Applicant Mentoring Scheme

We offer applicants, who meet the required criteria for the Guaranteed Interview Scheme, an opportunity to apply to our applicant mentoring programme.

Applicants to the currently advertised studentships who are accepted onto the mentoring programme will have four mentoring meetings, with a current DTP student with mentor training, during the application process.

  • Meeting one: (early in week of 20 January 2025) A brief pre-application discussion with the mentor
  • Meeting two: (later in week of 20 January 2025) An application writing support session
  • Meeting three: (mid-late February 2025) An interview preparation session
  • Meeting four: (after 14 April 2025) A post application outcome reflection session

To be eligible to receive mentoring, applicants must:

  1. Identify as:
    • Black, African, Caribbean or Black British
    • Asian or Asian British
    • Belonging to mixed or multiple ethnic groups
  2. Hold or expect to obtain a minimum of a 2.1 undergraduate degree in a relevant subject, or equivalent qualification
  3. Hold UK home student fee status for 2025 entry i.e. do not require a student visa to study in the UK (details on UK fees status are available from UKCISA).

Priority will be given to applicants who meet the above criteria and also identify with one of the following:

  • Have ever been in receipt of free school meals
  • Are the first in their family to attend higher education
  • Have completed/are completing their undergraduate studies at a non-Russell Group university

How to request a mentor

If you are eligible to apply to the guaranteed interview scheme and would like to meet with a mentor, please complete the following sections of the online application form (before 09.00 (GMT) on Friday 17 January 2025)

  • Personal details
  • Education history (and upload transcripts / degree certificates)
  • Equality diversity and inclusion

If you are eligible for the scheme, we will contact you shortly after 20 January with details of your proposed mentor. Please note: We will only share your name and email address with mentors. Other personal information will be kept confidential and used by the DTP office if we need to prioritise applications according to the eligibility scheme criteria.

Please do not request a mentor after the closing date for this scheme (09:00 on 17 January 2025). We will not be able to assign you a mentor after this date.