diff --git a/src/server/routers/roundEngine.ts b/src/server/routers/roundEngine.ts
index cc33c4b..09bb628 100644
--- a/src/server/routers/roundEngine.ts
+++ b/src/server/routers/roundEngine.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
   processRoundClose,
   getFinalizationSummary,
   confirmFinalization,
+  findDisplayNextRound,
 } from '../services/round-finalization'
 import {
   getAdvancementNotificationTemplate,
@@ -382,14 +383,19 @@ export const roundEngineRouter = router({
         select: {
           name: true,
           competition: {
-            select: { rounds: { select: { id: true, name: true, sortOrder: true }, orderBy: { sortOrder: 'asc' } } },
+            select: {
+              rounds: {
+                select: { id: true, name: true, sortOrder: true, roundType: true },
+                orderBy: { sortOrder: 'asc' },
+              },
+            },
           },
         },
       })
       const rounds = round.competition.rounds
-      const currentIdx = rounds.findIndex((r) => r.id === input.roundId)
-      const nextRound = rounds[currentIdx + 1]
-      const toRoundName = nextRound?.name ?? 'Next Round'
+      // Skip MENTORING rounds for display — those are opt-in and not the
+      // shared destination for all advancing teams.
+      const toRoundName = findDisplayNextRound(rounds, input.roundId)?.name ?? 'Next Round'
 
       const passedCount = await ctx.prisma.projectRoundState.count({
         where: { roundId: input.roundId, proposedOutcome: 'PASSED' },
diff --git a/src/server/services/round-finalization.ts b/src/server/services/round-finalization.ts
index 76a9f67..dd44f98 100644
--- a/src/server/services/round-finalization.ts
+++ b/src/server/services/round-finalization.ts
@@ -400,6 +400,30 @@ export async function processRoundClose(
   return { processed }
 }
 
+// ─── Helpers ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+/**
+ * Pick the round to *display* as the destination after finalization.
+ *
+ * Mentoring rounds are opt-in (eligibility: "requested_only") — only teams that
+ * requested mentorship enter, and the rest auto-pass through to the round after.
+ * For user-facing copy ("X teams will advance to ..."), we therefore skip past
+ * MENTORING rounds and report the next "proper" round (e.g. Grand Finale)
+ * that all advancing teams ultimately share. The actual targetRoundId used by
+ * the round engine for state transitions is unaffected.
+ */
+export function findDisplayNextRound<T extends { id: string; name: string; roundType?: RoundType }>(
+  rounds: readonly T[],
+  currentRoundId: string,
+): T | null {
+  const currentIdx = rounds.findIndex((r) => r.id === currentRoundId)
+  if (currentIdx < 0) return null
+  for (let i = currentIdx + 1; i < rounds.length; i++) {
+    if (rounds[i].roundType !== 'MENTORING') return rounds[i]
+  }
+  return null
+}
+
 // ─── getFinalizationSummary ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 export async function getFinalizationSummary(
@@ -412,7 +436,7 @@ export async function getFinalizationSummary(
       competition: {
         select: {
           rounds: {
-            select: { id: true, name: true, sortOrder: true },
+            select: { id: true, name: true, sortOrder: true, roundType: true },
             orderBy: { sortOrder: 'asc' as const },
           },
         },
@@ -427,12 +451,10 @@ export async function getFinalizationSummary(
   // Get config for category targets
   const config = (round.configJson as Record<string, unknown>) ?? {}
 
-  // Find next round
+  // Find next round (skip MENTORING rounds — those are opt-in and not the
+  // shared destination for all advancing teams)
   const rounds = round.competition.rounds
-  const currentIdx = rounds.findIndex((r: { id: string }) => r.id === roundId)
-  const nextRound = currentIdx >= 0 && currentIdx < rounds.length - 1
-    ? rounds[currentIdx + 1]
-    : null
+  const nextRound = findDisplayNextRound(rounds, roundId)
 
   // Get all project states with project details
   const projectStates = await prisma.projectRoundState.findMany({
@@ -613,7 +635,7 @@ export async function confirmFinalization(
         select: {
           id: true,
           rounds: {
-            select: { id: true, name: true, sortOrder: true },
+            select: { id: true, name: true, sortOrder: true, roundType: true },
             orderBy: { sortOrder: 'asc' as const },
           },
         },
@@ -634,7 +656,8 @@ export async function confirmFinalization(
     throw new Error('Cannot finalize: grace period is still active')
   }
 
-  // Determine target round
+  // Determine target round for routing: the actual next round by sortOrder
+  // (may be a MENTORING round — opt-in teams stay there, others auto-pass through).
   const rounds = round.competition.rounds
   const currentIdx = rounds.findIndex((r: { id: string }) => r.id === roundId)
   const targetRoundId = options.targetRoundId
@@ -642,9 +665,10 @@ export async function confirmFinalization(
       ? rounds[currentIdx + 1].id
       : undefined)
 
-  const targetRoundName = targetRoundId
-    ? rounds.find((r: { id: string }) => r.id === targetRoundId)?.name ?? 'Next Round'
-    : 'Next Round'
+  // Display name for emails / notifications: skip MENTORING rounds so the
+  // copy reflects the shared destination (e.g. "Grand Finale") rather than
+  // the opt-in mentoring step.
+  const targetRoundName = findDisplayNextRound(rounds, roundId)?.name ?? 'Next Round'
 
   // Execute finalization in a transaction
   const result = await prisma.$transaction(async (tx: Prisma.TransactionClient) => {