← Home
Academic & Transition Coaching · International Schools

Getting into the right school is only step one.
Thriving inside it is where the real journey begins.

Moving to a new country or transitioning to a demanding curriculum like the International Baccalaureate (IB) or British A-Levels can be overwhelming — a new system, a new language and entirely different academic expectations all hit at once. Often the barrier isn't a lack of intelligence: it's a lack of the right learning strategies, effective time management and academic confidence. We step in at exactly that point, building a personalised academic foundation for each student to close that gap.

Free Assessment → Coaching Areas
100+ Families Supported
20+ Years in Education
900 AED Per Month · 2 Sessions/Week
Online Global · Zoom
What Is an Academic Coach?

An Architect of Human Potential

An academic coach is different from a tutor who fixes a temporary grade in a single subject. They understand how a student thinks, learns, and works under pressure — and build lasting strategies from there. They work on the underlying factors behind grades: study habits, time management, and confidence.

🧠
Core Identity

The Executive Function Trainer

While traditional education teaches students what to learn, an academic coach teaches them how to learn. They act as a personal fitness trainer for the brain — building the psychological and structural framework required to navigate elite academic environments. Instead of feeding answers, they build self-sufficient leaders by training them in:

  • → Strategic Metacognition: Helping students understand their unique cognitive profile — how their brain processes, retains, and retrieves complex information.
  • → Mastery of Executive Function: Transforming chaos into order by teaching advanced time blocking, proactive prioritisation, and the neuro-hacks needed to defeat procrastination.
  • → High-Stakes Mental Conditioning: Equipping students with the tools to manage academic anxiety, build resilience after setbacks, and maintain focus during gruelling exam cycles like the IB Diploma or A-Levels.
🔄 The Three Core Pillars of Transformation

An academic coach operates at the intersection of psychology, strategy, and pedagogy — building a customised blueprint across three distinct phases.

🎯

The Cognitive Strategy Pillar

Diagnoses learning gaps and designs hyper-personalised study frameworks. Teaches students to deconstruct massive workloads, master active recall, and turn complex curricula into manageable daily micro-goals.

🤝

The Accountability Pillar

Serves as a dedicated, objective partner. Unlike a parent or school teacher, the coach provides a neutral, high-expectations environment where progress is measured, strategies are constantly optimised, and goals are strictly kept.

🚀

The Autonomy Pillar

Works toward the ultimate goal — their own redundancy. A great academic coach doesn't create dependency; they cultivate deep self-efficacy, leaving the student fully equipped to thrive independently at top-tier universities and in their future careers.

⚡ The Broad Impact

Tutor · School Counsellor · Academic Coach

Attribute The Subject Tutor The School Counsellor The Academic Coach
Primary Focus The Content — fixing a C in Math to an A. The Institution — schedules, credits, crisis control. The System & Mindset — building the habits to get A's in every subject.
Scope of Work Reactive and short-term — focused on the next test. Macro and systemic — focused on graduation requirements. Proactive and lifelong — focused on cognitive skill acquisition.
Core Value Explains what the textbook means. Manages where the student needs to be. Empowers the student to conquer the entire workload.
Communication & Follow-Up Communicates only during lesson time (1–2 hrs/week); follow-up ends when the session ends. Typically available in crisis moments or 1–2 mandatory formal meetings per term. Continuously active through weekly sessions and between-session instant support (WhatsApp etc.).
Motivation Source External and short-term (e.g. "You need to pass this exam"). Institutional expectations (e.g. "You must follow school rules and the schedule"). Internal and lasting — helps the student discover their own potential, interests, and "why".
Relationship with Family Updates the family only on the student's immediate grade in that subject. Makes formal contact with the family around general school rules or disciplinary processes. Manages academic conflicts between family and student; guides parents on optimising the home study environment.
Language & Adaptation Explains lesson content in the target language only; offers no strategy for overcoming the language barrier. Limited to in-school orientation; cannot deeply resolve the transition trauma between international curricula. Özlem's specialist area: systematically resolves the "academic culture shock" of international school transition and the anxiety of studying in a foreign language.
Problem-Solving Approach Direct: gives the student the answer or solution path straight away. Directive: guides according to school rules and procedures. Inquiry-based (Coaching): uses the right questions to help the student find their own solution path and study method.
🌍 The Ultimate Vision

An academic coach turns overwhelming academic pressure into a structured game that the student knows exactly how to win. They replace stress with strategy, friction with flow, and doubt with deep, unshakeable competence.

They do not just elevate grades — they upgrade a student's entire capability for life.

Start Free Assessment →
IB · A-Level · Expat · International School

International Academic Coaching: Who Is It For?

Our specialized coaching is designed for three core transition scenarios.

🎓

Curriculum Transitions

Students moving from national systems to IB (PYP, MYP, DP) or British frameworks (IGCSE, A-Level). Guidance on the new assessment system, expectations, and study approach.

🌍

Expat Integration

Students managing the stress and "academic culture shock" of a new global school environment. Adapting to different pedagogical approaches, peer dynamics, and building academic confidence.

💬

Language Adaptation

Bright students whose grades are temporarily suffering because they're adjusting to English-only academic instruction. Academic English strategies and content comprehension methods independent of language barriers.

