Can't find a programme?
Peer Support Programmes
Peer Support Programmes
Find and join a scheme
All of our schemes (also known as 'programmes') are listed according to whether they are:
- Faculty-specific;
- or for students in any Faculty ('Cross Faculty').
All schemes are either 'academic' or 'pastoral', and this will be outlined in the scheme description.
- Academic (often called Peer Assisted Learning or Peer Assisted Study Sessions): Curricula-based. Peer Mentors lead a group of students through activities and facilitate discussion to enhance understanding of academic topics within a module or discipline.
- Pastoral: Peer Mentors offer more general but tailored support and guidance to mentees (either 1-1 or in a small group). This mentoring may take place in person during scheduled or ad hoc meetings, online via email or Yammer, or a combination. Mentors are often matched with Mentees based on their discipline, background and life experiences.
You can join as many schemes as you like as either a Mentor or Mentee.
List of schemes
To get involved with a scheme listed below, please contact the Programme Organiser listed alongside.
Mature Student Mentoring (UG only, 21+) Peer Mentoring Scheme offering support for undergraduate mature students (21+) before their arrival and throughout the academic year. Mentees will be matched with Mentors after A-level results day to ask any questions they have before arriving at university. However, you can join as a Mentor or Mentee throughout the year. If you are a postgraduate research student, please note this scheme is for undergraduate students. However, you can apply to be a Mentor or to be mentored on our PGR-PGR Peer Mentoring scheme, which will offer opportunities to crossover with the UG schemes. |
Emma Norman Are you in your 2nd-final year of study at Exeter? Apply to be a Mentor in 2024/25 now! Are you starting your first year of study in September 2024? Apply to be mentored on this scheme now! |
Carer, Care Leaver & Estranged Student Mentoring (UG only) Peer Mentoring Scheme offering support for undergraduate carers, care leavers and estranged students. You can join as a Mentor or Mentee throughout the year. Find out what the University means by carer, care leaver and estranged students. If you are a postgraduate research student, please note this scheme is for undergraduate students. However, you can apply to be a Mentor or to be mentored on our PGR-PGR Peer Mentoring scheme, which will offer opportunities to crossover with the UG schemes. |
Emma Norman Are you in your 2nd or final year of study? Apply to be a Mentor in 2024/25 now! Are you starting your first year of study in September 2024? Apply to be mentored on this scheme now! |
Disabled Student Peer Mentoring (UG only) Peer Mentoring Scheme offering support for incoming undergraduate students with a disability throughout their first year. Mentees will be matched with Mentors after A-level results day to ask any questions they have before arriving at university. However, you can join as a Mentor or Mentee throughout the year. What do we mean by disability? Find out more about this and about the support available to you on Wellbeing's 'declaring your disability' pages. If you are a postgraduate research student, please note this scheme is for undergraduate students. However, you can apply to be a Mentor or to be mentored on our PGR-PGR Peer Mentoring scheme, which will offer opportunities to crossover with the UG schemes. |
Emma Norman Are you in your 2nd or final year of study? Apply to be a Mentor in 2024/25 now! Are you starting your first year of study in September 2024? Apply to be mentored on this scheme now! |
Postgraduate-Postgraduate (PGR-PGR) Peer Mentoring This mentoring scheme puts first year postgraduate research students (PGR) in touch with a current PGR (Mentor) who can be a point of contact to meet up with, ask questions, and be a friendly face. Mentoring is on an informal basis to suit you both, and while we use the terms Mentor and Mentee, it is up to you both what that looks like. All Mentors and Mentees will be asked how they would like to be matched upon acceptance to the scheme. Please be aware we offer the School of Education Buddy Up (HASS) and UEBS PGT Buddy Up (ESE) schemes for PGTs based in those departments. |
Emma Norman Are you a PGR in your 2nd or above year of study? Apply to be a Mentor in 2024/25 now! Are you starting your PGR studies in 2024/25? Sign up to be mentored! |
Global Chums (Exeter) Peer Mentoring Scheme offering support for international students based on Exeter campuses. |
Visit the Global Chums webpage for more information Please note: the application period to Mentor for Term 1 has now closed. |
