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Sydney
16-18
years old

Creative Writing

academic insights - sydney
10 days • Pre-enrolment for 2025
Gain advanced pre-university insights in Creative Writing at the University of Sydney.
Prepare for your future on the Immerseâ„¢ Creative Writing programme.
Enrol now

Advanced pre-university course in Creative Writing in Oxford colleges

The creative writing courses offer the chance for you to develop your writing and enhance your creative writing skills by crafting the stimulating cultural setting of Sydney – the academic home to some of the world’s greatest literary and creative minds.

Our creative writing courses for budding young writers encourages you to use this setting as inspiration and push the limits of your current writing abilities, working alongside expert university tutors and other like-minded peers. You will learn how to improve your work through various techniques – focussing on areas such as character and plot development, form and much more.

We partner with WestWords to bring professional authors to our Creative Writing programmes. With extensive experience in supporting everybody on their writing journey, from career writers to aspiring young minds, we couldn’t think of anyone better to support our Creative Writing programme in Australia.

Overview
Academic

Learn directly from expert academics from world-class universities

Academic Insights is taught by expert tutors from the Universites of Oxford and Cambridge who will travel to Sydney from the UK to lead the course, offering exceptional teaching quality on the other side of the world.

You will explore novel concepts and share ideas in small groups of like-minded and ambitious peers from around the world. In small class sizes averaging 7 students, you will be guided by expert tutors who have honed their expertise through teaching undergraduate students at world-class universities, including the universities of Cambridge and Oxford.

Our rigorous vetting process guarantees that all participants are taught by engaging and supportive educators who are, most of all, enthusiastic about sharing their expertise to ensure our summer school teaching is of the highest quality. Immerseâ„¢ is an unrivalled academic experience.

  • Average class size of 7

    Maximum class size of 10 students
  • 1:1 tutorials

    Supportive, challenging and engaging
  • Academic workshops

    Develop a practical understanding of your subject
  • World-class tutors

    Academics travel from Oxford and Cambridge

Boost your confidence and develop key attributes in academic skills workshops

Our workshops are geared towards unlocking participants’ potential, giving them the tools to prepare for the next steps of their education and future goals. Build upon existing study skills to support future university-level learning.

These workshops explore a diverse and enriching range of topics – past examples have ranged from ‘Productivity tips’ to ’21st Century Technology Skills’. We’re sure that you’ll learn something completely new. Unlike traditional schools, Immerse allows you to learn beyond the traditional curriculum.

Economics Class
  • Certificate & detailed participant evaluation

    All participants receive an individual report from their tutor
  • Personal project

    Develop a personal project to present at the end of the course
  • Live like a University of Sydney undergraduate

    An authentic experience of university life
  • Admissions insight

    Interview skills, academic writing and presentations

Guest speakers from previous summers

Each week, Academic Insights participants will hear from an influential guest speaker from a variety of inspiring backgrounds. Meet some of our previous guests:
Former Olympian

Abi Oyepitan

A two-time Olympian and Commonwealth Gold and Silver winning track and field athlete.
Philosopher, author & journalist

Dr Nigel Warburton

How do great people find answers to deep and meaningful questions?
Neuroscientist & entrepreneur

Dr Lynda Shaw

A journey in personal development - how to create your own set of tools to fast track success
Tutors & Speakers
Reviews
Our Alumni says

The Immerse Creative Writing programme has been great. Lesson times are a perfect 2 hours in the morning, 2 hours in the afternoon, with lots of time to go and experience the town and have activities in the evenings.

I’ve really enjoyed being around people who have the same interests as me. Being able to share opinions and listen to feedback has been really valuable.

My tutor has been great. He’s very passionate about writing and he’s very engaging with the class. He listens to all our thoughts and our opinions on everything that we study – he’s been brilliant.

The programme has been a very good opportunity to get a grasp on what university is like – It gives us an opportunity to make new friends, which is good for your social skills, and you get an idea of what university classes might be like.

The curriculum is nothing like I’ve ever seen before, which is great. It’s nothing like what I do at school, which means I have the ability to experiment, and learn new things and along the way just improve my general skills.

