Some dreams begin in childhood, long before we understand what it takes to achieve them. We carry them through school, hold on to them through uncertainty, and sometimes watch them drift further away just when we think we are getting closer. And that feeling breaks our heart. But if you set your mind and are prepared to walk on thrones barefoot, then you will achieve the dreams you want
For Tajbid Hasan, studying at a world-ranked university was never just about earning a degree. It was about pursuing a passion he had carried since childhood, building a future in engineering, and proving to himself that a difficult academic journey did not have to determine the rest of his life.
Today, Tajbid is studying Civil Engineering at the University of Western Australia (UWA), one of Australia's prestigious Group of Eight universities. With A* A* A* in his NCUK International Foundation Year (IFY), he secured a scholarship worth AUD 48,000, the highest scholarship award he received from the university.
Today, Tajbid is studying Civil Engineering at the University of Western Australia (UWA), one of Australia's prestigious Group of Eight universities. With A* A* A* in his NCUK International Foundation Year (IFY), he secured a scholarship worth AUD 48,000, the highest scholarship award he received from the university.
And that is where his story really begins.
When the Dream Started Feeling Distant
In 2023, after completing his O-Levels, Tajbid began working towards his A-Levels. Like many students, he had a destination in mind. He knew he wanted to pursue higher education abroad, and he was particularly drawn to engineering.
But the journey did not unfold as he had imagined.
After several attempts at his A-Levels, he found himself facing an unexpected challenge. The academic setbacks had created a study gap, making it increasingly difficult to determine his next step. What had once seemed like a straightforward path towards university was becoming a source of uncertainty.
For a student with a clear ambition, not knowing how to move forward can be one of the hardest things to experience. It is not simply about examinations or grades. It is about watching time pass while the future you imagined begins to feel less certain.
Tajbid was determined not to give up on his goal. He started exploring alternative pathways that could help him continue his education and eventually reach his dream university.
One option was to pursue a foundation programme in Malaysia. And that’s what he thought he would go for at first. It seemed like a possible way forward, but the decision came with its own set of challenges.
There were financial considerations, the prospect of leaving Bangladesh earlier than expected, and the uncertainty of beginning an entirely new chapter abroad before even reaching university.
He needed a route that made sense academically, financially, and personally.
More importantly, he needed a way to move forward without feeling that he had to leave everything familiar behind just to keep his dream alive.
The Instagram Discovery That Changed His Direction
Sometimes, the turning point in a journey does not arrive with a grand announcement. Sometimes, it begins with a simple discovery.
For Tajbid, that discovery came through Instagram.
He came across the NCUK International Foundation Year at MIE Pathways, a programme that offered him an opportunity to complete his foundation studies in Bangladesh before progressing to an international university.
Suddenly, the future looked a little different.
He could continue his education at home, prepare for university in an internationally recognised pathway, and work towards his ambition without having to move abroad for foundation studies first.
The programme also offered a more time-efficient alternative to the route he had been considering. Instead of spending another two years pursuing A-Levels, he could complete the nine-month foundation programme at MIE Pathways and prepare for progression to university.
For Tajbid, this was more than a convenient academic option. It was a chance to regain momentum.
The time he had spent trying to find the right direction no longer had to define what came next. He could focus on the future rather than remain stuck wondering how he would get there.
And so, he took the next step.
He enrolled in the NCUK International Foundation Year at MIE Pathways, choosing the Engineering stream and giving himself another opportunity to pursue the future he had always wanted.
This time, he had a clearer route ahead of him.
Finding More Than a Pathway
A new beginning can bring excitement, but it can also bring doubts. After everything he had experienced, Tajbid was starting another academic chapter with a great deal riding on it.
Fortunately, his experience at MIE Pathways became more than a period of academic preparation.
He met people who made the journey memorable and teachers who encouraged him throughout his studies. Their support helped him navigate the challenges of the programme and keep his attention on the goal ahead.
For students working towards an international university, the journey is rarely just about completing a syllabus. It involves learning to adapt, building confidence, preparing for a different academic environment, and believing that the next step is possible.
Tajbid found a learning environment where he could work towards all of these things.
Gradually, the uncertainty that had once surrounded his future began to give way to a more definite sense of direction.
And then came the results.
Tajbid achieved A* grades in all three of his NCUK IFY subjects.
