From the Futures Team
External Important Dates
University Open Days – use links to register
| Date | University |
| 13 September | Sydney Design School |
| 13 September | Sydney Actors and Film School OPEN DAY 2025 |
| 18 September | USYD – Open Night Webinar |
External Opportunities
Universities Admissions Centre – Digital Live
17 September 2025 – 6pm
Watch live on Instagram, YouTube or Facebook to find out more about applying through UAC including the Educational Access Scheme, key dates, adjustment factors, preferences and offers.
National Arts School. Bachelor of Fine Arts – online information session
23 September 2025 – 5.30 pm
Westpac Young Technologists Scholarships – Information session
Location: Online
Date: September 25, 2025
The Westpac Young Technologists Scholarship is for talented and inquisitive high school graduates looking to strengthen their passion and expertise in technology and inspire good in the world of STEM.
Applications are open until 13 Jan 2026 and are valued up to $20,000 each. With a weeklong disruptive leaders program in Singapore and access to mentoring and networking opportunities, this scholarship is a unique opportunity to strengthen your passion and expertise in technology and inspire new ways of thinking
Register for the online information session here.
Future Health Worldbuilding Competition – Years 7-10
Fifteen years from now, Australia’s biggest healthcare system will likely face significant challenges due to factors like climate change, population and demographic changes, and rising costs. There will also be significant opportunities thanks to emerging technologies, breakthroughs in medical research, and advancements in all aspects of life and work.
Worldbuilding involves deep consideration of a different world and presenting this in different formats – writing, drawing, music, models, props, audio-visual – the choice is yours!
This competition focuses on a research-for-design approach to help us to think about how social norms, technology, economical drivers, the environment and values change and intersect over time. It is the process of understanding our world as it is now, identifying trends and signals of where our world is headed, and designing a preferable future.
Through this competition, you’ll get to dive into the megatrends that are expected to shape the future of healthcare in NSW and produce a creative vision of the future for a chance to win exciting prizes and gain unprecedented access behind the scenes of NSW Health.
ANSTO Science Discovery Tour
Location: ANSTO Discovery Centre
Date: 27 September 2025
This tour provides an in-depth look into the world of nuclear science and the work ANSTO does in the areas of health, the environment and delivering solutions for industry.
Subject to availability, we will visit Australia’s only nuclear reactor OPAL, the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering, the ANSTO Nuclear Medicine facility and the Centre for Accelerator Science.
Engineering Summer School – Year 11/12 – HSC 2026
Organisation: Engineers Australia
Location: University of Sydney
Date: 7-12 December 2025 *Expressions of interest now open*
Engineering Summer School has been running for 33 years and supported by the Office of NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer. It is a collaboration between Engineers Australia, our Engineering Universities and Industry partners.
ESS2025 is for students sitting their HSC or equivalent in 2026. The aim of the week is to provide an insight into the vast number of areas where Engineers work, the numerous degrees available, and the amazing career opportunities both in Australia and globally.
ESS2025 is a fully residential program, allowing you to start building your networks as you find your “tribe”. You will:
- Stay on campus at USYD
- Visit 5 key universities and 5 key organisations
- Meet loads of Engineers from wide and wild ranging areas
Find out more and register your EOI
Holiday Programs
ANSTO Lego EV3 – Mission to Space – Beginners Workshop for Ages 9-14
Organisation: ANSTO
Location: ANSTO Discovery Centre, Lucas Heights
Date: September 29, 2025
Calling all future space explorers and tech geniuses! Are you ready for an epic, top-secret mission? Join us for a thrilling adventure where you become scientists and engineers, programming your very own EV3 robots to tackle space-themed challenges!
Dive into an action-packed day filled with hands-on STEM activities that spark creativity, teamwork, and out-of-the-box thinking. Work on our awesome Challenge Mat – a space playground where your ideas come to life as you find exciting solutions to real space problems.
This workshop is perfect for beginners, with our expert facilitator guiding you from basic to advanced programming at your own pace.
Gear up for a day of building, coding, and conquering space challenges! Become the commander of your own LEGO robot and see if you’ve got what it takes to explore the final frontier!
