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Online · Sydney · Ages 14–18

Research Mentorship for Students in Sydney

A supervised research project with a doctoral-level mentor in the student's field, scheduled in Sydney hours, and fitted to the school year and curriculum the student is actually on.

Now placing for October. Reviewed 6 September 2026.

What families in Sydney and Australia ask first

The four things that decide whether this works from Sydney

The academic standard is the same everywhere. What changes by city is the school year, the curriculum, when sessions happen, and how the fee is agreed. Those are answered here, before you spend time on an application.

Built around a January school year

Australian schools run late January to December, with the HSC examinations in October and November. An 8 to 12 week programme is placed around the HSC calendar, and we confirm the timing with the family before enrolment.

Sessions in Sydney time, around the school day

Sessions are scheduled in local time, around school hours and the examination calendar. The slot is agreed with the matched mentor before enrolment and confirmed in writing.

HSC and IB students

Most Sydney students sit the HSC; a number of schools teach the IB Diploma instead. Several HSC subjects include a major work, which is an independent project by another name.

Cost stated in writing before you decide

There is no fixed price list. After the interview you receive the recommended programme, its scope, the schedule and the fee in writing, and only then decide.

Curriculum fit

How a research project fits the school systems in Sydney

Families in Sydney reach us from two school systems, and a third route that cuts across both.

One rule applies across all of them: the work is the student's. Mentors guide questions, sources, methods and revision. We do not write, edit or "polish" anything the school assesses. Our academic integrity policy says exactly where the line is.

01 HSC: the major work, and everything beyond it Subjects with a major work already ask for an independent project. Mentorship gives that project a research method, and for students in subjects without one, it is the independent work the application can point to.
02 IB Diploma: the Extended Essay The skill the EE demands, forming a question that can actually be answered, is what mentorship builds. The EE itself stays with the school supervisor.
03 Applying to the UK or the US from Australia A UK personal statement or a US application is judged on what the student has done beyond the classroom. A mentored project is that, with a method and an end product an interviewer can ask about.

What every family receives

The same programme, the same visibility, wherever the student is

Sessions are scheduled in Sydney time, around the school day and the examination calendar, and the slot is confirmed in writing before enrolment.

The programme

Research Scholar runs as weekly 1-to-1 sessions of 60 minutes across 8 to 12 weeks. Field Seminars are small-group. Academic Essentials is shorter and skill-specific.

Visibility

You will know how the programme is progressing. We do not run black-box sessions between student and mentor with no family visibility.

Session format

All sessions are video calls. A parent or legal guardian is named on the application for every student under 18, and for students under 16 we may ask that a parent is nearby during the first session.

Read the safeguarding policy

Choose the right level

Research mentorship works best when the starting point is honest

A student with a focused question needs a different programme from a student still exploring a field or building academic English. Starting too early with an ambitious paper creates stress and shallow work; starting at the right level creates momentum.

Two minutes: which programme fits?

Cost and access

The fee is stated in writing before you decide

Programme pricing is discussed during the interview, because the appropriate programme and scope vary by student. Families receive the recommended programme, scope, schedule and fee in writing before deciding whether to proceed.

Financial aid is limited, contribution-based and not guaranteed. Merit scholarships of 10 to 100 percent are awarded on independent work, not on grades. We would rather discuss cost honestly at the interview than let it remain an unspoken barrier.

Questions from families in Sydney and Australia

When do sessions take place for a student in Sydney?

In Sydney time, around the school day and the examination calendar. The exact slot is agreed with the matched mentor before enrolment and confirmed in writing.

Does the programme fit around the HSC?

Yes. Because the HSC examinations fall in October and November, the programme is placed around them, and the timing is confirmed with the family before enrolment.

Is this the same as an HSC major work?

No, and it must not be. A major work is assessed by the school and must be the student's own. Mentorship builds the research skill and produces a separate piece of work. We do not write, edit or "polish" assessed coursework.

How much does it cost?

Programme pricing is discussed during the interview, because the appropriate programme and scope vary by student. Families receive the recommended programme, scope, schedule and fee in writing before deciding whether to proceed.

Is financial aid available?

Financial aid is limited, contribution-based and not guaranteed. Merit scholarships of 10 to 100 percent are awarded on independent work, not on grades. Indicate the request on the application so it can be discussed honestly in the interview.

Find out whether ScholarBridge fits your student

One introductory conversation with the academic team, under 25 minutes, free, with no obligation on either side. We review the student's interests, readiness, Sydney schedule and goals before recommending a programme, and we will say if the answer is not yet.

Apply for an Interview

Useful before applying from Sydney

Students elsewhere