UK-based peer-to-peer engagement platform The Access Platform has extended its partnership with the Sutton Trust in a bid to help guide students from disadvantaged backgrounds in the UK to US higher education institutions.
As part of the partnership TAP will support the Sutton Trust US Programme – delivered in partnership with the Fulbright Commission – which is fully-funded and designed to support students to explore studying in the US and access leading universities.
“We are delighted to extend our work with the Sutton Trust into the international arena”
“We are delighted to extend our work with the Sutton Trust into the international arena to give students, who would not otherwise have the opportunity, access to degree course study in the US,” Nick Golding, strategic development & partnerships director at TAP said.
UK state school students will be able to connect with program alumni, counsellors and other experts, who will operate as mentors in order to “encourage and support [students’] aspirations to study in America”, he continued.
“This builds on similar Widening Participation work we have been doing in the UK, not only with the Sutton Trust, but with 10 or so colleges at Oxford and Cambridge, as well as niche use cases, such as The Inns of Court.”
Since 2012, some 412 Sutton Trust students have been admitted to more than 74 US universities – including Harvard and Princeton – with support of over $109 million. Around 80% of students are in the first generation of their family to study at university.
Via the agreement TAP will place 73 mentors online to guide Sutton Trust US Programme students.
“One of the great aspects of our platform is that it can be used to reach out to and engage very different types of student: from post-graduate career changers to learners from disadvantaged backgrounds, and those who are exploring whether study abroad is right for them, with access to some of the most prestigious universities in the world,” Golding added.
