should i do an mfa in creative writing

The Enlightened Storyteller

Is an mfa really worth it the pros and cons of creative writing degree programs.

Should you get an MFA in creative writing? Explore the pros and cons of creative writing degree programs, and decide if it’s the right move for your career.

To get a degree or not to get a degree. This is a common dilemma many writers (and creatives in general) face when deciding how to obtain needed skills to advance their artistic careers. But is an MFA in creative writing worth it?

Many of us were told that earning a college degree was the key to unlocking a bright future. However, those in creative fields often regard higher education with skepticism. What can a degree really offer? Isn’t the way to get better at a creative skill to . . . just keep doing it?

I’m not here to tell you what to do, but I do think deciding whether you should get an MFA in creative writing is more nuanced than a simple yes or no. Let’s delve into what an MFA in creative writing is, the pros and cons of these degree programs, and other methods of improving your skills if you decide higher education isn’t for you. 

What Is an MFA in Creative Writing?

First off, MFA stands for Master of Fine Arts, and it should not be confused for an MA or Master of Arts. In an MFA in creative writing program, you take at least one writing workshop per semester. This gives you a chance to have your creative work read and critiqued by your peers and professor. 

The goal of an MFA is to complete a creative manuscript-length piece of work, such as a collection of short stories or poems, by the end of the program. Meanwhile, MA programs focus more on reading and critically or theoretically analyzing published texts. 

Alongside workshops, you also take courses on literature and other specialized topics, including rhetoric or publishing. Some MFA programs, like mine, ask their writers to take courses in different genres than what they applied for. For example, I studied fiction but also took courses on poetry and creative nonfiction. 

Most MFA programs last for about 2 to 3 years. You spend the first year or two meeting program requirements, taking about three to four classes per semester. Your final year focuses mostly on completing your thesis (creative manuscript). 

Should You Get an MFA in Creative Writing?

You should get an MFA in creative writing if a program’s offerings align with your career goals and you don’t have to incur exorbitant debt to complete one. For example, I have an MFA in creative writing, and I’m from a working-class family. 

The only reason I could pursue this degree was because my program awarded me a generous tuition waiver package that included a student stipend, although I acknowledge everyone’s financial situation differs. We’ll dive further into the financial aspects of MFA programs in the below pros and cons sections. 

Now, let’s answer the question you’re actually here for: Is an MFA worth it? Let’s find out. 

Pros of Getting an MFA in Creative Writing

Attending an MFA program offers several advantages. See if these pros align with your personal and professional goals. 

Emphasis on Improving Craft

Although everyone’s experience differs, attending an MFA will make you a better writer. You take classes focused solely on improving your craft taught by professors with published novels, short stories, poems, or essays. These creative insights from professional writers helped me improve my own writing. It’s hard to get this level of exposure anywhere else unless you have personal connections to the literary world. 

Professional Experience

Depending on the program, you don’t only attend classes in an MFA. You also get access to professional work experience. Some programs offer student stipends, which are essentially paychecks awarded for working at the university. Common job opportunities include:

• Tutoring for the university writing center
• Teaching lower-level writing or literature courses
• Reading and editing for the university’s literary magazine
• Conducting administrative tasks for the department

Time and Money to Focus Solely on Writing

As mentioned, some MFA programs offer generous admissions packages. These typically include a tuition waiver and student stipend. They’re also usually renewed each year you’re in the program and may increase depending on your responsibilities. For example, I earned a higher stipend my second year because I was promoted from a research assistant to a teaching assistant. 

Admissions packages and stipends range widely depending on a program’s funding and location. However, this financial aid helps you focus solely on improving your writing for the duration of the program. In other words, you’re partly getting paid to write. And that’s the dream, isn’t it?

Community and Networking Opportunities

Being surrounded by a community of writers is one of the biggest benefits of an MFA. Most MFAs have small cohorts. Mine had 6 fiction writers and 5 poets. This intimate size helps you form close bonds with your peers and one-on-one relationships with your professors, enabling more personalized feedback for your writing. 

Many programs also hold readings, plan special events with visiting published writers, or pay for their students to attend conferences such as AWP. These networking opportunities can help you immensely in the future. 

Cons of Creative Writing Degree Programs

There are two sides to every story, as they say. Consider these disadvantages of MFA programs if you’re still straddling the fence. 

Not every MFA program offers an admissions package. And without aid, these programs can be very expensive. Public universities charge an average of $30,000 annually for graduate degrees , while private universities charge about $40,000. And this doesn’t factor in costs for out-of-state students or other expenses, such as books and transportation. 

Lengthy (and Expensive) Application Process

This isn’t exclusive to MFA programs but still a factor worth mentioning. Applying for creative writing degree programs is no small feat. Applications may involve several components, including:

• Two to three letters of recommendation
• A statement of purpose
• A creative writing sample
• A literary criticism essay
• Transcripts from all prior universities

Some programs also interview potential candidates and charge an application fee to submit materials. Fees range from $50 to over $100. This means if you apply to multiple programs, as most people do, you can potentially spend hundreds of dollars, and that doesn’t include fees to access copies of your transcripts. 

Although, some programs may waive application fees for students facing financial hardship. 

Minimal Career Opportunities

MFA degrees are terminal, meaning they qualify you to teach college-level courses. However, full-time positions teaching creative writing courses can be hard to come by, and many universities prioritize those with PhDs to teach other English courses unless it’s for an adjunct or lecturer position. But those pay considerably less. 

And if you don’t want to teach, you can look for editing jobs at literary journals, but those are also hard to find and then there’s that other dilemma . . .

What if you don’t want to enter either of these career paths?

To put it bluntly, an MFA in creative writing doesn’t guarantee you a job or literary success after graduation. This doesn’t mean you won’t learn useful skills. You’ll just have to get creative with your resume. But after surviving an MFA, that shouldn’t be a problem. 😉

Focused on Short Story Writing

This only really applies to fiction candidates, but as someone who prefers novels, I think it’s worth mentioning. MFA workshops cater to short story writing, primarily in the literary fiction genre. If this doesn’t interest you or align with your writing goals, an MFA may not be for you. 

However, certain programs offer specialty concentrations on novel or genre writing, like Emerson College . 

How to Improve Your Writing Skills Without an MFA 

There are ways to improve your creative writing skills if you decide an MFA isn’t for you. Consider these strategies:

• Create a daily writing routine
• Read a lot (books that interest you and those that fall outside your preferred genres)
• Join a community or online writing workshop
• Invest in craft books or research online craft essays
• Attend a writing retreat , residency, or conference
• Join a Facebook group to connect with other writers

At the end of the day, whether you should get an MFA in creative writing depends on your personal situation and professional goals. There’s no right or wrong answer. Trust your gut, and whatever you do, never. Stop. Writing. 

Because the only way to truly get better at writing is to keep doing it.

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3 Myths About the MFA in Creative Writing

Today’s guest post is an excerpt from DIY MFA by Gabriela Pereira ( @DIYMFA ), just released from Writer’s Digest Books.

Most writers want an MFA for one of three reasons: They want to teach writing, they want to get published, or they want to make room in their life for writing. It turns out these reasons for doing an MFA are actually based on myths.

Myth 1: You Need an MFA to Teach Writing

Many writers get the MFA because they think it will allow them to teach writing at the college or graduate level. Once upon a time this might have been the case, but these days so many MFA graduates are looking for jobs and so few teaching positions exist, that it’s a challenge to get a teaching job with a PhD, much less with a terminal master’s degree. The writers who do manage to snag a coveted teaching position are often so overwhelmed with their responsibilities that they have to put their own writing on the back burner. While in the past an MFA may have served as a steppingstone to becoming a professor, it’s not the case anymore.

More important, many teachers in MFA programs do not have that degree themselves. Some professors are successful authors with prominent careers, while others are publishing professionals who bring the industry perspective to the courses they teach. This goes to show that the MFA has little impact on a writer’s ability to teach writing. Being a successful author or publishing professional is much more important.

Myth 2: The MFA Is a Shortcut to Getting Published

No agent will sign you and no editor will publish your book based on a credential alone. You have to write something beautiful. If you attend an MFA program and work hard, you will become a better writer. And if you become a better writer, you will eventually write a beautiful book. An MFA might help you on your quest for publication, but it’s certainly not required. After all, many writers perfect their craft and produce great books without ever getting a degree.

Ultimately getting published is a matter of putting your backside in the chair and writing the best book possible. For that, you don’t need an MFA.

Myth 3: An MFA Program Will Force You to Make Writing a Priority

If you can find time to write only by putting your life on hold and plunging into a graduate program, then your writing career isn’t going to last very long. Only a small percentage of writers can support themselves and their loved ones through writing alone. This means you must find a balance between your writing and the rest of your life.

Even within your writing career, you must become a master juggler. Forget that glamorous image of the secluded writer working at his typewriter. These days, writing is only a small piece of the writer’s job. In addition to writing, you must promote your books, manage your online presence, update your social media … and likely schedule these tasks around a day job, a family, and other responsibilities.

The danger with MFA programs is that they train you to write in isolation but don’t always teach you how to fit writing into your real life, or even how to juggle writing with all the other aspects of your writing career. Not only that, but external motivators like class assignments or thesis deadlines don’t teach you to pace yourself and build up the internal motivation you need to succeed in the long-term.

Genre Writing in MFA Programs

Most MFA programs focus on literary fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. While these are noble areas of literature, they cover only a tiny slice of the wide and diverse world of writing. Heaven forbid a writer in a traditional MFA program produces something commercial—or worse, genre fiction. While a handful of MFA programs allow writers to study genre fiction or children’s literature, the majority still focus on literary work alone. If you want to write genre fiction, commercial nonfiction, or children’s books, you likely will not learn much about them in your MFA courses.

Writers of genre and commercial fiction are among the most dedicated, driven writers I know. They take their craft seriously and work hard to understand the business side of the publishing industry. In addition, a vast number of associations, conferences, and guilds are dedicated to specific genres or commercial writing. Literary writers are not the only ones who crave knowledge and community. Commercial and genre writers want it, too.

This is why I created DIY MFA : to offer an alternative for writers who do not fit the strict literary mold of the traditional MFA system.

Should You Pursue an MFA?

MFA programs are not a bad thing. In fact, they are exceptional at serving a small and very specific group of writers. If you write literary fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry, and if you thrive in a formal academic environment, then the traditional MFA is a great option. If you can afford the tuition without taking out loans, and if you have the time to make the most of the experience, then you are one of those ideal candidates for graduate school.

One reason I am extremely grateful for my own MFA is that it gave me the opportunity to work with several phenomenal teachers. I studied YA and middle-grade literature with the brilliant David Levithan. The legendary Hettie Jones was my first workshop teacher. I worked closely with Abrams publisher Susan Van Metre, who served as my thesis advisor and mentor. These experiences were invaluable, and at the time I didn’t think I could make connections with such literary luminaries any other way. Now I know, however, that you can make connections and find great mentors without attending an MFA program.

The “Do It Yourself” MFA

As an MFA student, I discovered the magic equation that sums up just about every traditional MFA. The Master in Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing is nothing more than a lot of writing, reading, and building community. In the workshops, you exchange critiques with other writers and work toward a manuscript that becomes your thesis project. Most programs also require you to take literature courses both in and outside your chosen area of literature. Finally, you are asked to attend readings or talks by other writers—to build your personal writing community. To create a personalized, do-it-yourself MFA, you have to find a way to combine these three elements.

Write with focus. You have to commit to a project and finish it. In traditional MFA terms, this project is your thesis, and it’s a crucial part of your development as a writer. But you don’t need to complete a thesis to get this experience; you just need to finish and polish a manuscript. While you can feel free to play and explore early on, you must eventually choose a project and see it through from beginning to end. When you write with focus, you write with a goal in mind.

Read with purpose.  This means reading with a writer’s eye. If you’re like me, you were a bookworm long before you could hold a pencil in your hand. Writers love books. In fact, many of us become writers so we can create the very books we love to read.

Reading for pleasure is wonderful, and it certainly has its place. Reading with purpose is different: It is reading in a way that serves our writing. It’s not just about finding out what happens in the story; it’s about learning how the author pulls it off. Reading this way isn’t just an intellectual exercise. When we read with purpose, we examine how an author crafts a story so we can emulate those techniques in our own work.

Build your community.  In the traditional MFA, building a community happens organically. You meet fellow writers in your workshops and literature courses. You go to readings and conferences to connect with authors. You attend a publishing panel and learn about the industry. The community element is baked into the MFA experience.

To learn more about crafting your own customized MFA experience, sign up for the DIY MFA newsletter , and check out the new book, DIY MFA .

Gabriela Pereira is the Creative Director at DIY MFA , the do-it-yourself alternative to a master’s degree in writing. She develops tools and techniques for the serious writer, to help you get the knowledge without the college. With an MFA in creative writing, Gabriela is also a freelance writing teacher, and has led workshops throughout New York City via writing programs like: 826NYC, East Harlem Tutorial Program and Everybody Wins. When she’s not working on DIY MFA, she loves writing middle grade and teen fiction, with a few short stories for “grown-ups” thrown in for good measure.

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[…] Today’s guest post is an excerpt from DIY MFA by Gabriela Pereira (@DIYMFA), just released from Writer’s Digest Books. Most writers want an MFA for one of three reasons: They want to teach writing, they want to get published, or they want to make room in their life for writing. It turns out these reasons …  […]

I find screenwriting programs to be more honest with respect to story telling.

So true, I did a screen writing module in my degree. It was easy, fun and clear to write a script. So weird!

THANK YOU! I needed this. I occasionally doubt myself and my future success possibilities because of my lack of an MFA. I’ve been gradually letting that notion go, and this helps!

Also, I’m not interested in social media with exception of using Twitter as a news aggregator. From my perspective it’s an unwanted hassle. I write fiction and have neither the time nor inclination for blog posts or podcasts, but I do understand the nature of the disadvantage this might impose. And I think reality reliably informs us a social media presence is not necessarily mandatory to find success.

[…] view post at https://janefriedman.com/mfa-creative-writing-3-myths/ […]

[…] 3 Myths About the MFA in Creative Writing (Jane Friedman) Most writers want an MFA for one of three reasons: They want to teach writing, they want to get published, or they want to make room in their life for writing. It turns out these reasons for doing an MFA are actually based on myths. […]

[…] to the rest at Jane Friedman and thanks to Matthew for the […]

[…] the program could help build contacts, at the very least. Here is an article by Jane Friedman with 3 Myths About the MFA in Creative Writing to help answer some of the […]

[…] Jane Friedman […]

[…] Honoree Corder’s Website Removed by S.J. Pajonas How Do You Like Them Apples! MFA: Myths for Authors Write, Camera, Action! DRM Drama Audio on the Go Singles’ Night (1) Singles’ Night (2) Swan […]

27 Writers on Whether or Not to Get Your MFA

Now that September is here and school is back in session, a writer’s thoughts turn to the eternal question: Is an MFA worth it? Ever since the publication of the Chad Harbach-edited anthology MFA vs. NYC: The Two Cultures of American Fiction earlier in the year, the perennial neurosis about whether or not an advanced degree in writing is worth it has become a progressively louder conversation. It’s one that we should be having, considering the explosion of the MFA in the past 40 years: from a mere 79 programs in 1979 to 854 today, according to Harbach. The MFA may even be having its moment — after all, the last shot of Girls Season 3 had Lena Dunham’s Hannah Horvath joyfully looking at her acceptance to Iowa. We checked in with some of our favorite writers from then and now to see what they think of the rise of the MFA.

