The McNair Scholars Program was established in memory of physicist and Challenger Astronaut, Dr. Ronald E. McNair. It is one of several TRIO programs funded by the Department of Education supporting the academic achievement of students from groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education. The UCSB McNair Scholars Program is funded by a 5- year grant from the U.S. Department of Education with additional support by the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and the deans of the College of Letters and Sciences and the College of Engineering. 

A participant must meet the following requirements before becoming a McNair Scholar:

• Quarter and Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Completed at least 60 units (Transfers Exempt)
• US citizen or permanent resident
• Intention to pursue a Ph.D. after graduation
• Low income as defined by the US Department of Education and a first generation college student (where neither parent completed a 4-year degree) or a student underrepresented in graduate education as defined by US Department of Education (African American, Hispanic-Latino, Native American and Alaskan, Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian, i.e., a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands)