Succeed
    Online Programme

    Explorer 1:1 Online Research Mentorship

    by Indigo Research

    A flexible one-to-one online mentorship that helps high school students develop an independent research project and produce a literature review or short academic essay.

    Last verified: 17 Aug 2026Reviewed by:BSBen Stacy
    Explorer 1:1 Online Research Mentorship

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    Explorer Research Mentorship at a glance: cost, dates and eligibility

    Current status

    Applications open

    Eligibility

    High school students

    Age range / Year group

    Ages 14-18

    Location / Region

    Online

    Cost

    From $3,900

    Duration

    3 months

    Format

    Online

    Application deadline

    Rolling

    Save programme
    Artificial IntelligenceHumanitiesResearch MethodsSocial Sciences

    Sessions / cadence: 10 private hours, flexibly scheduled

    Mentor model: Faculty or PhD mentor

    Assessment style: Staged drafts and mentor feedback

    Main output: Literature review or short essay

    Scheduling model: Flexible schedule and deadlines

    Explorer Research Mentorship summary

    Explorer is the shortest tier of Indigo Research’s one-to-one virtual mentorship. A student chooses a subject and develops an individual academic project with a faculty or PhD mentor.

    The research process covers question development, scholarly reading, analysis, outlining, writing and revision. The stated Explorer outcome is a literature review or short academic essay.

    It suits students seeking individual academic guidance and a substantial written project, particularly those comfortable managing independent work between mentor meetings.

    What is Explorer 1:1 Online Research Mentorship?

    Explorer is Indigo Research’s shortest one-to-one virtual research tier. It pairs a high school student with a faculty member or PhD teaching fellow to pursue an individually selected topic through a structured academic process.

    Students move from defining a research question and analysing scholarly sources to planning, drafting and revising their work. The Explorer pathway is designed to culminate in a literature review or short academic essay, with self-publication or a blog presented as the programme goal.

    Why Succeed highlights Explorer Research Mentorship

    • The student can shape the project around a personally meaningful topic rather than following a fixed subject syllabus.

    • Private mentor matching connects students with faculty members or PhD scholars whose expertise fits the proposed research.

    • The curriculum breaks a demanding independent project into manageable stages covering reading, analysis, planning, writing and revision.

    • Flexible scheduling makes the programme easier to fit around school and other commitments.

    • The final literature review or essay gives students a concrete piece of academic work to reflect on and develop further.

    Who is Explorer Research Mentorship for?

    Best for

    Curious high school students who want individual guidance while turning a personal academic interest into a structured research project.

    Not ideal if

    You want a fixed class timetable, group-led lessons or a guaranteed publication outcome. The model expects independent reading and writing between mentor meetings.

    Is Explorer Research Mentorship worth it?

    Explorer can be worthwhile for a student who has a genuine research question but needs expert help narrowing it, finding suitable literature and sustaining a rigorous writing process. Its strongest value lies in the personalised guidance and the chance to finish with a substantive academic output.

    The limitation is that ten hours of mentorship cannot replace the student’s own independent effort, and publication or university outcomes are not guaranteed. Families should judge the fee against the student’s readiness to read, write and revise consistently.

    A practical overview of cost, time commitment, provider details, student outcomes and online support to review before deciding.

    Cost and what is included

    From $3,900; includes 10 hours of private one-to-one mentorship, Flexible scheduling and customisable project deadlines, Personalised faculty or PhD mentor matching, Live masterclass series, Guidance through research and academic writing.

    Dates and time commitment

    3 months; 10 private hours, flexibly scheduled.

    Provider details

    Review the Indigo Research provider page and official sources before making a final decision.

    What the student gains

    Potential output: The main Explorer deliverable is a literature review or short academic essay.. Check whether feedback, certificate, recommendation or application evidence is included.

    Online support and safeguarding

    Explorer includes 10 hours of private one-to-one mentorship over about three months. Scheduling is flexible.

    What to check before committing

    Confirm current dates, session schedule, payment terms, cancellation rules, support expectations and what output or certificate is included with the provider.

    Compare this programme with similar options before deciding on dates, cost, format and fit.

    Compare with similar programmes

    How much preparation does Explorer Research Mentorship need?

    Effort level

    High

    Best started

    Begin planning several weeks before your preferred start so you can explore topics and prepare for the advisor call.

    Main challenge

    Narrowing a broad interest into a workable research question.

    Typical preparation

    • List two or three subject areas you would be willing to explore in depth.

    • Collect examples of questions, articles or problems that have caught your attention.

    • Think honestly about the weekly time you can protect for independent reading and writing.

    Useful if

    You already enjoy reading beyond the school curriculum.

    What do students do on Explorer Research Mentorship?

    You develop an individual research project through a sequence of question-setting, scholarly reading, analysis, planning, drafting and revision. A matched mentor guides the process and reviews your ideas and written work.