Photo by Agf/REX/Shutterstock

Gary Shteyngart : Author of this year’s memoir Little Failure and several novels, including Super Sad True Love Story .

Does he have an MFA? Yes, from Hunter.

Does he teach in programs? Yes! Which is why he is a promiscuous blurb writer and has a tendency to pop up in some James Franco joints.

Does he think you should get an MFA? In The Paris Review , he responds to the question “What is your advice for young writers?” with this:

You have to get an MFA. Without an MFA nobody will look at you right, so you have to get an MFA. You have to go to the right parties ( The Paris Review is great). “Don’t be pretentious” is my first advice to young writers. This is the big problem — just because you’re getting an MFA doesn’t mean you have to write for the Academy. Be true to your personality. Don’t temper your personality down with words. Don’t build defensive fortresses around yourself with words — words are your friends.

Jonathan Franzen : Funniest punching bag in American letters, lord of Franzenfreude, the author of essential novels like Freedom and The Corrections .

Does he have an MFA? No.

Does he teach in programs? No.

Does he think you should get an MFA? He thinks you should get a great first wife! From The Paris Review :

I got married instead to a tough reader with great taste. We had our own little round-the-clock MFA program. This phase of our marriage went on for about six years, which is three times longer than the usual program. Plus, we didn’t have to deal with all the stupid responses to writing that workshops generate.

Photo by David Sandison/The Independent/REX/Shutterstock

Helen Oyeyemi: Author of Boy, Snow, Bird and others, Flavorwire office crush , wildly successful before 25 .

Does she have an MFA ? Dropout!

Does she teach in programs ? No.

Does she think you should get an MFA ? Not if your mind is crooked. From Buzzfeed :

I only lasted a semester on my MFA program, but you know, that program offered the best of everything: I was taught by the likes of Victor LaValle and took an excellent history faculty course on medieval marriage customs. To those in MFA programs I’d say stick with it if you can but don’t feel bad if your mind is crooked like mine is and you find you’ve got to leave.

Elif Batuman: Author, academic, journalist, the best byline in The New Yorker , writer of The Possessed: Adventures With Russian Books and the People Who Read Them , very funny lady .

Does she have an MFA? She is a doctor, folks.

Does she teach in programs? She could be your professor, but probably not your workshop professor.

Does she think you should get an MFA? No. Read all of her wonderful (and notorious) filleting in the London Review of Books regarding an M.F.A. book from 2009, The Programme Era by Mark McGurl. Here’s a sample: “Why can’t the programme be better than it is? Why can’t it teach writers about history and the world, and not just about adverbs and themselves? Why can’t it at least try?”

Photo by Bebeto Matthews/AP/REX/Shutterstock

Junot Diaz: Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, certified MacArthur Genius, author of short story collections Drown and This Is Where You Leave Her and the novel The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao .

Does he have an MFA? Yes, from Cornell.

Does he teach in programs? He’s a professor of creative writing at MIT, which has to be a bit different.

Does he think you should get an MFA? Naaaaaah. In “ POC vs. MFA ,” a horror story about the MFA experience that just gets worse, he writes: “I didn’t have a great workshop experience. Not at all. In fact by the start of my second year I was like: get me the fuck out of here . So what was the problem? Oh, just the standard problem of MFA programs. That shit was too white .”

Ted Thompson: Author of The Land of Steady Habits , a well received debut novel from this summer that is due to be adapted by Nicole Holofcener (!) for the screen, and a charming and honest presence regarding the writing life on the internet (his “ Ask a Debut Novelist” column is great reading).

Does he have an MFA? Yes, from Iowa.

Does he teach in programs? Teaches, but not in an MFA program.

Does he think you should get an MFA? No .

But I guess what I’m saying, mostly to myself, but also to you and to anyone else who might be struggling with this, is that you don’t need a book deal for your commitment to your writing to be valid, you do not need a grant or a residency or an MFA. All of those things are nice, and by all means you should go after them, but I guess what I’m saying is that you do not need permission. You give yourself permission, one day at a time, you find the hours and protect them, you treat them as important and they become important, you treat your work as valid and it becomes valid.

Maureen Johnson: Prolific Young Adult writer of books delightful ( Suite Scarlett, The Bermudez Triange ), series frightful (the “Shades of London” books which are Jack the Ripper-themed), and noted internet personality.

Does she have an MFA? Yes, Columbia.

Does she teach in programs? No.

Does she think you should get an MFA? Officially, no: “ Frankly, I don’t push MFAs on people at all .” She’s pro life experience. But she has good techniques on how to get the most out of your MFA.

Photo by Mediapunch/REX/Shutterstock

Elizabeth Gilbert: Journalist and author of books both true and fictional, including Eat, Pray, Love , The Signature of All Things , and The Last American Man , among others.

Does she have an MFA? No.

Does she teach in programs? No. She’s currently on Oprah’s “The Life You Want Tour.”

Does she think you should get an MFA? Try an advanced degree in the school of life, working on ranches and learning how to rope a steer and all that kind of stuff. From her site :

“After I graduated from NYU, I decided not to pursue an MFA in creative writing. Instead, I created my own post-graduate writing program, which entailed several years spent traveling around the country and world, taking jobs at bars and restaurants and ranches, listening to how people spoke, collecting experiences and writing constantly.”

Alexander Chee: Author of Edinburgh , and next year’s hotly anticipated historical novel about an opera singer in Paris, The Queen of the Night .

Does he have an MFA? Yes, Iowa.

Does he teach in programs? Yes.

Does he think you should get an MFA? Yes. In his MFA Vs. NYC essay, excerpted on BuzzFeed Books , he makes an argument for putting writing first, for what a writer can get from a workshop (after, of course, lots of youthful MFA-whatever cynicism):

It’s true of families, and equally true of workshops: You meet people there you’d never meet otherwise, much less show your work to, and you listen to them talk about your story or your novel. These are not your ideal readers — they are the readers you happen to have. Listening to their critiques forces you past the limits of your imagination and also your sympathies, and in doing so takes you past the limits of what you can reach for in your work on your own.

Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock

George Saunders: Best short story writer alive, mensch, author of books from Civilwarland in Bad Decline to Tenth of December .

Does he have an MFA? Yes, Syracuse.

Does he teach in programs? Yes, Syracuse.

Does he think you should get an MFA? Yes! In a recent interview :

Writing somehow tends to move us from a position of one-dimensional certainty about a topic to a more ambiguous or even confused state — and that is mind-enlarging. On a more pragmatic level, I think the MFA degree has made it easier for our grads to get teaching jobs.

Flannery O’Connor: The best practitioner of southern Gothic, short story writer and novelist.

Did she have an MFA? Yes, from Iowa.

Did she teach in programs? No.

Did she think you should get an MFA? No! She went hard against writing that came out of the Academy: “We want competence, but competence by itself is deadly. What is needed is the vision to go with it, and you do not get this from a writing class.”

Jia Tolentino : Former editor for The Hairpin, MFA graduate from Michigan, great freelancer.

Does she have an MFA? Finished this spring!

Does she think you should get an MFA? Only for free : “Here, briefly, is where I stand on writing programs. The ones that make you pay are dead to me and I do not understand how they continue to exist and multiply. The ones that pay you are rare and beautiful, like unicorns.” For more of her M.F.A.-related thoughts, try this piece .

Stanley Elkin: Your favorite writer’s favorite writer, the author of such wicked, crucial work like Boswell and The Magic Kingdom .

Did he get an MFA? Ph.D in literature.

Did he teach in programs? He was an English professor.

Did he think you should get an MFA? No. But you should take some time to write and find your style, not William Faukner’s style: “The remarkable thing, remarkable for me anyway, was that I discovered that I could write only after I passed my prelims. I had been writing and chopping away at stuff, at this story or that. I took all the writing courses, but I had no style — or, rather, I did have a style but it wasn’t mine.”

Lan Samantha Chang: Author of Hunger and All Is Forgotten, Nothing Is Lost , and the director of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.

Does she have an MFA? Yes, Iowa.

Does she teach in programs ? Yes, she is a professor and the director of the most prestigious MFA program in the country.

Does she think you should get an MFA? Yes. The odds are staggering, but she’s all for the value of the Iowa education:

“So, those of us who work at the program, we see the Workshop as a kind of quirky home for gifted misfits. We feel like we’re nurturing young writers, and we’re thrilled by signs of promise. We have our own — and I don’t mean to speak for everyone — somewhat eclectic or eccentric lives. Small town lives. We don’t think of ourselves as representing anything at all.”

Photo by Sutton Hibbert/REX/Shutterstock

Curtis Sittenfeld: Author of Prep , American Wife , and Sisterland .

Does she have an MFA? Yes, from Iowa.

Does she teach in programs? Sometimes!

Does she think you should get an MFA? Sure? Maybe? In an interview with the Iowa Writers’ Workshop director Lan Samantha Chang, Sittenfeld weighed in, noncommittally: “When I was teaching at the Writers’ Workshop last fall, I talked to my students about that particular essay. I thought it made some interesting points. I’m not sure I agree with its overall argument, but it is something that is popular for people to say, that there are too many MFA programs.”

Blake Butler: Editor of HTML Giant, writer of many things, including the novel There Is No Year and the memoir Nothing: A Portrait of Insomnia .

Does he have an MFA? Yes, from NYU.

Does he teach in programs ? Does HTML Giant count?

Does he think you should get an MFA? Only if it’s free :

“A lot of people rarely seemed to do their work. Many people complained about writing like it was a job they were actually getting paid to do, or as if coming to college were just a really expensive party with a shitty required costume. In general, I would not recommend anyone get an MFA unless you get funding. That way you can feel less bad about fucking off.”

Edan Lepucki : Author of California — a debut novel that got the “Colbert bump” due to the Amazon vs. Hachette wars — and frequent writer for literary website The Millions.

Does she teach in programs? She runs Writing Workshops Los Angeles, check out the offerings here .

Does she think you should get an MFA ? If it’s free. As she wrote in an “ Ask the Writing Teacher ” column for The Millions:

“I also didn’t pay to go, and that is important. My main advice to you, should you decide to get an MFA: Don’t spend money (or, not a lot) to get it. Get funded. Anyone who makes the argument that MFA students are rich, or going deeply into debt to talk about short stories, don’t know anything about how these programs work.”

Sheila Heti: Author of novels including Ticknor and How Should a Person Be? , recently the co-editor of Women in Clothes .

Does she think you should get an MFA? Nah . “For me, grad school has never had much meaning or allure. As well, I have known a lot of people in grad school and no one seems very happy about it.”

Lorin Stein : Editor of The Paris Review , former editor for Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.

Does he have an MFA? Yes, from Johns Hopkins.

Does he think you should get an MFA? He’s undecided, really. Depends on the person :

You can learn things in a writing program, of course. It can give you the sanction to spend your days reading and writing, if you need that kind of sanction. More important, it can offer a stipend. This is probably the best thing a program can do, beside helping you to realize if you have no talent. (This service tends not to be advertised.) But I find it hard to believe that spending so much time with other young writers — people so much like you — is good for the spirit, or makes you a more interesting person.

Photo by Omar Vega/Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock

Cheryl Strayed: Author of Torch and Wild , beloved advice columnist behind Dear Sugar .

Does she have an MFA? Yes, Syracuse.

Does she teach in programs? She teaches, but she’s in demand regarding Wild .

Does she think you should get an MFA? She’s unsure. But it was good for her as a writer:

I can speak from my own experience, and that is getting my MFA was really important to me because it allowed me time to really focus on my writing and to take my writing to a deeper level that would have been a lot harder to do completely on my own. An MFA program gives you a reason and it gives you permission to go new places in your writing and spend some time focusing on it. It sort of legitimizes your writing.

Chad Harbach : Author of The Art of Fielding , editor of MFA vs. NYC , N + 1 guy.

Does he have an MFA? Yes, University of Virginia.

Does he think you should get an MFA? In his dystopian vision of the future of writing, the M.F.A., while imperfect, seems like an okay option :

“The rapid expansion of MFA programs in recent decades has opened up large institutional spaces above and below: above, for writer-professors who teach MFA students; below, for undergraduate students who are taught by MFAs (and by former MFAs hired as adjuncts). All told, program fiction amounts to a new discipline, with a new curriculum.”

Photo by Amanda Schwab/Starpix/REX/Shutterstock

Susan Orlean: New Yorker staffer, journalist, writer of The Orchid Thief and other excellent books.

Does she teach in programs? Yes. Also Skillshare .

Does she think you should get an MFA? It’s a gift, but don’t cloister yourself and go experience the world:

Colleges are a wonderful terrarium, and I can see where you might just think, “Hey, I really like this, and this is where I’m going to stay.” That’s fine, but if your idea is that you’re going to be out in the world writing for The New Yorker — as is often the ambition that they describe — you’re getting further and further away from being part of a world that would be interesting to write about.

Anelise Chen: Writer, MFA grad.

Does she have an MFA? Yes.

Does she teach in programs? Maybe?

Does she think you should get an MFA? She called it a Ponzi scheme in The Rumpus . It gets better:

“For a person who really wants to become a writer, none of this matters. She will go to school if she feels it will help her become a better writer; she will not go if she feels it will harm her. She will teach in a Program if she needs the money, she will not teach if she is can find another way to make a living. Even if she decides the Program is nonsense, she can go her own way.”

Photo by Marty Reichenthal/AP/REX/Shutterstock

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr: Legendary author. Start with Slaughterhouse Five .

Did he have an MFA? No.

Did he teach in programs? Yes.

Did he think you should get an MFA? He’s quoted as saying , well: “You can’t teach people to write well. Writing well is something God lets you do or declines to let you do. Most bright people know that, but writers’ conferences continue to multiply in the good old American summertime.”

Michael Nye: Author of Strategies Against Extinction , the managing editor of The Missouri Review .

Does he have an MFA? Yes.

Does he teach in programs? Unclear.

Does he think you should get an MFA? He’s questioning whether it’s a fair investment in a career : “What if we honestly ask ourselves: what does this degree actually prepare our graduates to do ?”

Arielle Greenberg : Poet, former professor at Columbia College Chicago, currently living in rural Maine.

Does she teach in programs? She has, yes.

Does she think you should get an MFA? Yes. She makes the argument that an MFA is a bellwether against our country’s anti-intellectualism :

I’d be thrilled if we lived in a nation — like some others in the world — where people gathered in local cafes and plazas to recite great verse and breathe it in, but the truth is, in America, this happens primarily in the classrooms and reading series and conferences and living rooms of MFA students, alumni, and faculty—and for this we should be thankful.

Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock

Margaret Atwood : Canadian for “writing that will blow your mind.” You’ve read The Handmaiden’s Tale , now go read her other works.

Does she have an MFA? A Master’s Degree from Radcliffe.

Does she teach in programs? Yes.

