How to Write the Perfect Mentorship Program Survey Questions: [40+ Sample Questions Included]

“How to create a mentorship program that truly ignites growth and connection?” – if this question lingers in your mind often, let me tell you the easiest way to resolve it – asking the right mentorship program survey questions.

What better way to gauge whether your mentorship program is working than to ask those who are directly impacted by it?

This guide on mentorship survey questions explores how to craft a stellar questionnaire that yields all the information you need to perfect your program.

I’m pretty confident this will help you polish and fine-tune your queries until you get solid responses that you can work with.

Let’s begin!

Watch: How to Create Engaging Surveys Online with ProProfs Survey Maker – Free & Easy

What Is a Mentorship Program Survey?

A mentorship program survey is a structured questionnaire designed to gather feedback, insights, and data about a mentorship program. It can be meant for both mentors and mentees, gathering their thoughts and feedback on how the program is going. 

A mentorship program survey is not just about asking if they’re satisfied—it’s about digging deeper to understand how the relationships are shaping up, whether the skills being shared are landing, and if participants are getting what they hoped for.

These surveys act as a real-time pulse check, giving you the insights to adjust and improve the program. By listening to the people who are directly involved, you can ensure the mentorship experience is valuable and continues to grow.

Why Use Surveys to Evaluate Your Mentoring Program?

Surveys are one of the most effective ways to evaluate your mentoring program because they provide direct feedback from the people who matter most—your mentors and mentees. By gathering their opinions, you can gain a clear picture of how the program is working and where it needs improvement. Here’s why surveys are so valuable:

1. Understand What’s Working

Surveys help identify the aspects of your mentoring program that are resonating with participants. Are mentors effectively guiding their mentees? Is the content helpful? Understanding what works allows you to keep those elements intact and build on them.

2. Spot Areas for Improvement

Sometimes, you won’t know there’s an issue until you ask. Surveys provide a safe space for participants to voice concerns, whether it’s about communication, mentor compatibility, or the resources being used. This helps you make adjustments before small issues become bigger problems.

3. Measure Progress and Outcomes

Are your mentees achieving their goals? Are mentors seeing the results they expected? Surveys can help track progress over time, giving you concrete data on how the program is impacting both personal and professional growth.

4. Boost Engagement

When participants feel their voices are heard, they’re more likely to stay engaged. Regular surveys show that you value their feedback, which fosters a sense of ownership and involvement in the program’s success.

5. Make Data-Driven Decisions

With surveys, you’re not relying on assumptions or anecdotal evidence. You get concrete data that can guide your decisions about what changes to make, helping you continuously refine the program and boost its impact.

40+ Mentoring Program Survey Questions to Gauge Effectiveness

Here is a comprehensive list of survey questions, categorized to help you evaluate every aspect of your mentoring program—from relationship dynamics to impact and outcomes.

Feel free to use them directly in your survey or modify them according to your requirements.

1. Mentor-Mentee Relationship

The mentor-mentee relationship forms the backbone of any mentorship program. Without strong communication and trust between both parties, the program can quickly fall flat. That’s why it’s crucial to evaluate how well mentors and mentees are connecting, collaborating, and supporting one another. Whether the relationship is feeling too distant or there are communication gaps, these survey questions can give you a clearer picture of how mentors and mentees are engaging with each other.

Questions:

1. How would you rate the overall relationship with your mentor/mentee?
2. Do you feel comfortable approaching your mentor with questions or concerns?
3. Has your mentor/mentee been approachable and supportive?
4. How often do you communicate with your mentor/mentee?
5. How would you describe the level of trust in your mentoring relationship?

2. Goal Setting and Achievement

Setting clear, achievable goals is fundamental to the success of any mentorship program. But how do you know if your program is helping participants meet their goals? This category is designed to uncover whether goals are being set effectively, if they are realistic, and how well mentees are progressing. Effective goal-setting helps create a sense of purpose and direction, so checking in on this aspect is key.

Questions:

6. Have you set clear goals with your mentor/mentee?
   7. How achievable do you feel the goals you’ve set are?
   8. Have you made progress toward your goals since the beginning of the mentorship?
   9. Are your goals aligned with your mentor/mentee’s expectations?
   10. What obstacles have you faced in achieving your goals?

3. Program Structure and Resources

A structured, well-supported mentorship program can make all the difference. Without clear guidelines, resources, and proper direction, participants may feel lost or unsupported. This category helps you evaluate whether the program is providing the resources, organization, and communication necessary for success. By assessing the program’s structure, you’ll be able to identify areas where you can improve support and guidance.

Questions:

11. How well structured do you find the mentorship program?
    12. Do you feel you have the resources needed to succeed in this program?
    13. Are the expectations of both mentors and mentees clearly defined?
    14. How would you rate the support provided by the program organizers?
    15. Do you feel the program provided enough learning materials and resources?

