Ronald E. McNair Program
What is the TRIO Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program?
Official portrait photograph of Astronaut Ronald E. McNair. McNair was a mission specialist and died in the space shuttle Challenger accident, Jan. 28, 1986. Photo credit: NASA
The McNair program is a federally funded grant program designed to prepare eligible participants for doctoral studies. The highly selective program offers students at the University of Rochester the opportunity to engage in paid undergraduate research, and gain support in the graduate school application process. Participants are from disadvantaged backgrounds and have demonstrated strong academic potential. The goal of the program is to increase the attainment of Ph.D. degrees by students from underrepresented segments of society.
The program is open to all majors, but student applicants must be in their sophomore or junior year to apply. On average, 70% of McNair seniors at the University of Rochester have gone on to graduate study immediately after completing their undergraduate degree.
The program is named in honor of the late Challenger space shuttle astronaut and laser physicist, Ronald E. McNair.
Eligibility
- Be a US citizen or permanent resident
- Have a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher
- Academic year applicants must be a sophomore at the University of Rochester
- Be committed to pursuing a
PhD (not an MD, JD, orother graduate degree ) - Must be low income (according to federal guidelines) AND a first-generation college student OR a member of a group underrepresented in graduate study at the doctoral level.
Information Sessions
There will be a McNair information session to learn more about the program:
- October 29, 2026 - 4-5PM
Deadline
The applications deadline is: Monday, December 7, 2026
Letter of Recommendation deadline is: Monday, December 21, 2026
Services
- Paid undergraduate research experience
- Paid summer housing
- Academic conference funding
- Graduate school application fee waivers
- GRE reimbursement
- Graduate school campus visits
- One-on-one advising through the graduate school application process
Contact
For more information about this program, including notable achievements and successes, email McNair Scholars Program Manager George McCormick at gmccorm4@ur.rochester.edu, or McNair Academic Writing Specialist Aaron Banks at abanks4@ur.rochester.edu.