About the Team

Name: Stefan Watts, Director

From: Hertford, Hertfordshire

Education: A-levels from Haileybury in Hertfordshire, studied for his Bachelor of Business at University of Newcastle, Australia.

Work history: Stefan’s background is in the legal profession – during university holidays he worked for a number of law firms based in and around Sydney and when he got back from his stint in Australia he joined a small firm of solicitors in his hometown of Hertford. His plan at school was to qualify as a solicitor, but his experience of studying overseas soon changed that!

What he misses most about Australia: "The outdoor life, living three minutes from the beach, friends, great coffee, wearing boardies and thongs (flip flops) everyday, cold beer and, of course, the sunshine!"

Least likely to say: “I can’t be bothered going out tonight”

Top tips: “Get involved with everything you possibly can at uni, it’s a great way of meeting people. Try new things; learn to surf, wakeboard, scuba dive, and travel as much as you can while you’re away. Enjoy! 

 

Name: Sarah Nash, Director

From: Monmouthshire, South Wales

Education: A-Levels from Chepstow Comprehensive, BA (Hons) in history from the University of Warwick, postgraduate diploma in journalism from the University of Wales Cardiff.

Work history: Sarah's background is in magazine journalism and she has worked for various magazines at Emap and Condé Nast. A yen to go travelling took her to New Zealand, where she lived for two years, running the International Student Admissions team at Victoria University of Wellington. This means that she knows exactly what she's looking for when checking through applications from Study Options students! Her journalism background still comes in handy, however – Sarah writes and edits The Guide, Study Options’ annual magazine. 

Favourite memories from living overseas: “Walking the Milford Track in Fiordland, a trip to the Marlborough Sounds, and New Year’s Eve in Sydney 2003.”

Most likely to say: “But if you look at it on a cost-per-wear basis, it’s a bargain…”

 

Name: Alexis Piper, Senior Student Advisor

From: Brisbane, Australia

Education: Secondary school at St.Margaret's Anglican Girls School in Brisbane, Australia, then completed a Bachelor of Built Environment (Landscape Architecture) at Queensland University of Technology.

Work History: Alexis's background in Australia was in property, working in casual mall leasing and centre management. When she moved to the UK in 2006 she started working for a Swiss private bank in what was supposed to be a temporary position, but she ended up staying there for two and a half years. After deciding she needed a change from banking, she heard about Study Options and the great service we were offering, so applied for the student advisor job and the rest is history!

What she misses most about Australia: "Obviously my family and friends first and foremost, but also the great fresh food (particularly the seafood!), the weather, the beach and the laid-back lifestyle. Despite having visited on a couple of occasions before, coming to live in London certainly was a culture shock after living in Brisbane!"

 

Name: Laura Styles, Student Advisor

From: Sevenoaks, Kent

Education: A-Levels from Kent College Pembury, then studied a Bachelor of Social Anthropology at the University of Manchester. Laura's degree included a period studying abroad at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra.

Work History: At university Laura worked for a catering company and did volunteer work for the fundraising department of the Red Cross. After finishing her degree in Manchester she took six months out to do a voluntary programme run by VSO. As part of this she spent time volunteering in Aberdeen and Tanzania. Because she had such a great time on exchange at ANU, she really wanted to have the opportunity to help others to do the same - which is what attracted her to Study Options.

What she misses most about Australia: "Definitely my friends and college life. I loved living on campus at ANU and being so close to everything. I also really miss the weather (an obvious one!), the road trips that I got to do during my time in Australia - and the Aussie accent!"