Mento Design Academy

I did a lot of research before deciding on Mento Design Academy. Affordability, curriculum structure, and quality mentorship were the main selling points for me. The strong support from the greater Mento community was a welcome surprise. I have been inspired, and continue to have great conversations with connections I have made through Mento. If you looking for a program with excellent mentorship and accessible curriculum with an emphasis on the why, join Mento! Read less

Mento Design Academy’s Digital Product Design Bootcamp was an incredible experience. The 1:1 weekly mentorship with highly skilled industry professionals was invaluable–they challenged me to think deeper, improve my work, and grow as a designer while always being supportive.The curriculum is in-depth, with regular assignments and reflections that keep you engaged and actively building your skills. It’s reading-heavy, focusing on real-world UX work rather than step-by-step video tutorials, which helped me create a unique portfolio that truly reflects my design thinking.The community is amazing, with buddy systems, weekly sessions, and fun design challenges that make learning more engaging without pressure. Mento was also incredibly accommodating–when I needed time off due to personal reasons, they paused my studies and supported me throughout, which made a huge difference.Although I’ve only recently graduated, Mento offers six months of career support, including portfolio reviews, CV help, and interview prep with mentors and career coaches, making the transition into the job market much less daunting.Things to ConsiderThis course is self-paced and reading-heavy, so it requires discipline and self-motivation—there aren’t step-by-step video tutorials, but rather a focus on critical thinking and UX processes. If you're looking for an advanced UI-heavy course, you might need to take time to learn beyond the curriculum, but I believe this would be the case across most bootcamps. Mento’s career support is great, but job hunting still takes effort, persistence, and networking, you only get out what you put in!Final ThoughtsIf you’re serious about UX and want top-tier mentorship, a strong curriculum, and a truly supportive learning environment, Mento is 100% worth it. It’s challenging but rewarding, and I came out of it with a solid UX foundation and a portfolio I’m proud of. Read less

I recently completed the bootcamp at Mento Design Academy, and I couldn’t be more satisfied with the experience! The curriculum is thoughtfully structured, covering both fundamental and advanced design concepts, which helped me significantly improve my skills.
What truly sets this program apart is the quality of the mentors. They are highly experienced professionals who not only share their expertise but also provide personalized feedback and valuable industry insights. Their guidance and support throughout the course were incredibly motivating and inspiring.
The hands-on projects allowed me to build a strong portfolio and gain practical experience, which boosted my confidence in pursuing design opportunities.
I highly recommend Mento Design Academy to anyone looking to elevate their design skills and learn from truly exceptional mentors! Read less

When I joined Mento, it was a leap of faith since it was a new bootcamp however it did not fail me. Considering I already had several UX projects under my belt, I was not new to UX when I joined. My goal was to get effective mentoring from industry experts. Overall it was a fantastic way to meet people. get good mentoring on my path from experts and grow further in my career. Would definitely recommend other people to join if they are looking to start their journey into UX. Read less

I want to address the essential aspects of choosing a product design bootcamp and how Mento Design Academy delivered them.
Mentors.
The most decisive factor in my decision to attend the Mento Design Academy was the one-on-one weekly sessions with an assigned mentor.

The experience exceeded my expectations by far. The mentors are not randomly assigned but are based on the students' needs, goals, and backgrounds. For me, it was a perfect match from day one. Throughout the program, the mentor addresses all the students' needs and fears and provides guidance and answers.
Price.
It is one of the most affordable product design boot camps, which made me wonder about its quality before I applied.

The experience? In short, I really doubt any other pricier BootCamp offers anything better. It is worth every penny (and so much more, to be honest).
Curriculum.
What I was looking for was:

• a clear information structure
• good resources
• connection between theory and hands-on exercises.

The experience? The curriculum is so thoughtfully structured that it doesn't feel like learning for the sake of learning. All theory is directly supported with external recourses and exercises, which help students better absorb the information and build a deep understanding of the "whys" behind each decision.
Job Assistance.

Six months of professional support after graduation seems like 5-star service to me. (I just graduated when writing this review and am looking forward to making good use of this.)
Now for the hidden gem of this boot camp: The community. 
I had never thought a mentor-alumni-student community could be so valuable in a student's growth. What this community offers regarding support, events, and networking (and more) is truly unique. It is up to each student to decide how involved they would like to be. I decided to be active with the Mento community, and it has been one of the best decisions I've ever made.
Oh, by the way, there are a lot of surprise perks for students and alumni!

Overall a 5/5 experience!!!

