You will be matched with an academic mentor and will be able to see their details via the student portal. The structure of the sessions is as follows:

• Year 1 - Second Semester: A one-on-one session (approximately 30 minutes) with your academic mentor
• Year 2 - First and Second Semester: 2 x one-on-one sessions with your academic mentor. One session in each semester (approximately 30 minutes each)
• Year 3 - First Semester: A one-on-one session (approximately 30 minutes)

We encourage you to connect with your academic mentor outside of the scheduled sessions to build that connection and get the support that you need.

You don't need to do anything! You will automatically be allocated to an academic mentor and notified who they are. You can get in touch with us if you have any questions.

Academic mentors are experienced members of our community who can help you adjust to study and life at University. Your academic mentor will take an active interest in your progress, success and challenges. Using their extensive networks, they can help you to connect with your faculty and the broader University community, as well as external professionals and industry representatives.

The sessions provide a space to think, share ideas, talk about your goals and explore opportunities with an academic member of our (University) community

Making sure you are prepared before each meeting and arriving on time can help build a good rapport with your academic mentor. Over time, your academic mentor will be a friendly face on campus, someone you can call on for advice, or even ask for a reference at the end of your degree.

• Academic mentors come from a discipline broadly aligned to your studies and will help you explore opportunities to build on your interests and strengths. If you do have a specific area of interest, they may be able to connect you with other academic staff or suggest ways that you can make these connections for yourself.
• Academic mentors are not experts in everything, but they can help you identify when you may benefit from seeking specialist support and advice.
• Meetings with your academic mentor are designed to support your growth and development, so you can discuss a range of goals and challenges with your mentor. There is a limit to the confidentiality of mentoring meetings, and there may be some cases when an adviser needs to disclose information to help you access support.
• Academic mentors can help you with general advice on study skills and routines that support your academic success, however it is not their role to tutor you or review specific pieces of academic work. Academic support services are available, and your academic mentor may encourage you to access this support.

You can find more information about Academic Mentoring at Melbourne here.

If you still have questions, please feel free to contact us.

Develop your skills:

• Gain leadership training and practical experience.
• Develop your interpersonal, communication and group facilitation skills.
• Expand your professional network within the University community.

Make a difference:

• Help honours students succeed in their first research project by sharing your experience and being a much-needed support along the way.
• Help new students develop a sense of belonging within their institute and university cohort.
• Make new friends and meet new people.

Be rewarded:

• Mentoring is a high-demand professional skill, add the program to your resume to strengthen job applications.
• Attend program-exclusive social events over the year.

As a mentor, you will be supporting a small group of students, usually from your research institution, as they embark on their Honours year.

Groups will have a minimum of four meetings over the duration of the program (March-June), with each session following a different focus. These sessions will help mentees build connection with their peers, settle into the lab environment, and develop their strategies to thrive in their Honours year.

Mentors are not expected to have all the answers to questions a mentee might ask; instead, you will be able to share your own experiences, provide information and refer students to university services for advice, model how to seek help and guide students to gain the confidence to find their own answers.

Sharing your own university experiences helps encourage mentees as they complete their first research and begin their thesis. Seeing the path taken by their mentor helps motivate mentees to pursue their goals.

The total time investment for mentors is less than 20 hours, including onboarding training (completed remotely in your own time) as well as bespoke professional development sessions built to grow the leadership skills  of our mentors.

The program runs from March until the end of June.

To become a mentor in the Honours Alumni Mentoring Program, you will need to be:

• A student studying a PhD within the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne
• In good academic standing (not at risk).
• A student with no history of academic misconduct.
• Able to attend compulsory training and orientation activities.
• Able to commit to at least 20 hours of volunteering throughout the program.

The application recruitment process:

• Submit an application – applications are now open until late February 2026.
• Shortlisted applicants will be invited to participate in an assessment centre.
• Applicants are advised of outcome.
• Complete the short mandatory training.
• Allocated to a group of around 5 honours students.

Register Your Interest Here

We have a range of supports in place to help you throughout your Mentoring experience.

