Are you interested in outreach and inspiring the next generation of prospective Cambridge students? Maybe you’ve helped out with access initiatives before or have a strong desire to contribute towards widening participation at the university? If any of this sounds like you, then being a mentor on the SU Shadowing Scheme could be the perfect opportunity! But what exactly is the scheme? And what does being a mentor actually mean?
Running for over 20 years, the Cambridge SU Shadowing Scheme is our flagship access programme for UK students in Year 12 (or equivalent), which seeks to demystify life at Cambridge, enable students from under-represented backgrounds to envision themselves studying at the university and provide mentorship and guidance through the long, and often daunting, admissions process. Consisting of an online mentoring programme and a three-day residential, current undergraduates can take on the role of being a ‘Mentor’ and will get assigned a prospective student aspiring to study a similar subject at university to be their ‘Shadow’, with the main aims being to provide students with an authentic insight into day-to-day life at Cambridge and leave them feeling that the university can be the right fit for them, if they decide to apply. All in all, getting involved in the Shadowing Scheme can be your chance to encourage younger students, help clear up any hesitancies and misconceptions about Cambridge and provide invaluable support through the admissions process, which can make a world of difference to the prospective students!
What does it mean to be a Mentor?
So, now you know what the Shadowing Scheme actually is, let’s dive deeper into what taking on the role of a Mentor would look like! As the name suggests, participants on the scheme will be acting as your ‘Shadow’ for the 3 days they are in Cambridge, as the goal of the residential aspect is to give participants a true feeling of living and studying as a Cambridge student. This means they will be staying in student accommodation, eating in college dining halls and attending lectures and supervisions, as well as social events.
So, as a Mentor, some of your responsibilities during this time will include:
- Taking your Shadow on college tours
- Letting your Shadow accompany you to your contact hours
- Making sure your Shadow is in the right places at the right time (i.e.picking your Shadow up in the morning and dropping them off later for an academic session or a formal)
- And more generally, just giving them a glimpse into your routine as a Cambridge student!
In addition to this, as a Mentor, you will be able to contact your Shadow both before and after the scheme via the secure platform MentorNet and will act as their main insight into life at Cambridge which may include providing an honest reflection of your experience at the university; sharing information that you would have benefitted from when making your application and helping to equip your Shadow with the most helpful knowledge about Cambridge and its admissions process, as well as just getting to know your Shadow and creating a good mentor-mentee bond.
How can you get involved?
Volunteering to take part in the Shadowing Scheme is not only an opportunity to get involved with a fun access initiative, but also a chance to make a real difference in someone’s journey into Higher Education and be the support they need to realise their potential and believe in their ability to apply to an institution like Cambridge, and other top universities. So why not get involved?
The SU Shadowing Scheme is currently able to accept Mentors from the following colleges:
Christ's, Clare, Corpus Christi, Girton, Gonville and Caius, Jesus, King's, Lucy Cavendish, Magdalene, Newnham, Peterhouse, Queens'
Shadows will stay in guest rooms at a 'host' College, and you do not have to be a member of this College to be a Mentor.
Currently, the confirmed 2026 'host' Colleges are: Christ's, King's and Magdalene
The 2026 Scheme dates are:
Week 1: Sunday 25th-27th January
Week 2: Sunday 1st-3rd February
Week 3: Sunday 8th-10th February
You can take part in one or two of these weeks.
Applications to be a Mentor are open until October 20th, and you can apply here.
We look forward to receiving your application!