Overview

This scheme provides peer mentoring and skills development sessions to help current University of Bristol undergraduates decide whether postgraduate study is right for them.

We will run sessions addressing key topics such as the time, skills and resources needed to access postgraduate study.

We anticipate to start at the end of November 2023 with all participants due to complete by the end of April 2024.

Format

The programme will consist of peer mentoring with a current postgraduate student, interactive skills development sessions and the opportunity to attend a lecture on the postgraduate taught programme(s) that interests you.

We recommend that you dedicate 2 to 4 hours per month over November to April in order to successfully undertake core scheme activities and graduate from Access Postgrad.

Previous skills development sessions have covered the following topics:

• how to apply and fund your postgraduate study,
• the application process and how to write a personal statement,
• study skills and the differences between undergraduate and postgraduate study,
• how to manage your wellbeing alongside study,
• careers support, how to demonstrate the value of a postgraduate degree, and future career planning.

Ten funded participants of Access Postgrad will have four peer mentor meetings and 20 non-funded participants will have three peer mentor meetings. All meetings will be with a trained current University of Bristol postgraduate student.

Eligibility

To meet the essential criteria, you must:

• be eligible for Home (UK) tuition fees.
• be in your final year of an undergraduate degree with the University of Bristol.
• not be studying on an integrated master’s undergraduate programme.
• be wanting to progress to postgraduate taught study.
• be from at least one group that is currently underrepresented at postgraduate level. Priority will be given to those who meet more of the following criteria:

• have spent time in care.
• are bereaved of or estranged from both parents.
• have UK refugee status, are currently seeking asylum or fleeing conflict.
• have completed a widening participation scheme ahead of your undergraduate study.
• were classed as a mature student at undergraduate level (aged over 21 when you started your undergraduate programme).
• are from an ethnic minority group.
• are first in your family to go to higher education.
• have a disability. Please note that the term disability is very wide; further details of what may be considered a disability are in the definition of disability.
• have caring responsibilities or dependents.
• have been in receipt of a University of Bristol Bursary in 2022/23 and/or 2023/24.
• were entitled to free school meals.
• are a military veteran or child of a military family.

Funding

Access Postgrad is able to offer ten participants a fee waiver of £5,000 towards postgraduate taught tuition fees for study commencing in September 2024.

To be considered for the funding, you must:

• be in your final year of undergraduate study at the University of Bristol,
• be a home-fee paying student,
• be from a background underrepresented at the University and
• complete the Access Postgrad scheme.

All applications to Access Postgrad who meet these requirements will be considered for funding. We will give priority to those who meet the highest number of eligibility criteria listed above.

Read more about the terms and conditions of this funding award.

In addition to the ten funded places, we will be recruiting 20 non-funded participants who will benefit from the mentor scheme and skills development sessions. A non-funded participant who completes the scheme will remain eligible for a fee waiver should it become available.

How to apply

Applications for 2023/24 have now closed and will re-open in September 2024 for the scheme running in 2024/25.