Student Intern
Our Student Intern is a current PhD student employed to assist in delivering the Honours Alumni Mentoring Program. They will check on you throughout the semester, be there for you to ask questions to and point you in the right direction to get assistance, if needed. They will also organise social and networking events throughout the year for our mentors.

Mentoring and Engagement team
The Mentoring and Engagement team are the professional staff delivering this program. They can assist with any questions you might have, organise training and workshops for your professional development, and handle the day-to-day operation of the Honours Alumni Mentoring Program. If you have any questions please contact us.

Mentee applications will open in early 2026. If you're an eligible Honours student, you will receive an invitation to submit an application via your student inbox in February.

• A strong support network to guide you through what can be a high-pressure and sometimes isolating year.
• An opportunity to connect with your peers and the wider faculty research community, making friends and professional contacts as you go.
• Access to program exclusive networking events, resources and workshops specifically tailored to the Honours student experience.
• An invitation to official program events to celebrate achievements within the program (catering and gifts included).
• You will strengthen your professional attributes such as reliability, confidence, and communication.

To get the most of out your experience in the program, as a Mentee you should:

• Actively engage with your group and mentor by responding to communication promptly and being punctual to your meetings.
• Behave respectfully towards others and provide an inclusive environment for all.
• Go to your mentor for support and guidance - in some cases they may refer you to different services to get specialised support or assistance.

"The nursing mentorship program has allowed me to support first-year students as they face challenges throughout their nursing journey. As a second-year student. This experience has been rewarding as I had the chance to positively impact new students, but I also made new friends and learnt a great deal about myself in the process. Mentoring has boosted my communication and leadership skills, and it has reminded me of the value of peer support and empathy within nursing. I would highly recommend the nursing mentorship program to any student looking for a meaningful way to contribute, take on a new challenge, and grow both personally and professionally.”

– Kimia Taslimi  (Mentor 2025)

• 26 November: Mentor applications open
• 16 January: Applications close
• Feb – July: The program runs for 6 months
• 5 & 6 February: Matching commences
• 6 Feb: Students will be notified about the outcome of their application and introduced to their group of mentees via email.
• 6 February: Mentors’ Preparation Workshop
• 8 February: Onboarding training (online) completion date
• 9 February: Launch event
• 31 March: Mid-program event
• End of July: Program concludes

Mentors and mentees are expected to have meetings every fortnight during the program between February and July. The frequency is arranged by mentors and mentees; it could be either in person or online. MDHS Mentoring and Engagement team will provide coffee vouchers from Alan Gilbert.

APPLY HERE

If you have questions about the program, please contact the Mentoring and Engagement team at mdhs-student-hub@unimelb.edu.au.

As an international student, I deeply understand how frustrating and overwhelming it can be to begin an intensive course such as the Master of Nursing Science. However, being a mentee in the MDHS Mentoring Program during my first semester has provided me with an invaluable opportunity to seek guidance and benefit from the experience of high-achieving senior students, which greatly facilitated my transition into the course. I truly appreciate the ongoing support, constructive feedback, and extensive knowledge shared with me by my mentor. I highly recommend that any newly commencing student participate in this program, as it can significantly ease their transition and set a strong foundation for their academic success."

–  Sara Aflatounian (Mentee 2025)

• 27 January: Mentees applications open
• 2 February: Applications close
• Feb – July: Fortnight meetings online or in person with your mentor and group of mentees
• 5 & 6 February: Matching commences
• 6 Feb: Students will be notified about the outcome of their application and introduced to your mentor.
• 8 February: Onboarding training (online) completion date
• 9 February: Launch event
• 31 March: Mid-program event: connect with other mentors and mentees before your placement starts.
• End of July: Program concludes

APPLY HERE

If you have questions about the program, please contact the Mentoring and Engagement team at mdhs-student-hub@unimelb.edu.au.

As a new student you are automatically part of the program! Your dedicated Student Life Team matches you with a mentor and your group ahead of orientation.

Login to the student portal to get details of who your peer mentor is, when your meetings are scheduled, to chat to your group and more. You should also receive an email to your student email account at the start of the semester with information.