LEGO EV3 – Bluetooth and Data Logging Masterclass Workshop for Students Aged 12-16 interested in Robotics
Organisation: ANSTO
Location: ANSTO Discovery Centre, Lucas Heights
Date: September 30, 2025
Master workshop featuring “LEGO EV3 for Education” robotics kits.
Do you already have experience with LEGO EV3 or Spike and ready for the next level? Learn advanced functions such as Bluetooth and data logging and enjoy racing your robot in the Bluetooth Relay, calculate its top speed, and be the last one standing in Bluetooth Battle Arena. A fun and technical day to suit the keen coder and mathematician.
Additional information:
- Please arrive 5 minutes before the start of the workshop at the ANSTO Discovery Centre to sign-in. The workshop starts at 9:30 am sharp.
- Workshop includes a recess and lunch break outside (weather permitting). Please bring a bag with sunscreen, snacks/food, a hat and drink bottle.
- All workshops are delivered by accredited educators with experience in science, engineering, programming and robotics.
- Contact the ANSTO Discovery Centre on (02) 9717 3090 or education@ansto.gov.au if you have any questions.
- Creative Kids Vouchers accepted. Please email education@ansto.gov.au to redeem.
Stop Motion Animation Half-Day Workshop for Beginners Aged 8-13
Location: ANSTO Discovery Centre, Lucas Heights
Organisation: ANSTO
Date: October 1, 2025
This is a beginner’s class for those with little to no experience in creating Stop Motion Animations. Children will design their own backgrounds and film and edit movies starring their own toys and imaginations!
Learn movie-making techniques (claymation and stop-frame animations) used in TV favourites such as Wallace and Gromit, Morph, Pingu, and Shaun the Sheep.
Check out videos of the WeDo, Stop Motion and MicroBits workshops here: https://goo.gl/tkPihH.
Additional information:
- Please arrive 5 minutes before the start of the workshop at the ANSTO Discovery Centre to sign-in.
- Workshop includes a recess outside (weather permitting). Please bring a bag with sunscreen, snacks/food, a hat, and drink bottle.
- All workshops are delivered by accredited educators with experience in science, engineering, programming and robotics.
- Contact the ANSTO Discovery Centre on (02) 9717 3090 or education@ansto.gov.au if you have any questions.
- Creative Kids Vouchers accepted. Please email education@ansto.gov.au to redeem.
Music Holiday Workshop – Mastering Performance, Sydney
Organisation: Australian Institute of Music
Location: AIM Sydney Campus
Date: October 3, 2025
AIM’s new school holiday workshop is designed for high school students interested in Music Performance. Created for students in Years 9-12, the workshops provide incredible opportunities to experience playing and performing music, mentored by AIM’s own accomplished musicians and educators.
Over the course of the workshop, students will work with two professional musicians, Adrianna Cicchitelli & Gian Timothy Gho, to expand their performance skills in a collaborative and inspiring environment. They will workshop communication in an ensemble, chart reading, rhythm, pitch, dynamic, improvisation, stylistic interpretation and performance. Under their guidance, they will use these new rehearsal and performance techniques to create a small set of diverse songs in collaboration with other students in the class to present a performance for family and friends.
Music Holiday Workshop – The Songwriter’s Toolkit, Sydney
Organisation: Australian Institute of Music
Location: AIM Sydney Campus
Date: October 3, 2025
Created for students in Years 9-12, AIM’s new high school music workshops provide incredible opportunities to explore songwriting, mentored by AIM’s own accomplished musicians and educators.
This songwriting workshop is essential for any high school students curious about writing songs and performing and is a golden opportunity to work with incredibly accomplished songwriters. Join us these school holidays and discover the songwriter and performer you were born to become.
National Fashion College Styling Workshop for Ages 16+
Organisation: National Fashion College
Location: NFC Sydney Campus
Date: October 11, 2025
You’re officially invited to the National Fashion College’s Styling Workshop, hosted at their incredible Sydney Campus. Taught by one of Tiffany & Co’s National Stylists, Emma Read, you’re not going to want to miss this!
Attendees will also work on two street-style photo shoots with a renowned fashion photographer, as well as learn about:
- Styling celebrities and talent
- E-commerce styling
- Social media and content styling
By the end of the day you’ll leave with a portfolio of digital images and receive a certificate of completion.
This experience is recommended for guests aged 16 and older.