Does she think you should get an MFA? She thinks you need a room of your own , writers:

You do it by yourself, or on your own time; no teachers or employers are no involved, you don’t have to apprentice in a studio or work with musicians. Your only business arrangements are with your publisher, and these can be conducted through the mails; your real “employers” can be deceived, if you choose, by the adoption of the assumed (male) name; witness the Brontes and George Eliot. But the private and individual nature of writing may also account for the low incidence of direct involvement by woman writers in the Movement now.

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15 Best Creative Writing MFA Programs in 2024

May 15, 2024

Whether you studied at a top creative writing university or are a high school dropout who will one day become a bestselling author , you may be considering an MFA in Creative Writing. But is a writing MFA genuinely worth the time and potential costs? How do you know which program will best nurture your writing? If you’re considering an MFA, this article walks you through the best full-time, low residency, and online Creative Writing MFA programs in the United States.

What are the best Creative Writing MFA programs?

Before we get into the meat and potatoes of this article, let’s start with the basics. What is an MFA, anyway?

A Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a graduate degree that usually takes from two to three years to complete. Applications typically require a sample portfolio, usually 10-20 pages (and sometimes up to 30-40) of your best writing. Moreover, you can receive an MFA in a particular genre, such as Fiction or Poetry, or more broadly in Creative Writing. However, if you take the latter approach, you often have the opportunity to specialize in a single genre.

Wondering what actually goes on in a creative writing MFA beyond inspiring award-winning books and internet memes ? You enroll in workshops where you get feedback on your creative writing from your peers and a faculty member. You enroll in seminars where you get a foundation of theory and techniques. Then, you finish the degree with a thesis project. Thesis projects are typically a body of polished, publishable-quality creative work in your genre—fiction, nonfiction, or poetry.

Why should I get an MFA in Creative Writing?

You don’t need an MFA to be a writer. Just look at Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison or bestselling novelist Emily St. John Mandel.

Nonetheless, there are plenty of reasons you might still want to get a creative writing MFA. The first is, unfortunately, prestige. An MFA from a top program can help you stand out in a notoriously competitive industry to be published.

The second reason: time. Many MFA programs give you protected writing time, deadlines, and maybe even a (dainty) salary.

Third, an MFA in Creative Writing is a terminal degree. This means that this degree allows you to teach writing at the university level, especially after you publish a book.

Fourth: resources. MFA programs are often staffed by brilliant, award-winning writers; offer lecture series, volunteer opportunities, and teaching positions; and run their own (usually prestigious) literary magazines. Such resources provide you with the knowledge and insight you’ll need to navigate the literary and publishing world on your own post-graduation.

But above all, the biggest reason to pursue an MFA is the community it brings you. You get to meet other writers—and share feedback, advice, and moral support—in relationships that can last for decades.

Types of Creative Writing MFA Programs

Here are the different types of programs to consider, depending on your needs:

Fully-Funded Full-Time Programs

These programs offer full-tuition scholarships and sweeten the deal by actually paying you to attend them.

• Pros: You’re paid to write (and teach).
• Cons: Uprooting your entire life to move somewhere possibly very cold.

Full-Time MFA Programs

These programs include attending in-person classes and paying tuition (though many offer need-based and merit scholarships).

• Pros: Lots of top-notch non-funded programs have more assets to attract world-class faculty and guests.
• Cons: It’s an investment that might not pay itself back.

Low-Residency MFA Programs

Low-residency programs usually meet biannually for short sessions. They also offer one-on-one support throughout the year. These MFAs are more independent, preparing you for what the writing life is actually like.

• Pros: No major life changes required. Cons: Less time dedicated to writing and less time to build relationships.

Online MFA Programs

Held 100% online. These programs have high acceptance rates and no residency requirement. That means zero travel or moving expenses.

• Pros: No major life changes required.
• Cons: These MFAs have less name recognition.

The Top 15 Creative Writing MFA Programs Ranked by Category

The following programs are selected for their balance of high funding, impressive return on investment, stellar faculty, major journal publications , and impressive alums.

FULLY FUNDED MFA PROGRAMS

1) johns hopkins university , mfa in fiction/poetry.

This two-year program offers an incredibly generous funding package: $39,000 teaching fellowships each year. Not to mention, it offers that sweet, sweet health insurance, mind-boggling faculty, and the option to apply for a lecture position after graduation. Many grads publish their first book within three years (nice). No nonfiction MFA (boo).

• Location: Baltimore, MD
• Incoming class size: 8 students (4 per genre)
• Admissions rate: 4-8%
• Alumni: Chimamanda Adichie, Jeffrey Blitz, Wes Craven, Louise Erdrich, Porochista Khakpour, Phillis Levin, ZZ Packer, Tom Sleigh, Elizabeth Spires, Rosanna Warren

2) University of Texas, James Michener Center

The only MFA that offers full and equal funding for every writer. It’s three years long, offers a generous yearly stipend of $30k, and provides full tuition plus a health insurance stipend. Fiction, poetry, playwriting, and screenwriting concentrations are available. The Michener Center is also unique because you study a primary genre and a secondary genre, and also get $4,000 for the summer.

• Location : Austin, TX
• Incoming class size : 12 students
• Acceptance rate: a bone-chilling less-than-1% in fiction; 2-3% in other genres
• Alumni: Fiona McFarlane, Brian McGreevy, Karan Mahajan, Alix Ohlin, Kevin Powers, Lara Prescott, Roger Reeves, Maria Reva, Domenica Ruta, Sam Sax, Joseph Skibell, Dominic Smith

3) University of Iowa

The Iowa Writers’ Workshop is a 2-year program on a residency model for fiction and poetry. This means there are low requirements, and lots of time to write groundbreaking novels or play pool at the local bar. All students receive full funding, including tuition, a living stipend, and subsidized health insurance. The Translation MFA , co-founded by Gayatri Chakravorti Spivak, is also two years long but with more intensive coursework. The Nonfiction Writing Program is a prestigious three-year MFA program and is also intensive.

• Incoming class size: 25 each for poetry and fiction; 10-12 for nonfiction and translation.
• Acceptance rate: 2.7-3.7%
• Fantastic Alumni: Raymond Carver, Flannery O’Connor, Sandra Cisneros, Joy Harjo, Garth Greenwell, Kiley Reid, Brandon Taylor, Eula Biss, Yiyun Li, Jennifer Croft

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs (Continued) 

4) university of michigan.

Anne Carson famously lives in Ann Arbor, as do the MFA students in UMichigan’s Helen Zell Writers’ Program. This is a big university town, which is less damaging to your social life. Plus, there’s lots to do when you have a $25,000 stipend, summer funding, and health care.

This is a 2-3-year program in either fiction or poetry, with an impressive reputation. They also have a demonstrated commitment to “ push back against the darkness of intolerance and injustice ” and have outreach programs in the community.

• Location: Ann Arbor, MI
• Incoming class size: 18 (9 in each genre)
• Acceptance rate: 2%
• Alumni: Brit Bennett, Vievee Francis, Airea D. Matthews, Celeste Ng, Chigozie Obioma, Jia Tolentino, Jesmyn Ward

5) Brown University

Brown offers an edgy, well-funded program in a place that only occasionally dips into arctic temperatures. All students are fully funded for 2 years, which includes tuition remission and a $32k yearly stipend. Students also get summer funding and—you guessed it—that sweet, sweet health insurance.

In the Brown Literary Arts MFA, students take only one workshop and one elective per semester. It’s also the only program in the country to feature a Digital/Cross Disciplinary Track.  Fiction and Poetry Tracks are offered as well.

• Location: Providence, RI
• Incoming class size: 12-13
• Acceptance rate: “highly selective”
• Alumni: Edwidge Danticat, Jaimy Gordon, Gayl Jones, Ben Lerner, Joanna Scott, Kevin Young, Ottessa Moshfegh

6) University of Arizona

This 3-year program with fiction, poetry, and nonfiction tracks has many attractive qualities. It’s in “ the lushest desert in the world, ” and was recently ranked #4 in creative writing programs, and #2 in Nonfiction. You can take classes in multiple genres, and in fact, are encouraged to do so. Plus, Arizona’s dry heat is good for arthritis.

This notoriously supportive program is fully funded. Moreover, teaching assistantships that provide a salary, health insurance, and tuition waiver are offered to all students. Tucson is home to a hopping literary scene, so it’s also possible to volunteer at multiple literary organizations and even do supported research at the US-Mexico Border.

• Location: Tucson, AZ
• Incoming class size: usually 6
• Acceptance rate: 1.2% (a refreshingly specific number after Brown’s evasiveness)
• Alumni: Francisco Cantú, Jos Charles, Tony Hoagland, Nancy Mairs, Richard Russo, Richard Siken, Aisha Sabatini Sloan, David Foster Wallace

7) Arizona State University 

With concentrations in fiction and poetry, Arizona State is a three-year funded program in arthritis-friendly dry heat. It offers small class sizes, individual mentorships, and one of the most impressive faculty rosters in the game. Moreover, it encourages cross-genre study.

Funding-wise, everyone has the option to take on a teaching assistantship position, which provides a tuition waiver, health insurance, and a yearly stipend of $25k. Other opportunities for financial support exist as well.

• Location: Tempe, AZ
• Incoming class size: 8-10
• Acceptance rate: 3% (sigh)
• Alumni: Tayari Jones, Venita Blackburn, Dorothy Chan, Adrienne Celt, Dana Diehl, Matthew Gavin Frank, Caitlin Horrocks, Allegra Hyde, Hugh Martin, Bonnie Nadzam

FULL-RESIDENCY MFAS (UNFUNDED)

8) new york university.

This two-year program is in New York City, meaning it comes with close access to literary opportunities and hot dogs. NYU also has one of the most accomplished faculty lists anywhere. Students have large cohorts (more potential friends!) and have a penchant for winning top literary prizes. Concentrations in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction are available.

• Location: New York, NY
• Incoming class size: ~60; 20-30 students accepted for each genre
• Acceptance rate: 6-9%
• Alumni: Nick Flynn, Nell Freudenberger, Aracelis Girmay, Mitchell S. Jackson, Tyehimba Jess, John Keene, Raven Leilani, Robin Coste Lewis, Ada Limón, Ocean Vuong

9) Columbia University

Another 2-3 year private MFA program with drool-worthy permanent and visiting faculty. Columbia offers courses in fiction, poetry, translation, and nonfiction. Beyond the Ivy League education, Columbia offers close access to agents, and its students have a high record of bestsellers. Finally, teaching positions and fellowships are available to help offset the high tuition.

• Incoming class size: 110
• Acceptance rate: not publicized (boo)
• Alumni: Alexandra Kleeman, Rachel Kushner, Claudia Rankine, Rick Moody, Sigrid Nunez, Tracy K. Smith, Emma Cline, Adam Wilson, Marie Howe, Mary Jo Bang

10) Sarah Lawrence 

Sarah Lawrence offers a concentration in speculative fiction in addition to the average fiction, poetry, and nonfiction choices. Moreover, they encourage cross-genre exploration. With intimate class sizes, this program is unique because it offers biweekly one-on-one conferences with its stunning faculty. It also has a notoriously supportive atmosphere, and many teaching and funding opportunities are available.

• Location: Bronxville, NY
• Incoming class size: 30-40
• Acceptance rate: not publicized
• Alumni: Cynthia Cruz, Melissa Febos, T Kira Madden, Alex Dimitrov, Moncho Alvarado

LOW RESIDENCY

11) bennington college.

This two-year program boasts truly stellar faculty, and meets twice a year for ten days in January and June. It’s like a biannual vacation in beautiful Vermont, plus mentorship by a famous writer. The rest of the time, you’ll be spending approximately 25 hours per week on reading and writing assignments. Students have the option to concentrate in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Uniquely, they can also opt for a dual-genre focus.

The tuition is $23,468 per year, with scholarships available. Additionally, Bennington offers full-immersion teaching fellowships to MFA students, which are extremely rare in low-residency programs.

• Location: Bennington, VT
• Acceptance rate: 53%
• Incoming class: 25-35
• Alumni: Larissa Pham, Andrew Reiner, Lisa Johnson Mitchell, and others

12)  Institute for American Indian Arts

This two-year program emphasizes Native American and First Nations writing. With truly amazing faculty and visiting writers, they offer a wide range of genres, including screenwriting, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. In addition, each student is matched with a faculty mentor who works with them one-on-one throughout the semester.

Students attend two eight-day residencies each year, in January and July, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. At $12,000 in tuition a year, it boasts being “ one of the most affordable MFA programs in the country .”

• Location: Santa Fe, NM
• Incoming class size : 21
• Alumni: Tommy Orange, Dara Yen Elerath, Kathryn Wilder

13) Vermont College of Fine Arts

VCFA is the only graduate school on this list that focuses exclusively on the fine arts. Their MFA in Writing offers concentrations in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction; they also offer an MFA in Literary Translation and one of the few MFAs in Writing for Children and Young Adults . Students meet twice a year for nine days, in January and July, either in-person or online. Here, they receive one-on-one mentorship that continues for the rest of the semester. You can also do many travel residencies in exciting (and warm) places like Cozumel.

VCFA boasts amazing faculty and visiting writers, with individualized study options and plenty of one-on-one time. Tuition for the full two-year program is approximately $54k.

• Location : Various; 2024/25 residencies are in Colorado and California
• Incoming class size: 18-25
• Acceptance rate: 63%
• Alumnx: Lauren Markham, Mary-Kim Arnold, Cassie Beasley, Kate Beasley, Julie Berry, Bridget Birdsall, Gwenda Bond, Pablo Cartaya

ONLINE MFAS

14) university of texas at el paso.

UTEP is considered the best online MFA program, and features award-winning faculty from across the globe. Accordingly, this program is geared toward serious writers who want to pursue teaching and/or publishing. Intensive workshops allow submissions in Spanish and/or English, and genres include poetry and fiction.

No residencies are required, but an optional opportunity to connect in person is available every year. This three-year program costs about $25-30k total, depending on whether you are an in-state or out-of-state resident.

• Location: El Paso, TX
• Acceptance rate: “highly competitive”
• Alumni: Watch alumni testimonies here

15) Bay Path University

This 2-year online, no-residency program is dedicated entirely to nonfiction. Featuring a supportive, diverse community, Bay Path offers small class sizes, close mentorship, and an optional yearly field trip to Ireland.

There are many tracks, including publishing, narrative medicine, and teaching creative writing. Moreover, core courses include memoir, narrative journalism, food/travel writing, and the personal essay. Tuition is approximately $31,000 for the entire program, with scholarships available.

• Location: Longmeadow, MA
• Incoming class size: 20
• Alumni: Read alumni testimonies here

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs — Final Thoughts

Whether you’re aiming for a fully funded, low residency, or completely online MFA program, there are plenty of incredible options available—all of which will sharpen your craft while immersing you in the vibrant literary arts community.