4. Mentor Effectiveness

A mentor’s ability to guide, listen, and offer constructive feedback is critical. Effective mentors don’t just share their knowledge—they build confidence, provide direction, and challenge mentees to grow. These survey questions will help you gauge how well your mentors are performing, offering insight into areas where they may need additional training or support.

Questions:

16. How would you rate your mentor’s ability to listen to your concerns?
    17. How effective has your mentor been in providing guidance?
    18. Has your mentor offered relevant advice to help you achieve your goals?
    19. How well does your mentor understand your personal or professional challenges?
    20. Has your mentor provided timely feedback on your progress?

5. Mentee Engagement and Satisfaction

An engaged mentee is a thriving mentee. If participants aren’t actively involved or satisfied with their experience, the mentorship program may not be living up to its potential. These questions will help you assess how engaged and motivated your mentees are and what aspects of the program need adjustments to improve satisfaction.

Questions:

21. How engaged do you feel in your mentorship program?
    22. Are you satisfied with the mentorship experience so far?
    23. Do you feel the program has met your expectations?
    24. How motivated are you to continue in the program?
    25. What changes would you suggest to improve your experience?

6. Program Impact and Outcomes

At the end of the day, the effectiveness of your mentorship program is measured by the impact it has on the participants. Are they growing professionally? Are they achieving the goals they set out to accomplish? This category is about understanding the real outcomes of the program—whether mentees are gaining skills, boosting their confidence, or progressing in their careers.

Questions:

26. How has this program impacted your personal or professional growth?
    27. Do you feel more confident in your skills since starting the program?
    28. Have you developed any new skills as a result of the mentorship?
    29. Has your mentor helped you clarify your career path or goals?
    30. Can you identify any specific ways this program has helped you improve?

7. Communication and Feedback

Communication is the foundation of every successful mentoring relationship. But it’s not just about talking—it’s about making sure that feedback flows both ways, ensuring everyone involved is on the same page. These survey questions will help you evaluate the effectiveness of communication and feedback between mentors, mentees, and program organizers.

Questions:

31. How would you rate the frequency of communication with your mentor/mentee?
    32. How effective do you think your communication has been with your mentor/mentee?
    33. Have you received enough constructive feedback to improve?
    34. Do you feel your concerns or ideas are heard and valued in the program?
    35. How comfortable are you providing feedback to your mentor/mentee?

8. Overall Program Satisfaction

Sometimes, it’s the overall sentiment of participants that reveals the true success or failure of a mentorship program. This category pulls together all the individual elements—relationship, goal achievement, communication, and more—to gauge whether participants are truly satisfied with their experience. If there’s room for improvement, these questions will help pinpoint where changes should be made.

Questions:

36. How satisfied are you with your overall experience in the mentorship program?
    37. Would you recommend this program to others?
    38. How likely are you to participate in another mentorship program in the future?
    39. What aspects of the program exceeded your expectations?
    40. What would you change to improve the overall experience?

9. Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion are essential components of a successful mentorship program. Everyone should feel valued, respected, and able to bring their whole self to the table. These questions help you assess whether the program is fostering an inclusive environment where everyone’s unique perspectives are welcomed.

Questions:

41. Do you feel the program promotes diversity and inclusion?
    42. Have you encountered any challenges related to diversity or inclusion in the program?
    43. How well do you think your mentor/mentee understands and respects your background?
    44. Do you feel comfortable being your authentic self in the program?
    45. How could the program improve in fostering a more inclusive environment?

How to Create Mentorship Program Surveys

Designing mentorship program surveys is all about capturing honest, valuable feedback to understand what’s working and where improvements are needed. These surveys are your gateway to creating stronger connections, more effective guidance, and better results for everyone involved. Let’s break down how to craft surveys that make a real impact.

1. Clarify Your Goals

Before jumping into survey creation, ask yourself: What do I need to learn? Are you measuring mentee progress, mentor satisfaction, or how the program supports long-term goals? Narrowing down your focus ensures your questions have purpose and drive useful insights.

For example, if you’re exploring mentor-mentee dynamics, focus on questions about communication, mutual understanding, and progress toward agreed goals. Keeping your purpose clear will prevent your survey from feeling scattered or overwhelming.

2. Pick the Right Survey Tool

Watch: How to Choose the Best Survey Software: A Quick Tutorial

Choosing the right tool can make all the difference. Look for one that’s easy to use, offers customizable templates, and provides analytics to turn raw data into actionable insights.

A great survey tool should also streamline sharing—whether that’s sending out surveys via email or embedding them into your program’s platform. For instance, tools like ProProfs Survey Maker let you tailor templates to match your program’s needs while tracking responses in real-time.

3. Design Thoughtful Questions

The success of your survey comes down to the questions you ask. They need to spark honest, insightful answers while being easy to understand.

