Independent advice to study in Australia, from someone who has worked with education agencies, Australian universities and the New South Wales Government.
Sydney Opera House · NSW
Independent advice for students planning to study in Australia: a research-led career assessment, a focused report with course recommendations, and the full cost of the degree, with support from the first conversation to arrival.
Students start with what they are genuinely good at and where they could thrive: their interests, their subjects and the career they are aiming for.
Students take a career assessment built on established research in career psychology. It looks at their interests, strengths, values and plans, and matches them to the careers that fit them best.
Every career in the report shows how AI is changing that work in Australia, the UAE and worldwide. Students see which skills and specialisations keep them ahead, so they can plan with the change in mind.
The report gives depth, not an endless list. Students get their 10 closest career matches, the reasons behind each, and the Australian degrees that lead there. We go through it together, so they start from a short list rather than searching alone.
Tuition for the whole degree, living costs in the city, the student visa, health cover and exchange-rate changes, added up before you apply. You compare options on the total cost to graduation, not the first year’s fee.
Applications, scholarships, offer negotiation, the visa, preparing to leave and accommodation, then the first few months in Australia. Accommodation was the hardest part of my own first months in Sydney, so arrival gets as much attention as the application.
Course search
You can search by the career you want, a field of study or a course name, then narrow the list by state, university, yearly tuition and length.
I work with students and families. I also work with schools that want their students to see Australian education for themselves, and with universities that want to grow in the UAE.
Advice on courses, universities, cities and the full cost of a degree, from someone who arrived in Sydney as an international student and has worked in the sector since.
How the 5 stages work
Immersion programs, study tours, school partnerships and masterclasses for UAE schools.
Programs for schools
Transnational education, research partnerships and market entry for institutions expanding into the UAE.
Partnerships and market entry
Who you are speaking to
Aqeeb Akram
Founder, Ironbark Advisory
Where the subject decision falls in each curriculum taught in the UAE, the subjects Australian universities most often require, and what to do if a student does not meet a prerequisite.
University websites show 1 year of tuition. This article adds up the whole degree, including living costs in each city, exchange-rate changes and the costs an offer letter does not list.
The UK, the USA, Canada and Australia differ on degree length, post study work rights and how likely the visa is to be granted. Those matter more to the outcome than a ranking table.
Or read about a city:
Spend 30 minutes with me. Bring your year group, the subjects you’ve chosen and what you hope your degree leads to. You’ll leave knowing whether Australia makes sense, and what to decide next. If it doesn’t make sense, I’ll tell you.
I’m based in Dubai and work with students and parents across the UAE and the Gulf.