Hoping to prepare for your MFA in advance? You might consider checking out the following:

• Best English Programs
• Best Colleges for Creative Writing
• Writing Summer Programs
• Best Writing Competitions for High School Students

Inspired to start writing? Get your pencil ready:

• 100 Creative Writing Prompts 
• 1 00 Tone Words to Express Mood in Your Writing
• 60 Senior Project Ideas
• Common App Essay Prompts

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs – References:

• https://www.pw.org/mfa
• The Creative Writing MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Graduate Students , by Tom Kealey (A&C Black 2005)
• Graduate School Admissions

Julia Conrad

With a Bachelor of Arts in English and Italian from Wesleyan University as well as MFAs in both Nonfiction Writing and Literary Translation from the University of Iowa, Julia is an experienced writer, editor, educator, and a former Fulbright Fellow. Julia’s work has been featured in  The Millions ,  Asymptote , and  The Massachusetts Review , among other publications. To read more of her work, visit  www.juliaconrad.net

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The 10 Best MFA Creative Writing Programs [2024]

Many people have a talent for stories, but not everyone will become a successful author. In many cases, people simply need to hone their skills – and the best MFA creative writing programs are the key.

If you have an undergrad degree and are looking for the next step in your academic adventure, you’re in luck: We’ve scoured MFA creative writing rankings to find you the best programs.

Table of Contents

The 10 Best MFA Creative Writing Programs

1. johns hopkins university – krieger school of arts & sciences.

Master of Fine Arts in Fiction/ Poetry

Located in Baltimore, Maryland, Johns Hopkins is a world-renowned private research university. Their Master of Fine Arts in Fiction/Poetry is one of the best MFA creative writing programs anywhere. Students take courses and receive writing practice (in fiction or poetry) at the highest level. This MFA program also offers the opportunity to learn with an internationally renowned faculty.

• Duration:  2 years
• Financial aid:  Full tuition, teaching fellowship (for all students set at $33,000/year)
• Acceptance rate: 11.1%
• Location: Baltimore, Maryland
• Founded: 1876

2. University of Michigan –  Helen Zell Writers’ Program

Master of Fine Arts

The University of Michigan is a public research university – and the oldest in the state. Its Master of Fine Arts program is one of the best MFA creative writing programs in the country, exposing students to various approaches to the craft. While studying under award-winning poets and writers, students may specialize in either poetry or fiction.

• Duration: 2 years
• No. of hours: 36
• Financial aid: Full funding
• Acceptance rate:  26.1%
• Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Founded: 1817

3. University of Texas at Austin – New Writers Project

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

The University of Texas at Austin is a well-known public research university with around 50,000 students at the graduate and undergraduate levels. It offers one of the best MFA programs for creative writing, aiming to enhance and develop its students’ artistic and intellectual abilities.

• Duration:  3 years
• Financial aid:  Full funding
• Acceptance rate:  32%
• Location:  Austin, Texas
• Founded:  1883

4. University of Nebraska – Kearney

Master of Arts

The University of Nebraska strives to provide quality, affordable education, including its online MA English program. Students can focus on four areas, including Creative Writing (which provides experiential learning in either poetry or prose).

• Credit hours: 36
• Tuition : $315 per credit hour
• Financial aid :  Grants, Work-study, Student loans, Scholarships, Parent loans
• Acceptance rate: 88%
• Location: Online
• Founded: 1905

5. Bay Path University (Massachusetts)

MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing

Bay Path University is a private university with various programs at undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate levels (including women-only undergraduate programs). This creative non-fiction writing program is one of the first fully online programs in the country. No matter their location, students are able to develop their creative writing skills and knowledge – in a range of literary genres.

• Credits:  39
• Tuition: $775 per credit
• Financial aid :  Federal Stafford loan, Student loans
• Acceptance rate: 78%
• Founded:  1897

6. Brown University (Rhode Island)

MFA in Literary Arts

Brown is a world-famous Ivy League university based in Providence, Rhode Island. Its two-year residency MFA in Literary Arts is designed for students looking to maximize their intellectual and creative exploration. The highly competitive program offers extensive financial support. In fact, over the past 20 years, all incoming MFA students were awarded full funding for their first year of study (and many for the second year).

• Tuition:  $57,591  (but full funding available)
• Financial aid :  Fellowship, teaching assistantships, and stipends.
• Acceptance rate: 9%
• Location: Providence, Rhode Island
• Founded:  1764

7. University of Iowa (Iowa)

MFA in Creative Writing

The University of Iowa is a public university located in Iowa City. As one of the most celebrated public schools in the Midwest, students learn under established professors and promising writers during their two-year residency program.

• Credits:  60
• Tuition: $12,065 for in-state students, and $31,012 out-of-state
• Financial aid :  Scholarships, teaching assistantships, federal aid, and student loans.
• Acceptance rate: 84%
• Location: Iowa City, Iowa

8. Cornell University (New York State)

Cornell is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York. This highly competitive program accepts only eight students annually, and just two from each concentration. Not only do students enjoy a generous financial aid package, but they also have the opportunity to work closely with members of the school’s celebrated faculty.

• Tuition:  $29,500
• Financial aid :  All accepted students receive a fellowship covering full tuition, stipend, and insurance.
• Acceptance rate: 14%
• Location: Ithaca, New York
• Founded:  1865

9. Columbia University ( NYC )

MFA in Fiction Writing

Founded in 1754, Columbia University is the oldest tertiary education institution in New York – and one of the oldest in the country. The school offers a Writing MFA in nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and literary translation. The fiction concentration promotes artistic and aesthetic diversity, with a diverse teaching staff and adjunct faculty from a wide range of diverse experience.

• Credits:  60 points
• Tuition:  $34,576
• Financial aid :  Scholarships, fellowships, federal aid, work-study, and veterans’ grants.
• Acceptance rate: 11%
• Location: NYC, New York
• Founded:  1754

10. New York University (NYC)

New York University (NYU) is known for delivering high-quality, innovative education in various fields. Located in the heart of NYC, the institution’s MFA in Creative Writing boasts celebrated faculty from poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction backgrounds. This dynamic program fosters creativity and excellence through literary outreach programs, public reading series, a literary journal, and special seminars from visiting writers

• Credits:  32
• Tuition:  $53,229
• Financial aid :  Fellowships, scholarships, and federal aid.
• Location: NYC
• Founded:  1886

Common Courses for MFAs in Creative Writing 

As part of your master’s in creative writing program, you’ll usually need to complete a number of compulsory courses, along with certain electives. Common courses you’ll need to take include:

• Literary theory
• History of storytelling
• Genre conventions
• Market trends
• Marketing manuscripts to publishers
• Thesis or dissertation

Typical Requirements for Applying to an MFA Creative Writing Program

Besides the application form and fee, most MFA in creative writing programs have standard requirements. While the following are the most typical requirements, always check with the specific program first:

Make sure your resume  includes all relevant information to showcase your interests, skills, and talent in writing.

2. Writing Sample(s)

MFA creative writing program selection committees look for applicants who are serious about writing. Therefore, they typically ask for at least one 10-20 page writing sample. The best samples showcase talent in your preferred area of writing (e.g., fiction, non-fiction). MFA poetry programs have varied sample requirements.

3. Transcripts

You’ll need to show your undergraduate degree (and possibly high school) transcript.

4. Statement of Purpose

A statement of purpose is usually 1-2 pages and shows your passion for writing and potential to succeed in the program.

5. Recommendation Letters

Most programs require letters of recommendation from academic or professional contacts who know you well.

Related reading: How to Ask a Professor for a Grad School Recommendation

6. GRE Scores

Some MFA programs require GRE scores (though this is not the case for all universities). If you happen to need some assistance while studying for your GRE or GMAT, be sure to check out Magoosh for easy test prep!

What Can Creative Writers Do After Graduation?

As a creative writer with an MFA, you’ll have a variety of career options where your skills are highly valued. Below are a few of the common jobs an MFA creative writing graduate can do, along with the average annual salary for each.

Creative Director ( $90,389 )

A creative director leads a team of creative writers, designers, or artists in various fields, such as media, advertising, or entertainment.

Editor ( $63,350)

An editor helps correct writing errors and improve the style and flow in media, broadcasting, films, advertising, marketing , and entertainment.

Academic Librarian ( $61,190)

An academic librarian manages educational information resources in an academic environment (such as a university).

Copywriter ( $53,800 )

Copywriters typically work to present an idea to a particular audience and capture their attention using as few words as possible.

Technical Writers ($78,060)

Technical writers are tasked with instruction manuals, guides, journal articles, and other documents. These convey complex details and technical information to a wider audience.

Writer ( $69,510 )

A writer usually provides written content for businesses through articles, marketing content, blogs, or product descriptions. They may also write fiction or non-fiction books.

Social Media Manager ( $52,856 )

A social media manager is responsible for creating and scheduling content on social media, and may also track analytics and develop social media strategies.

Journalist ($ 48,370 )

Journalists may work for newspapers, magazines, or online publications, researching and writing stories, as well as conducting interviews and investigations.

Public Relations Officer ( $62,800)

A public relations officer works to promote and improve the public image of a company, government agency, or organization. This is done through work such as: preparing media releases, online content, and dealing with the media.

Lexicographer ( $72,620 )

Lexicographers are the professionals who create dictionaries. They study words’ etymologies and meanings, compiling them into a dictionary.

Can You Get a Creative Writing Degree Online?

Yes, a number of institutions offer online master’s degrees , such as Bay Path University and the University of Nebraska. Online courses offer a high degree of flexibility, allowing you to study from anywhere – and often on your own schedule. Many students can earn their degrees while continuing with their current job or raising a family.

However, students won’t receive the full benefits of a residency program, such as building close connections with peers and working with the faculty in person. Some on-campus programs also offer full funding to cover tuition and education expenses.

Pros and Cons of an MFA in Creative Writing

Like anything, studying an MFA in Creative Writing and pursuing a related career can have its benefits as well as drawbacks.

• It’ll motivate you to write.

Many people are talented but struggle sitting down to write. An MFA program will give you the motivation to meet your deadlines.

• You’ll have a community.

Writing can be a solitary pursuit. It can be hard to connect with others who are just as passionate about writing. An MFA program provides students with a community of like-minded people.

• Graduates have teaching prospects.

An MFA is one option that can help you find a teaching job at the university level. Unlike some majors that require a Ph.D. to enter academia, many post-secondary instructors hold an MFA.

• Not always the most marketable job skills

Although an MFA in Creative Writing will provide several useful skills in the job market, these are not as marketable as some other forms of writing. For example, copywriting arguably has a wider range of job prospects.

• It could limit your creativity.

There is a risk that your writing could become too technical or formulaic, due to the theories learned during your MFA. It’s important to know the theory, but you don’t want to let it limit your creativity.

How Long Does It Take to Get an MFA Degree in Creative Writing?

A master’s in creative writing typically takes between 2-3 years to complete. Unlike other master’s degrees’ accelerated options, creative writing program requirements require a greater number of workshops and dissertations.

Alternatives to Creative Writing Majors

There are plenty of similar majors that can set you on the path to a career in the creative writing field. Consider alternatives like an MA in English , literature, humanities, media studies, and library sciences.

Related Reading: Master’s in Fine Arts: The Ultimate Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

What can i do with an mfa in creative writing .

An MFA graduate could teach creative writing at a secondary or college level. They may pursue a career in advertising, publishing, media, or the entertainment industry. They could also become an author by publishing fiction, non-fiction, or poetry.

Are MFA Creative Writing Programs Worth It?

Having an MFA opens doors to a range of well-paid careers (more on that above). If you’re skilled in writing – and want to make a decent living with it – an MFA program might be an excellent choice.

How Do I Choose an MFA in Creative Writing?

First, consider whether an on-campus or online MFA program is best for you (depending on your lifestyle and commitments). Another key consideration is a university with renowned authors on their teaching staff who will give you the highest levels of training in creative writing. Also, consider your preferred focus area (e.g., fiction, poetry, nonfiction) .

What Are MFA Writing Programs?

An MFA in writing or creative writing is an advanced program that teaches students the art and practice of writing. During these programs, students hone their writing skills and equip themselves to publish their own work – or pursue a career in media, teaching, or advertising.

Can You Teach with an MFA? 

Yes! Teaching is one of the many career options an MFA provides . An MFA in creative writing can qualify you to be a teacher in creative writing (in schools or the higher education sector).

Is It Hard to Be Admitted to MFA Creative Writing Programs?

MFA creative writing programs are relatively competitive. Therefore, not all applicants will get into the program of their choice. However, if you are talented and ambitious that becomes more likely. Having said that, the most prestigious universities with the best MFA creative writing programs accept a small percentage of the applicants.

What Is the Best Creative Writing Program in the World? 

A number of creative writing programs are known for their famous faculty and excellent courses, like the Master of Fine Arts in Fiction/ Poetry from Johns Hopkins and the MFA in Literary Arts from Brown University . Outside the US, the most celebrated English program is likely the University of Cambridge’s MSt in Creative Writing.

How Hard Is It to Get an MFA in Creative Writing?

An MFA is an intensive, highly-involved degree that requires a certain amount of dedication. Anyone with a passion for creative writing should find it rewarding and satisfying.

Should I Get an MA or MFA in Creative Writing?

Whether you choose an MA or MFA in creative writing depends on your own interests and career ambitions. An MFA in creative writing is ideal for anyone passionate about pursuing a career in fiction, poetry, or creative non-fiction. An MA is a broader degree that equips students for a wider range of career choices (though it will qualify them for many of the same roles as an MFA).

Can I Get Published Without an MFA?

Absolutely. However, studying for an MFA will equip you with a range of skills and knowledge that are extremely helpful in getting your work published, from honing your craft to submitting your manuscript to working with publishers.

What Are the Highest-Paying Jobs with a Master’s in Creative Writing?

An MFA in creative writing can help you land a range of jobs in the creative and literary fields. The highest-paying jobs for graduates with a master’s in creative writing include creative directors ($90,000) and technical writers ($78,000).

Key Takeaways

An MFA in creative writing program will hone your talents and develop the skills you need to become a successful writer. The best MFA creative writing programs will give you incredible knowledge of the field while developing your practical skills in fiction, non-fiction, or poetry.

The acceptance rate for the best MFA writing programs is fairly low, so it’s crucial to understand the requirements well and prepare thoroughly. To help you with your application, check out our guide to applying to grad school .

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Lisa Marlin

Lisa is a full-time writer specializing in career advice, further education, and personal development. She works from all over the world, and when not writing you'll find her hiking, practicing yoga, or enjoying a glass of Malbec.

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Should You Get An MFA In Creative Writing?

As a published writer, I often get messages from aspiring writers who are recent grads and looking for advice. They want to know what first steps to take in their post-grad life. Do they intern for a publisher? Do they join a writer's community group? Do they read all the Knausgaard books and hope to absorb his genius through osmosis? Or do they turn around and go right back to school for master's degree in fine art for creative writing ?

As someone who battled with weighing the gravity of each other those paths for a long time, I have a lot of lengthy opinions and arguments for each path. The short answer is that there is no universal answer. Different programs and paths are good for different writers. It depends what your work ethic is, it depends what medium you want to write for, and it depends what you want out of your professional life. Not all writers want the same thing, and the differences between platforms are vast and varied. Because there are so many options, it's easy to get overwhelmed and feel immobile with ambiguity.

