My Background Information

I’m originally from Maharashtra, specifically Solapur, but I was born and brought up in Bangalore, Karnataka, in India. I studied at Neev Academy Bangalore through grades 1-12. 

Throughout my high school career, I was very active in sports, visual arts, mathematics, debate, and volunteering. As a student, I enjoyed both learning and teaching subjects like physics and maths by making them more engaging and practical for my peers and me. 

For college, I had initially planned to apply to the UK, including universities like the University of Manchester and Queen’s University Belfast where I did secure conditional offers, but after learning more about Australia’s job market and post-study opportunities, I did a last-minute application to the top 8 universities here, and eventually committed to the University of Melbourne, pursuing a Bachelor of Design with a major in Architecture.

Countries Applied To & Why Australia

I applied to three countries: India, the UK, and Australia.

For me specifically, I chose Australia for two main reasons: price and the future job market. Around the time when I was applying (2024-25), there were and still are really heavy restrictions on international students regarding work visas after the student visa was completed, and the job opportunities available. When I did my research, the restrictions were relatively lower in Australia compared to the UK and the U.S. 

With India, I had always known that the job market for architects wasn’t really the best, simply because of the amount of work you put in compared to the pay and opportunities for future career growth you get right after. Architecture in India is a five-year course that often comes under engineering, and the pay afterwards is significantly lower compared to Australia, with limited opportunities for fresh graduates.

Cost was another major factor. I had a relatively strict budget, which is why I couldn’t apply to the US. Most top universities in the UK were way out of our budget, but top universities in Australia were still within our budget. The only thing that was relatively high in Australia was the cost of living, but the tuition fee was significantly lower, which helped. In Australia, the term also started in February, so after graduating high school, we had 6 months to figure out the loan and expenses that were necessary and apply for the visa. I also wrote my IELTS during this period. 

Why the University of Melbourne

I ultimately committed to the University of Melbourne for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, Architecture at the University of Melbourne comes under a Bachelor of Design, specifically a Bachelor of Design in Architecture. In other Australian universities, architecture can fall under different degrees—for example, at the University of Queensland, it comes under a Bachelor of Science. Hence, the course structure can often become more technical in nature, which is why one of the reasons I locked in on the University of Melbourne was because it combines design and architecture, which are two things I’m really fond of.

The University of Melbourne is also the number one university in Australia, and since I plan on working here after graduating, it made sense to go to a university that is the most likely to guarantee job opportunities with large firms in Australia, because the quality and rigour of education is obviously the most highly regarded here. 

High School Curriculum & Academic Background (IB)

For high school, in 9th and 10th grade as well as 11th and 12th, I did the International Baccalaureate program—both the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the IB Diploma Programme (DP).

IB MYP Subjects

• Extended Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English Language and Literature, Hindi Phase 4 (second language), Visual Arts, Personal Project (in architecture), IDU (compulsory)

IB Diploma Programme Subjects

Higher Level (HL): Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation, Visual Arts, Economics

Standard Level (SL): Physics, English Language and Literature, Hindi B

IB Scores

• IB MYP E-Assessments: 50/56

• IB DP: Predicted 38, Final 39

We didn’t have a GPA system in IB, but based on a 7-point scale, and my predicted grade of 38 would be around a high 5 or 6 average.

Application Process for Australia 

The Australian application process is quite different from the U.S and UK; it's sort of a mix of both. Which is why most people apply through an agent, because there is a lot to keep track of.

I initially went through university websites and knew I didn’t need a portfolio for the University of Melbourne—just grades and extracurriculars. But knowing when to do what was tedious, so I decided to find an agent to help me through the process.

I used IDP, which is a certified Australian agency. I uploaded all my documents and details, and they completed the rest of the application for me.

I applied to around eight universities in Australia. Some universities, like RMIT, require an additional creative task related to architecture, which I needed to consider. However, for Architecture, the University of Melbourne did not.

I also applied using my predicted IB grades, not my final scores, although once I got my final grades, I needed to submit it to ensure I met my conditional offer, which varies based on course, but for Architecture, I think it's roughly 24-25 points out of 4,5 including core points. 