Global Chums (Penryn) Peer Mentoring Scheme for international students studying on the Penryn campus. |
Natalie Battelle globalchums-cornwall@exeter.ac.uk Visit the Global Chums webpage for more information and the Mentor application form for 2024/25. Closing date: 09 September 2024 |
Sanctuary Scholars Buddy Up Support for students receiving Sanctuary Scholarship. |
Jim Price |
Work Placements Peer Mentoring (Streatham/online) Peer Mentoring scheme matching 2nd year students on a 4-year placement programme with a 4th year mentor who has undertaken a placement year themselves. Mentors will be matched with Mentees on a 1-1 or small group basis depending on sign-ups, and can meet as regularly as appropriate throughout the academic year. Mentors will be a point of contact as mentees are securing and organising their placements, although please note they do not replace staff and Mentee(s) should seek staff support where needed. This scheme excludes the Business School, Law and Modern Languages. If you are a Business School or Modern Languages student, please sign up to UEBS UG Buddy Up (under ESE schemes) or MFL Year Abroad (under HASS schemes). |
Dean Jones and Jo Harris |
UEBS UG Buddy Up Buddy up for Undergraduate students in the Business School, providing informal support. |
Contact the team with any questions at SEO-UEBS@exeter.ac.uk |
UEBS PG Buddy Up Buddy up for Postgraduate students in the Business School, providing informal support. |
Contact the team with any questions at SEO-UEBS@exeter.ac.uk |
UEBS WIE (With Industrial Experience) Buddy Up Buddy up for With Industrial Experience students in the Business School. |
Alexa Webster |
Maths Foundation Mentoring (Streatham) Pairing current Maths, Engineering, Physics and Natural Science undergraduates with Foundation Maths undergraduates, this pastoral scheme offers support with transition to university life, and does not offer academic support. |
Houry Melkonian Apply to be a Mentor for 2024/25 |
Physics Peer-Assisted Learning scheme (PALs) (Streatham) This academic scheme supports 1st year UG Physics students (Mentees). Mentors (2nd-final year UG Physics students) will facilitate sessions on 1st year course topics for Mentees. Full details of the Mentor and Mentee roles can be found on the appropriate sign-up forms. |
Apply to be a Mentor for 2024/25 through our application form Contact the team with any questions at physics-pastoral@exeter.ac.uk |
Engineering Peer-Assisted Learning scheme (PALs) (Streatham) On Engineering PALs, Mentors (2nd & final year UG Engineering students) will facilitate sessions on course topics for Mentees. As a Mentor, you will guide Mentees through topics which may be difficult but will not teach course content - we appreciate that you are not replacing staff and that this is a voluntary role. Mentors will plan and deliver sessions together so you will not be expected to be alone with Mentees. There will be a chance to meet with Programme Organisers, who are staff based in the Engineering department, before you start mentoring to find out more about planning sessions. This academic scheme will run throughout the 2024/25 academic year. Mentees will be recruited in Term 1 with a view to running revision sessions towards the end of Term 1 and more regular PALs sessions in Term 2. |
Contact peersupport@exeter.ac.uk to express interest. |
CBS Ethnic Minority Student Peer Mentoring Programme Pastoral support for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students from UG and PGT programmes at the Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences. |
Winnie Nyinoh and Shalinee Dhayal
|
Medical Sciences Peer Mentoring (Y2 -> Y1) Formerly known as Medical Sciences PAL, this scheme provides academic support for 1st year Medical Sciences students through Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) sessions. Find out more about this scheme on the Medical Sciences PAL website. |
David MacDonald |
Medical Sciences Peer Mentoring (Y3 -> Y2) Formerly known as Medical Sciences PAL, this scheme provides academic support for 2nd year Medical Sciences students through Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) sessions. Find out more about this scheme on the Medical Sciences PAL website. |
David MacDonald |
Peer Assisted Learning Sessions (PALS) in Medical Imaging Academic scheme pairing Medical Imaging Mentors in their 2nd or 3rd year with students in their 1st and 2nd year. This can be small groups but may be on a 1-1 basis depending on signups. If you would like to be paired on a 1-1 basis, please see Medical Imaging Buddy Up.