When you finish your undergrad degree, it can feel like every step you take is locked in cement and that your life is as vulnerable as glass. And understandably so — you just spent at least four years working your butt off and you want to make the most of it. But indecision can be crippling, and no steps forward tend to be steps backwards. These are a few things you should consider when toying with the idea of an MFA in creative writing :

When Getting An MFA Is A Good Idea

If you need assignments and a group of like-minded friends to motivate you to be inspired to write, a master's program in creative writing might help you write that story you have in you that might otherwise have just sat around in your head for years and years. If you need the routine of a class in order to unlock that creativity, an institution is going to be the best place for you to become the writer you're meant to be.

If you think this might be the case for you, do some research first and look into all of the teachers. Make sure that before you apply to any programs, you have classes in mind that you want to take and that you've talked to at least two people who went to school there to see what they thought of the program. These days it's easy to find people online, so this shouldn't be a problem.

In addition to this preliminary research, make sure you consider the financial obligation and that you have a back up plan for paying back student loans (if needed). You can't rely on your writing career to blossom upon graduation. Make sure you're willing to take on odd jobs that pay well, if need be. Also make sure you're OK with the possibility that an MFA won't make it any easier for you to find a job or get an agent or sell a book. Make sure you have a realistic goal, like using the program to complete a manuscript or experiment with different genres and mediums.

When Getting An MFA Is Unnecessary

If you do your best writing when you're alone, stick with what works. Not everyone needs external inspiration to motivate. If you have a schedule that leaves room for working on your writing projects, and you have friends who are willing to give you feedback on your work, you might want to just stick with what you're doing. Really ask yourself what it is you want out of a program, because you might be able to further your career on your own time. If you have a strong network of friends who are in the publishing industry and you have friends who give you valuable and thoughtful notes on your work, there's really not much else you need. One of the biggest reasons aspiring writers join MFA programs is to find writer friends and to be given a structure to help them produce work. If you already have these things, you're golden!

How To Give Yourself A Continued Education

If you want to continue your education but can't afford it or don't have the time for it, you can give yourself a DIY version of it. Make a list of books to read based on the MFA program you're interested in and give yourself a schedule to work your way through it. You can map our your own curriculum based on your own goals! For example, give yourself a daily writing minimum. Whether it's 500 words or 50 pages, stick to it. If you need prompts, check out creative writing websites that offer them and let that be your "teacher". If your goal is to write a full manuscript, give yourself a deadline and get there. This will take a lot of self control, but if you're passionate about it, you'll get there.

Other Ways To Become A Professional Writer

Check your local listings for poetry nights, reading series, and open mics. These are great events to go to if you want to meet like-minded people. You don't have to have an MFA to perform at a reading, so you might want to sign yourself up and use the opportunity as an educational challenge. You'll also want to find your closest book store and stop in to talk to them about author events. This is a great way to network and forum for you to ask professional writers thoughtful questions that might guide you in your career.

Getting involved in internships in your platform of choice is also hugely important. It can be very hard to get a job in the exact place you want to work, but it can be easier to find an internship in that same place. If you're so inclined, you can start a meet up group or a workshop circle of your own — ask your local bookstore if you can advertise on their message boards. Having a group of people who you can share work with is key.

And most importantly: read, read, read. The best way to become a writer, is to read other writer's work. Understand the market. See what's out there. Get a sense of the genres. Understand the dimensions of plot and the different ways different authors approach it. Expand your mind, inform your own writing, and keep submitting until your work is accepted. It's all about trying.

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Home / For Students / Applying to MFA Programs

Want to learn more about applying to MFA programs in Creative Writing? Trying to decide if it's right for you? Check out our FAQ below with advice from faculty members and Creative Writing Ph.D. students to help you decide and learn more. 

You can also watch a Zoom recording of our MFA in Creative Writing Information Session. 

Click on a Question to Get Started: 

What is an MFA?

• Should I get one?
• Where should I go? How can I decide?
• How many programs should I apply to?
• What is a low-residency program?

Do I need to be published?

How much does it cost? What kind of resources will I need?

• What is a fully-funded program?
• What sort of teacher training will be provided?

What do you wish you would’ve known about MFA programs before you applied?

How do I apply? What materials do I need to apply?

• When should I start thinking about whether or not to apply for an MFA?
• Who should I ask for recommendation letters?
• How do I ask for recommendations?

What are other resources I can look into? 

Which MFA programs have graduates from our undergraduate creative writing concentration gone to? 

• "An MFA is a Masters Fine Arts, which you can get in Poetry, Fiction, or Nonfiction Writing (fewer programs are available in Nonfiction). There are also MFAs in visual art. The program is 2-3 years and involves taking seminars in which you study literature as well as participating in a group workshop where you read and comment on your peers’ writing. An MFA can qualify you to teach creative writing or other college-level writing/English courses. More importantly, it is time to read a ton and write a ton. I wouldn’t do an MFA because you are interested in professionalization; I would do an MFA if you have a writing project you are excited to pursue and/or if you are committed to simply developing and growing and improving as a writer."
• Return to Question Index

Should I get one? What should I consider in determining whether or not to pursue an MFA?

• "You should get an MFA if you have the passion/desire/drive to spend two years focusing on a writing project and workshopping that project with peers and faculty. An MFA alone will not qualify you for teaching at colleges and universities. You would need to have an MFA and at least one published book." 

Where should I go? How can I decide? 

• "Some of the best advice I received when I was applying was to not go anywhere that doesn’t fully fund you. Definitely look at work from the faculty and from students who came out of these programs. I’d also advise that you think about the type of writing environment you want—if you want to be able to work in multiple genres/cross-genre, for example, some programs are more accommodating to that than others."
• Go where you won’t go into debt and where you feel like the curriculum, faculty, campus location, and student body reflects your needs and interests as a writer and as a whole Although a valuable experience, an MFA is an investment that has no guarantee of a return--no matter how prestigious or celebrated the program--which is why going into debt for it is hard to justify. Visit the schools and talk to faculty and current students. Are they welcoming? Are they happy? Do they make you feel valued? Do they value similar things as you (professionally and personally)? Can you see yourself among them? Are there students of color in the program? If not, why not? 
• "Please do not go into debt. This cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often. The best advice is to only go to a program that fully funds you ."

"I think applying only to what pops up when you Google “Top Ten 10 Best Creative Writing MFA programs” is not the kind of research you need to do. Find out the success rate of the graduates at programs you are interested in. Read the books of the teaching faculty. Research deeply before you apply. If you can, go visit and arrange to observe a class. Pay attention to the culture of the place to see if it suits you and ask other students in the program what has worked for them."

• "In addition to finding a school that will support you financially, and after narrowing your search according to where you’d like to live (or where you’d refuse to live), you should consider who you might like to study under. If you have favorite authors, find out if they teach, and where, and then investigate those programs. Be strategic."

How many programs should I apply to? 

• "I applied to 4—I think that was the right number. I got into three of them, and the one I didn't get into wasn't the fanciest one. I worry that applying to too many programs is extremely expensive and time-consuming. Don't apply to any program you wouldn't happily go to, or that will be prohibitively expensive."
• "I applied to only two MFA programs, but I think applying to 5-7 FULLY FUNDED programs that might be a good fit for you is a more responsible and practical approach. There's no "right" number. You have to make a lot of assessments about your needs/desires/personal circumstances and try to match those with programs out there with a curriculum that matches your interests and faculty who could support your work. Many programs have fee offset grants if you inquire with the university to diminish application costs."
• "My answer to the "right" number of schools question: This question reminds me of the question of how many agents one should query. I think it depends on your temperament. I sent to a small handful (I applied to about five schools over a period of two application periods) of schools & I sent to one agent at a time. I am a turtle & this worked great for me, but it would drive some people crazy! It also depends on what your goals are. When applying to MFA programs, what I wanted was a program that would fund me. Of course, an exciting faculty is a plus but I, for one, refused to apply to programs with exciting faculty that weren't capable of funding my work."

—Jennifer Tseng

  What is a low-residency program? 

• Low-residency MFA programs provide a combination of remote and in-person learning. A typical school year consists of one ten-day intensive/residency on campus per semester, supplemented by ongoing remote classes and mentorships throughout the year (including the option of a summer mentorship). This format is ideal for students who have full-time jobs and/or families and for writers who thrive in small groups and prefer working one-on-one with their mentors. The low-res format allows for maximum flexibility and is best suited to self-starters who are comfortable with working independently.
• You can find more information about Low Residency programs here and here.
• "Definitely not! Though it happens occasionally that someone starts an MFA having published a book, most people who start MFAs have never published a single poem/or story even in a journal. They’re looking at your potential. And, in fact, some MFAs might not want to accept a writer who already seems “established” (i.e. widely published in top-tier publications and/or a book or two)." 
• "No, but publishing something demonstrates a certain amount of initiative on your part, while specific venues can signal certain aesthetic and/or political predilections."
• "Again, don’t go into debt for an MFA. Find a program that will support you."
• "Every MFA program costs a different amount. Some programs provide full-funding, partial funding, or no funding. The best way to find out how much financial aid the program you are interested in provides is to visit the program’s website."
• "Keep in mind the cost of living in major metropolitan areas--and certain college towns-- is significantly higher than in other areas. Be active in researching the cost of on-campus housing & go on Craigslist, Zillow, etc., to have a good idea of the current state of the rental market within a 5-10 mile radius of campus."

What is a fully-funded program? (What are some fully-funded programs?)

• "'Fully funded' means you will receive both tuition remission (or its equivalent) and a stipend . In other words, you (as a single person) should not have to take on debt to complete the program; the university covers both the cost of attendance (tuition) and pays you an income (stipend), through a combination of fellowships, teaching assistantships, or other work-related opportunities, such as serving on the editorial board of an affiliated literary journal. At more prestigious programs, multi-year fellowships may be awarded in the financial aid offer associated with your acceptance letter (this is an ideal scenario in which you receive an income just to write, with no additional work-related responsibilities), while other fully-funded schools with less money of an endowment ($$) will fund your degree provided you also agree to teach or perform other related-labor; at such schools, short-term, competitive fellowships may also be available upon arrival. Apply for these, which look good on your CV and will give you a break from teaching in order to focus on your creative work. It can happen, however, that some fellowships ultimately provide less money than teaching does, especially after taxes. Again, make sure you have a sense of your budget based on the current cost of living (expect it to rise, especially in urban areas) so that you can confirm the university’s stipend will be enough to support your needs." 

What sort of teacher training will be provided at a program in which teaching assistantships make up a large portion of the funding?

• "It REALLY varies, and this is a great question to ask current grads in these programs, either before or after you’re accepted, while you’re trying to decide where to go. In my MFA program (Iowa), training and oversight varied greatly depending on what department you were TA-ing/GSI-ing for. For the Literature department proper, we had a week-long orientation/training, and for Creative Writing we had minimal training, but were paired with a TA Coordinator (a second-year grad) who worked one-on-one with us to observe classes and provide feedback."
• "When I was an undergrad I ignored the best piece of MFA advice I was ever offered. When I told my writing mentor that I wanted to go to New York to get an MFA, she said I’d be better off moving there for a summer and waiting tables till I shook the desire out of my system and then could apply elsewhere. When I reflect on my NYC MFA experience for too long, I always come back to her wisdom and wonder what would have happened if I had listened to her. Which is to say, NYC is great but is incredibly expensive and isn’t."
• "Different programs have significant aesthetic differences. If you write very experimental, politically-charged, multilingual poetry, for example, you are going to feel out of place in any program that does not have a significant proportion of faculty whose work demonstrates similar concerns. DO A LOT OF RESEARCH. Also, know that you can apply to MFAs more than once; it is okay to approach your first round of applications as a practice round. And, if in that round, or a subsequent round, you only get into one program, make sure it’s a program you really want to attend. If you arrive at a program and it truly turns out to be a bad match, know that you can also apply to transfer to other programs. It’s not common, but people do it."
• " There is a range of amazing programs that will fully fund you, you can find a good fit that will not put you into massive debt. I also wish I’d known more about the pedagogical & cultural differences between programs, because there is a range, and prestige isn’t always the best indicator of what will be the best fit for you."
• "Do not go to a program you have to pay for in full unless this is really not a concern for you/your family. Just remember: you aren’t becoming a lawyer. There’s no promise of income at the end of the MFA tunnel. So that debt is going to be a huge burden for a long time."
•  "Two-year programs go by in a flash."
• "Personal statement and a writing sample of about 25 pages. Some programs require the GRE. Three recommendations." 
• "You can apply to most programs online. You need a BA or BS degree. The most important component of your application is your manuscript. Most programs ask for 10 pages of poetry; 25 pages of fiction. Personal statement, three letters of recommendation, current CV or resume."
• "You will need some kind of personal statement talking about your desire to get an MFA--why in general, why now, what it would mean for you in the future--as well as a writing sample (for poetry, this is usually anywhere from 10-15 pages). Some programs may also ask for a teaching statement and/or a diversity statement. You will also need 2-3 letters of recommendation."
• "You will also need money to pay application fees, sometimes between $70-120 per school. Sometimes, fee waivers are available. Make sure to ask." 

When should I start thinking about whether or not to apply for an MFA? What is the typical timeline for applying, hearing back from programs, etc?

• "I strongly suggest you do not apply while still an undergraduate at UCSC. Creative Writing students at UCSC spend the spring of their senior year focusing on revising a manuscript. That will be the strongest work you do while at UCSC. If you apply in the fall of your senior year, it will not be with your strongest work. It’s hard to get into an MFA program. MFA programs prefer to take people who have been out of school for a while, have proved they will continue to write outside of school on their own, and perhaps even have a publication or two or have done some work in the writing/literary community."
• "In terms of applying and hearing back, it’s just like college. Applications are due in the Fall, you hear in the spring. Recently, the past few years, we’ve had more and more students applying in the Fall of their Senior year and I think that timing doesn’t allow for maximum realized potential on your final year at UCSC. Our program is designed to have you focus hard in your last year producing a manuscript you have revised, are proud of and may even send out for publication. I recommend taking a break and giving yourself a few years to do life after college. And graduate programs like applications from well-rounded people who have done something other than school. Another benefit of waiting is when you’re not in school and are out in the world, you’ll have more to write about. Consider internships at Literary publications, or even applying to artist colonies to have focused writing time which will also look good on your resume if you do ultimately apply . . . You can also join organizations for writers, like AWP, attend conferences and talk to people, which will help you know if an MFA is really the path for you." 
• "I agree completely. Taking some time off between your undergraduate career and graduate school is usually a good idea. But if you think you want to go into an MFA program sooner than later after graduation, you should consider your senior thesis a springboard to the manuscript that will get you into a graduate program. If you graduate in June, your grad school applications will be due in a little more than five months. You can use that time to polish your manuscript, your CV, and your statement of purpose."
• Return to Question Index  

Who should I ask for recommendation letters? 

• "Ask previous, recent creative writing, English, and literature instructors who are very familiar with your writing, creative and critical. Ask the instructors of multiple courses for which you received high marks. Do not ask your piano instructor, even if you’re a Music major and no matter how close you are, if they have never read your writing."

How do I ask for recommendations? How far in advance should I ask?

