Peer Academic Support

Navigate your academic journey with peer-to-peer support from Arts Peer Advisors or Arts Peer Academic Coaches.


Arts Peer Advisors

Peer Advisors play an integral role in Arts Academic Advising Services, providing accurate and timely information on academic requirements, campus resources and much more – assisting you to confidently navigate your academic journey and make the most of campus life.


Arts Peer Academic Coaches

Connect with upper-year students that will work with you long term to meet your academic goals – AKA a coach.

Our Arts Peer Academic Coaches are friendly, inclusive, and knowledgeable upper-year students who:

  • Know what it’s like to learn and study in UBC Arts
  • Share a common goal of seeing other students succeed
  • Are trained in self-regulated learning techniques to support student self-reflection and growth
  • Can provide you with strategies and resources to improve your academic experience


Peer Advisors are student employees that work in the Arts Advising office. If you imagine going to the gym, Peer Advisors are the front desk staff. They'll help you with your gym membership and make sure that you registered properly for that 8 a.m. group yoga class but, beyond maybe offering a few tips, they aren't there to help you workout.

Peer Academic Coaches are those gym regulars that are happy to take newcomers under their wing. They aren't employees but they will go out of their way to show you how to lift weights properly so you don't hurt your back and are happy to share the lessons they learned along the way towards their own academ— or, we mean fitness success.

Coaching topics

  • Study strategies
  • Time management techniques
  • Ways to approach academic tasks
  • Campus involvement opportunities

Meet with a Coach

Arts Peer Academic Coaches are available for one-on-one coaching conversations via appointment. Appointments (both virtual or in person) can be requested via the link below from September to March (excluding exam period). Our team of coaches also run academic events during the year through The Compass: Arts Student Engagement Hub.

Aspire Mentorship Program

In this free program, you will be paired with an Arts Peer Academic Coach who will mentor you throughout the term. Participants will meet with their coach three times throughout the term and will receive a Certificate of Completion at the end of the program. Registration for this term is now open, and will close on January 28 at 11:59pm. If you have any questions, please email Nadya Tan.

Here’s what previous Aspire Mentees have said about the program:

  • “It was helpful for me to hear about a senior student’s experiences, as I don’t know much about university life yet. I enjoyed hearing about her experiences and from someone who has already completed most of their academic journey. It was also great to have a conversation with someone who’s willing to hear me out and talk with about academics.”
  • “Developing an action plan with someone to hold me accountable makes me feel like I can actually achieve my goals. I also think connecting with an upper-year student 1-to-1 helps me feel more confident in my ability to socially interact.”
  • “My peer coach helped me prioritize my concerns. After my meeting I had more insight into what I was going to do, I had someone to help me through and that was very helpful for me!”

  

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