Private careers guidance counsellingFrom Year 7 all the way to university

Arjumand Rafiq is Head of Careers at a top-ranking school in Dubai, where she leads university and careers guidance from Year 6 through to Sixth Form. She specialises in highly selective pathways, particularly Oxbridge, Medicine and Ivy League applications, supporting students and families through UCAS, Common App, admissions tests and interview preparation. Her career spans leadership roles at Adviza in the UK, as Cluster Lead across four GEMS schools, and as University and IB Careers Counsellor at GEMS Wellington International School. She also trains and coaches counsellors.

Her career began in corporate law, specialising in media and entertainment contracts at the BBC. This was followed by the opportunity to work at the BBC World Service alongside renowned journalists delivering news in over 100 languages.

Arjumand holds an LLB (Hons) in Law and a QCF Level 6 qualification in Careers Guidance. She has also completed CMI Level 3 and Level 4 qualifications and the ILM Level 4 in Leadership and Management, and has continued her professional development throughout her career.

In her spare time, she is a keen reader, writer and traveller.

"The limits of my language mean the limits of my world."

Ludwig Wittgenstein, in translation

Ayesha is a Career Guidance Counsellor at a top ranking school, with a Master of Arts in Language and Literature and over a decade of experience in education. She guides students on global college and career pathways, from subject selection to resume building and interviews, and led a University Preparation Bootcamp for Year 12 that supported successful applications to universities including Cambridge, McGill and Penn State. She completed the Macquarie University Counsellors Accreditation Program and is a member of British Schools in the Middle East (BSME).

"Guidance is not pushing someone toward a destination, but illuminating the paths so they can choose their own journey."

Anonymous