There will be 5 sessions across your first Semester of study. The sessions are themed around key stages in the semester such as getting to know the University and available services through to preparing for exams!

You don't need to do anything! If you are a new undergraduate student in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences you will automatically be placed in a mentoring group. If you have not heard anything by Orientation week, please get in touch with us so we can make sure you are not missing out!

• Meet new students and make some friends
• Information about student engagement programs, workshops and events to get involved in
• Information on available student support services to help with questions and concerns
• Build relationships and be more supported be connected to the University
• Have a friendly group of familiar faces to help you navigate life at the University of Melbourne
• Opportunity to “find your people” or your place at University

There are some things that you can do, as a mentee, to make your time in the Melbourne Peer Mentor Program more enjoyable for you and your group. They include, but are not limited to:

• Actively engage with your group, sessions, and activities
• Behave respectfully towards others and provide an inclusive environment for all
• Go to your mentor for support and guidance - in some cases they may refer you to different services to get specialised support or assistance

You can find more information about being a mentee here. This page has details about the structure of the program and some useful FAQ's.

If you still have some unanswered questions, please feel free to contact us.

Develop your skills:

• Gain leadership training and experience.
• Develop your interpersonal, communication and group facilitation skills.
• Build your professional network within the University community.

Make a difference:

• Help new students succeed in their first year by sharing your experience.
• Develop a sense of belonging with students and the University.
• Gain a deeper understanding of cultural differences and diversity.
• Make new friends and meet new people.

Be rewarded:

• Demonstrate your participation to employers with your co-curricular record.
• Access to specialised peer mentor professional development.
• Receive exclusive MPMP merchandise!

To become a peer mentor with the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, you will need to be:

• A current University of Melbourne student within the Faculty of MDHS -  all faculties participate in Peer Mentoring so you can still apply to your current faculty!
• Studying for at least two more academic semesters
• In good academic standing (not at risk)
• A student with no history of academic misconduct
• Able to attend compulsory training and Orientation Week activities
• Able to commit to at least 20 hours of volunteering throughout the year

Desirable

• Experience as a mentor/mentee
• Participation in extra-curricular activities
• Membership in clubs and societies

Note: Students beginning their second and third year of undergraduate study will be prioritised. Priority will also be given to students who have completed a relevant undergraduate degree from the University of Melbourne

The application recruitment process:

• Submit an application. Applications open approximately three months prior to the commencement of the next semester
• Participate in an assessment centre
• Applicants are advised of outcome
• Attend mandatory training (30 minute online compliance training and 2 hour online group training)
• Allocated to a group of up to 10 first year students (if your timetable does not allow you to be matched, you will be placed in the stand-by pool)

Being a Mentor should be a rewarding experience for you. We want to make sure that you understand what we expect of you in relation to the role. The expectations include, but are not limited to:

• Attend all training to prepare you for your role
• Behave respectfully towards others and foster an inclusive environment for all
• Provide friendly and informative guidance to your mentees
• Support mentees and model help-seeking behaviours to find solutions to hurdles or queries they may have
• Use and share your experiences and knowledge to assist mentees in navigating life at University
• Be a point of contact for the mentees
• Hold a valid Working with Children Check (Volunteer check is sufficient)
• Abide by the Code of Conduct
• Refer any issues or unresolved conflicts to the Melbourne Peer Mentoring Staff

We have a range of supports in place to help you throughout your Mentoring experience.

Peer Leaders
Our Peer Leaders are current students employed to assist in delivering the Melbourne Peer Mentor Program. They will check on you throughout the semester, be there for you to ask questions to and point you in the right direction to get assistance, if needed. They will also organise social and networking events throughout the year for our Mentors.

Student Life team
The Student Life team are the professional staff delivering this program. They can assist with any questions you might have, organise training and workshops for your professional development, and handle the day-to-day operation of the Melbourne Peer Mentor Program. Find out how to contact us.

More information is available here for current peer mentors or students wishing to become mentors. This includes useful session guides, resources, the application portal and more information about the structure of the program.

If you still have some unanswered questions, please feel free to contact us.