Your Peer Mentor

When you start your studies at the University of Leicester, you will have the opportunity to join our Peer Mentoring Community from day one! The scheme is open to all new Foundation Year, Undergraduate, Postgraduate Taught and Postgraduate Research students (excluding Medicine, who have their own exciting scheme!).

Our Peer Mentoring Scheme helps students settle into life at the University of Leicester and support their transition through peer-to-peer support. 

As soon as you arrive at the University of Leicester, you’ll be able to join our mentoring platform, Vygo, using your student email address. From there, you’ll be paired with current students who have all volunteered to become Peer Mentors and to support you to settle in. They’ll send regular check-in messages on the platform encouraging you to explore all aspects of university life, but they’ll also be there to answer any questions. Whether it's an academic matter, or emotional issues or an aspect of your physical or mental health or something you're just not 100% sure about and want to check – your Peer Mentor is on hand to help. No question is too small, even just asking where your lecture theatre is will help with first week's nerves!

Your Peer Mentor will add you to a group chat with other new students from your course, so you can begin making connections from day one, but you also have the option to directly message your Peer Mentor. 

If your Peer Mentor doesn’t know the answer to your question, they have been trained on all the available University services and will be able to point you in the right direction. 

You’ll even be invited to our Peer Mentoring events, including our Networking events which give you an opportunity to meet other students face-to-face and meet the Peer Mentoring Team. 

I'm a new student, why should I sign up?

• To receive a friendly point of contact as you’re joining the University and get hints and tips on making the most of your student experience.
• To get support if you have any difficulties or worries.
• Have the opportunity to make new friends and be a part of something that celebrates the diversity of student life in an informal, fun, and sociable way.

Remember, this is just one element of the support system at the University of Leicester. You’ll also have a Personal Tutor in your department or school, who is there to help you with both academic matters, as well as SU Advice Services, Wellbeing Services, Centre for Academic Achievement, Career Services and so much more!

By the end of your first term, you’ll be an expert on everything about how the University of Leicester works and what being a Leicester student involves. We hope that you’ll find the Peer Mentoring Scheme a valuable support system, and you’ll consider becoming a Peer Mentor for the next cohort of students.

Find out more at: https://www.leicesterunion.com/advice/support/mentoring/ 

Read what some of the students from the Peer Mentoring Community have said: 

Mentor 2025-26: "What I enjoyed most about being a Peer Mentor was getting to support and encourage other students as they adjusted and grew. It felt really rewarding to share my experience, help someone overcome challenges, and see their confidence improve over time. I also enjoyed building strong connections and knowing I made a positive difference in someone’s journey."

Mentor 2025-26: "What I enjoyed most was the opportunity to pay forward the support I received during my own first year. Having been in their shoes, I found it incredibly rewarding to ease my mentees' anxieties about exams and university life. Knowing that my advice helped them feel more settled and confident in their first semester gave me a real sense of fulfillment and community connection."

Mentee 2025-26: "My peer mentor was very supportive; she reflected on her own journey and gave me an insight which was really helpful. She also gave help about exam prep and structure which was really useful, and reminded me that there’s no need to stress in first year which was so reassuring (especially with all of the key readings in law school)."

Mentee 2025-26: "As an international student I was confused about a lot of things, hence having a peer mentor by my side who is from my own course helped me to reach out to them about my problems."