About JOSH
A study abroad consultancy in Auckland, built on research into how international students adjust.
Johnson Overseas Study Hub was started by Dr Johnson Kukatlapalli, who first ran it in Guntur, India. It is now registered in Auckland, New Zealand.
Dr Kukatlapalli worked in school education in Andhra Pradesh for 24 years before completing his PhD at Victoria University of Wellington. His own research looked at how Indian international students adjust to life and study in New Zealand universities. That work shapes the advice and the guides and books on this site.
The aim is simple: students who prepare well tend to feel more supported, and can make clearer decisions about where and what to study.
- 19 years teachingSecondary teacher in India.
- 5 years in school administrationArea Educational Officer, overseeing about 60 schools.
- PhD, Victoria University of WellingtonCompleted in 2016.
Dr Kukatlapalli is a Qualified Education Agent Counsellor (QEAC), a personal certification earned by passing the Education Agent Training Course test.
The research behind JOSH
Dr Kukatlapalli's doctoral study looked at how Indian international students experience academic and social life in New Zealand universities.
Students in the study described many positive experiences. Their accounts also showed concerns about the first weeks: adjusting to a new academic system and a new social setting.
From this work he proposed a model to help students adjust and do well in an unfamiliar environment. The model is designed to apply to international students wherever and whatever they study.
See the Publications page for the thesis. The guides and books also draw on official New Zealand sources, which are linked inside them.
What you can expect
- Plain advice. Clear explanations of courses, costs and rules, without pressure.
- Official sources. Visa and funds questions are checked against government pages.
- No promises about outcomes. JOSH cannot promise a visa, a place or a job.