University Mentorship for Students

About this opportunity

My Academic Family provides free mentorship for displaced students studying at universities in the UK with volunteer mentors who have completed their university degree in the UK. When you are matched with a mentor, you will have at least 1 monthly meeting with your mentor, but can have more if you and your mentor agree to. This personal contact enables you to discuss any questions, issues, or topics related to your university studies with someone who has successfully completed their own university degree. The goal is to help you as a student understand how to engage with university culture and successfully navigate the university environment in the UK. In many cases a mentor can help you become aware of what you don’t know and help you come up with effective solutions to difficulties that arise.

Topics that mentors and students can expect to cover include:

– Understanding university culture within the UK
– The ebb and flow of stress/busy-ness throughout the academic year and within a single semester
– How to approach staff and faculty to ask questions or raise issues
– Deep-dive discussions on the purpose and value of the syllabus as a document
– How to make the most out of lecturer office hours
– How much time a student is expected to spend weekly on their studies outside of class
– What kind of resources exist for different kinds of support needs (mental health, writing skills, etc)
– The importance and value of building one’s own support networks (through making friends in class and participating in campus societies)
– Living in student accommodations (or away from home more generally) for the first time
– Networking and skill-development opportunities available at the university
– How to access and engage with research conferences