About Our Partnership With CIALFO

Empowering Students Through Global Education: A Successful Partnership Between Birla Open Minds and CIALFO

Birla Open Minds continues collaboration with CIALFO, a partnership that has been transforming the educational journey of students aspiring to study abroad. For three years, this alliance has been dedicated to providing seamless, personalized guidance to international education, empowering students to unlock their full potential.

By combining Birla Open Minds’ commitment to holistic development with CIALFO’s cutting-edge technology and global network, the collaboration ensures equipping the students with the right tools along with guidance around international university applications.

Partnership Image

Together, we’ve supported 125+ students in making informed decisions, applying to top universities worldwide across Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and many more. Through this powerful partnership, we continue to help students navigate their aspirations, shaping the leaders of tomorrow.

Collaborative Mission of Birla Open Minds & CIALFO:

To empower students to achieve their full potential by providing personalized, comprehensive, and seamless pathways to international education, fostering global citizenship and academic excellence.

125 Students Applied with CIALFO

International Universities in past 3 years from batch of 2022, 2023, 2024

  • University of Notre Dame
  • University of Melbourne
  • Dublin University
  • Mosara University
  • Kirch University College at Western University
  • Vancouver Island University
  • Simon Fraser University
  • Assistant University of Technology
  • University of Manchester
  • Snowsea University
  • University of Essex
  • Birmingham City University
  • Anglo Muscle University
  • Brand University
  • University Academy of Sciences
  • University of Leeds
  • University of Surrey
  • University of Northampton
  • Racconi Gordon University
  • Queens University Belfast
  • Abernphurth University
  • University of Leicester
  • Edinburgh Street University
  • University of Strohmayer
  • Hall International Business School
  • Queen Mary University of London
  • University of Exeter
  • University of Kent, Canterbury
  • University of Massachusetts, Amherst
  • Pennsylvania State University, University Park
  • Partner University
  • University of Washington
  • University of Massachusetts Boston
  • The University of Texas at Dallas
  • Michigan State University
  • University of Southern California
  • Northwestern University
  • Yale University
  • South Carolina University
  • Emory University
  • Dartmouth College
  • University of Colorado Boulder
  • Jack West Cedar Foundation
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Jamie Hamilton University
  • University of Central Florida
  • Case Western Reserve University
  • University of Illinois at Chicago
  • New York University
  • University of Michigan, Dearborn
  • Chicago State University
  • Texas University
  • Columbia University
  • Universidad Autónoma
  • Queena S.A. University
  • University of Chicago
  • Austin University
  • University of Illinois
  • Johnson State University
  • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • Bulgaria University - New Brunswick
  • Bristol University
  • Carnegie Mellon University
  • University of Toronto
  • Stuart Street University
  • University of Iowa Providence
  • The University of Texas at Austin
  • Data University
  • Convent University
  • Growth Institute of Technology
  • Tufts University

Visionary Perspectives

Empowering Futures with Comprehensive Career Guidance

The higher education landscape is rapidly changing according to the requirement of the job market leading to career options at galore, which is very much overwhelming for the senior secondary students.

Career Guidance Counselling is an integral part of our school, to facilitate the students taking informed decisions regarding their subject options, right skills and exposure to extracurricular activities aligning to their choice of higher education courses and institutions. It helps students in identifying their strengths, their areas of interests, the values that enable them to decide in choosing a suitable career path, understand the job market, the education and training required for different careers.

The dynamic CIALFO Portal assists the students to explore the different career paths, develop and understand of the world of work, the updated information on different colleges, courses, scholarships, and admission criteria. The students get better prepared for entrance exams, application processes, interviews and it leads to higher chances of securing the seat into their preferred colleges. This awareness empowers our students to explore a wider range of options and opportunities; the students get an access to worldwide network of 1000+ Universities across the globe which helps them to create a strong framework of college applications and scholarship guidance.

The career counsellors of CIALFO support the students and parents by extending personalized advice based on individual student profiles, making the guidance more effective and tailored to everystudent’s needs. Moreover, The CIALFO team conducts orientation sessions for students and parents, career guidance workshops, prior information about planning the college application days, physical and virtual interaction sessions of the University team with the students and staff members. We are extremely happy with the support and guidance extended to the students and our career guidance team at the school level connecting the students, counsellors and the Universities on a single platform.

