Summer School Application

Who can apply?

The Summer School is open to any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student in Australia who are considering commencing tertiary study in 2023.

Cost

The program is free to all participants. The Indigenous Education and Research Centre arranges and covers the cost of return travel for students outside the Townsville region. Catering is provided for all participants while on campus. Accommodation in a residential college on the University campus is provided for participants.

Dates and location

The Summer School will run from Monday 28th November to Friday 2nd December 2022, inclusive. Non-local students will arrive on Sunday 27th November 2021. The program is held at the JCU Townsville Bebegu Yumba campus.

What does the program involve?

The Summer School will run from Monday 28th November to Friday 2nd December 2022. The program involves an extensive timetable that will keep students busy and give them a realistic sense of what their commitment to higher education will mean. Students will undertake academic sessions that will build their basic competencies and give them confidence to start studying in 2023. This experience is designed with several aims in mind; it gives students the opportunity to get used to the campus life and to get to know the Indigenous Student Support staff, students experience what their study load will look like and what to expect when they start university. Students also participate in sessions that help them with the application and enrolment process.

During the course of the pre-program IERC staff will be observing and assessing students’ academic capabilities for tertiary study. They provide guidance on whether a student is suitable for entry into a bachelor’s degree or if it would be advisable for a student to first undertake the Diploma of Higher Education. The Diploma is a pathway that develops the required knowledge and skills for university courses, while also allowing students to enrol in one subject from their degree each Semester. A student who may not be ready for a Diploma or Bachelor course will be given advice about how to improve their readiness, for example the Tertiary Access Course at JCU or a certificate course through TAFE. Students taking either of these options is encouraged to reapply to JCU the following year.

Academic and Student Support Advisors from the IERC will assess students’ strengths and challenges and provide advice on how to improve in these areas. They will also provide advice on accommodation, scholarships, and support services available.

Alongside academic and other daytime sessions, the Summer School provides recreation and cultural activities in the evening for those staying at the residential college.

• JCU is a smoke free campus.
• Students over the age of 18 must comply with the rules as set down for all other students who are not yet 18. Whilst the Indigenous Education and Research Centre acknowledges the legal age is 18, for the purposes of the program the same rules must apply to all participants. JCU staff will maintain a consistent duty of care to each individual student attending.

When to apply

• Applications close on Sunday 6th November 2022.
• Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted