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Graduate Education and Life

MCNAIR Scholars

The McNair Scholars Program prepares students from underrepresented and first-generation groups for doctoral study and academic careers. University tuition waivers are only available for degree-seeking students in on-campus Ph.D. programs or master’s programs that prepare students for entry to Ph.D. programs. A list of approved master’s programs at WVU is listed below.

Learn More about the McNair Scholars

APPLICATION PROCESS

  • Students must be accepted in an approved graduate program (see list below) at the time they submit an application for McNair waivers.
  • Eligible students applying for waivers for the first time must submit the online application form at least 1 month prior to the beginning of the first term for which they are requesting waivers. These students must include a McNair Scholar Verification letter from the Director of the Concord or WVU McNair Scholars Program with their application. In addition, first-time applicants must include a statement of their educational and professional goals. Waivers are only granted to students whose goals are consistent with the McNair Scholars program.
  • Students who have previously received waivers through this program must submit the online application form at least 1 month prior to the beginning of each term for which additional waivers (within the limits noted above) are requested.

Application Fee Waivers

Any applicant to a WVU graduate program who completed the McNair Scholars Program at a participating institution is eligible for an application fee waiver. More information is available on the McNair Scholars Program website.

Graduate Tuition Waivers

A limited number of waivers of graduate tuition are available to McNair Scholars who completed undergraduate degrees at Concord University (or its partnering McNair HBCU institutions, including Bluefield State College and West Virginia State University) or West Virginia University. Information on graduate tuition waivers for students who completed the McNair Scholars program at Concord University is available from the Concord University McNair Scholars Office.

GUIDELINES

  • Refer to the information and guidelines for all tuition waivers.
  • Waivers cover University tuition only. Students are responsible for paying College tuition and University fees, although some schools and colleges will provide a College tuition scholarship to McNair students. Students will need to request consideration for such a scholarship from the appropriate Dean’s Office. 
  • Some programs and courses restrict the use of waivers. Students are responsible for determining if waivers can be used for particular programs or courses before seeking a graduate assistantship (see Restrictions on Use of Waivers).
  • Students are eligible to receive waivers through this program for a maximum of 4 regular terms and 1 summer term regardless of full-time or part-time status. Of this maximum, no more than 2 regular terms and 1 summer term of tuition waivers can be received while enrolled in a master’s program. Continuous enrollment or waiver use is not required; students may use the allotted waivers at any time during their pursuit of an approved master’s and/or doctoral degree.
  • Students must be in good standing in their programs, including maintaining a minimum graduate GPA of 3.0, in order to receive waivers through this program.

APPROVED WVU PROGRAMS FOR MCNAIR WAIVERS

All Ph.D. programs are approved for the WVU McNair waiver program.

The master’s programs listed below are also approved. Other master’s programs may be considered if the applicant’s intent is to complete a Ph.D. program and pursue an academic career.

  • Agricultural and Resource Economics (MS)
  • Agricultural and Extension Education (MS)
  • Animal and Nutritional Sciences (MS)
  • Economics (MS)
  • Engineering - any field (MS)
  • English (MA)
  • Geography (MA)
  • Geology (MS)
  • History (MA)
  • Mathematics (MS)
  • Neuroscience (MS)
  • Physics (MS)
  • Plant and Soil Science (MS)
  • Political Science (MS)
  • Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Resources (MS)
  • Reproductive Physiology (MS)
  • Sociology (MA)
  • Wildlife and Fisheries Resources (MS)