West Virginia University students have a chance to perform research, learn about graduate school and receive financial assistance as part of the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program.

The program, which is now accepting applications for its 2010 summer research internship, is designed to help undergraduate, low-income, first-generation or underrepresented college students earn doctoral degrees.

“Most undergraduate students are deterred from thinking about graduate schools because of the fear of carrying more student loans or lack of knowledge about funding their graduate education,” said Betty Mei, assistant director of the WVU McNair Scholars Program. “The McNair Scholars Program provides answers to the funding question as well as prepares eligible students for the whole graduate school application process. The program provides research and mentoring opportunities, GRE prep and much more.”

Students in the program will be given a $2,500 annual stipend, graduate school placement assistance and professional development opportunities to help them gain admission into master’s and doctoral degree programs.

To be eligible for the program, students must have completed their sophomore year of study by May 2010, be enrolled in an undergraduate degree program full-time, have a minimum cumulative GPA of a 3.0 and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

The deadline for applications is Jan. 15.

For more information on the program or to download an application, visit http://www.wvu.edu/~mcnair.