Mentor Application

About the Cambridge Access Programme

The Cambridge Access Programme is the UK’s largest free student-led access initiative, which runs from mid-January to mid-May for Year 12 (England & Wales), S5 (Scotland) and Year 13 (Northern Ireland) students at a state school. Mentees come from WP (Widening Participation) backgrounds, including those who have no family or friends who have attended university; are eligible for Free School Meals; and are care experienced or estranged.

Mentees will be partnered with current undergraduate students at the University of Cambridge who will be their designated Mentors. During this time, Cambridge SU will be running myth-busting webinars about Cambridge University for Mentees, covering topics such as admissions advice, financing undergraduate study and College life. Mentors can also get involved with these webinars to share their lived experiences, as well as during the in person experience day for Mentees in March 2027. If you have questions about the webinars or the in person experience day or are keen to get involved, contact us via access@cambridgesu.co.uk.

What is it like being a Mentor?

Mentors will communicate with their Mentees using a secure online platform over a four month period. During this time, Mentors will be a Mentee’s primary insight into Cambridge life, answering questions honestly and providing information that they wished they had known as an applicant. Mentees are matched with Mentors based on their subject preference, so you can share information about your course, as well as extracurricular activities and university life more generally. Cambridge SU will provide a guide to being a Mentor as well as training to support you in your role.

Being a Mentor is a fantastic experience. You can meet new people, share your passion for your subject, and help make a real difference to a prospective student.

Everyone who signs up to be a Mentor will recieve a free enhanced DBS check and a certificated introduction to the safeguarding of young people. These look great on your CV and prepare you for any other mentoring or Outreach work you might be interested in. If you have any questions email access@cambridgesu.co.uk.

Applications to be a Mentor on the 2027 Cambridge Access Programme are open 28th September to 26th October 2026.

Our Impact

Building on the foundation of the former Shadowing Scheme, it offers an opportunity for prospective students to gain authentic insights through online mentoring. We're proud of the impact the Shadowing Scheme has had on prospective university applicants for over two decades. Our Outreach activities are evaluated each year to monitor impact, and we use the Higher Education Access Tracker (HEAT) to measure participants' progression into HE.