IDCORE's Pre-Application Mentoring Scheme

October – December 2025 (exact dates TBC)

Our Pre-Application Mentoring Scheme is designed to support people who feel they may be non-traditional applicants to postgraduate research.

Who is a non-traditional applicant?

There’s no single definition. You might identify as non-traditional because of:

  • Personal characteristics – e.g. gender, disability, ethnicity, or neurodivergence.
  • Background or circumstances – e.g. religion, caregiving or family responsibilities, returning to study after working in industry, having studied non-engineering STEM subjects (such as marine biology, chemistry, physics, geology, mathematics), or having worked in teaching.
  • Life experiences – e.g. being from a low-income background or being the first in your family to pursue higher education.

Step 1: Watch student video clips (Coming soon!)

Over the years, we’ve noticed that many applicants have similar questions. To help, our current students have recorded short video clips sharing their experiences and answers.

We recommend watching all of the clips, even if some don’t seem directly relevant—you may find useful insights.

Step 2: Request a mentor

After watchign the clips, if you still feel you'd like to engage with a mentor on a one-to-one basis, you can request a mentor by completing our short [MS Form - coming soon!].

In the form, we’ll ask you to:

  • List your qualifications (so we can confirm you meet programme requirements).
  • Answer a few simple questions
  • Briefly explain why you see yourself as a non-traditional applicant.

🔒 Please note:

  • The information you share will not be assessed as part of any future application to IDCORE.
  • Details will only be shared with student mentors to help us make the best match. Otherwise, your information will remain confidential. You can read the University’s privacy notice here.

What to expect from mentoring

  • Mentors are current IDCORE students or recent graduates. They can share what the programme is like and how they have found their place in the diverse IDCORE community.
  • Mentoring includes up to 2 sessions (30 minutes each), held online via Microsoft Teams.
  • Demand may be high, so we encourage early applications. We may not be able to meet all requests.

Next steps

  1. Submit your MS Form request.
  2. Our administrator, Katrina, will contact you within 5 working days.
  3. She will suggest a mentor match and ask your permission before sharing your contact details.
  4. Once you agree, your mentor will get in touch to arrange your first session.

Need help?

If you have trouble completing the form, please contact Katrina at idcore.admin@ed.ac.uk.