For university applications, I submitted my predicted grades, and later my final IB grades. For the Australian visa, I had to submit transcripts from 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade.

Application Timeline & Academic Calendar

I applied for the February intake (Spring semester) because Australia’s academic calendar is different from most countries, as it’s in the other hemisphere. Winters are in June–July, and summers are from November to February. The first semester is technically the February intake, but you can apply for the second semester of the previous year as well if you don’t want to wait for 6 months after graduating high school. I personally used the time to do a design-related internship. 

I graduated from high school in 2025, and my university starts in March 2026.

Standardized Tests 

SATs weren’t required for any of the UK or Australian universities I applied to, so I did not take them.

For Australia, I had to take the IELTS, not for university admission but for the student visa. Even though I met the university’s English requirements through IB English, IELTS was mandatory for visa purposes, and my IELTS score was Band 8.

Why Architecture & Degree Structure

I always knew that no matter what I did, my career needed to revolve around conservation or protecting the environment.

Architecture aligned naturally with my skills and interests:

• I was good at visual art

• I was interested in mathematics

• I was interested in physics

Architecture is an amalgamation of all three and also aligns with my interest in environmentally responsible work. I also explored architecture through a lot of my school-related coursework that allowed me to do so: 

For my 9th and 10th grade Personal Project for the IB MYP program, I created a floor plan and a physical 3D model of what I thought would be an environmentally friendly, green independent house.

Then in 11th and 12th grade, I did my IB extended essay (EE) in Visual Arts, where I focused on architecture. It was a comparative study of Changi Airport (Singapore) and Bangalore Terminal 2, looking at the intersection of visual art, architecture, design, cultural relevance, and environmental sustainability.

These academic opportunities helped me further delve into the subject and know that it is what I want to pursue in the future. 

I also honed my interests through different courses and internships related to design and architecture, including: 

• Architecture Internship (Grade 10 Summer)
  Firm: Balan Plus Nambisa and Architects, Bangalore
  Where I worked on 3D models, city models, and mass sketches, and gained real project exposure.
  

• Design Workshop (SCAD University)
  This course broadened my understanding of design beyond architecture, including applications in animation and computer science.
  

• Design Internship (IIM Ahmedabad Endowment Fund)
  I focused on digital design—creating collaterals, banners, and visual content for events.

These experiences nurtured my interest in both architecture and design, which is why I finally felt like the University of Melbourne’s Bachelor of Design was a strong fit.

Extracurricular Activities 

Australian applications don't limit the number of extracurriculars you can list.

I had around eight to nine broad categories, including:

• Architecture and design internships

• Sports (athletics and football)

  • State-level athletics (Grade 10)

  • Inter-school athletics and football (Grades 11–12)

• Leadership roles

  • Debate Society Co-Founder & Co-President

  • School Sports Captain

• Community service

  • I worked with Interact (student-led NGO) for over three years, teaching underprivileged students maths and physics in a more practical, engaging way.

Debate was a huge part of my application and my extracurricular involvement, where I taught debate to juniors in my school—100 students across grades 6-12—and participated in numerous regional, national, and international tournaments representing my school. 

I started debating in 10th grade and continued through 12th grade as co-founder and president. Some of my awards include: 

• Finalist in the Malaysia Open (Novice category)

• Individual speaker rankings are typically between 1 and 5 or the top 10

• Won competitions like the TAPD Debate

Debate wasn’t the reason I chose Australia—I found out about Australia’s strong debate culture later—but it’s something I plan to continue here, with top debate societies in universities like Monash. At our school, we actually used the Monash University matter file as a part of our course structure to teach students in the club. 

Advice for Students Applying to Australia

Apply early, especially for visas, because visa processing is stricter and slower now, and many rejections happen due to improper or incomplete documentation. Also, use an agent, especially for visas; IDP is completely free because they get a commission for each student they admit. Research each university’s course structure, not just rankings, and the opportunities that you can access.

General School Advice

Don’t procrastinate or rush work, and take your applications seriously. Also, balance consistency with not over-stressing, by spacing things out—it’s manageable if you plan properly. But make sure to enjoy high school and support your friends.