McNair Scholars Program Application Form

See McNair Program for application deadlines and instructions, as well as program requirements and benefits.

Type carefully and use proper capitalization. Some of what you type will appear in email messages to your recommenders exactly as you type it. You might not make a very good impression on a recommender if, for example, you use all capital letters and misspell your recommender's name.

The UNL McNair Scholars Program is a select, competitive honors program seeking top scholars who demonstrate sound academic performance, strong potential for graduate school achievement, and a desire to pursue a career in which a doctorate is required.

Accepting applications for the Fall 2024 Cohort.

See eligibility section for dates specific to the 2024-25 cohort.

Application Deadline for the Fall 2024 Cohort: April 15, 2024.

Eligibility

Eligibility is as easy as ABC: Academics, Biography, and Commitment. If each of the following statements is true for you, there is a place for you in UNL's McNair Program.

Academics

I am currently enrolled as a full-time student in an undergraduate degree program at UNL.
I can verify excellent undergraduate academic achievement; my GPA is at least 3.0.
I am a freshman, sophomore, or junior and I will have completed 52 credit hours of undergraduate work before May 30, 2025.
My expected graduation date is December 2025 or later.

Biography

I am a citizen or Permanent Resident of the United States.
I am (A) a first-generation university student who also has a demonstrated need/income level established by the U.S. Department of Education or (B) a member of a group underrepresented in graduate education (African American/Black, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian and/or other Pacific Islander (with an affiliation with the United States).
I am scholastically competitive and ambitious.

Commitment

I am willing to participate in all McNair sponsored events until I graduate with my bachelor's degree, including the 2024-25 academic year colloquia and the 2025 McNair Summer Research Experience in Lincoln.
I am committed to a career path in which a Ph.D. is required.

Dates in this eligibility section will be updated each time we begin accepting applications for a new cohort.

Unsure whether you qualify?

See the Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the program or the application process, contact Carol Boehler for more information. We'll provide an overview of the McNair Scholars Program at UNL, visit with you about your long-term academic and professional career interests, and explain the application process in detail.

Applying to the Program

Part 1: Application Form

McNair Application Form

Before you begin this webform, be sure you have:

Your NUID number. This 8-digit number is printed on your NCard.
Two faculty members (or one faculty member and one advisor) who have agreed to serve as recommenders, and a valid email address for each.
- Let them know that they will be contacted by email and asked to complete a short online form. Instead of a full letter of recommendation, this form involves ratings and a brief evaluation statement.
- Valid email addresses are essential; otherwise recommenders will not receive our automated email messages and will be unable to recommend you.

Part 2: Supporting Materials

Statement of Purpose — After you submit your online application, you will receive a link to submit your personal statement. In this statement, you should discuss your research interests, as well as your academic and career goals.
Tax Forms / FAFSA — Complete the top portion of the form and email it to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, huskerhub@unl.edu, after completion of the current year FAFSA.
College Transcript — Order your electronic transcript from the Office of the University Registrar and have it sent to: McNair2@unl.edu.
Two Recommendations — If you've talked to your recommenders ahead of time, you won't need to do anything extra. Instructions are automatically emailed to recommenders when you submit the application form.

Eligibility

I affirm that I meet all eligibility requirements as listed on Apply to the Program: Eligibility.

Biographical Information

The ethnic and racial data collection instruments shown here have been formulated to comply with federal guidelines set forth through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System as designated by the United States Department of Education. Explanation of categorizations...

Contact Information

Email (@huskers.unl.edu)

Local Address

Street

City State Zip

Country

Local Phone

Permanent Address

Street

City State Zip

Country

Perm. Phone

Academics

Current Study

Current Level
Major(s)
Minor(s)
Acad. Advisor
Department

Future Plans and Interests

Expected Bachelor's Degree Graduation Date
Highest Degree of Interest
Career Interests If "other" please specify:

Faculty Submitting Recommendations

Valid email addresses are essential: if the address you provide is not valid your recommender will not receive our automated email message with the link to your recommendation form. Use the UNL Directory to confirm UNL faculty email addresses. ".edu" addresses preferred.

Recommender 1 Full Name Email Institution Department Title/Role

Recommender 2 Full Name Email Institution Department Title/Role

FERPAUnder the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Buckley Amendment) you have a right to view these recommendations in your file at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

I waive my right to view these recommendations.
I retain my right to view these recommendations.

Certification and Form Submission I certify that the information contained within this application is, to the best of my knowledge, accurate and complete.

Place a check in this box to indicate your agreement with the statement above. This will serve as your signature.