One of the eight federal TRIO programmes, funded by the US Department of Education to prepare undergraduates from underrepresented backgrounds for doctoral study. Participating institutions must provide research or other scholarly activity opportunities, summer research internships, seminars preparing students for doctoral study, tutoring, academic counselling, and help securing graduate admission and funding. At least two thirds of participants at each site must be low-income and potential first-generation college students, with the remainder from groups underrepresented in graduate education. Students apply to the McNair programme at their own campus; the 2024 cycle funded roughly 216 projects serving close to 6,000 participants.