BEYOND ESM

Welcome to the Beyond ESM web portal, the home of the University and Career Counselling (UCC) Office at The English School of Mongolia (ESM). At ESM, university and career guidance is an integral part of the Lawson Hill Sixth Form experience and is deeply rooted in the core values of the International Baccalaureate (IB).

I work with each student and my office collaborates with every student and to uncover their unique strengths, refine their interests, and make informed choices. The rigorous intellectual curiosity, academic discipline, and global mindset cultivated across our dual pathways the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) and BTEC vocational qualifications prepare our learners to successfully navigate international higher education and professional futures. MY role as UCC provides comprehensive support following international best practices strategic academic alignment where I assist and guide students in matching their IGCSE choices, BTEC selections, IBDP Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL) subject configurations with competitive international prerequisite expectations. Global admissions access in which I offer personalized roadmaps for university applications across key global destinations, including the UK, US, Canada, Europe, Australia, and leading Asian institutions. I help learners in active profile building by providing guidance on leveraging personal milestones, creative achievements, and holistic personal development through Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) to stand out to admissions officers. I act as a liaison for on-Campus University Fairs in which I work with various university admission offices in bringing the world to different universities to ESM. We host active, on-campus higher education events such as Universities Fair and specialized visits from elite institutions.

At personal level, as Counsellor I feel incredibly fortunate and privileged to serve in this rewarding role at ESM. Guiding our dedicated, emerging IBDP learners as they navigate their academic futures and transition into global citizens brings me immense professional fulfillment every day.

Our university and career support

We have a strategic planning, the “ESM Lawson Hill roadmap”. The path from Ulaanbaatar to global capitals requires a structured, multi-year strategy. Our University guidance programme is built on three pillars, personalized counselling, predicted grade management, and global pathways expertise. We provide our students with enough information and counselling where they can find the “right fit”. We move beyond the prestige of rankings to find institutions where each student will flourish with a financial assistance.

Our Counselling Framework

The transition from secondary school to university represents a major milestone. Whether our senior students are managing independent research via the IB Extended Essay (EE), critical thinking in Theory of Knowledge (TOK), or building real-world practical skills through our BTEC pathways, we ensure their profiles are optimized for global success.

Partnering for future change makers

Securing the ideal university or career fit requires a dedicated partnership between students, families, faculty, and the counseling office. We work closely with our diverse community of over 30 nationalities to ensure that ESM students transition smoothly into higher education as confident, well-organized independent thinkers. Our ultimate goal is to nurture the global citizens and future “change-makers” of Mongolia’s development and the wider world.

Regards and best wishes.
Krishna Chaitanya Naredla
University and Career counsellor.
IBDP/IGCSE Biology Educator.

The university and Career guidance programme at ESM is a comprehensive, structured system designed to prepare students for admission to competitive universities around the world. Our support begins early in Grade 11 and continues throughout Grade 12 until all applications are submitted and confirmed.

Individual University Counselling

• One-to-one advising sessions throughout the application cycle.

• Guiding students to understand the importance of internships for the university admission process.
• Guiding the students to understand how important of moving beyond ranking of universities and how to find their “right fit” suiting their passion and financial status without compromising the quality of education.
• Guidance on identifying strengths, choosing courses, and building balanced university lists.
• Support for applications to North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, Asia, and Mongolia.
• Conducting mock interview through a structured rubric and university-specific preparation guides.

Application Planning and Documentation

• Full management of UCAS, Common App, and other application platforms.

• Centralized tracking of all internal school deadlines and external university closing dates.
• Support with personal statements, supplementary essays, portfolios, and activity records.
• Coordination of teacher references and the official counsellor report.
• Structured Predicted Grade system (PG1, PG2, PG3) aligned with IB standards

Academic and Pastoral Collaboration

• Close coordination with Form Tutors, IB subject teachers, EE/TOK/CAS coordinators, and pastoral teams
• Monitoring of academic progress, deadlines, and diploma requirements
• Advice on selecting the most suitable IB subject combinations for intended university pathways

Information for Students and Families

• University fairs, University visits virtual visits, and workshops hosted at Lawson Hill

• Parent briefings on application processes, financial planning, scholarships, and country-specific requirements
• Guidance on external examinations such as IELTS, TOEFL, SAT, and ACT.
• Gap year and alternative pathway guidance wis provided through information sessions exploring structured gap years, military service deferrals, or alternative vocational tracks.

Scholarship and Opportunity Guidance

• Support for merit-based and need-based scholarships

• Advice on competitive programmes and leadership opportunities that strengthen applications
• Guidance on summer and short internship opportunities

Through this comprehensive system, students receive consistent, expert, and personalised guidance from the beginning of the Sixth Form to the moment they secure their university placements.

ESM students matriculate to a wide range of respected institutions across the world. Our graduates pursue diverse fields such as engineering, business, economics, global studies, hospitality, fine arts, social sciences, and computer science.

Recent Confirmed Matriculations (Class of 2025)

• Australia: University of Western Australia, QUT, Griffith University, University of Sydney
• Canada: University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, University of Victoria, Toronto Metropolitan University
• China: Shanghai Business School, Duke Kunshan University, Shanghai University of Engineering Science
• United States: Georgetown University, American University, Drexel University, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, University of Pittsburgh, Stony Brook University, Missouri State University, Loyola University Chicago, Brandeis University, Pace University, Fordham University
• United Kingdom: Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
• Asia: SUNY (Korea), Asia Pacific University (Japan), Yuan Ze University (Taiwan)
• Europe: LUT University (Finland)
• Mongolia: Mongolian International University, University of Finance and Economics

Representative Destinations from Recent Years

• Australia: University of Sydney, Monash University, Australian National University, Macquarie University
• China: Duke Kunshan University, NYU Shanghai, Shenzhen University
• Hong Kong: University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Korea: SUNY Korea, Underwood International College – Yonsei University
• United Kingdom: University of Manchester, University of Birmingham, University of Warwick
• Europe: Maastricht University, University of Twente, University of Pécs, Polimoda
• United States: Arizona State University, University of Delaware, Cal Poly, SUNY Buffalo, Hollins University

These pathways demonstrate the global mobility and academic ambition of ESM’s Sixth Form graduates. Our aim is to ensure that every student finds the university environment where they can flourish, contribute, and continue to grow as independent, knowledgeable, and compassionate young adults.