Since January, more than a hundred Cambridge students have been mentoring sixth formers across the UK as part of the University’s new STEM SMART programme – offering advice and answering their questions about life as an undergraduate.

“There wasn’t really anything like STEM SMART when I was applying to University - certainly nothing that allowed you to speak to current Cambridge students in quite so much depth, over months and months. We’re meeting with these sixth formers every two weeks and so you get to form a connection, and in turn, that makes them feel more comfortable asking us questions. It’s a pretty unique opportunity.”

Asmita Niyogi, a second year undergraduate studying natural sciences at Churchill College, is one of around 126 Cambridge students mentoring sixth formers through their school STEM courses, as part of the University’s new STEM SMART widening participation programme.

Robert Barker, a second year geographer at Fitzwilliam College, is another. “I went to a state school academy in Newcastle, and a state sixth form which sent very few students to Oxbridge - so I tick a lot of the boxes that the A-level students on STEM SMART will. I understand just how beneficial access programmes are, because I did a lot of them myself – UNIQ at Oxford, the Sutton Trust summer school at Cambridge, the Shadowing Scheme - and I do say to the people who helped me that I probably wouldn’t be here without them. It made the world of difference.”

The University of Cambridge launched STEM SMART in September 2021, to support state school students who are considering a career in the physical sciences or engineering, and who are statistically less likely to apply for courses in higher education. Four months later - in January 2022 - more than 900 sixth formers joined the 17-month programme, which offers enhanced learning from Cambridge academics, including weekly online tutorials, and mentoring from current students. The initiative, which complements their classroom studies, aims to build confidence in the sixth formers and encourage them to apply to study subjects such as physics, chemistry, Earth sciences and materials science at top universities, including Cambridge.

Asmita, who studied A-levels in chemistry, physics, maths and further maths at a state secondary in Slough, says: “I knew it was something I really wanted to be involved in – just to get the opportunity to be on the other side and be able to help people, and tell them what I wish I’d known when I was applying. We didn’t really get that many people applying to Oxbridge at my school – maybe one or two people every year - so doing this is something that feels very rewarding to me.”

During hour-long sessions, every two weeks, student mentors lead discussions with small groups of STEM SMART sixth formers, offering advice on everything from the types of bursary available, to guidance on writing their UCAS personal statement, to what living at a Cambridge college is really like.

Robert, who studied A-levels in geography, maths and English language before arriving at Cambridge, said mentoring was an important element of STEM SMART, because as well as the academic side of university, sixth formers have lots of questions about undergraduate life in general.  “We don’t just cover Oxbridge, it can be more general – revision tips, finance, what it’s like living independently. It covers a lot of bases and that’s important. For me, in any access stuff I do, I don’t want to lose sight that Oxbridge might not be where everyone we speak to is aiming for. It’s about building confidence, and equipping people with the right tools and knowledge, so they have everything they need when it comes to making their university application.”

“The conversations we have are usually pretty fun,” says Asmita. “We’re all around the same age, so we try to keep things informal. I’ve been asked: ‘Do you really wear gowns like in Harry Potter?’ ‘Do you get to have a social life?’ And I’ve also been asked about how studying for a degree compares to studying for A-levels, so we’ve explored the differences between the two. And actually, for me it has only been a recent change, and I can get that across to them.”

“My mentees are from quite similar backgrounds to me,” says Robert, whose access work at Cambridge also includes roles in the Cambridge SU Class Act campaign, and Fitzwilliam’s JCR committee. “One of them is a care leaver, and I’m a care leaver too. I get a lot out of speaking to these students – they’re coming back to do sessions, so that shows they’re getting something out of it, that it’s working, that it’s of benefit to them. Fundamentally, that’s the most important thing.”

Because of the programme’s duration, supporting sixth formers right through the final year and a half of their A-levels, Asmita – who also does access work for Cambridge Hands-On Science (CHaOS), a student-run outreach group – believes STEM SMART can have a significant impact. “When I was applying, most of the information I had I’d found online. I personally never went on an outreach programme where I got to speak to students, and I think that aspect of STEM SMART is so special.

“It’s important for the University to be coming up with these new programmes, to encourage people from all backgrounds to apply, and to have a more diverse student body. One of the biggest barriers to applying is not knowing about the opportunities out there. It’s about helping more people make more informed decisions.”

It is anticipated that many of the sixth formers on the programme will be studying at schools with little or no experience of sending students to Cambridge, so those who actively take part are invited to attend a four-day residential event in Cambridge, to experience life as a Cambridge student. Robert says this element of STEM SMART is key.

“If you can get yourself to Oxford or Cambridge for a look around for yourself, that’s crucial to opening your eyes to the opportunities. Because of the pandemic, I was only able to visit Cambridge once before applying, and if I hadn’t visited, I might not have applied. I did the Shadowing Scheme just before COVID hit, so I got to come here and do some lectures, and shadow a student called Rosie, who happened to also be from Newcastle and doing Geography at Fitzwilliam College. It definitely made it all seem more achievable. I think the residential part of STEM SMART really helps people see the possibilities, it allows them to really picture themselves at university.”

More information about applying for the STEM SMART programme at Cambridge.

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