Turn the server on, choose what AI apps can do and who can connect, then connect Claude and run your first prompts. About five minutes.
This guide has two parts. An admin sets things up once. Then each person connects their own AI app.
You need an admin account in your institute’s admin portal for the first part. Everyone else can skip to For everyone once an admin has shared the server URL.
In your admin portal, open Settings → MCP Server. Under Enable the MCP server, switch on MCP server enabled.Don’t click Save settings yet. You will save once, at the end of step 3.
Settings → MCP Server, with the MCP server enabled switch at the top.
2
Choose what AI apps can do
Under What AI apps can do, set each area to Off, View or Edit. Open a row to see exactly what it allows.
When you first switch the server on, the page ticks every area at Edit, except the edits that are turned on separately (opt-in). That includes some edits that apply at once, such as course invite links. For a safe start, click View only, then set every area except Institute stats, Lead forms and Courses to Off.
A safe first setup:
Area
Level
Institute stats
View
Lead forms
View
Courses
View
Everything else
Off
Some edits, such as publishing a website or enrolling learners, are turned on separately (opt-in). Neither the Edit level nor Turn everything on switches them on. See Opt-in edits.
What AI apps can do, with the Courses row open: each edit shows its badge, and some say Turned on separately.
3
Choose who can connect, then save
Under Who can connect, add the roles that may use an AI app. Admin is allowed by default.For example, add Teacher for your course team, or the role your institute uses for counsellors (a custom role, if you created one). Anyone whose role is not on the list is refused, even with the link.To give one role more than the rest, use Per-role access (advanced). See Who can connect.Now click Save settings. Nothing changes for your team until you save.
Learners and parents can never connect, whatever you select.
4
Copy and share the server URL
Under Connect your AI app, click Copy next to Server URL. It looks like this:
Share it with the people you allowed in step 3. It is not a secret: it does nothing without a sign-in. You can ignore Your client ID for now. Most apps don’t need it. A ready-made message for your team is in Turn on the server.
The Connect your AI app card, with the server URL and its Copy button.
No tools at all: the server is off, the settings were not saved, or your role is not under Who can connect.
Only whoami (Who is connected): you are connected, but every area is Off for your role. Ask an admin to set one to View.
Then start a new chat, or reconnect. Some apps cache the tool list.
The approval page says I'm in a different institute
You are signed in to another institute in the admin portal. Sign in with your account for the institute in the URL, then approve again.
The approval page says the request expired
Approval requests last 15 minutes and work once. Start the connection again from your AI app.
A tool says it is not enabled
That area, or that particular edit, is off for your role. Ask an admin to turn it on in Settings → MCP Server. The change applies to your next request; no need to reconnect.
The AI app asks me to reconnect
Your sign-in could no longer be renewed, for example after a long break, or an admin revoked the connection. Reconnect from your AI app and approve again.
