This paper reports findings from research into the benefits of e-mentoring for mature students (21 years
old and above) preparing for university study through taking Access courses. The research was carried out
at Kingston University in the UK in the context of current policies of widening participation in higher
education (HE). It was aimed at adding to student satisfaction and retention in university, particularly for
those from families without a background in HE. Previous studies suggested that good pre-entry
preparation and support improves students' chances of success in HE. This paper describes how an
e-mentoring scheme, called eAccess, was developed to prepare students taking Access courses for learning
at undergraduate level. The research showed that eAccess supported students in three ways: learning about
university life, helping with the HE application process and developing confidence and effective learning
strategies. The paper identifies the potential of e-mentoring schemes to enable students to prepare better
for HE through the development of social capital which enables them to tap into 'hot knowledge' β an
un-codified and un-institutionalised form of knowledge available amongst mature undergraduates at
university