— Dr.Syamali Chowdhury, Principal

Our mission is to help every student achieve their aspirations and build a great future at Birla Open Minds International School. As Career Guidance Coordinator, I am glad to highlight the holistic and individualized support each student receives at our institution. We associate with prestigious partners like CIALFO and offer unparalleled resources and opportunities for career planning. The student friendly platform helps the students navigate to the area of interest is very well planned. Our university tours expose students to academic institutions in ways that can help them find diverse options and make informed decisions about their future paths. We also focus on giving individual attention to students and constant follow-up throughout their application journey. From curating college lists to crafting standout applications, we make sure that at each step, our students feel supported in order to showcase their best selves. Apart from the student-focused initiatives, we conduct teacher empowerment sessions to hone the art of writing meaningful LORs (Letter of Recommendation). Equipping our teachers with the right tools and insights is essential to bettering the quality of LORs to effectively depict students' endeavors and accomplishments. In partnership with CIALFO, at Birla Open Minds, we aim to equip the student as well as the educator for an opportunity that leads them into a successful learning and achievement.

— Fauzia Siddiqui, Career Guidance Coordinator

Student Impact

International High School Tour (IHST)

A flagship in-person event exclusively for CIALFO high schools! CIALFO feels great to be present on the school campus to meet the students, parents, and the Birla Open Minds school community.

Engage directly with university representatives to receive the latest information about applications, courses, and campus life; or have any other burning questions answered right away. Experience a much more personalized and impactful way of college search with the selection of top-tier universities worldwide - broaden students' perspectives and allow them to find their best-fit universities.

UEA Working with Students

We are, CIALFO advisors, multi-destination college counselling specialist for the US, the UK, Canada, ANZ and Europe. We specialise in guiding prospective students through the application process and helping them navigate the exciting journey of education. Whether you're just beginning to explore your options or you' re ready to take the next step, we're here to provide support and answer any questions you may have. ​

We stand ready to be your guide, advocate, and mentor throughout this process. Let’s get started on your journey now!

CIALFO Helps the Students Throughout Their College Application Journey

Profile Building

  • Extra & Co-curricular Activities
  • Research & Publications
  • Resume Writing
  • Summer & Winter Schools
  • Internships
  • Test Preparation
  • Skill Development

Pre Application

  • Career Counseling
  • Course Selection
  • Destination Finalisation
  • University Shortlisting
  • Application Support
  • Interview Preparation

Post Application

  • Offer Acceptance
  • Education Loan
  • Fee Payment
  • Visa Application
  • Accommodation
  • Health Insurance
  • Pre-Departure

CIALFO Team

Richa Rishi

Richa Rishi

Associate Director of Direct Apply

Swathi B Shetty

Swathi B Shetty

University Enrolment Adviser

Tanisha Sharma

Tanisha Sharma

University Enrolment Manager

Preksha Kothari

Preksha Kothari

University Enrolment Adviser

CIALFO Working with Batch 2025

40 students from batch of 2025 are actively using CIALFO for their college applications

BOM students are considering offbeat destinations as well in 2025!