Read less

I compared a lot of bootcamps before deciding on Mento. Financials were an important factor in my decision, and Mento's is one of the more affordable bootcamps. Other things I factored into my decision included mentorship, job search, and curriculum (not in any order). I was between Mento and another bootcamp, but after my call with Radu, I knew I did not think any further. 

Throughout the bootcamp, I appreciated having weekly calls with my mentor because it encouraged me to work through the assignments and readings. It held me accountable, and my mentor was always patient, despite me falling behind often. Nonetheless, the help and encouragement led me to complete assignments and learn about the design process. I believe that every Mento student and graduate is more than a number at Mento, and it shows whenever you need support. They are always there to answer any questions you have, have many resources, and cheer you on from the sidelines, even beyond graduation. 

I would recommend Mento to anyone interested in starting a career in product design!  Read less

In September 2023, I enrolled in the Mento Design Academy UX/UI bootcamp, and it was one of the best decisions I made that year. The course was well structured. You learned the why behind each step of the design process. I enjoyed the practical assignments in the course. It was the best way to learn by doing. 
I particularly enjoyed the self-paced nature of the course, combined with weekly calls with your mentor. I appreciate all the feedback I received during these calls. It was also the perfect time to ask any career-related questions from an expert in the UX/UI world. 
In addition to technical and design-related skills, the bootcamp has boosted my confidence in presenting my work and writing. The program has helped me improve my writing skills and presentation abilities, which will benefit my future career. 
The course was intense. You have to put in a lot of work by yourself, but it is rewarding. I have already secured my first UX/UI role during the bootcamp. 

Read less

I still remember I was hesitant if I should join a bootcamp or go for a master's degree at first. The fact is, making a career change can be terrifying at some point. However, I’m glad I chose Mento Design Academy because it truly changed my perspective towards design in life. Not only the curriculum can flexibly fit into an individual’s schedule, but it also provides practical material to make us feel real in the assignment. (Sometimes the bootcamp feels way too real that I forget I was in a school.)Another thing I like is, that as the course keeps going, we always have the reflection section to document our process in each chapter. It was quite rewarding since the bootcamp constantly encouraged us to think aloud. To be honest, I’m beyond grateful I got to practice it as well. Instead of only relying on my brain to remember everything, it’s always better to keep it as a journal.
The most remarkable lesson I learned in the bootcamp is that I acknowledge the importance of sharing ideas/thoughts in public. I’m not saying it is 100% about the cultural thing, but as an Asian student, sharing my opinion in front of people is a challenging task. (this is just my personal experience) I remember I wasn’t comfortable and confident at the beginning. Nonetheless, I’m getting used to it and this is probably my biggest takeaway which I enjoy a lot.
Although it is just the beginning, I can't wait to see what's next for me on this journey. :) Read less

The mentors and instructors at Mento truly care about the success of their students and it is reflected in the top-notch curriculum and on-going support that they provide. Graduating from Mento made me more confident going into my job search, and I still have access to a community of supportive professionals and industry experts. They are extremely flexible and you always have the option of switching mentors if you feel like there could be a better fit for you.  Read less

Mento Design Academy is one of a kind, I say this because I have tried a few short courses before venturing into learning at Mento and the whole set up is simply amazing.

I love how the course curriculum is detailed and simplified. You get assessments at every stage to keep you grounded and ensure that every phase of the curriculum is well understood.

You also have access to a skilled/high-level mentor with years of experience. I particularly appreciate the fact that my mentor was very patient with me and she was willing to explain and put me through the difficult tasks that I couldn't get through on my own. The mentors at Mento are kind and very patient with your growth and willing to help you through as long as it takes you.

I also enjoyed the student community, where you can get help from your fellow student. There is also the study partner sharing for accountability and the weekly meet-up. If you are someone who struggles with self-paced learning be rest assured that Mento Design academy has put everything in place to help you stay committed to your own learning.   Read less

