This presentation demonstrates a successful framework applied with EFL students at various levels in the teaching of academic writing at Sabanci University, Istanbul. In the “Study-Buddy Academic Writing Project”, students at advanced level are trained to become tutors to peers at lower levels. The process stimulates a co-operative and collaborative academic learning environment, through which more autonomous and critically aware learning takes place. Initially, academic writing conventions are introduced and explored with advanced-level learners, followed by structured oral and written one-to-one feedback sessions with their instructor in order to facilitate intense exposure. The second stage aims at the collaboration among students in form of a series of feedback-exchange sessions, i.e. peer-tutoring sessions, on a prompt assigned to both levels of students. In this process the instructor merely provides guidance. Being closer in knowledge and status, students in peer-relations feel freer to express opinions and ask questions, allowing more balanced and lively classroom interaction. The motivation for lower level is to learn how to write an academic essay, whereas for advanced level it is to transmit knowledge effectively. The data gathered from both levels indicates that systematic peer-tutoring allows autonomous performance, collaboration and cooperation as well as improved academic performance.