At Aston we offer a variety of mentoring schemes to enable students, alumni and professionals alike to have the opportunity to support the Aston student community, develop transferable skills, expand networks and share experiences.

Students have the opportunity to engage in mentoring activities at every stage of their learning journey, to gain insights through the knowledge of others. By committing a small amount of time to mentoring every week, you can really get ahead and make the most of your time at Aston.

  • Mentoring is one-to-once, voluntary, flexible, confidential, and fits around your availability and preferences.
  • Training, resources and ongoing support are provided by our dedicated team.
  • Participants receive a certificate and can be part of our award nominations for Mentors and Mentees of the Year.

We take an inclusive approach to mentoring, acknowledging and celebrating the diversity of our mentoring community. Wherever possible, and as requested by our students, we will incorporate personal circumstances into the matching process. We are also able to signpost to relevant networks, societies and support groups, and students may also be able to find support on the Aston SU and Inclusive Aston webpages.

How to get involved

Students will receive an e-mail with details of how to register as a mentee, mentor or both on all our mentoring schemes throughout your time at Aston. Refer to the table below to see what roles are open to you at your particular stage of your studies.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

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 Transition MentoringPlacement MentoringProfessional MentoringFinal Year MentoringGraduate E-MentoringPostgraduate Mentoring
Before you start UG/PGMentee     
First Year UGMentee     
Second Year UGMentorMenteeMentee   
On Placement UG Mentor Mentee  
Final Year UGMentorMentor MentorMentee 
After you Graduate    Mentor 
PG MastersMentee
Mentor
     
PG PhD     Mentee
Mentor
Undergraduate Mentoring

All Undergraduate students at Aston can participate in mentoring from the moment they accept their place, through every year of study and also whilst they are on placement. Mentoring is a great way to get support from other students, meet new people to expand your network, and make the most out of your time at Aston. Anyone can have a mentor, and anyone who has been at Aston for a year or more can be a mentor too.

New Undergraduate students: First year students can be matched with a second or final year mentor from their degree programme to share knowledge and ease transition into life at Aston. Foundation students are matched to a current undergraduate with experience of the foundation year. New students are invited to have a mentor from the moment they accept their place at Aston with mentoring starting via email from August onwards.

Second year students: Can be a mentor to a first year and have a mentor themselves -either a student on placement or a final year. Second years can also apply to be a part of the Professional Mentoring programme.

Students on placement: Students who are out on placement can e-mentor a second year student and share tips and advice on the placement search and experience and/or can have a final year e-mentor themselves for an insight into the final year of study and to keep in touch with campus.

For final year students: Final year students can be a mentor to a second year or an e-mentor to a student who is on placement and also can have a mentor themselves on our Graduate Mentoring Programme.

For any student seeking information on the next year of study: Students from any year can be matched to a mentor from the year above to give them an insight into future years of study and what to expect.

How to apply

If you would like to be matched to a mentee, mentor, or both - then please complete the online registration form.

Recruitment and matching take place throughout the whole academic year.

Matching is based on degree programme and/or placement area of interest. We also take other matching criteria according to personal circumstances into consideration where provided and subject to the availability of appropriate matches.

Mentoring training and resources will be available to you on Blackboard, and ongoing support is provided by our dedicated team.

At the end of the academic year, we’ll ask you to complete an evaluation in order to qualify for a mentoring certificate, you’ll be invited to participate in our Mentoring Awards, and mentors will have their mentoring role added to their HEAR.

Professional Mentoring

Professional Mentoring Scheme

The Professional Mentoring Scheme pairs professionals with second year undergraduate Aston University students to work one-to-one and help them gain an insight into professional life. 

Mentors help students to develop their knowledge and professional skills, which ensures that students begin their journeys into the professional world with solid foundation of knowledge. The scheme also aims to support professionals in their own development and to provide a platform in developing their networks.

How it works

All participants will need to complete an online application which we will use for the matching process. Mentors and mentees are matched as far as is possible by their expressed preferred criteria. This is usually based on the mentees top three sectors of interest.

We recommend that all participants commit to 1 hour of mentoring per month between October – May as a guideline but this can be flexible based on individual needs. The scheme is predominantly a face to face mentoring scheme however we understand that this might not always be possible so mentees and mentors are encouraged to stay in touch in whichever way is most suited to them.

All mentees and mentors will be given access to electronic training and resources to support them with the mentoring journey ahead and the mentoring team will be on hand throughout the scheme for any questions that may come up.

Information for Students

This is a voluntary scheme that matches second year undergraduates with experienced business professionals. We recognise that the second year is an important time where students are starting to apply for placements and thinking about life after their degree. This is a great chance to get an insight into the professional world from someone with first-hand experience, who is willing to share their knowledge and expertise. A professional mentor's role is not to get a student a placement but we hope from this scheme you will feel prepared and confident for the next step of the student journey.

We aim to match students as close of possible to their preferred criteria where possible so the more information mentees have given in their application, the better the match will be. We also can’t guarantee a place to all our mentees so it's important that students take time and effort to complete the application as well as expressing their motivations for applying so that they have the best chance at getting matched.

We are recruiting for mentees over the summer, if you would like to get involved get in touch to find out more.

Information for Professional Mentors

This is a voluntary scheme aimed at recent professionals who have been established in their roles for over 3 years and want to share their expertise with second year undergraduates who are starting to think about placements, final year and life after graduating. Our students range across a number of disciplines and you will have the opportunity to specify any matching criteria you may have within your application form.

We are recruiting for mentors over the summer, if you are new to mentoring at Aston and would like to get involved get in touch to confirm you want to stay involved.

For any mentors who are recent graduates, we recommend that the Graduate E-mentoring scheme might be more suitable. Get in touch to find out more.