Alex S
Attended Immerse in 2022
Residential Creative Writing (16 - 18)
5/5

Explore Sydney with our Social and Cultural Programme

We are proud to offer an exceptional social programme which provides an exhilarating tour of Sydney. This includes activities like a cruise around Sydney Harbour, a sports tournament on Manly Beach and a murder mystery night in the college.

There is also a full day excursion during the programme to explore the iconic landmarks Sydney has to offer, including Sydney Opera House, the Australian Museum and the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Activities and excursions are run by our team of friendly mentors who are current University of Sydney students and city experts.

Activities

Live and study in
Sydney

Experience life as a University of Sydney undergraduate

St. Paul’s College offers a wide range of modern and heritage facilities located in the heart of the University of Sydney.

St Paul’s was the first university college in Australia. Alumni include two former Prime Ministers, three High Court judges, Supreme Court judges and 29 Rhodes Scholars, as well as influential figures in business, the law, science and the arts.

The college offers comfortable accommodation used by Sydney undergraduates during term-time, allowing for an authentic educational experience that blends immersive study with our exceptional social and cultural programme.

The college is perfectly situated to explore Sydney’s iconic landmarks including Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Sydney Opera House, Royal Botanic Garden and the Australian Museum.

Accommodation

Pastoral care and safety

An accredited provider of academic short courses

Immerse Education is accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC), the leading mark of educational quality for the academic sector. Our accreditation with the BAC sends a positive and clear message to students and partners that they are studying with a trusted and reliable provider who has met a series of globally recognised quality assurance standards, both in terms of academic provision and student welfare.

The safety and well-being of our participants is our number one priority, and all staff undergo enhanced background checks and receive thorough safeguarding training before interacting with any students.

For more information, please visit our Pastoral Information page.

Pastoral Care

Immerse's mentors and
college managers
in Australia

All mentors on the Academic Insights programme are past/current students at the University of Sydney, whilst College Managers have experience running academic short courses. All of our support staff are background-checked and receive training in providing an unforgettable experience for every Immerse student.
  • Poppy
    Mentor
  • Photo of a female student on university grounds
    Sophie
    Mentor
  • Jem
    Mentor
Pastoral Care

Immerseâ„¢ Creative Writing Sample Modules

To see how the programme is structured, view the Academic Insights timetable here.
  • Module 1 - An Introduction To Creative Writing

    An Introduction To Creative Writing
    In this introductory module, you will challenge conventional assumptions of writing in the 21st Century. You'll have the opportunity to discuss preferred writing methods and routines, what you hope to achieve on the programme and learn how to combat the dreaded blank page.
  • Module 2 - The Importance Of Character

    The Importance Of Character
    From Sherlock Holmes to Jay Gatsby, it is often believed that great characters drive great fiction. In this module, you will assess the clichés and tropes of a range of comedic and conflicted characters, as well as analysing how they can shift the tone and plot of a piece of work.
  • Module 3 - Learning The Industry: The Basics

    Learning The Industry: The Basics
    The very best of authors with a finished manuscript can still experience setbacks from not knowing how the publishing industry works. In this module, you will learn about the various publishing options, from competitions, magazines and traditional publishing, to e-books, self-publication and film writing.
  • Module 4 - Written Portfolio

    Written Portfolio
    Over the duration of the programme, you will have written either a portfolio of creative writing or a novella. In the final module of the programme, you'll have time to complete your works and be given personal written and verbal feedback from your tutor to aid future development as a writer.
Want to learn more?
Request syllabus overview
Want to learn more?
Request syllabus overview
Modules
  • Pre-enrolment for 2025

10 nights accommodation in a college of the University of Sydney
Breakfast, lunch and dinner in College Hall
Accommodation in an individual bedroom
28 hours of academic sessions from Oxford University and Cambridge University tutors
Carefully designed study and lecture materials
Mentor programme and access to support material
Formal hall dinners at University of Sydney
Visits to iconic landmarks including Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbour and the Taronga Zoo
Cultural and social activities including Australian Football, Cricket and lots of opportunities for BBQ
Graduation ceremony and certificate
Detailed evaluation written by tutor
Mentor family photograph
Free premium membership to UniPrepare's 'Nurture' plan

Creative Writing

academic insights - sydney
Sydney
Secure your place for January 2025
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