Medical Imaging Buddy Up Academic scheme pairing Medical Imaging Mentors on a 1:1 basis with Mentees. Medical Imaging students can choose to sign up to PALS in Medical Imaging if you would prefer to be matched in small groups. |
|
Degree Apprenticeship (DA) Medical Imaging Peer Mentoring This pastoral scheme matches 2nd year DA Medical Imaging students (Mentors) with students in their 1st year of the programme (Mentees). Mentors will support Mentees throughout their first year and be a point of contact on topics such as transition to university life. Mentors will likely be assigned 1 small group depending on signups. |
|
BMBS Year 1 Peer Support Scheme Academic support for 1st year BMBS students. Email the Programme Organiser to find out more. |
David MacDonald |
BMBS Intercalation Peer Support Scheme Pastoral scheme for BMBS students about to take part in their intercalation year, who will be matched with student mentors who have just returned from theirs. Email the Programme Organiser to find out more. |
David Allard |
Bioscience Study Buddy (Streatham) Mentoring The Bioscience Study Buddy scheme is designed to help you get the most out of your university experience with advice from other Bioscience students in the year above you. With regular sessions throughout the year, our great team of mentors will share their experiences and offer both pastoral and academic advice on a whole range of subjects, from sharing a house to how to approach an essay. For more information, look out for advertisement on sessions once term begins, or please contact the listed email addresses. |
Andrew Griffiths |
Psychology (PSY1202) PAL Academic support for students taking the PSY1202 module. As a Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) scheme, mentoring will involve running sessions alongside other Mentors to enhance Mentee understanding of topics covered in this module. |
tbc for 2024/25 |
MFL and LC PAL (Streatham and Penryn) Academic support for undergraduate students undertaking Foreign Language modules, either as a Modern Languages or Languages Centre student. Contact the Programme Organiser or watch their video to find out more. |
Jose Tenreiro Prego |
Modern Languages Work Abroad Peer Mentoring (Streatham) This pastoral scheme matches 2nd year MLC students considering working abroad (Mentees) with 4th year MLC students who worked abroad as their International Placement (Mentors). Mentees will be matched on a 1-1 or group basis depending on demand, meeting at least monthly with their Mentors as they plan and prepare for their time abroad. |
Bryanna Kilroy Apply to be a Mentor for 2024/25 before Week 5 (Term 1) |
Politics Buddy Up (Streatham) This academic scheme offers support with transition to university life studying politics, putting students in their 1st year of UG politics studies (Mentees) in contact with current politics undergrads (Mentors). This scheme is a voluntary, non-paid position based on Streatham campus. |
Naomi Cryan |
School of Education Buddy Up Social support network for Postgraduate Taught students in the School of Education. |
George Tarling |
Social and Political Sciences, Philosophy, and Anthropology (SPSPA) Buddy Up (Streatham) This pastoral scheme offers support with transition to university life, putting SPSPA students in their first year of study (Mentees) in contact with current SPSPA students (Mentors) for Term 1. This scheme does not offer academic support and mentoring is a voluntary, non-paid position based on Streatham campus. Mentors will only be expected to respond to queries in Term 1, but Mentors and Mentees will be asked at our Term 1 'check-in' in December 2024 about whether you would like to continue into Term 2. |
Paul O'Connor Sign up as a Mentor for 2024/25 before 30th September 2024 Sign up forms to be mentored will be circulated to 1st year students at the start of Term 1 |