Abstract
This article reflects on the provision of counselling for gifted disadvantaged students, which has been embedded into two access programmes on the Pietermaritzburg campus of the University of KwaZulu Natal Students who would not normally gain entry into degree studies are selected to these programmes from hundreds of applicants, and from the inception of the programmes, counselling has been an integral part of the curriculum. Because all students on the programmes are from disadvantaged backgrounds, they face many challenges to their mental health, particularly in adjusting to the university environment. The types of problems faced by the students and the variety of counselling interventions provided are described. The counsellors' roles and experiences of the work are outlined, and the students' responses are noted. The broader potential applications of counselling in the education of the gifted are then discussed, with particular reference to calls to widen participation in Higher Education.