The Federal TRIO Programs provide financial and technical assistance to universities and colleges that enroll low-income, first-generation, and minority students in science, math, and engineering. The programs were created in the 1970s to address the shortage of qualified students in these fields.

The Federal TRIO Programs are administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Education (ED), and the Department of Commerce (DOC). All three agencies work together to provide support to universities and colleges.

The NSF provides funding for the program, and ED supports the program’s implementation, including financial and technical assistance. In addition, DOC supports the programs’ outreach activities, including recruiting and retaining students from low-income, first-generation, and minority backgrounds.

The Federal TRIO Programs have helped to increase the number of students from low-income, first-generation, and minority backgrounds studying science, math, and engineering. For example, in the fiscal year 2016, TRIO students earned 31 percent of all degrees in mathematics and science, and 34 percent of all degrees in engineering, compared to 18 percent of all degrees in mathematics and science and 21 percent of all degrees in engineering in the fiscal year 1975.

The Federal TRIO Programs are important for increasing the number of qualified students studying science, math, and engineering.