Apply to Tutor at VCESS

This page is for university students looking to volunteer with VCESS. If you are looking for general information about the program, or are a high school student interested in applying, you can find more information here, or contact us at summerschool@union.unimelb.edu.au.

The VCESS 2023 program run in January has concluded. If you're interested in tutoring at a future VCESS program, you can learn more about what's involved in tutoring at VCESS below or add your name to our VCESS 2024 expression of interest mailing list here.

Volunteer with VCESS

The VCE Summer School is a two-week program, designed to give high school students from a wide range of backgrounds a boost with their final years of school. It’s run by university students and we need you to be involved – whether tutoring a class or helping out with our Special Roles.

The VCESS 2023 program run in January has concluded. If you're interested in tutoring at a future VCESS program, you can learn more about what's involved in tutoring at VCESS here, or add your name to our VCESS 2024 expression of interest mailing list here.

Positions Available

Everyone involved in the VCE Summer School is expected to be a Subject Tutor, but there are a wide range of other roles for you to consider. You can apply for anything that you are interested in, and we recommend joining the Group Leader team if you're not sure where to start! Read more about the roles available here.

If you have questions about the application process, or are looking for general information about the program, or are a high school student interested in applying, you can find more information here, or contact us at summerschool@union.unimelb.edu.au.

Interview Process

The next stage of the application process is a 10-minute interview which will be held over Zoom (link sent the night before) or in-person (University of Melbourne Parkville campus).

Below is a breakdown on the interview process for the VCESS 2023 program.

What will happen in the interview?

Essentially, we'll be looking to understand your interest and fit with the program, and we'll ask you to share a very brief, 60-second teaching demonstration from a subject you might like to tutor at VCESS. We’ll also ask you about any Special Roles you have applied for.

A panel of two Directors will ask questions and take notes. The interview will take about ten minutes.

Don’t feel you need to give practiced answers: This is a relaxed interview for us to better understand your motivations and interests relating to involvement with the program.
You are welcome to take a moment to think about your answers or ask for clarification about anything. There will be an opportunity at the end to ask any questions you may have!

For your demonstration, we are observing how you share information and approach working with students. Please follow these guidelines:

choose a concept that can be adequately explained in 60 seconds.
assume your audience has the background knowledge of a 16 or 17 year old high school student.
feel welcome to use visual aids (share your screen or use a whiteboard), but know there is no penalty for choosing not to use a visual aid.

Prepare for your VCESS Interview

To help you prepare for the interview, we’ve created a module on our website, which we highly recommend to new tutors and anyone who did not study the VCE. It includes:

background on the VCE (the Victorian curriculum we teach to), VCESS (our program), and our mission to address educational disadvantage
explanation of the roles on program, including our Special Roles
guidance for the teaching demonstration, including four examples
general interview tips to help you do your best

Before your interview, we encourage you to:

Revise the roles available, including deciding two subjects and one special role in which you are most interested.
Prepare your 60 second teaching demonstration.
Learn more about our aims and ethos at VCESS (eg. through our website). The interview module will give some insight into the questions we will ask.

Please also let us know in advance if you will require any support or accommodations for your interview. We are able to schedule longer times, find you an in-person timeslot, or organise other accommodations as needed!