I joined Mento right after completing a graduate certificate in UX Strategy. What I liked most about their program was that I’d get the chance to create unique case studies tailored to my background/interests alongside a mentor with a ton of design experience. It was also important to me that the curriculum was built by working designers, remote and self-paced.
When I started, I looked forward to gaining practical experience on how real-world design teams approach UX challenges. Mento has exceeded any expectations I had!
I’ve learned to apply critical thinking to design frameworks themselves and each deliverable. I’m also getting consistent practice communicating the reasoning behind the methods I choose to apply and my proposed design solutions. Gaining proficiency in relevant tools (e.g., Confluence, Trello, Figma, Miro, etc.) commonly used today has been invaluable. It’s almost as if I’m already working on a remote design team! This hands-on experience has given me the confidence I was searching for as a UX/UI designer. I’m very grateful to my mentor, Radu!
I’ve really enjoyed engaging in Mento’s online community meetings/events and on their Slack channel. Before, I had been learning UX in sort of a “silo.” Now, I feel part of a vibrant and encouraging global community that, otherwise, could’ve taken years and multiple design roles to build.
Mento has equipped me to be a more dynamic and skilled designer, which will be instrumental in securing the best possible remote full-time UX/UI role. I’m very happy with my decision to go with Mento. I couldn’t have imagined a better launching pad for my design career!  Read less

I started this journey with some experience in the design industry but I needed to dive deeper into understanding the Ux principles and learn when and how to apply them in the real world.
The Mento curriculum is well-built, covering all user experience principles.The most valuable things I learned at Mento are writing, talking, and presenting my work to a future audience. They put a lot of emphasis on these skills, therefore you should be prepared to write and speak a lot at Mento. 🙂
I followed the curriculum at my own pace. I had plenty of time to learn and understand each lesson. Also, I had access to unlimited resources, and a friendly community ready to help. I worked with a mentor who taught me a lot about asking the right questions, making my design process smoother. The positive thing is that after each lesson, I received homework which allowed me to practice, understand and find the “why”s behind the new information.
After graduating, you will be ready to start or continue your carrier as a product designer with a better perspective on the industry. You will know how and when to apply the Ux principles, you will master how to talk about your work, and you will leave with a well-built portfolio to help you in your future interviews.
Read less

Before enrolling with Mento I spend some good 6 months searching and reading about all the different options out there. Although they seem to be very similar at first glance, the professional background of the Mento team Makes them stand out. I Have always been a bit sceptical about all the Bootcamps out there that “promise” a quick transition in UX within 6 months, And since my first “get to know” call with Radu, He was very transparent by setting The right expectations. Their successful careers, honesty by setting the right expectations and a curriculum that offers you the chance to work on real projects - In my personal experience that was what made them “different” from the others. You might be a bit unsure about reviews, but trust me: Book a call with them to get to know the program and you won’t be disappointed. Read less

I’ve participated before the pandemic in a 3 months course and also finished some other shorter courses online, including some on IDF platform. So, since this is not my first UX design course, I have some terms of comparison. The difference is that this is by far the most interactive and full of practice from them all. I love the fact that I was not bombarded with information and it was delivered gradually while doing the assignments. I can easily access more if I want or need and also get guidance from my mentor when I get stuck. I think this is by far a better way to learn and remember something - by focusing on the practice. The course starts with some good pointers on how to be practical about learning, inspires you to set a goal and prepares you to use the processes and tools. By the time you start your projects, you already have some confidence because of already doing these things. My guess is this was not an easy feat, to think about how to deliver it in such a good manner. I want to congratulate everyone for the wonderful job! I think it’s really awesome! Read less

I came from a QA background with no design experience at all. My university degree was in education, and before Mento I had never actually designed anything on my own. I spent over a year thinking about making the switch to UX/UI because I kept watching the designers I worked with and knowing that's what I wanted to do, but I wasn't sure I could actually succeed at it. I even started the Google UX Certificate before Mento, but without a mentor to answer my questions and give me feedback on my work, I felt lost and never finished what I set out to build.

What finally made me enroll was a one-on-one call with Radu that felt like talking to a friend, not a sales pitch. I knew I'd have real support. And I needed it, because I joined while working full-time and finding out I will be welcoming a baby in the world. The program is structured in a way that keeps you moving forward with smaller tasks and constant progress, so even with everything going on, I was able to stay on track. My mentor never just told me what to do. Instead, they asked me questions that helped me think through problems on my own, which gave me these "aha moments" that actually stuck with me. I even made a friend through the Slack community, a graduate from Croatia who is now working in the industry, and we're still in touch.

After finishing the program, I feel confident that I can lead a design project from beginning to end. I have the UX process, UI skills, and Figma experience I need to start working. When I look back, six or seven months is really nothing compared to the skills you walk away with. Skills that nobody can take from you. If you're thinking about it but you're scared or unsure, I was exactly the same. I'm so glad I pushed myself to start, because everything after that just fell into place. Read less

This was a fantastic experience; I went into the program knowing absolutely nothing about UX design, and I have walked away with my first completed prototype.

