We purposefully use a broad definition in order to assist as many students as possible. We define a ‘first-generation’ student as anyone studying within the UK who does not have at least one parent with a university degree. We also include students who do not have access to or support from parents who might hold degrees due to being in the care system, being disowned for being LGBT+, or being estranged from their parents for various reasons (including being neurodivergent), and students who are displaced, including Refugee and Asylum Seekers and students coming to the UK on other visas but who are considered displaced.

For both volunteer mentors and students we ask that you commit to 12 months as part of the programme. You are encouraged to stay on if you like, but won’t be pressured to do so in any way.

Our focus is on supporting students in navigating university culture and systems; in learning ‘how to university’. We are less focused on providing tutoring or assistance with essay writing, as these kinds of supports are widely available. Our mentors focus on helping students develop the cultural knowledge and skill sets they need to successfully engage in the university experience and complete their degrees.

There is no cost for any student who is part of the mentorship programme. All our services are provided free of charge for first-generation students.

Thank you so much for your interest in supporting our work! If you have a degree from the UK, you can register your interest in serving as a volunteer mentor. If you’re looking for other ways to get involved, you can join us on Patreon or make a one-time donation on our donation page. If you have another idea for something you’d like to do, feel free to reach out to us and we’ll be happy to talk to you about it. We can be reached at: carly@myacademicfamily.org.uk.

There is a requirement of meeting at least once per month, though aside from this the student and their mentor are able to set more frequent meetings and determine when and how they will meet. We generally presume that meetings will occur either online or over the phone, as students and their mentors may not live near one another.

My Academic Family does provide paid advising services to students who do not qualify for our free Mentorship Programme. You can see what the different levels of service are on our Patreon Page: www.patreon.com/myacademicfamily. You can also email directly at carly@myacademicfamily to customise advising services.

While these services are not geared towards traditional international (especially short-study) students, there are some support options we are able to provide for a fee. You can see what the different levels of service are on our Patreon Page: www.patreon.com/myacademicfamily. You can also email directly at carly@myacademicfamily to customise advising services.