At British School Jakarta, we are fortunate to have a dedicated team of experienced and highly qualified counsellors who are committed to supporting our students throughout their university application process. Starting as early as Year 9, our counsellors collaborate closely with students to ensure that they receive offers from universities and courses that align perfectly with their unique interests, passions, and skills.

Our counsellors provide personalised guidance, working individually with each student to explore their academic strengths, career aspirations, and personal goals. By fostering a deep understanding of each student's unique qualities and ambitions, our team assists them in making informed decisions regarding their subject choices, extracurricular involvements, and university preferences.

Watch our video below as we delve into the journey of our counsellors working closely with students to help them find their best-fit university. Gain valuable insights into the personalised guidance and support our counsellors provide, empowering students to make informed decisions about their higher education choices. 

Ms. Kinder moved to Japan in 2009 for what she intended to be a gap year. However, within one month of her arrival, she was offered a position as an international admissions officer at Nagoya University where she devoted fourteen years to advancing the internationalization efforts of one of Japan's oldest national universities. She stepped down from her position as the Director of International Admissions to fulfill her desire to support students in their career and university choices as a university guidance counsellor.

She graduated from the University of Cologne (UoC) in Germany with a Master's degree in Japanese Studies, German Studies, and European Law and spent one year at Sophia University in Tokyo as an exchange student in the Global Graduate Studies Program.

To date, Ms. Kinder has lived in Germany, Japan, and Singapore, and has traveled to many continents through her work as a university representative. She thoroughly enjoys food but also physical activities such as snowboarding, kickboxing, shopping, pilates and tennis. She has climbed Mount Fuji, but would always choose the ocean and city adventures over mountain trails.

Michelle has led university guidance counselling programmes in multiple international schools, supporting hundreds of students in gaining admission to top and highly competitive universities across the UK, US, Canada, Europe, and Asia. She is experienced in guiding students through the complexities of diverse application systems, including UCAS, Common App, and university-specific platforms.

Her work includes building relationships with university admissions officers, developing school-wide careers programmes, writing impactful references, and hosting university fairs and workshops. She is committed to empowering students to make informed choices based on self-awareness, academic strengths, and personal aspirations.

Passionate about psychology, history, and education and is dedicated to supporting students in discovering their individualised pathways and achieving their aspirations. In her spare time, she enjoys cycling, swimming, and reading literature. Michelle is very much looking forward to returning to Southeast Asia, a region she considers home, and to becoming part of the vibrant BSJ community.