• Be Specific: Replace vague questions like “Was the program helpful?” with “What specific skills or knowledge have you gained through this mentorship?”
• Mix It Up: Use multiple-choice questions for quick insights and open-ended ones for deeper context. A scale question could measure satisfaction, while a follow-up lets participants explain their rating.
• Cover Key Areas: Dive into important aspects such as mentor-mentee communication, program structure, goal-setting, and overall satisfaction. These categories ensure you’re covering what really matters.

4. Test the Waters

Once your survey is ready, don’t hit “send” just yet. Share it with a small test group first—maybe a handful of mentors and mentees. This step can reveal unclear questions, technical glitches, or unnecessary complexities. Based on their feedback, you can fine-tune your survey to make it as user-friendly and effective as possible.

5. Share with Clarity

When your survey is good to go, send it out with clear instructions and context. Explain why you’re collecting feedback and how it’ll be used. Make sure participants know their responses will remain anonymous to encourage honesty.

The survey-sharing process can be as simple as an email link or an embedded survey on your mentorship platform. Timing matters, too—sending the survey after a mentoring session or at the program’s midpoint might yield the most insightful responses.

6. Analyze the Feedback

Once the responses roll in, it’s time to dig into the data. Look for patterns, like recurring praise for certain program features or consistent suggestions for improvement. For instance, if mentees regularly mention unclear goals, that’s a sign to introduce goal-setting workshops or resources.

A good survey tool should make this step easier with built-in analytics and reports, helping you transform raw responses into meaningful insights.

7. Take Action and Communicate Changes

Feedback means nothing if you don’t act on it. Use the insights to make targeted improvements—whether it’s adding mentor training, simplifying the program structure, or offering better resources for mentees.

Equally important, let participants know what’s changing. A quick email outlining the feedback you’ve received and the steps you’re taking shows that their voices matter and builds trust in your program.

Tips for Creating Effective Mentoring Program Surveys

If you want your mentor survey questions actually to make a difference and get you useful information, here are some expert-recommended tips to follow:

Tip 1: Start with a Targeted “Why”

Everybody wants their program to be a success — instead of broadly aiming to “improve the program,” pinpoint specific areas you want to investigate. For example:

• “Assess the effectiveness of our new mentor-mentee matching algorithm.”
• “Identify the biggest obstacles mentees face in achieving their goals.”
• “Measure the impact of our monthly workshops on mentor-mentee relationships.”

When you narrow down your focus to a particular area, it becomes easier to tune the mentoring questionnaire accordingly.

Tip 2: Segment Your Audience (and Your Survey)

Don’t just send the same generic survey to everyone. Create separate surveys (or distinct sections within a single survey) tailored to different groups:

• New vs. Experienced Mentors: Questions for new mentors might focus on training and support needs, while experienced mentors might be asked about best practices and challenges.
• Mentees by Goal: Group mentees by their primary goals (career advancement, skill development, etc.) and tailor questions accordingly.

Tip 3: Go Beyond Satisfaction

While satisfaction is important, you must dig deeper into specific behaviors and outcomes to see better results:

• Instead of “Are you satisfied with your mentor?” ask, “How often do you meet with your mentor? How helpful are these meetings in achieving your goals?”
• Instead of “Rate the program overall,” ask, “What specific skills have you developed through this program? How has this program impacted your career trajectory?”

Tip 4: Use “Behavioral Anchors” for Rating Scales

Make rating scales more meaningful by providing specific examples:

For example, Instead of “Rate your communication with your mentor (1-5),” use options like:

• Rarely communicate
• Communicate once a month
• Communicate a few times a month
• Communicate weekly
• Communicate multiple times per week

Tip 5: Include Open-Ended Questions with Strategic Prompts

Don’t just ask, “Do you have any other feedback?” Provide targeted prompts:

• “Describe a specific situation where your mentor helped you overcome a challenge.”
• “What is one thing the program could do differently to better support your goals?”
• “What advice would you give to someone considering joining this program?”

Tip 6: Analyze with Action in Mind

Align your actions according to the results you find after analyzing the survey. For example:

• If mentees report difficulty scheduling meetings, implement a scheduling tool or guidelines.
• If mentors express a need for more training, develop targeted workshops or resources.
• If participants suggest a new type of mentoring activity, pilot test it in the next program cycle.

Transform Your Mentorship Programs With Well-Crafted Survey Questions

A well-designed mentorship program can profoundly impact personal and professional growth, but its success hinges on thoughtful feedback collection. Asking the right questions at the right time is key to gaining clarity, direction, and actionable insights to refine your program.

To maximize the effectiveness of your surveys, keep them focused, concise, and tailored to the roles of mentors and mentees. Utilize a mix of question types, use neutral phrasing, and make feedback anonymous to foster trust.

Don’t know where to start? You can choose an online survey tool like ProProfs Survey Maker, which offers robust features like AI surveys, customizable templates, user-friendly design tools, and detailed analytics. Happy surveying!