Mento provides you with one-on-one weekly mentorship sessions. It also connects you with other students starting at the same time as you, including pairing you with a "bootcamp buddy" to have an accountability partner and someone to compare notes with over the course of the curriculum. The community is very helpful and offers both advice and external resources to further improve your skills.

The curriculum at Mento took me through the step-by-step process of UX design, from identifying a problem through usability testing a prototype. I learned in-depth how to research potential problems, interview users, and turn qualitative data into quantitative data. I learned ideation to meet the needs of user personas and solve the issues apparent in user stories. And I took all of this and created a prototype and performed usability testing.

I highly recommend Mento Design Academy as a jumping off point for getting into UX design. Read less

I chose Mento over other digital UX design programs because it offers weekly mentorship with experienced professionals. What I loved most was being thoughtfully matched with a mentor who had things in common with me (we’re both mothers), which made the guidance feel even more relevant and supportive. Their practical tips helped me stay focused on my goals—and I landed a job just three weeks after finishing the program. Read less

Mento Design Academy was a valuable experience, that I'm glad I did. I started the program in July 2024 and completed it in March 2025, with some weeks off in between. Overall, I would recommend Mento for anyone self driven enough to take their learning into their own hands. Here are my thoughts on various aspects of the program. 
Curriculum: The curriculum seems typical of a bootcamp, though this is the only one I’ve done so I can’t be sure. It is in between self study and academic study- just enough accountability with your weekly mentor meetings so you don’t lose motivation, but no rigid timelines or grades for your assignments. The curriculum heavily focuses on replication, learning by doing, and reflection. The hands on practice was useful, as expected, but unexpectedly the reflections came very much in handy when building my portfolio!
Mentors: Your experience will be heavily dependent on who your mentor is and you don’t have much say in the matter. They get assigned to you at the beginning of the program, seemingly based on your availabilities, though there could be another matching criteria I’m unaware of. Your mentor is often the person you’ll be interacting with most, so experiences with the program will vary since mentors will vary. 
Burner Project: One thing I wish I had done differently is complete more than one project, as intended. If I could offer any sort of advice it’s this: don’t bite off more than you can chew with the burner project. I chose to design an app from scratch- which was a lot of work! Understandably. But it ended up taking the rest of my time in the program, so I wasn’t able to do more than one project in the allotted time. If I could have a do-over, I would choose a smaller scope for my burner project- something like designing a single feature (like in the warm up project) rather than an entire app. That way I could still practice the end to end design process, but in a more manageable way. 
Buddy System: I found the buddy system to be one of the best parts of the program, so I’d highly encourage everyone to take part! I got assigned a buddy and also formed another on my own. Both were invaluable! Having a buddy did a couple things for me: I had someone in the same boat to share experiences with- commiserate, celebrate, bounce ideas off of, etc. The self paced curriculum can be pretty isolating so it was a nice reminder that we’re not working in a vacuum. Second, I was able to see others work and share my own. That was useful in getting inspired and honing my own design sensibilities. Some of the best feedback I got was from my buddies! They were willing to get into the nitty gritty with me, which I appreciated. I still keep in touch with both, so I’m grateful Mento brought us together.
Read less

 Initially I spent a lot of time deciding which bootcamp to choose. I read review after review  and ultimately decided on choosing Mento due to the amount of care and support they seemed to provide for their students during and even after the course.

 I've never regretted my decision once. Throughout the program I had an amazing mentor and was also able to meet like-minded peers. The course helped me establish a good foundation that I will now use to further my career. I really enjoyed how the course was structured and it was definitely more intensive than I initially thought. I would recommend having a set schedule or time to work on the course because six months will fly by quickly! Mento occasionally also has workshops and events so even though you work on the coursework yourself you're still able to meet other students and see their work as well! 

After graduating you're able to keep access to the course materials allowing you to reference and go back to it whenever you'd like. Job assistance is also provided. Overall, I really enjoyed my time at Mento and am sure you will too!  Read less

Mento Design Academy has provided me with the essential knowledge and skills required for success in my projects. The academy offers a robust curriculum that transitions students from zero to capable designers of complex conceptual projects. Key strengths of Mento include access to seasoned industry expert mentors and the flexibility to explore project direction to personal interests. Additionally, the Mento community is active on Slack— a significant selling point for me— and organizes UI challenges, book clubs, and community engagement sessions. As with many educational experiences, the outcomes at Mento are proportional to the effort invested; fortunately, the academy provides resources to facilitate success in your work.

If you're interested in a tight-knit community, weekly mentor meetings, and a solid product design framework...you should definitely consider Mento Design Academy!  Read less