Sana Al GhawiManjit Singh SidhuShaik Mazhar HussainAbbas Al-Ghaili0000-0002-9159-6000Dr. Kirandeep Kaur Sidhu2025-08-072025-08-072025-07-0910.1080/13614576.2025.2509603https://dspace-cris.utar.edu.my/handle/123456789/11302The purpose of this systematic review is to explore the role of Virtual Reality (VR) toward academic mentorship and career decision-making. This review synthesized 25 experimental and qualitative studies on the subject of VR simulations engaging in informed academic specialization choices, published between 2013 and 2023. A structured analysis of studies is done on IEEE Explorer, PubMed, and Google Scholar using pre-defined criteria for the methodology. One of the major downsides of traditional mentorship systems is that they face resource shortage that prevents them from offering personal guidance. VR provides this through immersive, real-world simulations that students experience with a possible career path. For example, VR-based simulations in the workplace allow for exploration of different professional environments and increase the level of confidence in making decisions. The study discovers that VR-based mentoring is almost 45% better for engagement, 30% better for decision confidence and 50% better for knowledge retention than traditional methods. However, high implementation costs and challenges of accessibility are still the main barriers for the wide spread adoption. Future research on low priced, available VR solutions and how VR should be used in tone with existent frameworks for education. These findings provide an opportunity to use VR in transforming academic mentorship, to enable an interactive, data driven, and more global approach to career exploration for students. © 2025 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.enacademic course selectioneducational technologyinteractive learningmentorship guidance systemstudent career developmentVirtual reality (VR)BiographiesComputer aided instructionCurriculaDecision makingE-learningEmploymentEngineering educationLearning systemsProfessional aspectsStudentsVirtual realityAcademic courseAcademic course selectionCareer decision makingsCareer developmentGuidance systemInteractive learningMentorship guidance systemStudent career developmentSystematic ReviewEducational technologyjournal-article