STaR PG International Mentors are current postgraduate students that are committed to helping others and genuinely want to make a difference to a new international postgraduate student’s start at the University of Reading. Like a buddy, mentors are there to encourage and support new students and answer any queries they may have.
About the role
- Establish a successful mentoring partnership with between 3-12 new postgraduate taught (PGT) and postgraduate research (PGR) students (mentees).
- Contact mentees before they arrive in the UK by email and help prepare them for what to expect from living and studying in the UK and provide insight on postgraduate study at the University of Reading.
- Participate in events as appropriate –in person and/or virtual.
- Be contactable by email & available to meet in person during the first term.
- Commit around 1 hour, on average, per week to mentoring.
Eligibility and selection criteria
To be eligible to apply to be a STaR PG International mentor, students must be:
- A current postgraduate student at the University of Reading.
- Studying at the University until the end of 2024.
- Available to mentor new students from July 2024, initially by email, until the end of their first term.
- Committed to helping others and genuinely want to make a difference to a new student’s transition to life in the UK and postgraduate study at Reading.
Benefits
- Gain volunteer experience.
- Opportunity to help others.
- Develop personal and professional skills for future employment.
- Hours for the RED Award
Before you apply
- Read the STaR PG International Mentor role description above carefully.
- Check you are eligible (see above).
- Submit your application in plenty of time. The deadline is 19 April 2025
Hints and tips
- Take time to reflect on why you think you would be a successful STaR Mentor. Consider what skills and experience you have and how you can you apply it to the role.
- Do not worry if this is the first university activity you want to take part in. You can use examples from any experiences - volunteer or paid work.
- Applications that are too brief or do not demonstrate enough evidence of skills or experience will be returned to you for review. You will have the opportunity to add to your application and re-apply.
What happens after I apply?
Your application will be assessed by the STaR Mentor Coordinator. If successful, you will be invited to attend a compulsory STaR Mentor training session that will take place in the Summer Term. This session could be either face to face or virtual depending on your situation. The STaR Mentor Coordinator will inform you of the status of your application by email to your University of Reading email account.
More information
Get in contact if you have any questions.