What's Included

Packages

Not just a consultant — a coach with a weekly system who knows your child's academic journey inside out.

MOST COMPREHENSIVE
Package Core Coaching Full Support
Student sessions 8 × 30 min / month 16 × 30 min / month
Parent session 2 check-ins / month 4 check-ins / month
Learning strategies & time management Personalised plan Plan + executive function development
Academic calendar Integrated for curriculum transitions Integrated for curriculum transitions
Homework & project tracking Management support Real-time via school portal
School system access (ManageBac, iSAMS, Toddle) Grade, homework & attendance tracking
Weekly action plan ✓ written for parents ✓ verbal & written for parents
Monthly progress report ✓ comprehensive
Exam season prep Intensive prep sessions
WhatsApp Business hours 7 days — weekends included
Price
monthly		 AED 900 AED 1,500
Get Started → Let's Start →
Process

How Does It Work?

  1. 1

    Complete the free assessment at eduentry.com

    This assessment provides a detailed cognitive profile that directly identifies your child's academic and cognitive strengths and weaknesses. The platform analyses verbal and non-verbal reasoning alongside core academic skills, and produces a personalised results report that clearly maps out areas for development. For more information, visit Eduentry → or read our guide on how the adaptive test works →

    Fill in a short assessment form about your child's IB year, current challenges, and goals. Takes 5 minutes and is completely free.

  2. 2

    30-minute discovery call with Özlem

    Based on your assessment, Özlem will call you. You'll discuss your child's profile, their school system, and what you can work on together. No commitment required.

  3. 3

    Your personalised programme begins

    Starting with the first session, your child's learning profile, priority areas, and a 30-day action plan are mapped out. You get a written roadmap of everything.

  4. 4

    2 sessions per week + weekly report

    Meet twice a week on Zoom. After each session, you receive a weekly action report by email. You'll always know the most important next steps for your child.

What Parents Say

Real Families, Real Outcomes

"After moving to Dubai our son was completely overwhelmed by the new curriculum. Özlem showed us clearly how to approach him and what steps to take. We felt supported for the first time."

Ayşe K.
Dubai · International school parent

"When our daughter transitioned to IB, her grades dropped and her confidence crumbled. Özlem restored both in 3 months. We finally understand what 'academic culture shock' actually means."

Mert & Selin B.
Abu Dhabi · Parent, IB MYP → DP transition

"Our son came from a Turkish school and his English was functional but not academic. Özlem built a system around his strengths — within two months his teachers noticed the difference."

Rana H.
Dubai · A-Level dil adaptasyonu ebeveyni

"My daughter started at an international school in Dubai while we were still in Turkey. Özlem guided both us and our daughter online. Distance was never a barrier."

Fatma Y.
Istanbul · Remote expat coaching

"Our son really struggled with the A-Level transition — we had no idea what the system demanded. After 4 months with Özlem he is continuing with a completely different confidence. Without her structured approach this wouldn't have been possible."

Can A.
Dubai · Parent, A-Level transition

"Getting an appointment with our child's school counsellor took 3 weeks. Özlem was with us twice a week. That difference is enormous — academic coaching and school counselling are completely different things."

Hülya & Tarık D.
Sharjah · International school parent
Your Coach

Why Özlem?

Özlem Çimen — Academic Coach
Özlem Çimen

Özlem spent 20+ years as an IB specialist at TED Istanbul College, ENKA Schools and IICS. She is an expat mother who raised children in international schools across Singapore, Myanmar, France, Azerbaijan and Dubai. Harvard Graduate School of Education alumna.

Harvard GSE IB Specialist EAL Coach MBA 20+ Years
Özlem Çimen | International Education Consultant →
Frequently Asked Questions

Your Questions Answered

A tutor teaches a specific subject. An academic coach teaches your child how to learn — learning strategies, time management, and academic confidence. Sessions can target both parents and students; Özlem structures each engagement around the family's specific needs.

We meet twice a week for 1-on-1 sessions of 30 minutes each. Session dates are set together at the start of each month. The package also includes a weekly written action plan and WhatsApp access during business hours.

Yes — 30 minutes can be highly productive with a clear agenda and a prepared coach. Each session starts with a specific focus: the week's priorities, a stuck point, or an upcoming exam. We find that short, focused sessions consistently outperform longer but unfocused ones. WhatsApp access and the weekly action plan keep the momentum going between sessions.

Starting in the first weeks of a new school or curriculum is ideal — habits and systems form early. However it's equally possible to start mid-year, deep in difficulty, or approaching exams. Every stage has different priorities and Özlem plans accordingly.

A minimum commitment of 3 months is required. To cancel, simply give 1 week's notice. The 900 AED/month is a package fee — not per-session billing.

No — because it's fully online, we work with parents from anywhere in the world. Active sessions run with families in Dubai, Turkey, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Canada.

It Takes Just 5 Minutes to Start

Complete the free assessment at eduentry.com. Özlem will call you based on your results — no commitment, no sales pressure.

Start Assessment at eduentry.com →

Or reach us directly on WhatsApp: +971 50 270 9379

WhatsApp