• "I always ask for a copy of a student’s manuscript, statement of purpose, CV, and a list of the classes they’ve taken from me. Offering this material when you ask for a recommendation is always appreciated. You want to make your recommenders’ jobs as easy as you can."

"You should ask AT LEAST two months in advance. Make sure to remind the faculty member what classes you took with them, why you’re applying, what you’ve been up to since graduation, and ask them what you can do to make it easier for them. You should sign up for Interfolio so that the faculty member has to do fewer letters. It’s good to politely remind faculty as the deadlines get near." 

• Poets and Writers MFA Program Finder  
• University of Arizona Guide to Applying to MFA Programs
• Hebah Uddin’s article “Prepping for MFA Programs as a Person of Color”
• Gionni Ponce’s article “Seeking POC: How to Choose MFA Programs”
• Sonya Larson’s article “Degrees of Diversity: Talking Race and the MFA”
• Snigdha Roy’s article "How to Find a Writing MFA Program for POCs"

Here’s a list of universities with MFA programs in poetry, fiction, and/or creative nonfiction that graduates from our creative writing concentration have gone to:

• Columbia University 
• Otis Art Institute
• University of Alaska
• New York University 
• San Francisco State University 
• Long Island University Brooklyn 
• Saint Mary’s College 
• The New School
• University of Virginia
• Mills College 
• Sarah Lawrence University 
• University of Glasgow
• Oregon State University 
• California College of the Arts   
• University of Massachusetts, Amherst
• University of North Carolina, Willmington
• California Institute of the Arts
• Colorado State University, Boulder
• University of New Hampshire
• San Jose State University  
• West Virginia University
• Fresno State University
• Sierra Nevada College
• California State University Northridge
• Chapman University
• University of San Francisco
• University of Nevada, Reno
• University of New Mexico
• Portland State University
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Last modified: February 17, 2021 81.177.182.174

• SEP 13, 2024

What Can You Do with an MFA in Creative Writing: 2024 Costs & Job Opportunities

by Imed Bouchrika, Phd

Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist

Creative writing majors can tap into their creativity and excel in producing novels, screenplays, marketing campaigns, public relations strategies, and conceptualizing and managing content. That is why finding the right school and program that are aligned with your professional and personal goals is crucial. In this guide, we will discuss everything you need to know about being a creative writing student. This includes the career paths, schools you can enroll in, and the job market for the profession.

What are the benefits of getting an MFA in creative writing?

• MFA in creative writing degree holders earn an average annual salary of $62,185.
• You can use your MFA in creative writing to work in various industries, such as marketing and public relations, publishing, and academia.
• An online MFA in creative writing degree can provide you with flexibility and opportunities to connect with a broader community of students and mentors.

What can I expect from an MFA in creative writing?

Here is what you can generally expect from an MFA in creative writing program:

• Advanced Writing Skills: MFA programs focus on honing advanced writing skills. Students engage in intensive workshops, critiques, and discussions to refine their craft in various genres, including fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and more.
• Creative Exploration: MFA programs encourage creative exploration and experimentation with different writing styles, forms, and genres. This fosters a diverse and adaptable approach to storytelling.
• Literary Studies: MFA programs often include courses in literary studies, theory, and the history of literature. This academic component broadens students' understanding of the literary landscape and provides context for their creative work.

Where can I work with an MFA in creative writing?

Here are some potential places where individuals with an MFA in creative writing can find employment:

• Universities and Colleges: Many MFA graduates pursue careers in academia, working as professors or lecturers in creative writing programs. They may teach writing workshops, literature courses, or other related subjects.
• Content Creation and Copywriting: Writers with an MFA often excel in content creation and copywriting roles. They may work for advertising agencies, marketing firms, or in-house marketing departments, crafting compelling and creative content for various purposes.
• Publishing Industry: MFA graduates can find opportunities in the publishing industry. They may work as editors, literary agents, or in other editorial roles, helping authors refine their manuscripts and navigate the publishing process.
• Journalism: MFA graduates can pursue careers in journalism, writing for newspapers, magazines, or online news outlets. Their strong writing and storytelling skills can be valuable in reporting and feature writing.

How much can I make with an MFA in creative writing?

According to our research, the average annual salary of MFA creative writing degree holders in the United States is $62,185. The salaries of graduates depend on the nature of their work, their job grades, the industries they belong to, and the liquidity of their employers. Additionally, the specific roles and responsibilities associated with creative writing can significantly impact salary levels.

Meanwhile, the industry that pays the highest average salary to creative writers and authors is motion picture and video ($136,690), followed by technical consulting ($83,250), advertising and public relations ($82,140), and newspapers, directories, and book publishers ($70,190).

Table of Contents

• List of MFA in creative writing programs

How long does it take to complete an MFA in creative writing?

How does an online mfa in creative writing compare to an on-campus program, what is the average cost of an mfa in a creative writing program, what are the financial aid options for students enrolling in an mfa in creative writing program, what are the prerequisites for enrolling in an mfa in creative writing program, what courses are typically in an mfa in creative writing program, what types of specializations are available in mfa creative writing programs, how to choose the best mfa in creative writing program, what career paths are available for graduates of mfa programs in creative writing, what is the job market for graduates with an mfa in creative writing degree.

• Everything else you need to know about MFA in creative writing

List of MFA in Creative Writing Programs

How do we rank schools.

We understand that choosing the right school to complete your MFA in creative writing can be difficult and overwhelming. That is why we strive to provide you with a comprehensive list of schools that you can choose from, including the costs, program length, and accreditation of each one. Using our methodology and the data analysis of our team of experts, we have curated a list of the top schools in the country that offer creative writing programs. We also used the following sources to create the school rankings:

• IPEDS database
• Peterson's database , including their Distance Learning Licensed Data Set
• College Scorecard database
• National Center for Education Statistics

1. Chapman University

The MFA in creative writing program offered by Chapman University concentrates on key subjects like fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, and graphic literature. Students can expect courses that cover subjects like creative writing, journalism, composition, linguistics, and digital humanities. Near the end of the program, learners will have to prepare a book-length thesis, which culminates all of the learnings from the program.

• Program Length: Two Years
• Tracks/concentrations: fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, graphic literature
• Cost per credit: $1,258
• Required Credits to Graduate: 36
• Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College & University Commission

2. Cornell University

Cornell University’s MFA in creative writing program offers two concentrations: fiction and poetry. What makes it peculiar is that the school admits only eight students to the program each year (four for each concentration), enabling teachers to completely focus on the development of each learner. Students will participate in a graduate writing workshop per semester, receive training as editorial assistants and teaching assistants, and accomplish a book-length manuscript.

• Tracks/concentrations: fiction and poetry
• Cost per credit: $1,750
• Required Credits to Graduate: 60
• Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education

3. Washington University

The MFA in creative writing at Washington University offers two tracks—poetry and prose—and admits only 10 to 12 students each year. Students can expect to participate in writing workshops, accomplish a 20- to 30-page critical essay, and complete a manuscript composed of at least 30 poems, five short stories or essays worth 100 pages, or a 150-page novel or essay. The program's coursework focuses on literary theories, periods, and types.

• Tracks/concentrations: poetry and prose
• Cost per credit: $328.31 (in-state); $573.27 (out-of-state).
• Required Credits to Graduate: 55
• Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

4. Liberty University

One of the many online MFA in creative writing programs available to students today, the MFA in creative writing program at Liberty University features four major concentrations—fiction, creative nonfiction, screenwriting, and poetry. The coursework has an in-depth approach to subjects like creative writing, publishing, literature, and the development of various literary techniques. Besides writing, students are expected to develop skills in editing, creating layouts, and managing publishing operations.

• Tracks/concentrations: fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and screenwriting
• Cost per credit: $565 (full-time); $615 (part-time)
• Required Credits to Graduate: 48
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

5. Western Colorado University

The MFA in creative writing at WCU is a great way for students to join a thriving and diverse community of writers who want to find a niche. They offer five innovative areas of creative writing that you can choose from, as well as other courses that will help you achieve your full potential as a writer. WCU’s low residency model makes their graduate program more accessible by allowing students to choose some online courses during the academic year.

• Tracks/concentrations: genre fiction, nature writing, poetry, publishing, screenwriting, and more.
• Cost per credit: $700
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission

6. Adelphi University

Located in Brookly, NY, Adelphi University’s MFA in creative writing program is designed for students to experience multiple genres and hybrid literary forms. The faculty members at AU are award-winning novelists, writers, and poets who teach in small class sizes to ensure that they work closely with each student. They also have an immersive workshop where students are able to acquire mastery in more than one genre and work with a variety of literary traditions. All graduates from Adelphi University will also be automatically enrolled as members of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP).

• Program Length: One and a half years
• Tracks/concentrations: fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction
• Cost per credit: $875
• Required Credits to Graduate: 40

7. Cornell College

Cornell College in Vermont offers an MFA in creative writing degree program and a low-residency graduate program for those who want to have more flexibility in their studies. Essentially, students will have on-campus classes as well as online classes, depending on their chosen schedule. At Cornell College, MFA in creative writing students are required to complete creative and critical work each month, as well as an applied studies project focused on literary criticism.

• Program Length: One to Two Years
• Tracks/concentrations: literary criticism
• Cost per credit: $2,700
• Required Credits to Graduate: 11

8. America University

America University’s MFA program in creative writing integrates literary journalism, writing, and translation to prepare students for a wide range of career possibilities. Their graduate workshops also provide a critical yet supportive environment to encourage students to explore a range of approaches to understanding the craft of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. At the end of the program, students will be required to complete an MFA thesis, which is an original, book-length manuscript.

• Tracks/concentrations: literary journalism
• Cost per credit: $1,922

9. The New School

If you want to live the writer’s life in New York, you can enroll in The New School’s MFA in creative writing program . Students who are planning to study here will be able to join an established community that is progressive, socially engaged, and close-knit. Students at TNS will also be able to take part in workshops and seminars led by internationally recognized faculty on the NYC literary scene.

• Tracks/concentrations: arts writing, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and writing for children and young adults
• Cost per credit: $1,945

10. Fairleigh Dickinson University

The MFA in creative writing program at FDU offers two-year remote coursework and a low-residency option to accommodate a writer’s complicated schedule and goals. International students from outside the U.S. and other countries can choose the fully remote course to complete the program. Students will also have the option to add a second degree track for a dual concentration degree.

• Tracks/concentrations: fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and more.
• Cost per credit: $647

Here’s what graduates have to say about their MFA in creative writing.

“Studying for my MFA in Creative Writing was a transformative journey. The rigorous workshops pushed me to hone my craft, and the connections I made with fellow writers created a lifelong support network. Now, I'm a published author, and the emotional depth I gained from this experience infuses every word I write." -Sarah

“Choosing an MFA in Creative Writing was the best decision of my life. The mentorship I received guided me toward my unique voice, and the diverse community of writers enriched my perspective. Today, I work as an editor, shaping narratives and helping authors find their stories—something I learned to cherish during my MFA journey." -Alex

“My MFA in Creative Writing was a revelation. Beyond refining my writing skills, the program opened doors to unexpected opportunities. The friendships forged in late-night workshops and the unwavering encouragement from mentors fueled my passion. Now, as a freelance writer, I navigate diverse projects with confidence, carrying the indelible mark of my MFA experience." -Yuki

Key Findings

• The average annual salary for MFA in creative writing degree holders is $62,185.
• Graduates who took up creative writing, or a bachelor’s degree in English , can work in industries such as marketing, journalism, freelancing, and publishing.
• The motion picture and video industry pays the highest average salary to creative writers and authors, at around $136,690 annually.
• MFAs in creative writing programs usually take two years to complete, depending on the university curriculum.
• The demand for technical writers is expected to increase by seven percent within the next decade.

The duration of a MFA in creative writing program can vary, but it typically takes around 2 to 3 years to complete. The exact length depends on factors such as the structure of the program, whether it is pursued full-time or part-time, and any additional requirements, such as a thesis project or residency periods. However, we still recommend checking the specific details of the MFA program you are interested in, as each program may have its own timeline and requirements.

An online MFA program in creative writing offers greater flexibility, allowing students to participate from anywhere with internet access. This flexibility is beneficial for individuals with work, family, or other commitments. Furthermore, online programs provide access to a diverse range of faculty and students from different locations. This can result in exposure to varied perspectives and experiences.

On the other hand, an on-campus MFA program in creative writing provides direct, face-to-face interaction with professors and peers. This can enhance the immediacy of feedback and the depth of literary discussions. Some on-campus programs may offer residency opportunities, allowing students to engage in intensive writing experiences, attend workshops, and interact with established authors.

The average cost of an MFA in a creative writing program can range from around $35,000 for low-residency programs to around $70,000 for private and on-campus programs. The overall cost may vary significantly based on factors such as the type of institution, residency status, program length, and geographic location. If you want an affordable option, you can enroll in a university and expect to spend around $27,000 for full-time studies and $29,000 for part-time studies. The chart below demonstrates the various costs of an MFA in creative writing based on our research:

Here are some common financial aid options for students enrolled in an MFA in creative writing:

• Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) allows students to be considered for federal financial aid programs, including direct unsubsidized loans and graduate PLUS loans. However, not all MFA programs participate in federal aid, so it's essential to check with the specific program.
• Merit-Based Scholarships: Many MFA programs offer merit-based scholarships to outstanding students. These scholarships may cover tuition, fees, or provide a stipend for living expenses. Applicants are typically considered based on their writing portfolio, academic achievements, and letters of recommendation.
• Teaching Assistantships (TA): MFA programs often provide teaching assistantship opportunities. TAs may assist in teaching undergraduate writing courses or work with literary journals associated with the program. In exchange, students receive a tuition waiver and, sometimes, a stipend.
• State and Local Grants: Depending on the location, state and local government agencies may offer grants or scholarships for graduate students. It's worth exploring regional funding opportunities.

Here are some of the most common requirements for those who want to enroll in an MFA in creative writing:

• Bachelor's Degree: Most MFA programs require applicants to hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. An MFA’s student's undergraduate degree doesn't have to be in a field related to writing. For instance, you can pursue the cheapest online bachelor degree in any discipline you want and be eligible for entry into prestigious MFA programs.
• Writing Portfolio or Manuscript: A crucial component of the application is a writing portfolio or manuscript. This may include samples of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or a combination, depending on the program's specifications.
• Transcripts: Official transcripts from all previous academic institutions attended are commonly required. These transcripts provide a comprehensive overview of the applicant's academic history.
• Letters of Recommendation: MFA programs usually require letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to the applicant's academic abilities and potential as a writer. Recommenders may include professors, mentors, or professionals familiar with the applicant's writing.
• Standardized Test Scores: Although standardized test scores are not required in many MFA creative writing programs, there are still some institutions that have these as requirements. Scoring high in the GMAT or GRE could also help make students eligible for some student aid programs.