Graduate Mentoring

Aston University’s Graduate Mentoring scheme is a voluntary programme designed to offer final year undergraduates the opportunity of being mentored by a recent Aston graduate.

This is an opportunity for undergraduate students to benefit from an Aston graduate’s experience of final year study and to find out more about life after Aston, to help feel better prepared about starting their graduate career. By communicating with a graduate, students can benefit from their experience of their transition out of University and into the world of work, further study, volunteering, etc.

How it works

All participants will need to complete an online application which we will use for the matching process. Mentor and mentee are matched as far as is possible by their expressed preferred criteria. This may be degree programme, graduate career area of interest, postgraduate study, volunteering etc.

Due to the final year being such a busy time for undergraduates the mentoring offers a flexible approach to mentoring which we hope will help both mentees and mentors to fit communicating with each other around other commitments. We recommend that all participants commit to 1 hour of mentoring per month between October – May as a guideline but this can be flexible based on individual needs.

All mentees and mentors will be given access to electronic training and resources to support them with the mentoring journey ahead and the mentoring team will be on hand throughout the scheme for any questions that may come up.

Information for Final Year Students

This is a voluntary scheme that matches final year undergraduates with Aston Graduates who have graduated in the last 3 years and have gone on to further study or graduate roles. This is a great chance to get an insight into life after your degree whilst also supporting students in getting through the final year.

We aim to match students as close of possible to their preferred criteria where possible so the more information mentees have given in their application, the better the match will be. We also can’t guarantee a place to all our mentees so it's important that students take time and effort to complete the application as well as expressing their motivations for applying so that they have the best chance at getting matched.

We are recruiting for mentees over the summer, if you would like to get involved get in touch to find out more.

Information for mentors

This is a voluntary scheme aimed at recent Aston Alumni who have graduated from Aston in the last 3 years and want to share their expertise with final year undergraduates who are preparing for graduate roles or further study. Our students range across a number of disciplines and you will have the opportunity to specify any matching criteria you may have within your registration form.

We are recruiting for mentors over the summer, if you are new to mentoring at Aston and would like to get involved get in touch to find out more.

For any mentors who have graduated over 3 years ago, we recommend that Professional Mentoring might be more suitable. Visit the Professional Mentoring tab or get in touch to find out more. 

Postgraduate Mentoring

At Aston University we support the integration and student experience of newly arriving postgraduate students by matching them with more experienced current postgraduate students who act as peer mentors.

Mentoring is available for masters, PhD and DBA students via two distinct mentoring strands: a ‘pre arrival’ e-mentoring scheme for master’s students and a ‘peer’ mentoring scheme for PhD and DBA research students. Both schemes facilitate the sharing of practical advice and tips to help new students integrate into the university, the school of study and the city of Birmingham. Both mentors and mentees are fully briefed and trained prior to mentoring and on completion of the mentoring, all mentees and mentors receive a participation certificate.

How it works for masters' students

Masters’ students are invited to register as pre-arrival mentors in their second term. Incoming masters students will be contacted via email once they have confirmed their place at Aston. Mentoring partners communicate electronically prior to arrival in either September or January and throughout the first term of study.

How it works for PhD and DBA research students

PhD students who have completed their Qualifying Report are invited to register as mentors and are then matched to newly arriving PhD and DBA students who are in the first year of study. The mentoring is flexible but usually lasts for around a year.

How to join a postgraduate mentoring scheme

All postgraduate mentoring schemes require participants to complete an online registration form which is then used for matching purposes, participants are also given mentoring guidelines or invited to attend a briefing session. Mentors and mentees are generally matched on school of study for masters’ students or research areas for PhD and DBA students.

Eligible students will be contacted via email with details on how to apply however if you would like to find out more please contact Sara Kullar.

Benefits of Mentoring

While mentoring can provide valuable support for students at critical points in their student life, it offers a host of other benefits for both mentor and mentee in both an academic, professional and personal context. The mentoring schemes at Aston allow a mutual way of learning and allowing both participants to develop transferable skills that will help them during their time at university and beyond.

Benefits of being a Mentee

  • Gain practical advice, encouragement and support
  • Learn from the experiences of others
  • Increase your social and academic confidence
  • Become more empowered to make decisions
  • Develop your communication, study and personal skills
  • Develop strategies for dealing with bother personal and academic issues
  • Identify goals and establish a sense of direction
  • Gain valuable insight into the next stage of your university career
  • Get an insight into your chosen industry
  • Develop your personal and professional network

Benefits of being a Mentor

  • Improve communication and personal skills
  • Develop leadership and management qualities
  • Reinforce your own study skills and knowledge of your subject(s)
  • Increase your confidence and motivation
  • Engage in a volunteering opportunity, valued by employers
  • Enhance your CV
  • Increase your Aston network and make new friends
  • Gain recognition for your skills and experience
  • Benefit from a sense of fulfilment and personal growth

Benefits of being Graduate Mentor/Professional Mentor

  • Career development and continued professional development - Develop your interpersonal and mentoring skills
  • Keep up-to-date with developments in higher education, qualification structures and the needs and experiences of students/graduates
  • A great way for Alumni to 'give back' to the university and keeping in touch with Aston
  • Broaden your professional network and relationships
  • Opportunities to reflect on your own practices
  • Spot future talent for your organisation
  • Raise your business' profile on Aston University's campus
  • Promote Corporate Social Responsibility activities within your organisation
Other Mentoring Support

Writing and Maths Mentors

Aston University Writing Mentors are fully trained peers and graduates who work with students to develop their academic writing skills. Writing Mentors will act as a supportive and friendly listener whilst you are working on a written assignment - helping you to develop your approach to academic writing and the way you convey information. All Writing Mentor sessions are confidential.

Resources