A* A* A*!
For someone whose journey had included repeated A-Level attempts and the difficult question of what to do next, this achievement meant far more than an outstanding academic result.
It was a moment of validation. A reminder that his earlier setbacks had not erased his ability to succeed. And perhaps most importantly, it was the beginning of something he had been working towards for years.
His dream university was no longer just a name he hoped to see on an application.
It was becoming a reality.
A Scholarship That Made the Dream Even Bigger
The University of Western Australia had long stood out to Tajbid.
As a member of Australia's Group of Eight, The University of Western Australia offered the kind of academic environment he was looking for. Its global standing and opportunities in engineering made it an exciting destination for someone who had been passionate about civil engineering since childhood.
He wanted to understand how the world around him was built, and he wanted to develop the knowledge and skills to contribute to it.
Civil engineering was not a decision he had made simply because it offered a promising career. It was a field he had wanted to pursue for as long as he could remember.
And now, he had the opportunity to do exactly that.
When his scholarship news arrived, the achievement became even more meaningful. Based on his outstanding IFY results, Tajbid received a scholarship worth AUD 48,000 from The University of Western Australia, the highest scholarship award he received from the university.
He was overjoyed.
His parents were proud.
For a family that had watched him navigate uncertainty and work towards a future that had not always seemed within reach, this was a moment worth celebrating.
The scholarship represented academic achievement, but it also brought something else: the feeling that the difficult chapters had led somewhere meaningful.
The young student who had once struggled to find the right academic route was now preparing to study at his favourite university, supported by an exceptional scholarship.
Sometimes, the best part of achieving a dream is not simply arriving at the destination. It is looking back and realising how much it took to get there.
For Tajbid and his family, this was one of those moments.
The Final Hurdle Before Australia
Even with an offer from UWA and a scholarship secured, one important step remained.
The Australian student visa!
The Australian student visa process had become a source of concern for Tajbid. Recent changes to visa requirements and processes had made him nervous about what lay ahead.
After everything he had worked for, the thought of facing another uncertain stage was understandably daunting.
But this time, he did not have to figure everything out on his own.
The team at MIE Pathways guided him through the application process, helping him understand the requirements and prepare for the next stage of his journey. His experience applying through the NCUK pathway was straightforward, and he did not encounter any major difficulties.
With the necessary guidance and support, he was able to move forward.
And then came the day he had been working towards.
It was time to leave Bangladesh and begin a new chapter in Australia.
This was not the departure he had once imagined when he considered moving abroad for foundation studies. Instead, he was leaving as a student ready to begin his bachelor's degree at the university he had always wanted to attend.
He was not leaving to figure out his next step.
He was leaving because he had found it.
Today, the Dream Is No Longer a Distant Place
Today, Tajbid is studying Civil Engineering at The University of Western Australia.
The university he once hoped to reach is now part of his everyday life. The future he spent so long trying to work towards is no longer an uncertain possibility. It is the chapter he is living right now.
There will be new challenges, new experiences, and lessons that go far beyond the classroom. Studying in another country will ask him to grow in ways he may not yet anticipate. But he begins this chapter with something important: the knowledge that he has already overcome challenges that once made the road ahead difficult to see.
His story is a reminder that an unconventional academic journey does not have to mean an unconventional ending.
A study gap does not have to become the defining feature of a student's future. An unsuccessful attempt does not have to be the final word on what they can achieve. And a dream that feels distant today may still be within reach when the right pathway becomes clear.
Tajbid's journey is not about pretending that the difficult years never happened. It is about recognising that those years were not the end of his story.
He found another route. He committed himself to it. He earned A*A*A* grades, secured an AUD 48,000 scholarship, and progressed to his dream university.
And somewhere between that Instagram discovery and his arrival in Australia, a future that once seemed uncertain began to take shape.
Through the NCUK International Foundation Year, Tajbid found a pathway that allowed him to continue his education in Bangladesh and progress towards his international university ambitions in a shorter time.
For other students who are still searching for their own way forward, his experience offers a powerful message: there may be more than one route to the future you want.
You do not have to let one difficult chapter decide how the story ends.
Sometimes, all it takes is finding a different way forward and having the courage to take it.
Tajbid once wondered how he would reach his dream university. Today, he is building his future there.
And this is only the beginning.