Alumni

A few words from our alumni:

Ryan Moritmer, DBS Class of 2017

Ryan, a student from BTEC from last year, is studying Property Management at the prestigious University College London after achieving A* equivalence in his BTEC.

“I feel choosing BTEC has led me to getting into a Russell Group university. If I had chosen to do A Levels I would have struggled more.”

Nimah Ashraf, DBS Class of 2016

"Having joined DBS when it opened in 2005, I left in 2016 with A* A * A* A at A-Level in History, English Lit, Biology and Psychology. I’ve just completed my first year at Cambridge reading Law, and it’s been fantastic! 

I’ve found that some of the Oxbridge stereotypes are true: the workload is immense, there is a fair bit of pomp and ceremony, and old-fashioned academics. Having said that, I’ve met people from all walks of life – a lot of whom aren’t from privileged backgrounds or don’t have straight A/A*s at GCSE/A-Level! 

In the summer, a few friends and I volunteered in rural Panama – we ran pro bono legal clinics, led education workshops at a local school, taught some English, and had the opportunity to travel and experience an entirely different culture afterwards! I’m also an Access Ambassador for my college, have published articles in the student paper, and I’m on the committee of Cambridge’s ‘Global Brigades’ society, which organises the university’s overseas volunteering trips. 

Going into my second year now, DBS feels like lifetimes ago – but I’m still incredibly grateful to the school for getting me this far, and I will always be very fond of memories made there."

Nimrah won the Angela Dunn-Gardiner Scholarship for her second year and the Thomas & Elizabeth Walton Prize for the best student in Law, Economics or Medicine at Cambridge. 

RAHIM TALIBZADE, DBS CLASS OF 2015

"I am currently studying Law at London School of Economics in the UK, having achieved an A* in History, an A* in Politics and an A in Psychology in my A Level results in 2014/15.

I chose to study Law at University level as it is something I have never learnt before, something I want to do to give me the opportunity to succeed in the direction I wish to take.

At DBS, I could feel the support and effort made by the teachers to help every single student."

JOSH STACEY, DBS CLASS OF 2013

"I joined The University of Rhode Island to study Pharmaceuticals, starting with an element of Psychology. Feeling the desire to gain further life experience and develop independence amongst studying, I returned to Dubai to find employment and have been recruited by the new Apple Store.

I am also studying the basics of Neuroscience with Harvard University"

AMYTICE MIRCHI, DBS CLASS OF 2012

"After leaving DBS in 2012, I started my Bachelor’s of Science at McGill University majoring in Anatomy and Cell Biology. I strived to excel at university, keeping my dream of getting into a competitive programme afterwards in mind. But I wanted to succeed surrounded and alongside friends. DBS had shown me the importance of teamwork, cooperation and support, and so I invested myself in building strong, profound, new friendships at McGill.

DBS had opened my eyes to the world.

Not only with its international student body but also through the Duke of Edinburgh Award, which gave me the chance to travel to Thailand and Mauritius to complete the Silver and Gold level of the award and to Nicaragua with Global Medical Training in May 2014 to help provide basic medical care in poverty-stricken communities.

During my 3 years at McGill, I discovered a lot about myself as I was challenged by the world outside of high school but DBS had taught me to keep my head high in the face of challenges. Surrounded by my dearest friends and family who had supported me all along, I finally received my acceptance to the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Montreal in May 2015. I walked across the graduation stage to receive my diploma from McGill in June 2015.

I was grateful for all the Professors that had guided me throughout my journey but also my teachers at DBS who had motivated me to work hard in order to achieve my goals. In the summer, I joined a laboratory working on neurodegenerative disorders at the McGill University Health Center, more particularly leukodystrophies. In September 2015, I started my journey in medical school.

I believe that experiences define who we are and the person we become and I am convinced that DBS partly shaped the person I am today. It has given me a strong academic basis that has helped me throughout my university studies. Most importantly, it’s within the doors of DBS that I met my best friends; friendships that I know by now, will last for a lifetime"

MICHAEL AYAD, DBS CLASS OF 2012

"After leaving DBS, I decided to continue my education by going to university in the USA.

This summer (2016), I am going to graduate from The Johns Hopkins University with a Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience. I am planning on taking a gap year after I graduate and use that time to continue my Neuroscience research and begin applying to medical schools in the US and Canada.

Upon acceptance to a medical school, I plan to take a month or two off to travel around Europe. Outside of my academic work, I work at the The John Hopkins School of Medicine where I am a research assistant at a Neuroscience lab and am a volunteer in the Orthopaedic surgery department.

My time at university has been incredibly fulfilling and I can't wait for another 4 years of education when I go to medical school."

LARISSA STERCHI, DBS CLASS OF 2012

"I graduated from Dubai British School in 2012, having been Head Girl at DBS for a year. In September 2012, I began my Joint Honours Degree in History and Politics at the University of Edinburgh.

At University, I have become a Student Union class representative and a committee member of a Peer Support programme whilst also teaching German to children at a Saturday school. Currently, I am writing my dissertation on the Iranian state and its creation of gender, and applying to jobs and internships in the European Union and Swiss diplomatic sector."

REBECCA MOORE, DBS CLASS OF 2011

"I left DBS in 2011 to do a foundation in acting at East15 acting school for a year. In 2012 I applied to study Stage and Arts Management at the University of Winchester for a three year degree. It was fantastic and gave me a huge amount of opportunities to develop professionally and practically while studying theoretically.

A few things I did while at University to build my CV while in education was work experience at the Royal Opera House with the ballet Stage Management team, stage managed a show at the Edinburgh Fringe, took a Stage Management Apprenticeship at the Theatre Royal Winchester and a score reading course with the Stage Management Association.

Midway through my third year I had a significant and varied CV and decided to apply for an Assistant Stage Management job at the Glyndebourne Opera House to start before my degree officially finished. I got the job, so with cooperation from my course leader, finished my degree early and started my first season at the Opera House in April 2015.

After graduating in October 2015, I Deputy Stage Managed 'Aladdin' at the Camberley Theatre in Surrey and am due to Stage Manage a new play at the Southwark Playhouse before joining the Glyndebourne team for the 2016 summer season."

BETHANY SCOTT, DBS CLASS OF 2011

"The day after my graduation ceremony I had an interview with a property company in Hull and began working with them as a Student Liaison Officer on the student lettings side of the company.

Hull gained the City of Culture 2017 that summer and so I became the PR and Marketing Representative on behalf of the company, meeting with magazine editors and graphic designers to freshen up the branding.

The beginning of 2015 brought me to where I am now, living and working in central London where I’ve become the PR Coordinator and administrator for an Architecture firm in London Bridge, currently dealing with a team of 6, I’ve spent the last year creating portfolios, managing the digital marketing and designing invites and standardised documents to created a modernised look for the company."