US Code

Public Law 119-102 (07/12/2026)

20 U.S.C. § 1070a–15

Postbaccalaureate achievement program authority

Section text and notes

(a)

Program authority

The Secretary shall carry out a program to be known as the “Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program” that shall be designed to provide disadvantaged college students with effective preparation for doctoral study.

(b)

Required services

A project assisted under this section shall provide—
(1)
opportunities for research or other scholarly activities at the institution or at graduate centers designed to provide students with effective preparation for doctoral study;
(2)
summer internships;
(3)
seminars and other educational activities designed to prepare students for doctoral study;
(4)
tutoring;
(5)
academic counseling; and
(6)
activities designed to assist students participating in the project in securing admission to and financial assistance for enrollment in graduate programs.
(c)

Permissible services

A project assisted under this section may provide services such as—
(1)
education or counseling services designed to improve the financial literacy and economic literacy of students, including financial planning for postsecondary education;
(2)
mentoring programs involving faculty members at institutions of higher education, students, or any combination of such persons; and
(3)
exposure to cultural events and academic programs not usually available to disadvantaged students.
(d)

Requirements

In approving applications for projects assisted under this section for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall require—
(1)
an assurance that not less than two-thirds of the individuals participating in the project proposed to be carried out under any application be low-income individuals who are first generation college students;
(2)
an assurance that the remaining persons participating in the project proposed to be carried out be from a group that is underrepresented in graduate education, including—
(A)
section 7546 of this title Alaska Natives, as defined in ;
(B)
section 7517 of this title Native Hawaiians, as defined in ; and
(C)
section 1059g of this title Native American Pacific Islanders, as defined in ;
(3)
section 1094 of this title an assurance that participants be enrolled in a degree program at an eligible institution having an agreement with the Secretary in accordance with the provisions of ; and
(4)
an assurance that participants in summer research internships have completed their sophomore year in postsecondary education.
(e)

Award considerations

In addition to such other selection criteria as may be prescribed by regulations, the Secretary shall consider in making awards to institutions under this section—
(1)
the quality of research and other scholarly activities in which students will be involved;
(2)
the level of faculty involvement in the project and the description of the research in which students will be involved; and
(3)
the institution’s plan for identifying and recruiting participants including students enrolled in projects authorized under this section.
(f)

Maximum stipends

Students participating in research under a project under this section may receive an award that—
(1)
shall include a stipend not to exceed $2,800 per annum; and
(2)
may include, in addition, the costs of summer tuition, summer room and board, and transportation to summer programs.
(g)

Funding

section 1070a–11(g) of this titleFrom amounts appropriated pursuant to the authority of , the Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, allocate funds for projects authorized by this section in an amount which is not less than $11,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2009 through 2014.

Pub. L. 89–329, title IV, § 402EPub. L. 102–325, title IV, § 402(a)(4)106 Stat. 489 Pub. L. 105–244, title IV, § 402(e)112 Stat. 1655 Pub. L. 110–315, title IV, § 403(e)122 Stat. 3203 Pub. L. 111–39, title IV, § 401(a)(5)123 Stat. 1938 Pub. L. 114–95, title IX, § 9215oo129 Stat. 2179 (, as added , , ; amended , , ; , , ; , , ; ()(7), , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 114–95, § 9215oosection 7546 of this title2015—Subsec. (d)(2)(A). ()(7)(A), made technical amendment to reference in original act which appears in text as reference to .

Pub. L. 114–95, § 9215oosection 7517 of this titleSubsec. (d)(2)(B). ()(7)(B), made technical amendment to reference in original act which appears in text as reference to .

Pub. L. 111–392009—Subsec. (d)(2)(C). struck out period before semicolon at end.

Pub. L. 110–315, § 403(e)(1)(A)2008—Subsec. (b). , (B), inserted “Required” before “services” in heading and, in introductory provisions, substituted “A project assisted under this section shall provide—” for “A postbaccalaureate achievement project assisted under this section may provide services such as—”.

Pub. L. 110–315, § 403(e)(1)(C)Subsec. (b)(5) to (8). –(E), inserted “and” after the semicolon in par. (5), substituted a period for the semicolon in par. (6), and struck out pars. (7) and (8) which read as follows:

“(7) mentoring programs involving faculty members at institutions of higher education, students, or any combination of such persons; and

“(8) exposure to cultural events and academic programs not usually available to disadvantaged students.”

Pub. L. 110–315, § 403(e)(3)Subsec. (c). , added subsec. (c). Former subsec. (c) redesignated (d).

Pub. L. 110–315, § 403(e)(2)Subsec. (d). , (4)(A), redesignated subsec. (c) as (d) and struck out “postbaccalaureate achievement” after “applications for” in introductory provisions. Former subsec. (d) redesignated (e).

Pub. L. 110–315, § 403(e)(4)(B)Subsec. (d)(2). , inserted “, including—” and added subpars. (A) to (C) before semicolon.

Pub. L. 110–315, § 403(e)(2)Subsec. (e). , redesignated subsec. (d) as (e). Former subsec. (e) redesignated (f).

Pub. L. 110–315, § 403(e)(2)Subsec. (f). , (5), redesignated subsec. (e) as (f) and substituted “project under this section” for “postbaccalaureate achievement project” in introductory provisions. Former subsec. (f) redesignated (g).

Pub. L. 110–315, § 403(e)(2)Subsec. (g). , (6), redesignated subsec. (f) as (g) and substituted “section 1070a–11(g)” for “section 1070a–11(f)” and “2009 through 2014” for “1993 through 1997”.

Pub. L. 105–2441998—Subsec. (e)(1). substituted “$2,800” for “$2,400”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2015 Amendment

Pub. L. 114–95section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95section 6301 of this titleAmendment by effective , except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 2009 Amendment

Pub. L. 111–39Pub. L. 110–315section 3 of Pub. L. 111–39section 1001 of this titleAmendment by effective as if enacted on the date of enactment of (), see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1998 Amendment

Pub. L. 105–244Pub. L. 105–244section 3 of Pub. L. 105–244section 1001 of this titleAmendment by effective , except as otherwise provided in , see , set out as a note under .