Fostering Student Success Through Peer Mentoring: Understanding Student Mentors’ Motivations

Student success and the reduction of dropout rates have become central concerns in higher education systems worldwide, prompting institutions to develop structured, evidence-based support programmes aimed at addressing students’ academic, social and emotional needs, particularly during the first year of study. Peer mentoring programmes, grounded in social learning theory and student engagement frameworks, have been widely recognised as effective mechanisms for facilitating student integration and persistence. This qualitative study examines the motivations of student mentors participating in an institutional peer mentoring programme implemented at a Portuguese higher education institution. Data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire completed by 274 students who voluntarily applied to act as mentors. The analysis followed a qualitative content analysis approach, resulting in the identification of four interconnected motivational dimensions: altruism and the desire to give back; promotion of academic, social and local integration; personal, academic and professional development of mentors; and the perceived role of mentoring in preventing academic failure and dropout. The findings reveal that student mentors’ motivations are strongly shaped by their own transitional experiences, a sense of social responsibility and recognition of mentoring as a meaningful learning opportunity. The study reinforces the relevance of peer mentoring as a holistic institutional strategy for promoting student success, inclusion and well-being in higher education.