Here are typical courses found in MFA in Creative Writing programs:

• Genre-Specific Workshops: This will be a course focused on the analysis and discussion of the students’ original writing, whether it be fiction or nonfiction. It will also explore the fundamental elements of writing, including narrative techniques and character development.
• Literary Criticism and Theory: This course analyzes and discusses literary works from various perspectives, fostering a deeper understanding of literature. It will also explore different theoretical approaches to literature, providing a theoretical framework for analyzing texts.
• Editing and Publishing: Learners pursuing various degrees in creative writing will be taught to edit different types of written content, accounting for the tone, audience, and writing style needed. It also covers the practical aspects of the publishing industry, including submitting work, understanding contracts, and building a writing career.
• Special Topics Courses: Students will also explore specific themes, styles, or trends in creative writing, allowing them to delve into specialized areas of interest. It will also focus on innovative and non-traditional approaches to writing.

It is also best to keep in mind that there is a distinct difference between degree and major when you're pursuing an MFA in creative writing. Majors tend to present a more specialized curriculum, which can include different types of genres and literary forms.

Here are some common specializations that students might find in MFA programs:

• Fiction: Specializing in fiction allows students to focus on the craft of writing novels and short stories. This specialization often includes workshops, craft courses, and seminars specifically tailored to fiction writing.
• Poetry: A specialization in poetry involves the in-depth study and practice of poetic forms, techniques, and styles. Students may explore various poetic traditions, experiment with different forms, and develop their own unique poetic voice.
• Creative Nonfiction: Specializing in creative nonfiction allows students to explore the art of writing true stories. This can include personal essays, memoirs, narrative journalism, and other forms of nonfiction storytelling.
• Screenwriting: Screenwriting specializations focus on the unique challenges and techniques of writing for film or television. Students may learn screenplay structure, dialogue, and visual storytelling.
• Young Adult (YA) or Children's Writing: Specializing in writing for young audiences involves crafting literature specifically tailored to children or young adults. This can include novels, picture books, and middle-grade fiction.
• Digital and New Media Writing: Specializing in digital and new media writing involves exploring writing for online platforms, interactive storytelling, and the integration of technology into the narrative arts.

Here are some of the factors you should consider when choosing the best MFA in creative writing program:

• Program Specializations: Assess the specializations offered by each program. Choose a program that aligns with your specific writing interests and career goals. If you have a particular genre or style you want to focus on, ensure that the program supports that specialization.
• Faculty Profiles: Explore the achievements of alumni from each program. Success stories of former students, including published works, literary awards, and professional accomplishments, can provide insights into the program's effectiveness in nurturing writing talent.
• Workshops and Class Sizes: Assess the structure of writing workshops and class sizes. Smaller workshop sizes often allow for more personalized feedback and interaction with faculty. Look for programs that prioritize a supportive and collaborative workshop environment.
• Accreditation: As a discipline, creative writing does not have a formal accrediting body. Rather, creative writing programs are accredited by national and regional organizations. In addition, these can also receive programmatic accreditations from organizations like the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) .
• Program Format: Decide on the format that suits your preferences and lifestyle. MFA programs can be full-time, part-time, low-residency, or online. Consider factors such as location, residency requirements, and the flexibility of the program to ensure it fits your needs.

Some of the most common career paths for MFA in creative writing degree holders include the following:

• Teaching and Education: Many MFA graduates pursue careers in academia, teaching creative writing at the high school, college, or university level even without a PhD degree . This may include roles such as as professors, lecturers, or instructors.
• Creative Nonfiction Writer: Graduates specializing in creative nonfiction can pursue careers as essayists, memoirists, or narrative nonfiction writers, contributing to magazines, newspapers, and online publications.
• Author/Novelist: Many MFA graduates go on to become published authors or novelists, producing works of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry.
• Freelance Writing: MFA graduates often work as freelance writers, contributing articles, essays, or creative pieces to a variety of publications.
• Journalist: Graduates with strong writing skills may pursue careers in journalism, working for newspapers, magazines, or online news outlets.
• Public Relations Specialist: MFA graduates may work in public relations, crafting press releases, speeches, and other written materials to promote individuals or organizations.
• Publishing Professional: Graduates may work in various roles within the publishing industry, such as book editors, literary scouts, or marketing professionals.

In 2022, there were 53,300 technical writers, 151,200 writers and authors, 297,100 PR specialists, 58,500 journalists, and 122,100 editors in the U.S. The varied employment figures highlight the expansive impact that creative writing skills can have across industries, showcasing the versatility and demand for individuals with a strong foundation in the craft. The chart below shows the number of people employed in the creative writing industry and the diverse range of career opportunities available to graduates.

As the importance of storytelling and effective communication continues to rise, graduates with creative writing expertise are well-positioned to fill roles in diverse fields such as marketing, public relations, content creation, and education. The demand for creative writers in the U.S. is also expected to increase by four percent by 2028. This outlook can be attributed to the growing need for compelling content in the digital age, where businesses, media outlets, and online platforms rely heavily on written communication to engage audiences.

Other Things You Should Know About MFA in Creative Writing

Is an mfa in creative writing worth it.

If your primary goal is to become a professional writer, a published author, or to work in a field where advanced writing skills are crucial, an MFA can provide valuable training and networking opportunities. MFA programs are designed to hone your writing skills, expose you to different genres, and provide constructive feedback. Many writing jobs pay well, and the sky is the limit when looking for these opportunities. This master's degree is also appealing because it is one of the most affordable online MFA programs today .

What are the freelance writing opportunities for MFA creative writing graduates?

Here are some freelance writing opportunities for MFA graduates:

• Content Creation
• Copywriting
• Ghostwriting
• Creative nonfiction essays
• Freelance Editing
• Technical Writing
• Scriptwriting for Media
• Travel Writing

What are the requirements for teaching creative writing?

Here are general requirements and steps you might consider if you're interested in teaching creative writing:

• MFA or equivalent: Earn a master of fine arts (MFA) in creative writing or a closely related field. This advanced degree provides the necessary training in both the craft of writing and the pedagogy of teaching creative writing.
• Publication Record: Establish a publication record. While not always a strict requirement, having a portfolio of published works, such as novels, short stories, poems, or essays, can strengthen your candidacy.
• Build a Strong Portfolio: Create a portfolio that showcases your writing, teaching philosophy, and any relevant teaching materials or lesson plans you've developed. This will be crucial when applying for teaching positions.
• Teaching Experience: Gain teaching experience, either through assistantships during your MFA program, teaching positions at the college level, or through workshops and community education programs.

What is the difference between an MFA in creative writing and an MA in creative writing?

The MFA is considered a terminal degree that emphasizes artistic practice and the development of creative skills. It is typically geared towards writers and artists who want to focus on honing their craft through workshops, writing projects, and practical experiences. On the other hand, the MA often has a more academic and research-oriented focus. While it includes creative writing components, it may place a greater emphasis on literary analysis, critical theory, and academic research related to literature.

What mentorship and networking opportunities does an MFA in Creative Writing offer in the U.S.?

• MFA programs in Creative Writing offer mentorship with experienced writers, providing valuable guidance and feedback on your work.
• Networking opportunities include interactions with fellow writers, published authors, and industry professionals during workshops, seminars, and literary events.
• Access to literary journals, publishing houses, and writing conferences through university connections enhances your exposure and chances of publication.
• Alumni networks and career services support your post-graduation endeavors, including job placements, residencies, and fellowships in the writing and publishing industry.

What opportunities does an MFA in creative writing provide for exploring writing voices and styles?

An MFA in creative writing offers a nurturing environment for students to explore and refine their writing voice and style. Through workshops, seminars, and mentorship from experienced writers, students receive constructive feedback and guidance to develop their creativity and craft. The program encourages experimentation with different genres, techniques, and themes, fostering a deeper understanding of storytelling and literary expression. By engaging with peers and faculty who share a passion for writing, students gain insights, inspiration, and support to hone their unique voice and create compelling, original works that reflect their artistic vision and creative identity.

What opportunities for publication and professional networking are available in an MFA in Creative Writing program?

An MFA in Creative Writing program offers numerous opportunities for publication and professional networking. Students often have access to literary journals, workshops, and writing contests to publish their work. Many programs host readings, guest lectures, and conferences featuring established authors, editors, and agents, providing valuable networking opportunities. Additionally, students may participate in internships and assistantships with publishing houses and literary organizations. These experiences help students build a professional portfolio, gain industry insights, and establish connections that are crucial for a successful writing career. This comprehensive support system fosters both creative development and professional advancement.

• Adelphi University. (2024). Graduate Tuition by College or School. https://www.adelphi.edu/aid/tuition-costs/graduate
• Liberty University. (2024). General Tuition Rates: 2023-2024. https://www.liberty.edu/online/tuition-and-fees
• The New School. (2024). Tuition and Fees Estimator – Creative Writing. https://www.newschool.edu/writing/tuition-fees-estimator
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023). Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022: 27-3043 Writers and Authors. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes273043.htm#top
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Technical Writers. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/technical-writers.htm
• Zippia. (2024). Creative Writer Overview. https://www.zippia.com/creative-writer-jobs
• ZipRecruiter. (2024). MFA Creative Writing Salary. https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/MFA-Creative-Writing-Salary

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MFA in Mind: Twenty Questions to Ask Before Applying

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Why You Need an MFA in Creative Writing

Author: Natalie Harris-Spencer Updated: December 9, 2022

If you’re serious about the business of writing, then you need an MFA in Creative Writing. Yes, I said it: you need an MFA, or Master of Fine Arts, also known as the terminal degree in Creative Writing. You don’t need an MBA, or MLA, or other variation. You need an MFA, the gold standard, the one and only masters degree that is professionally recognized for writing.

What you need v. want you want

I know, I know – there are plenty of successful writers out there who did not pursue an MFA in Creative Writing. Conversely, there are plenty of writers who pursued their MFA, and then did precisely nothing after that. So, why am I saying that this is something that you need ?

Well, need is relative, subjective, and personal. You might really need a new phone, or a glass of wine, or a haircut, or a blood transfusion. In other words, only you know what you actually need in order to get the results you desire. This is the sweet spot where need and want cross over.

You have to want to get an MFA in Creative Writing.

As with all of my topics on Aspiring Author , there is always, always a pay-off. What is the effort required in order to get the results you want? You will get out what you put in. This is why my advice is that you should pursue an MFA in Creative Writing – but only for the right reasons.

Think about what you want

If your goal is to get published and be successful (and if it isn’t, I’m not sure I can help you), then an MFA is not the answer. An MFA does not guarantee that you will get published in literary magazines , or that you will sign with an agent, or that you will get a book deal . If your goal is to teach in a related field , an MFA might be required. If it’s both, then you almost certainly need an MFA. If you want nothing more than to meet fellow writers, you might also want to consider writing groups, conferences , community classes, and other local initiatives. If you want guarantee of signing with a literary agent , or a full-time job: tough. The MFA can’t provide that. What it can do is better prepare you for when the time comes, so that you are set up for success.

Think about if you can afford to spend the money

MFAs are notoriously expensive and time-consuming. Is it worth getting yourself into a heap of debt? Unless your program is fully-funded, you can expect to spend anywhere between $20,000 and $200,000. I was fortunate in that my day job offered an education assistance program that helped me fund about half of my studies. I was also fortunate enough to be in a day job that paid the bills and allowed me breathing room to invest in my writing career. As with any educational pursuit, it doesn’t come cheap. And there is no guarantee that you will ever make this money back, either through a book deal or a teaching job.

Think about if you can afford to spend the time

Do you have the time to spare ? Many MFA programs offer low residency options for you to balance your masters against your full-time day job (which is what I did at Stonecoast , University of Southern Maine). There are also online programs, as well as the traditional brick-and-mortar schools which could potentially give you that “time to write” that you might be craving from an MFA. Reality check: there is never enough time to write. Not now, not ever. Take the time you have, and spend it wisely, and only on what you want and need.

Think about if you can take the criticism

During your MFA program, you will be introduced to a thriving community of writing peers, faculty, and professionals. You will sit through workshops and seminars with these people, and you will open yourself wide to their thoughts, opinions, and general criticism of your work. GET USED TO IT. Critiques are the bread and butter of MFA programs. Many adopt the Iowa workshop model, where you sit in silence as your work gets torn apart. If you aren’t ready for that extreme level of criticism, then you probably aren’t ready for an MFA in Creative Writing. This isn’t to say that you should listen to all feedback – that isn’t always helpful – but a lot of it will be. You’ll find that through listening, reading other people’s editorial letters, you’ll notice common themes that will help you exponentially improve your craft.

Think about if you can stick to deadlines

This is a pretty basic one. You will get assignments. You will need to write to deadlines. You will need to craft editorial letters, manuscripts, stories, packets, essays, and eventually a thesis. You will need to deliver presentations, and respond to your mentors, professors, and interact with faculty on a regular basis. If you can’t manage your time and stick to deadlines, you’ve already failed. The MFA is designed to prepare you for the writing life, while affording you extreme accountability. Sticking to deadlines is an integral part of that.

Think about if you’re really, really ready for this

Can you afford it? Can you handle the workload? Can you take criticism on board? Can you get personal, and emotional, and messy? Can you leave your pride at the door? Can you put yourself and your writing first, above all other things? If so, welcome aboard. An MFA in Creative Writing awaits.

And finally, here’s why I pursued my MFA

I have never had any interest in becoming a teacher. And at the time of applying for my MFA, getting a literary agent and a book deal seemed like a far-away pursuit. Instead, I knew that my writing soul needed an MFA. When I was an undergraduate at a college in the United Kingdom, I investigated MFA programs in America. Even all those years ago, it was prohibitively expensive. My digital marketing career ended up taking off, and I stayed put. Over a decade later, and my life (and day job) took me to the East Coast, where the opportunity to apply to a low residency MFA program reared its head. It sounds trite, but I believe it truly was kismet – because I made it happen. Because I wanted it. Because I needed it. And yes, the results have proven to be well worth it – honing my voice, landing a literary agent , a series of publications, novels underway, a life-long community of writing friends and relationships, this website – but having “MFA” in my by-line is not the reason I did it. The reason is that I consciously and resolutely invested in myself and my writing career, and it paid off.

Recommended reading

Here at Aspiring Author , we love recommending bestsellers and fawning over hot new releases. On this real time recommended reading list, you will find a list of top rated books on the publishing industry, craft, and other books to help you elevate your writing career.

Personal History: A Memoir

Deliberate Practice for Creative Writers (Method Writing)

Fight Write, Round Two

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

My Fundamentals of Storytelling: A Guide to Giving Life to Your Stories

About the author.

Natalie Harris-Spencer

Related articles.

What Jobs Can You Get With an MFA in Creative Writing?

How Long Does it Take to Get an MFA in Creative Writing?

15 Best Low Residency MFA Programs

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| The MFA | Overview  | Planning and Research | Assembling Your Application | Creating Your Timeline | Additional Tips | Additional Resources |

The MFA in Creative Writing

Many writers interested in continuing their study of Creative Writing beyond their bachelor's degree  pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree (MFA) in Creative Writing. MFA programs are designed to provide writers with theoretical framework, practical skills, and critical community support to help them further hone their craft and develop the expertise needed to become published writers.   

MFA programs, however, are very competitive, with only a small percentage of applicants getting into the programs of their choice each year. As such, putting together a successful application takes considerable planning, research, focus, and time. From conducting research on which program is right for you, to preparing the materials you need, to perfecting your creative writing sample and statement of purpose, to obtaining letters of recommendation from your favorite professors, to actually sending in your applications: all this can take from six months to a year from start to finish.

