The International Institute of Modern Letters (IIML) hosts Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington's Creative Writing programme, offering both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. We are part of the Wellington Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University.
Application deadlines
We have specific application deadlines for undergraduate workshops in each trimester, and for our MA and PhD programmes.
Emerging Pasifika Writing Residency 2025
Applications are now open for our three-month Emerging Pasifika Writer in Residence position.
Apply by 31 May 2025
The residency is supported by Creative New Zealand and will be based at the IIML in the second half of 2025.
Undergraduate courses
Discover your individual voice and develop your imaginative capacity within a lively community of writers.
Master of Arts in Creative Writing
Join the Creative Writing programme with a national and international reputation for developing many of New Zealand's best writers.
PhD in Creative Writing
Our PhD programme is designed for those who wish to write creatively and think in focussed and original ways about the critical contexts of their writing.
Craig Gamble—Convenor, Long-form Fiction workshop
'A long story allows a bit more space to delight or frighten, to build a world, to move the furniture about. This workshop will help you use every inch.'
Sue Orr—Teaching Fellow
Award-winning short-story writer and novelist Sue Orr will convene one of our MA Writing for the Page workshops in 2025.
Louise Proudfoot—MA graduate
'My advice to anyone doing the course is to commit 100%...You'll definitely be a better writer for it!’