Overview

Available to prospective students from underrepresented groups who are planning on applying for postgraduate taught study with Bristol, starting in September 2024.

Participants will attend interactive webinars alongside group mentor meetings. It's also an opportunity to meet fellow students on the scheme and form a close-knit cohort.

We anticipate to start in January 2024 with all participants due to complete by the end of May 2024.

Format 

The online programme is available to 12 students and will consist of peer group mentoring with a current postgraduate student, interactive skills development webinars and a 1:1 discussion about progressing to postgraduate study with a member of our Postgraduate Recruitment Team.

Participation involves 2 to 4 hours per month over January to April in order to successfully undertake core scheme activities, including:

• Interactive workshops
  • Study skills: covering study skills at postgraduate level and the differences between undergraduate and postgraduate study.
  • Careers and employability: covering careers support, how to demonstrate the value of a postgraduate degree, and future career planning.
• Finance webinar on how to apply and fund your postgraduate study.
• Group mentoring with a trained current Bristol postgraduate student.
• Open day - 13 March 2024, where we'll welcome you to campus and give you the opportunity to meet other scheme participants and mentors.

Eligibility

To meet the essential criteria, you must:

• be eligible for Home (UK) tuition fees.
• be wanting to progress to postgraduate taught study at Bristol.
• not be currently studying on an undergraduate or postgraduate programme at the University of Bristol.
• not have achieved a master’s level qualification.
• 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 previously been eligible for free school meals.
• are a military veteran or child of a military family.

How to apply

Applications for 2024 have now closed and will re-open in autumn for the 2025 scheme.