junior standing upon completing 59 hours; non-UI students will refer to their institution's standard for junior-year status.)
- have achieved a 3.0 or higher cumulative grade point average (GPA; based on a 4.0 point scale).
- have a stated goal of achieving a doctoral degree (Ph.D.), following completion of the bachelor’s degree.
- be a citizen or national of the U.S.; or be a permanent resident of the U.S.; or provide evidence from the Immigration and Naturalization Service of his/her intent to become a permanent resident; or be a permanent resident of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; or be a resident of one of the Freely Associated States. (These citizenship rules are defined by the U.S. Department of Education.)
- be a low-income individual1 who is a first-generation college student2; or be a member of a group that is underrepresented3 in graduate education.
1 A low-income individual is defined by the U.S. Department of Education as an individual whose family’s taxable income did not exceed 150% of the poverty level in the calendar year preceding the year in which the individual participates in the project. Poverty level income is determined by using criteria of poverty established by the Bureau of the Census of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
2 A first-generation college student is defined by the U.S. Department of Education as 1) a student neither of whose natural or adoptive parents received a baccalaureate degree; or 2) a student who, prior to the age of 18, regularly resided with and received support from only one parent, and whose supporting parent did not receive a baccalaureate degree; or 3) an individual who, prior to the age of 18, did not regularly reside with or receive support from a natural or an adoptive parent.
3 Underrepresented students, as defined by the U.S. Department of Education, include African-Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, American Indians/Alaskan Natives; or members of a group that is underrepresented in certain academic disciplines as documented by standard statistical references or other national survey data submitted to accepted by the U. D. Department of Education on a case-by-case basis.