Cantab Connections is a mentoring platform run by the University of Cambridge that connects students and recent graduates with professionals for career guidance
Cantab Connections matches Cambridge students and alumni with mentors working in various industries — finance, technology, law, media, consulting, and others. The platform itself is free to use for those with Cambridge credentials. Mentors volunteer their time, and the relationship is typically structured as occasional conversations rather than intensive one-on-one coaching.
The platform exists partly to level access to professional networks. Many students have family connections to established careers; others do not. Cantab Connections tries to bridge that gap by making it possible for someone at Cambridge to reach a working professional in a field they are considering, without needing to already know them personally.
Key Takeaways
- Cantab Connections is free for Cambridge students and recent graduates who have a valid university email address or alumni status.
- Mentors are volunteers — mostly Cambridge alumni working in professional roles — who commit a few hours per year to answer questions and share career experience.
- The platform matches you based on your stated interests and the mentor's industry or role, not on a detailed algorithm or personality assessment.
- Mentoring relationships are informal and typically involve a handful of conversations over several months, not weekly meetings or formal training.
Who can join and what you need to get your free guide
To use Cantab Connections, you must have a current or recent connection to the University of Cambridge. Current students can join using their university email address. Graduates can join if they register as alumni through the Cambridge Alumni portal, which requires proof of your degree.
Once you have registered, you create a profile describing your career interests, the industries or roles you want to learn about, and what you hope to get from a mentor. You then browse available mentors or request a match. The platform will suggest mentors based on what you wrote, though the matching is fairly straightforward — if you say you are interested in software engineering and a mentor lists software engineering as their field, you may be suggested to each other.
How mentoring relationships actually work
After you are matched with a mentor, the next step is up to you. You send them a message introducing yourself and suggesting a time to talk. Most conversations happen over video call or email, though some mentors prefer phone. There is no set schedule — you might have one conversation and then check in again six months later, or you might have a few calls over a couple of months and then the relationship ends naturally.
Mentors are not coaches or therapists. They are working professionals who have agreed to spend a few hours a year answering questions about their field, their career path, and what they wish they had known earlier. A typical conversation might cover what a role in their industry actually involves day-to-day, how they got into that field, what skills matter most, or what the job market looks like right now. Some mentors will review your CV or help you think through a career decision; others prefer to keep conversations more general.
What Cantab Connections is not
Cantab Connections is not a job board. Mentors are not recruiters, and the platform is not designed to lead directly to employment. Some mentors may eventually refer you to opportunities at their company or elsewhere, but that is not the primary purpose and should not be your expectation going in.
It is also not a formal training program. You will not receive certificates, structured curriculum, or feedback on assignments. The value is in the conversation and the perspective of someone who has worked in a field you are considering.
Finally, it is not a substitute for doing your own research. A mentor can tell you what their experience has been, but they cannot tell you whether a particular career is right for you, and they should not be your only source of information when making a major decision.
How to make the most of a mentoring relationship
Come to conversations with specific questions rather than asking for general career advice. "What is it like to work in product management?" is less useful than "I am interested in product management at a startup versus a large company — what trade-offs have you seen?" Specific questions lead to more useful answers and show the mentor you have done some thinking already.
Be respectful of their time. Mentors are volunteering, often while managing their own full-time jobs. If you schedule a call, show up on time. If you need to cancel, let them know as soon as you can. If the relationship is not working, it is fine to say so and ask for a different match rather than ghosting.
Follow up on what you learn. If a mentor suggests you read something, look into a particular company, or talk to someone else in their network, doing those things and then reporting back makes the relationship feel worthwhile for them and deepens what you get out of it.
Alternatives if Cantab Connections is not available to you
If you are not a Cambridge student or alumnus, similar platforms exist at other universities. Oxford has its own mentoring scheme. Many universities run career mentoring programs for their students and graduates. If your university does not have a formal platform, your careers office can often connect you with alumni willing to mentor informally.
Outside universities, platforms like LinkedIn allow you to reach out to professionals directly, though the response rate is lower and there is no institutional structure to support the relationship. Industry associations, professional societies, and company diversity programs sometimes run mentoring initiatives as well. The trade-off is that these are less curated — you have more choice but less support in finding a good match.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to pay to use Cantab Connections?
No. The platform is free for Cambridge students and alumni. Mentors are volunteers and are not paid by the university or the platform.
What if I do not get matched with a mentor right away?
Matching depends on mentor availability and how many other students are looking for someone in the same field. If there are no mentors available in your area of interest, you may be placed on a waiting list or invited to check back later. You can also update your profile to broaden your interests slightly.
Can a mentor help me get a job at their company?
Not directly. Mentors are not recruiters. That said, if you build a genuine relationship and a role opens up that fits your background, a mentor might refer you or introduce you to someone in their hiring team. But that should not be your reason for seeking a mentor.
What happens if I do not click with my mentor?
You can request a different match. There is no penalty for doing so. Mentoring relationships work best when there is genuine interest on both sides, so it is better to ask for a new pairing than to force a relationship that is not working.
How long does a mentoring relationship usually last?
There is no set duration. Some relationships last a few months with a handful of conversations; others continue for years with occasional check-ins. It depends on what you both need and how much you value staying in touch.