Eligibility
To be eligible for the Penn State McNair Scholars Program, you must:
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Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
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Be a low-income undergraduate student who is also first generation and/or an underrepresented minority student
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Be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student in good academic standing at the Penn State-University Park campus
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Be a sophomore or junior
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Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00
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Have strong intent to enroll in graduate school upon achieving a bachelor’s degree with the goal of earning a Ph.D. or other research doctorate within ten years
Low Income Eligibility
As defined by the U.S. Department of Education, a low-income individual is someone whose family's taxable income for the preceding year did not exceed 150 percent of the poverty level amount.
To determine low-income eligibility, check the size of your family unit and your family’s taxable income as recorded on family income tax returns for the preceding year. Then refer to the chart. For example, if your family unit size is 3 and your family’s taxable income did not exceed $37,290, then you would be considered a low-income student.
This chart is effective as of January 11, 2024. For up-to-date information, view TRIO low-income eligibility levels.
| Size of Family Unit | 48 Contiguous States, D.C., and Outlying Jurisdictions | Alaska | Hawaii |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $22,590 | $28,215 | $25,965 |
| 2 | $30,660 | $38,310 | $35,250 |
| 3 | $38,730 | $48,405 | $44,535 |
| 4 | $46,800 | $58,500 | $53,820 |
| 5 | $54,870 | $68,595 | $63,105 |
| 6 | $62,940 | $78,690 | $72,390 |
| 7 | $71,010 | $88,785 | $81,675 |
| 8 | $79,080 | $98,880 | $90,960 |
First-Generation Eligibility
As defined by the U.S. Department of Education, first generation refers:
- To an individual whose natural or adoptive parents did not receive a bachelor's degree.
- 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 bachelor's degree.
- An individual who, prior to the age of 18, did not regularly reside with or receive support from a natural or an adoptive parent.
Minority Undergraduate Eligibility
As defined by the U.S. Department of Education, an individual who is a member of a group that is underrepresented in graduate education: Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, Native American/Alaskan Native, or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.