Applications for the next cohort of McNair Scholars starts now! Students who are first generation college students from low income families, or are members of underrepresented groups, and who plan to pursue the Ph.D. degree, please TAKE NOTE!!
Applications are accepted through October 18, 2019. Please read through this whole page before accessing the application, at the bottom.
Recommendations must be submitted by October 25. We will notify all applicants as to their status by the end of November 2019, and the new Scholars will begin in the program in December 2019.
For more details about the UNT McNair Scholars Program, visit the Program Information page. You will find information on eligibility, benefits, and responsibilities to the McNair program.
Come visit us in Sage Hall 390 and join us at one of the information sessions listed below; or send us an email at McNair@unt.edu with any questions.
September 17 at 12-1 PM Sage Hall 342
September 18 at 3-4 pm Sage Hall 342
Checklist for a Completed Application (Item 1 - 5):
1. Online McNair Application
2. Two Essays (Part of the Online Application)
- Two short (400-500 word) personal essays
- Essay 1: Describe your interest in your field of study and why you would like to pursue a Ph.D. Discuss your tentative plans for research and career goals.
- Essay 2: Given your background (low income, first generation college student, or member of underrepresented group), discuss some of your specific educational desires and address the specific advantages that being part of the McNair program will give you. Another way of thinking about this is to explain your understanding of the goals of the McNair Program and why you think it assisting you in preparing for graduate studies and ultimately achieving your goals will ultimately serve the national McNair program.
We encourage you to visit the UNT Writing Center, Sage Hall, room 150 https://writingcenter.unt.edu/. Writing Center staff will help you edit and revise your personal essays. The McNair staff has contacted the director of the UNT Writing Lab, and she and her staff look forward to helping you!
3. Two Recommendations
You will need 2 recommendations. Your references cannot submit recommendations until after your application has been submitted. Once you submit your appllication, each reference will be emailed a recommendation form and answer several questions about your overall ability as a student, your potential in graduate school, and your aptitude to do research. We encourage you not to wait until the deadline to submit your application, since references may not have an opportunity to complete the information! Please note: incomplete applications and/or applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
4. Unofficial academic transcripts from UNT or previous institute
- Access via MyUNT for unofficial transcript or contact your previous institute
- Submit via mcnair@unt.edu or turn in the paper copy in person at Sage Hall 390
5. IRS Tax Transcript for income verification
- You will need your 2018 IRS Tax Return Transcript (TRT) if you are a dependent student, or your own IRS Tax Return Transcript if you are an independent student. To find out if you are a dependent or independent student please click here.
- IRS Tax Return Transcripts can be accessed online or by phone. Use the directions provided by UNT Financial Aid & Scholarships to request your IRS Tax Transcript as soon as possible. Requests mailed generally take a week to 10 days to be received, Please click on the link to access your family or your tax transcript from IRS: Link
- Submit your IRS Tax Return Transcripts in person at Sage Hall 390 or via email, after you have blacked out all but the last 4-digits of any SSN# included on the TRT, to mcnair@unt.edu.
| Application and Selection Process | Deadline | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|
| Application Closes |
10.18.2019, |
|
| Recommendations | October 25, 2019 11:59 PM |
DON'T wait until you have submitted your application to ask for a recommendation. Contact your recommenders as soon as possible to confirm their participation. It is in your best interests to submit your application well before the deadline because only when we get your completed application will we send an email to your recommenders requesting that they complete an online recommendation form for you. Their deadline for completing that recommendation form is very tight, and if you wait until the last minute your recommender may not be able to get it done on time. |
| Preliminary Interviews | Upon receipt of completed application | During these interviews, the McNair staff will discuss your elibility and the program's expectations for participation. Based on these interviews, selected applicants will move forward to the final interviews. |
| Final Interviews | Tentatively November 4-15, 2019 | The McNair Selection Committee, comprising UNT faculty members and McNair alumni, will conduct 30 minute interviews with each of the selected applicants. The Selection Committee makes recommendations on the final selection of applicants for the McNair Scholars Program. |
| Selection Decision Announced | Tentatively November 25, 2019 | Applicants will be notified via email of final selection decision. |
Please click here to open the 2019-2020 McNair Application. The application is fillable and can be completed electronically but you must download it, save it, open it, and then complete it. Otherwise it will not let you sign digitally.
If you have any questions please send your inquiry to McNair@unt.edu, call the McNair Office at 940-565-3203, or stop by our office in Sage Hall 390.