    Step-by-step process

    1. 1

      Choose a subject, initial topic and intended outcome for the project.

    2. 2

      Review mentor recommendations and confirm a suitable faculty or PhD match.

    3. 3

      Define a focused research question and learn the foundations of academic research.

    4. 4

      Find, annotate and analyse scholarly sources while building a bibliography.

    5. 5

      Outline the project and develop a prospectus or writing plan.

    6. 6

      Draft a literature review or short academic essay with mentor feedback.

    7. 7

      Revise the work and prepare it for self-publication or a blog.

    Explorer Research Mentorship dates and deadlines

    Explorer timeline

    About 3 months

    Includes 10 hours of private mentorship with flexible scheduling.

    Date not confirmed

    Eligibility and requirements

    • Designed for high school students

    • Student chooses an individual research topic

    How much does Explorer Research Mentorship cost?

    Programme tuition

    From $3,900 — Starting tuition for one-to-one research programmes.

    Funding or discounts

    • Scholarships: Not offered — Applies to the one-to-one research programmes.

    What's included

    10 hours of private one-to-one mentorship, Flexible scheduling and customisable project deadlines, Personalised faculty or PhD mentor matching, Live masterclass series, Guidance through research and academic writing

    How to apply to Explorer Research Mentorship

    1. 1

      Open the application form on the official one-to-one mentorship page.

    2. 2

      Enter whether the applicant is a student or guardian and provide contact details.

    3. 3

      Add the student’s country, school and high school graduation year.

    4. 4

      Book an introductory call with a Research Advisor.

    5. 5

      Discuss the student’s goals, programme fit and potential mentor match before continuing the application.

    Learning format

    Explorer is delivered virtually through private one-to-one meetings with a faculty member or PhD teaching fellow. Its 10 mentor hours are scheduled flexibly across about three months, while the student completes reading, analysis and writing independently between meetings.

    Project deadlines can be customised around the student’s chosen timeline.

    Mentorship and feedback

    • Personalised matching with a faculty member or PhD teaching fellow

    • Mentor recommendations based on the student’s research interests

    • Option to request an alternative mentor recommendation

    • Guidance on scholarly reading and research-question development

    • Feedback during drafting, research and revision

    • Private one-to-one discussion of ideas and concepts

    Time-zone considerations

    • Private sessions use flexible scheduling.
    • Students can work on their own timeline.
    • Project deadlines can be customised.

    Assessment style

    Progress is assessed through staged research and writing work supported by ongoing mentor review rather than a stated examination.

    • Focused research-question development
    • Annotated reading and bibliography building
    • Research prospectus or writing plan
    • Literature review drafting
    • Mentor-led feedback and revision

    Portfolio and outputs

    Main deliverable / output

    The main Explorer deliverable is a literature review or short academic essay.

    • A focused research question

    • A scholarly bibliography

    • A structured literature review or essay

    • A revised academic writing sample

    • Potential self-published paper or blog

    Explorer Research Mentorship FAQs

    Explorer includes 10 hours of private one-to-one mentorship over about three months. Scheduling is flexible.

    Students can choose a topic across disciplines, including STEM, humanities, social sciences and AI. The topic is tailored to the student’s academic interests and goals.

    Mentors are faculty members or PhD teaching fellows. Matching is based on a personalised assessment of the student’s research interests.

    The listed Explorer outcome is a literature review or short academic essay. The stated goal is to self-publish the work or turn it into a blog.

    The student shares their research interests and receives mentor recommendations, usually with a couple of options. They can accept a recommendation or request an alternative.

    No. Indigo Research’s academic-integrity policy says that publication and student outcomes cannot be guaranteed.

    Indigo Research states that it does not currently offer scholarships for its one-to-one research programmes.

    Alternatives to Explorer Research Mentorship

    Compare Explorer with subject-specific online research programmes if you would prefer a defined academic field or a longer published programme structure.

    Alternatives to Explorer Research Mentorship

    Save this programme in Succeed to compare it with similar programmes, dates, costs and formats in one place.

    Compare with other programmes
    Ben Stacy

    Content reviewed by

    Ben Stacy

    Co-founder, Succeed | Former secondary teacher and educational leader

    Ben works at the intersection of education, technology and school adoption, with expertise in how secondary schools evaluate data-driven tools and how education technology is used in practice.

    View author page

    Sources and verification

    Source types reviewed

    • Indigo Research | Academic Integrity
    • Indigo Research | Online Research Mentorship for HS

    Succeed uses official provider information where available, but keeps this public page focused on comparison and planning inside Succeed.

    What we verified (on 17 Aug 2026)

    • Programme format checked

    • Explorer tier isolated

    • Duration reviewed

    • Tuition wording checked

    • Mentor model reviewed

    • Academic policy checked

    • Application steps reviewed

    How Succeed uses this information

    We use source material to verify core facts, then show older cycle dates as reference when a current cycle is not available. Always check current application instructions before applying.