Welcome
to StateElevate

Welcome to StateElevate! We are a free mentorship organisation in the North East, ensuring success is based on ability and ambition, not background. Featured on ITV News and BBC Radio 1, spoken in the House of Lords, and appeared in North Eastern newspapers.

Our Mission

At StateElevate, we collaborate with state schools across the North East of England to provide free one-to-one mentorship for students in applying to competitive UK universities. We pair undergraduates from universities such as Oxford, LSE and Imperial with students from North East schools and colleges, alongside providing financial support. This year we are connected with 10 schools, mentoring 150+ students with the help of 100+ mentors.

North East of the UK historically has some of the lowest higher education application rates in the country, particularly for the most selective universities. Even at highly-ranked regional universities like Durham, only about 10% of students are from the North East, the lowest proportion of any UK institution.

Our main objective is to break down barriers for state school students in the Northeast of England when applying to top universities, to encourage ambition and to ensure that success is measured by ability, not background.

Discover More

Meet the Team

Screenshot 2025-09-18 at 20.09_edited.jp

Co Founder & Director

Grace Wilson

Grace, 19, studies Law LLB at London School of Economics. She recently finished her legal internship with Jane Walker MBE in Manila, Philippines, working on financial regulation law in vulnerable communities.

Co Founder & Director

Lennon Airey

Lennon, 19, studies History at Oxford. He was awarded the title of 'Masters Scholar' at Pembroke College, and is Outreach officer of his JCR.

Outreach & Sponsorships Coordinator & Wellbeing Officer

Elodie Clements

Elodie, 20, studies International History at London School of Economics. She recently coordinated StateElevate's appearance on ITV and BBC, along with her press release making 2 local newspapers. This converted into a work placement with ITV.

Events Coordinator

Amy Dodson

Amy, 19, studies Biology at Oxford. Due to high academic achievement she is an Exhibitioner at Pembroke College, and was one of our most dedicated mentors in 25/26.

Our Initiatives

Mentorship

Mentors provide personalised advice and resources, helping students to navigate their academic journeys effectively. Students receive at least 3 rounds of 1-to-1 feedback on their personal statements via zoom. If they are an Oxbridge or interview university applicant, we also provide them with a mock interview. Students also receive mentoring through admissions tests and general university advice.

Outreach

We offer various events to connect students to relevant professional networks, including interactive Q&As with high level professionals. We hope to connect with local business to grow our organisation even further.

Financial Support

We believe that financial circumstances should never be a barrier to accessing higher education. That is why we offer a range of tailored support to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed.

Admissions Test Scholarship

We provide funding for students facing the cost of mandatory university admissions tests, such as the LNAT, UCAT, ESAT, and TMUA, that are not covered by their school. We understand that many students fall just outside the eligibility criteria for traditional bursaries but still require financial assistance to level the playing field.

The Leamy Grant (For Law Students)

Thanks to a generous donation from Paul Leamy, every law student is entitled to The Leamy Grant. Separate from our general admissions test funding, this grant provides additional specialist support for aspiring lawyers, including access to LNAT revision resources and more. (Full details on the support package coming soon).

Emergency Fund

Sometimes, unexpected costs arise. Our discretionary Emergency Fund is here to help with those financial hurdles that could otherwise disrupt your journey. Whether you need support with travel to open days, urgent laptop repairs, or any other expense you are facing, we are here to listen.

Co-Founder Grace speaking on social mobility at the House of Lords, pictured with Lord Syed Kamall.

A Practical Guide for Employers

Actionable strategies to attract and support North East sixth form students into professional services, finance, law, and corporate careers. By actively removing these barriers, employers don’t just widen access – they unlock a pool of highly motivated, hardworking students who bring fresh perspectives. Diverse regional backgrounds have been shown to improve team problem-solving, decision-making, and workplace morale. This isn’t just fairness: it’s good for business.

THE COST OF PARTICIPATION

The financial burden of travelling to London for insight days, spring weeks, or assessment centres is often prohibitive. Return train fares from Newcastle to London can exceed £100, and accommodation in the capital is a significant barrier. Many corporate firms currently operate on reimbursement models, requiring students to pay upfront and claim back later, a system that excludes those who do not have the cash flow to participate in the first place.

Establish a North East Travel Bursary Fund. Create a dedicated, well-publicised fund specifically for travel to London-based events.

Cover Accommodation and Meals Upfront. For opportunities requiring overnight stays, provide accommodation and cover meal costs. Rather than reimbursing after the event, book travel and accommodation directly on the student's behalf, or provide pre-paid travel cards and meal vouchers before the event begins. Partner with London universities to provide lower rate accommodation.

Offer Paid Work Experience. Review spring weeks and insight programmes that are currently unpaid or offer only nominal expenses. Moving to paid placements (at least National Living Wage) signals that the firm values students' time and is serious about removing financial barriers to entry.

Provide Wardrobe and Resource Support. Consider offering a small wardrobe bursary for professional clothing, or partner with organisations like Smart Works (which has a Newcastle branch) to ensure students can attend interviews and insight days feeling confident and appropriately dressed.

LOGISTICS, TIMING, AND SCHOOL COMMITMENTS

The corporate recruitment calendar is often heavily skewed toward London-centric events during term time. Many firms also run events after school hours, failing to account for students living in the North East who would have to take two days absent from school, alongside an overnight stay.

Align with North East School Holidays. Schedule major open days and insight sessions during school holidays.

Offer Events on Saturdays. For students who cannot miss school in term time, Saturday events remove the barrier entirely. Consider running insight mornings, workshops, or taster sessions on Saturday mornings, making them accessible to students from all sixth forms without requiring permission to miss class or navigate complicated transport links after school.

Embrace Virtual and Asynchronous Options. Offer virtual versions of insight days and workshops. Potentially offer something unique you would not receive or participate in via an in person event so it feels as worthwhile.

Host Events in the North East. Bring opportunities to the region. Consider holding insight days in the North East. Partner with local sixth forms, colleges, or universities to host events on their sites, making travel minimal and the environment familiar. Consider setting up cluster hubs where students from multiple schools can gather at a central location (such as a local FE college or library) to participate in virtual events together.

ACCESS AND OUTREACH

Many North East sixth form students simply do not know what opportunities exist. The opportunities that do exist are often advertised through channels that these students do not follow such as LinkedIn. Many students also do not see themselves as the "type" of person who would be welcomed in a corporate environment, so they self-select out before even considering an application.

Leverage Local Education Networks. Share opportunities through networks such as State Elevate. These networks have direct channels to schools and sixth forms and can amplify your outreach significantly.

Create a North East Ambassador Programme. Recruit apprentices, graduates, and early careers professionals who are originally from the North East and attended state sixth forms to act as regional ambassadors. Their authentic stories and familiar accents can be far more effective at demonstrating "people like me belong here" than corporate marketing materials. Arrange for them to visit sixth forms (in person or virtually) to share their experiences and answer questions.

Deliver Application Skills Workshops. Run dedicated workshops on CV writing, cover letters, and interview skills specifically for sixth form students. Ensure workshops cover basics like how to structure an email, what to wear, how to prepare for an interview, and how to articulate strengths - skills that are often assumed but rarely explicitly taught in state schools.

Showcase Regional Role Models. When promoting opportunities, highlight employees who grew up in the North East, attended state sixth forms, and are now thriving in your organisation.