Become a mentee

Mentoring requires commitment and motivation. The mentoring process proceeds with goal-oriented discussion that you plan. As a mentee (student) you are the more active participant and set targets, propose meetings, reschedule in the event of a cancellation, and hold on to what has been agreed. Please remember that as a mentee you represent the students of University of Oulu.

Be ready to

• invest and spend time in mentoring
• plan meetings carefully
• receive feedback and develop yourself
• reflect on your career aspirations.

My anxiety for studying and future career was swept away and I got some great tips."
- Mentee's feedback

Master’s students of University of Oulu from all main subjects can apply for mentoring. You have to have the right to study and you have to be enrolled to the University of Oulu for the academic year in question. You can apply if you will graduate during the mentoring programme. To get the best out of the process it is required to have your bachelor’s degree completed before you apply. You should have an idea and a plan what you want to do after studies because your mentor is not there to give you answers. He / she is there to support you on your path towards working life.

You can participate in the Mentoring Programme once during your Master's studies. As a doctoral student you can apply at any time of your studies and even though you participated already during your master’s programme. You should have an idea of your expectations concerning your career after your post graduate studies. If you are a doctoral student and want to become a mentee, please contact University of Oulu Graduate School: uniogs(at)oulu.fi as they have a separate application process.

Applicants who have proceeded furthest with their studies or have only little work experience especially in their own field come first.

Yearly the application period runs from September to October. The schedule for the mentoring programme 2022-2023 is published. Please check the application period and other details in the schedule. The application link is now open!

There will be discussion sessions when the application period has ended, and it is mandatory for all applicants to participate in order to continue in the process. The discussion session will give you a better idea of the requirements and content of the programme. It is also a good opportunity to ask more about mentoring. In the session your will discuss with others about your motivation and reasons to apply to the programme.

Please fill the application carefully so we can find the most suitable mentor for you and you can continue in the process. In the application there are questions about your studies, motivation and goals and wishes for mentoring and mentor. You should also fill in some topics that you are planning to go through with your mentor. Incomplete applications won't be taken into account during the process (like when applying for a job). The more carefully you fill out the application form, the better you will ensure that you can move on with the process and increase your chances to get the right mentor for you. A carefully completed application is required for participating in the mentoring programme.

Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee a mentor for every student. The number of mentors, their aspirations and backgrounds who enroll in the programme each year vary, and it may not be possible to find a suitable mentor for all students.

After the application period

Final selections will be announced to all applicants in November. Check out the programme schedule.

Orientation

The approved mentees will be trained before the one-to-one meetings start. It is essential that you take part in the orientation so you get an idea of your responsibilities in the process, and have a flying start to your mentoring process. The orientation will be held online about a week prior to the kick-off-meeting where you will meet your mentor for the first time. Check out the programme schedule.

If you already have an interesting mentor candidate in mind, feel free to contact him or her, for example via LinkedIn or by email, and tell them who you are and why you are contacting them.

Tell them that you are applying for the University of Oulu's mentoring programme and would like to request the contact to be your mentor because ...

• What kind of skills does the mentor have that would support you to reach your goals? What could you offer to the mentor?
• How many sessions would you like to have during the coming six months?
• Refer in your message to the university mentoring info pages and get support to present your case from here.
• Explain the mentor candidate what kind of commitment participating in the programme would require (help from the mentor page). You can also advice the mentor to contact the programme coordinators for further information.
• Ask the mentor politely and with good application / arguments as your mentor. Remember that also you represent the University of Oulu and its students when approaching stakeholders.
• Fill out the application, even if you have found and confirmed a mentor for yourself before the program begins. Use the form to indicate your mentor's contact details and that you are participating as a pair. Your mentor does not need to fill out an application.
• If the person you have approached is unable to become your mentor, you can still apply to the programme and we will try to find you a mentor as close to your wishes as possible.

Programme coordinators master's students:

Riitta Arffman
Alumni Coordinator

Angela Suorsa
Salla Herrala
Career Specialists

E-mails follow the format: firstname.lastname(at)oulu.fi

University of Oulu Graduate School:

uniogs(at)oulu.fi