Starting a little late? Catch up fast. Stay on track.
Maybe you’ve only just received your offers, needed extra time to decide, or life has simply got in the way of starting on day one. At JMC, that shouldn’t mean waiting until next trimester. Our Refresher Program is specially designed to help you bridge Weeks 1–3 so you can join your classmates at any point up to week 4 feeling prepared, connected and supported.
JMC’s trimester starts earlier than many universities, so that you can get your creative career going sooner. As a result some times students start a little later. We also know that missing Orientation or the first couple of weeks can leave you feeling like you’ve “missed the boat” both academically and socially. JMC’s Refresher Program is developed specifically for creative industries education, with small classes, hands‑on learning and direct support from your discipline lecturers.
Who is this for?
- New students who enrol from Week 1 up to Week 3.
- Students looking to transfer from another university or provider to JMC and are looking to start in February 2026.
- Students who enrolled on time but have not been able to attend some classes in Weeks 1–2 and need to reset or refresh.
- Students who would benefit from a structured recap before their first assessments [subject to availability].
What’s included
A short cross‑discipline module or personalise one on one session to get you oriented, covering:
- JMC systems: LMS (Canvas), email, timetables and where to find everything you need.
- Study skills for creative learners: working in studios, practice habits and deadlines.
- Wellbeing and help‑seeking: how to access academic support, counselling and student services early.
- Key policies: attendance, extensions, special consideration and what to do if things change.
Because orientation isn’t just a single day, you’ll also experience:
- A mini orientation loop to meet key staff, connect with classmates and join relevant student communities.
- A campus walk‑through to locate your studios, labs, rehearsal spaces and student services.
Intensive and practical sessions led by your academic team where each stream focuses on Weeks 1–3 “must‑have” concepts and assessment 1 preparation, with activities tailored to your discipline.
Examples include:
- Acting & Music Theatre – Weekly one‑on‑one check‑ins in your first weeks, contingency mentoring sessions for missed Voice classes, and ensemble‑building tasks linked to your early group performance assessment.
- Audio Engineering – Three focused catch‑up sessions (one in‑class, two in studio), one‑to‑one support to get you comfortable with core Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and studio setup, plus an ongoing study group for peer support.
- Contemporary Music Performance – Targeted catch‑up in theory and voice training, with a structured pathway so late starters don’t fall behind in foundational music literacy.
- Film & TV – Dedicated catch‑up classes in studios and classrooms, revisiting essential production processes and project work from the first weeks so you can join current shoots and edits confidently.
- Design (Visual Communication) – Early weeks are built around group projects that can absorb students joining in Weeks 1–4, with the Refresher used to integrate you into a team and clarify the brief quickly.
- Animation & Games – End‑of‑Week‑3 refresher sessions on key software tools, pipelines and project expectations so you can step straight into current class work.
- Across all disciplines, you can expect 2–3 targeted practical activities directly linked to your first assessment, so you leave with concrete work started, not just notes.
How and when it runs
The Refresher Program is scheduled from week 3, so it minimises clashes with your regular timetable. Delivery options include:
- One extended weekday evening “bootcamp”.
- Two shorter after‑class blocks across a week.
- A Saturday intensive on campus.
Sessions are small‑group and highly interactive, with up to 10 students per group where possible, with active learning, worked examples and guided planning time rather than extra lectures.
A supportive, personalised learning experience
The Refresher Program builds on JMC’s broader teaching approach, which focuses on small class sizes, hands-on learning, and personalised support from industry-experienced academic staff.
- Small classes where your lecturers know you by name, understand your goals and notice quickly if you’ve missed early content.
- In most cases, 1‑to‑1 tutoring and mentoring in key units, especially in the early weeks or before major assessments, to consolidate skills and boost confidence.
- Structured study groups and peer‑learning opportunities in each discipline, so you build a creative cohort and don’t feel like “the late one” joining an existing class.
- A personalised approach to onboarding, with academic and student support teams coordinating your late start so you have a clear plan rather than trying to catch up alone.
How this compares to other options
Many universities and pathway colleges treat orientation as a one‑off event, and late arrivals are often advised to wait until the next semester or left to piece things together via ad‑hoc support. Some institutions offer late orientation sessions, but these may focus more on admin than discipline‑specific academic catch‑up.
At JMC, if you commence after classes start you are not expected to simply “slot in and cope”. Instead, you get a dedicated, curriculum‑aligned Refresher that protects the pace of regular classes for on‑time students while giving late starters a clear, supported pathway into their first assessments. This approach mirrors best‑practice extended orientation and bootcamp models seen internationally, adapted for the realities of creative degrees with high practical and collaborative components.
What happens after you complete the program
Finishing the Refresher Program means you:
- Have a clear picture of what was covered in Weeks 1–3 and how it connects to your current classes.
- Have a clear understanding of what’s expected for Assessment 1, with the marking criteria broken down and a realistic plan to complete the task.
- Are set up on all key systems, know where to go for help, and have already built some connections with peers and staff.
Your lecturers and the Student Services team will stay connected with your progress and may offer check-ins, mentoring, or study groups to support you across the trimester.
How to join
- If you already hold an offer and want to start this trimester, accept your offer and your Admissions Advisor will contact you.
- If you’re still in the application stage, contact our Admissions team to discuss starting now and how the Sessions can support you.
- If you're transferring from another university or provider, apply direct here.
- If you’ve missed Orientation or the first couple of weeks of class, speak with your Head of Department or Student Advisor, who can help you register for the Sessions and plan your catch‑up.
Don't miss out on your chance to get your creative career started. With JMC's Refresher Program you can still start now and hit the ground running.
