How to set up an international counselling department in a local school

I started my career as a college counsellor like many in my country: almost by chance, with little prior knowledge of the field.

I had been working as a high school English teacher for almost nine years when my coordinator asked if I would be interested in being in charge of a newly created department focused on internationalisation. Located in a medium-sized city in the state of São Paulo, our school used, and still uses, the Brazilian national curriculum and did not have a tradition of sending students abroad.

After a few weeks in this role, it became clear to me that the biggest challenge would not only be guiding applications, but also creating the conditions in which they could exist.

Setting up an international counselling department: learning fast

With this in mind, I quickly realised that I would need to learn fast. This often meant studying outside school hours because I continued teaching, and my time dedicated to the new department was limited.

To accelerate my learning, I engaged with resources provided by a partner organisation that had recently begun working with our school, attending its online webinars and exploring its guidance materials. It was not the ideal form of training, but it gave me a starting point and helped build a foundation in a field that was entirely new to me.

When we introduced the department to the school community, I expected a strong level of interest from students eager to explore this new opportunity. However, this was not the case. While some students initially scheduled guidance sessions, many lost interest once they realised that applying to universities abroad required long-term commitment and effort.

This early experience highlighted a key challenge: most students had little prior exposure to international education and often perceived the process as distant or overwhelming.

Creating the right conditions

As my understanding of the comprehensive role of a college counsellor grew, one idea became increasingly clear: before preparing students for international applications, it was necessary to create the conditions that would make these pathways accessible and meaningful. Promoting counselling literacy among all stakeholders would be an essential first step.

One initiative that proved particularly effective with students and parents was reaching out to universities from different countries and organising recorded online sessions, which we later shared on YouTube so the wider school community could access them. These sessions provided students and parents with their first direct contact with international institutions.

In parallel, I developed an annual report outlining the current status of students interested in studying abroad, their main challenges (as well as mine), and the next goals of the department, along with strategies to help us achieve them. This has helped the senior leadership team better understand where we are, where we are heading and how we plan to get there.

We also worked to integrate internationalisation into existing school initiatives. An ongoing school project was gradually aligned with the goals of the internationalisation department, incorporating elements aimed at developing global competencies.

At the same time, I sought to continue developing professionally. I enrolled in a specialisation course in international counselling, which provided useful content and reinforced key aspects of the role.

However, one of the most valuable takeaways was the importance of building connections within the counselling community. Through these connections, I gained access to a network of more experienced counsellors who regularly exchange ideas, challenges and practical strategies. Engaging with these discussions has been an important source of learning for me.

The first milestone

Looking back, this process has been gradual and, at times, challenging. Building international awareness in a context where it did not previously exist requires time, persistence and a willingness to work beyond individual student guidance.

One of the most important lessons I have learned is that preparing students for international opportunities begins long before the application stage, and depends on creating an informed and engaged school community.

Last week, we saw our first student gain admission to a university abroad, in Spain. While this is just one step in a much larger process, it represents an important milestone. And, more importantly, it’s a sign that the foundations being built are beginning to create real opportunities for our students.

For counsellors working in similar contexts, the challenge may seem overwhelming at first. However, even small actions, if consistent, can contribute to meaningful and lasting change.