  • National University of Singapore
  • University College London
  • University of Glasgow
  • University of Bristol
  • King’s College London
  • Durham University
  • London School of Economics and Political Science
  • University of Otago, Dunedin
  • Massey University, Manawatu Palmerston North
  • University of Toronto
  • University of Bologna
  • Abu Dhabi University
  • University of Amsterdam
  • Stanford University
  • University of Illinois at Chicago
  • University of California, Los Angeles
  • Boston University
  • Pennsylvania State University, University Park
  • Purdue University
  • University of Arizona
  • University of Maryland
  • Arizona State University
  • Cornell University
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Georgia Institute of Technology
  • University of California, Berkeley
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  • University of Chicago
  • Michigan State University
  • University of Massachusetts Boston
  • Temple University
  • Texas A&M University
  • Rutgers University - New Brunswick
  • Harvard University
  • Georgetown University
  • University of Utah
  • Long Island University, Brooklyn
  • University of Connecticut
  • Louisiana State University
  • University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)
  • Central Washington University
  • University of Alabama
  • Case Western Reserve University
  • Central Georgia Technical College
  • New York University
  • California Institute of Technology
  • Northwestern University
  • University of Massachusetts, Amherst
  • Oregon State University
  • University of Rhode Island
  • Pennsylvania State University - Harrisburg
  • The University of Texas at Dallas
  • Bellarmine University
  • George Mason University
  • Princeton University
  • University of California, Davis
  • Academy of Art University
  • Georgia State University
  • University of Wisconsin, Madison
  • University of Georgia
  • Washington State University, Pullman
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
  • Carnegie Mellon University
  • Illinois State University
  • Davidson College
  • University of Nebraska Lincoln
  • Duke University
  • Indiana University Bloomington
  • Texas Tech University
  • University of South Carolina
  • The Ohio State University
  • Iowa State University
  • The University of Texas at Austin
  • Yale University
  • San Francisco State University
  • Boston College

Student Support Stories 2025

Discover how CIALFO has guided students through their study abroad journeys.

The CIALFO Experience

Students Journey with CIALFO

Discover how CIALFO supports students through their academic journey.

Exploration

We help students explore their options and identify the best universities and programs that align with their goals.

Guidance

Our experts provide personalized guidance throughout the application process, ensuring students make informed decisions.

Activation

We support students in activating their plans, from submitting applications to preparing for their new academic journey.

Teacher Empowerment by CIALFO

CIALFO conducted a session on Letters of Recommendation (LOR) for the teachers at the School, focusing on both UCAS and CommonApp applications. The session aimed to equip teachers with the skills to write impactful LORs tailored to students’ profiles, highlighting their unique strengths and potential. Teachers gained insights into the significance of LORs in university applications and learned how to align recommendations with specific requirements, ensuring better support for students in achieving their higher education goals.

STUDENT PLATFORM

DISCOVERY CENTRE

UNIVERSITY RESEARCH

ASSESSMENT

RESUME BUILDING

COUNSELLING SUPPORT BY CIALFO GUIDE

PRE-APPLICATION

Career Counselling
Career Counselling
Course Selection
Course Selection
Premium Counselling
Premium Counselling*
Destination Finalisation
Destination Finalisation
Document Preparation
Document Preparation
Profile Building
Profile Building
University Shortlisting
University Shortlisting

APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Direct Apply
Fee Waiver
Interview Preparation
Financial & Scholarship Guidance

POST APPLICATION

VALUE ADDED SERVICES / POST APPLICATION SERVICES
Offer Acceptance

Offer Acceptance

Educational Loan

Educational Loan

Fee Payment

Fee Payment

Visa Application

Visa Application

Accommodation

Accommodation

Pre-Departure

Pre-Departure

Health Insurance

Health Insurance

*Premium Counselling for Top 50-Paid Service | *UK / Australia - visa complimentary if applied on DA

Student Cheatsheet

CIALFO FOR STUDENTS

GLOBAL APPLICATION TIMELINES & PLANNER GRADE 12

APR - JUNE

Career Counseling

Course Selection

Destination Finalisation

Summer School

Internship

JUL - AUG

University Shortlisting

Application Preparation

Document Finalisation

English & Standardised Tests

SEP - NOV

University Application

University Specific Essays

Letter of Recommendations

Statement of Purpose

DEC - JAN

Scholarship

Late Applications

University Decisions Awarded

END-TO-END COLLEGE COUNSELING SUPPORT FOR EVERY STUDENT'S SUCCESS

FEB - APR

Education Loan

University Offers Start

Conditional Offer Acceptance

Mark University Preference

MAY - JUL

Unconditional Offer Acceptance

Deposit Payment

Accommodation

Insurance

Visa Application

JUL - SEP

Flight Booking

Pre-Departure

Off to University

Top Destinations

USA
UK
EUROPE
AUSTRALIA
CANADA
NEW ZEALAND

MORE ABOUT CIALFO

Trusted by
310,000+
Students globally,

CIALFO currently has offices in Singapore (HQ), New Delhi, Washington D.C., and Shanghai.

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