If gaining a Master of Fine Arts degree is of interest to you, then this guide is a great place to start.  Below are some tips on how to succeed in that process. 

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In total, you can expect to do the following as part of the process of applying to MFA programs:

• Plan the overall process and create a timeline
• Research MFA programs / Decide where to apply
• Creative Writing sample (10-20 pages of fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, etc.)
• Statement of Purpose
• Letters of Recommendation from current or past professors (3 total)
• Undergraduate transcripts
• Curriculum Vitae or Resumé
• GRE test scores (if required by any of the programs to which you plan to apply)
• Application fees
• Submit your applications and required materials by the appropriate deadlines (see above)

Planning and Research

Your Application Timeline.  The very first thing you'll want to do is create a timeline for your application process. (See " Creating Your Timeline " below for some more specific info.) Knowing that most application deadlines are between December 1st and February 1st (for students who want to begin in the fall semester), you will want to get started on everything AT LEAST six months prior to the earliest deadlines: i.e. you'll want to start the process in the spring of your Junior year (assuming you plan to start an MFA in the fall after graduating. If you think you might take a year off after graduation then you can begin in the spring of your Senior year.)

As part of your timeline, figure out when you need to start the various pieces of your completed application packet, and when you want to have them completed. For instance, knowing that it will take time to revise the stories or poems you want to include as your Creative Writing Sample, and that as part of this process you'll want to get feedback toward revision from a trusted friend and/or a willing (and generous) professor, you should plan to complete your first drafts of these no later than September, and possibly earlier. (Your friend or professor will need time to read and provide feedback for you. And then you will need time to revise, etc.) Similarly, knowing that your professors will need time to write your letters of recommendation, and that there's no guarantee that every professor you ask will agree to do this, you should start asking your favorite professors for letters early in your process, perhaps in the spring semester of your Junior year.

All this is to say: make yourself a timeline, give yourself deadlines, and do your best to stick to these deadlines!

Research. After completing your timeline, your next step in some ways is the most difficult: doing research to decide where you want to apply. Maybe you already have a program or two in mind. If so, that's great. If not, our best advice is to start with a resource right here at UTEP: Your Creative Writing professors.

Who are your favorite current or past Creative Writing professors ? Send each an email, or drop by their office hours. Simply let them know that you're interested in applying to MFA programs, and that you would like their advice. All of your professors here will have great advice, and can point you to programs that they admire, and/or in which they think you would be a good fit. 

Of course there are other factors you should think about aside from your professors' recommendations. Here are a few things to consider as you're looking at various MFA programs:

• Genres.  Does the program offer courses in all genres, or specialize in a limited number of genres (poetry, fiction, cre ative non-fiction, children's lit, screenwriting , gaming, etc)? Does it offer a variety of courses in the genre you're interested in? Does the program have faculty who specialize in and/or publish in the genre(s) you want to study?
• Faculty.  Are you interested in writing by one or more members of the faculty in the program? (You may need to do some research to find and read some work by the program's faculty. Each Faculty member's bio or Faculty page will list their most prominent or most recent work.) If you're really intrigued, a sk t o be connected  with faculty, if possible, to sit in on a class or for a one-on-one conversation about the program.  Conversely, are there writers (perhaps that you've encountered through your Creative Writing classes, or by reading contemporary poetry/fiction journals) that you really admire? Look them up and find out where they teach! 
• Location.  Consider where the school is located . Is it somewhere you'd like to live?  Is it affordable to live there? Is there a literary arts scene (or music scene, or performance scene, or visual arts scene)? Do you have connections to anyone in this location, or will you need to form new community upon joining the program? (Keep in mind that an MFA program is a great and easy place to form a new community!)  Is the program online or in person?  Do you want to move to a new city and start over, or would you like to be close to family and friends?
• Finances.  Does the program offer Teaching Assistantships or Fellowships (or some other kind of yearly stipend) to its MFA students? (It should.) Does the program (and/or the University) offer grants/scholarships/tuition wavers to help defer the costs of graduate school? How much is not covered by all the above, and what is the remaining amount, considering tuition, fees, and cost of living, that you would have to cover out of pocket? Are you willing to take out loans to cover the rest? How much aid will you receive from FAFSA? Contact the school’s Financial Aid office for more information and to learn about additional resources.
• Program Specifics. Every student will have their own unique wants and needs from an MFA program, so consider what you value and are looking for.  Some of the things you might consider: the reputation of the university and/or the program; the size of the program; the culture of the program and the competitiveness among classmates; what the graduates of the program do after completing the program; access to faculty; class size; opportunities to take part in reading series or in the production of a literary magazine; etc.     
• Get in Touch.  Talk to MFA students currently in that program to get a sense of what their experience has been, the strengths and weaknesses of the program, what they like and don't like about the program and/or the location, about the camaraderie among fellow students, why they chose that program, etc. (To get in touch with current students, you can usually e-mail the program, tell them you're considering applying, and that you'd like to be put in touch with current students.) 
• Visit.  If you have the time and resources, visit the programs you're most interested in (in person or virtually) to get a feel for the campus, the people, the program, and the town/city where it's located. If visiting in person, let the program know ahead of time that you're coming, make sure it's a good time to visit (you don't want to visit while they're on break!), and ask if you can sit in on a class and/or meet with current students etc. This is a great way to get a sense of whether or not you would fit in and feel comfortable there.

In the end you'll want to apply to at least three, and up to eight programs, depending on your resources. (The more MFA programs you apply to, the greater chance you have of being admitted to one. At the same time, the more MFA programs you apply to, the more you'll be paying in application fees, which can be quite expensive.)

Recent alumni from UTEP's Creative Writing Department have had success getting into a number of MFA programs that you might want to consider as well: University of Arizona, University of New Mexico, the New School, the Art Institute of Chicago, University of Pittsburgh, Emerson College, Simmons University, NMSU.

Assembling Your Application

Once you've made your selections and you know where you want to apply, you'll need to start assembling your application materials. The following is a list of materials commonly requested as part of an application to an MFA program in Creative Wriitng.

• Three Letters of Recommendation.   I t is best to  ask for  letters of recommendation from current/previous professors who can speak to your writing abilities, your growth as a student, your participation and contributions to the classroom, and why they believe you are the right candidate for an MFA program .  It is important to ask professors whom you know and in whose classes you did well.  Also, consider your audience. Since you're applying to Creative Writing programs, you'll want letters primarily from Creative Writing professors. (One letter from a professor in a related field, such as Literature, would be okay, as long as the others are in the field you're applying to.) If you've done a special project with a professor, like an Honors Thesis, or If you've taken multiple classes with a particular professor you like and admire, and whose classes have been important to you, then she or he or they should be on the top of your list. Think ahead. C onnecting with professors during your experience as an undergraduate Creative Writing major--through class participation ,  attending office  hours , and staying in touch even after your class with them ends--will help you build relationships with them and thus provide your recommenders with a deeper understanding of you and your writing as they  prepare their letters.   Always ask for letters at least two to three months prior to your earliest application deadline.  (It never hurts to ask earlier rather than later.) Your professors are very busy, and while they always want to help if they can, good letters of recommendation require a lot of time and effort to prepare. You do not want to rush them. Make sure you provide for them the names of each school/program you're applying to and the deadlines for each. 
• Statement of Purpose (or Statement of Intent). Precisely what any particular program asks for here can   vary, but  most programs   request  a  writer’s  statement and/or a statement of purpose (of approximately 500-1000 words) that speaks  about  your  writing  influences  and goals ; what makes you distinctive as a writer; your academic and literary interests ; why you think their program is right for you; and your further professional goals beyond the MFA program . While the Creative Writing Sample (see below) is often the most important document you submit as part of your MFA application, the Statement of Purpose is still crucial, as it can often sway an admissions committee (who are weighing your application against many others), who may realize from your statement that you are truly interested in their program and what their program has to offer, and that you will therefore be a good fit there. What this means, however, is that you shouldn't simply send the exact same Statement of Purpose to each program you're applying to. Rather, you should tailor each Statement of Purpose to the program you're sending it to. Make sure you address the topics the program asks you to address, of course, but also make sure you talk about the specific aspects of their program that excite you: particular courses that are offered; faculty members you're excited to work with and why; specialty tracks or sub-programs within the program (such as screenwriting, literary translation, children's literature, etc.). All this is to say that you want to let the admissions committee know that you know something about their program, and that you know why you want to be there.
• Creative Writing Sample. A Creative Writing Sample will be 10-20 pages of your best poems, short stories, excerpts from novels, etc. In an MFA application, this is often the most important document you submit , and an admissions committee will often start by looking at this sample of your work. If they like it, they'll move you forward and look at the rest of your application. If they don't, that'll be the end. As such: do not simply dust off the work that got you an "A" in your recent Creative Writing classes and send it in. You'll want to work on these, revise, and work on them some more. Get feedback from a trusted friend or CRW classmate, or from a professor (who has agreed ahead of time to give you feedback). Take their constructive criticism seriously (they're trying to help! They want you to succeed!) and revise, revise, revise. Make your creative writing sample the absolute best you can.  Once you've decided on the stories or poems you want to submit, have revised it all to the point where you (and your trusted readers) think it's ready, and you're ready to put the sample together, you'll want to think about how to order the work you've chosen for your writing sample. It's often best to lead with the strongest works first,  the next strongest samples last, and the least strong samples in the middle.  Finally, keep in mind that quality is more important than quantity (as long as you provide the minimum number of pages they request).
• Transcripts.  Official Transcripts are official legal documents listing among other things the courses you took at the University and the grades you received, and these  are  issued by the university or college where you completed your undergraduate coursework, usually by the University Registrar's office.  Unofficial transcripts show the same information, but do not have official legal standing. Most programs you're applying to will require official transcripts. To request your official transcripts from UTEP, contact the Division of Student Affairs Office of Registration and Records . 
• Application Fees. Most programs charge an application fee to apply to their program. These fees cover the time and effort needed to process and review applications. These are typically between $50-$100 per application, and sometimes more. So, the more programs you apply to, the more you'll be spending on application fees. You'll need to think about this ahead of time, and start saving if necessary.

  Some less commonly requested materials :  

• Curriculum Vitae or Resume. A curriculum Vitae (CV) is a complete list of education, jobs, volunteer work, professional experiences, publications, public performances, awards, etc. Whereas a resume is usually a brief, one-page snapshot of all the above, highlighting your skills and past job responsibilities. You can find examples of both online.
• Critical Writing Samples.  A 10-20 page sample of critical/analytical/research writing. Such a writing sample would be more commonly requested for applications to MA or PhD programs in more traditionally academic programs, like Literature, History, Communications, or Sociology. But, you never know. If you happen to be applying to a PhD program in Creative Writing, however, you will likely be asked for both a creative writing sample AND a critical writing sample.
• GRE Test Scores. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is similar to the SAT test (which you may have taken in preparation to apply to college), but is for those who want to study at the masters level or beyond after finishing their bachelor's degree. The "general" GRE test is supposed to measure your aptitude for graduate-level study, while specific GRE tests for specific disciplines (such as Literature or History) measure your preparation for advanced study in that discipline. In either case, though, one can dramatically improve their performance on these tests by studying for them with a test-prep book or app. Important to note is that few MFA programs require GRE scores, but some do. Best to do your research ahead of time here and figure out if any of the programs you're interested in require the GRE. If they do, and if you still want to apply to them, you'll need to schedule a GRE test time far in advance of those application deadlines. You can get more info on taking the GRE at the GRE website:  https://www.ets.org/gre On the other hand, you may decide that you don't want to apply to any programs requiring the GRE, and therefore eliminate programs that require it from your list.

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Creating Your Timeline

Below is a general guideline for putting together your own application timeline. Make sure you check with the programs you're applying to for specific dates for everything below.

• 12 months before  applying (winter of Junior year)  – Begin  researching MFA programs    
• 2 months before  applying  – Ask  for Letters of Recommendation    
• September 1 st  - May 15 th  –  Applications Due  (see MFA programs for exact deadline e s)
• Many programs have deadlines the first few weeks of January (for students intending to begin in the fall of that year). However, some of the most competitive programs have deadlines as early as September, and others have deadlines as late as May. Start researching early so that you don’t miss these crucial deadlines.  
• October 1 st  – June 30 th  – FAFSA   (Free Application for Federal Student Aid– see schools for exact deadlines) FASFA opens for applications October 1 st  and closes June 30 th .  Submit your FAFSA as soon as possible – some  schools have priority deadlines or hard deadlines before  June 30 th , or  give a wards until funds are depleted. Check with your school to see when their deadlines are.  A pply  for FAFSA   HERE .   
• Rolling – Applying  for scholarships   Scholarships have deadlines throughout the year. It is recommended to  start  research ing  and applying for scholarships in the fall  prior  to the year  you are seeking funding.  Check with the programs you are applying to  to  learn of additional scholarships and funding they may have. Contact the UTEP Office of Fellowships and Awards for assistance.
• March – July – Accept Offer   (see schools for exact deadlines) You will get letters of acceptance or rejection anytime between March and July. Hopefully you'll have received an acceptance or two (or more). Review offer letters and notify  program s of decisions.  Some  programs require a non-refundable deposit upon acceptance, while others do not.    (If you are not successful in getting into the programs you applied to, it is okay to call and ask to speak to (or email) the chair of the admissions committee simply to thank them for their time and consideration, and to (politely) ask what was lacking in your application. This can help should you decide to try again next year.)
• Remember to say "Thank You" Send a follow up “thank you” card to the professors who wrote you letters of recommendation. And, don't forget to keep your recommenders in the loop as you make decisions – share with them when you are accepted into programs, and what your ultimate decisions are so that they can celebrate with you or provide support if you decide to apply to additional programs in the future.  

Additional Application Tips

• Build time into your application timeline to h ave  all of  your materials reviewed by  trusted  classmates, fellow writers,  and/or  UTEP's  University W riting  C enter .  Receiving feedback on (and then revising!)  your  creative/ critical  writing  samples and statement of purpose  is  crucial to the process of assembling quality application materials.
• Carefully proofread  everything you submit. You are applying to a writing program, after all. You don't want to send writing that is riddled with typos and grammatical errors.
• Apply to multiple programs. While you may have an ideal program in mind, it is   good   to have several options  available in case you are not admitted into your first choice;  circumstances change your priorities; or  so that you can compare the various offers in the event you are accepted to multiple programs. 

Additional Online Resources

• MFA Programs Database (Poets & Writers):  https://www.pw.org/mfa  
• Guide to Writing Programs (AWP):  https://www.awpwriter.org/guide/guide_writing_programs  
• UTEP University Writing Center:  https://www.utep.edu/uwc/  
• 6 Tips for Getting Successfully Accepted into an MFA Program (UTEP):  https://www.utep.edu/extendeduniversity/utepconnect/blog/march-2019/6-tips-for-getting-successfully-accepted-into-an-mfa-program.html  
• " So You're Thinking About Applying to Grad School in Creative Writing " -- from the University of Arizona MFA in Creative Writing Program.
• Spanish:  [email protected]
• English:  [email protected]

Thanks to UTEP Creative Writing MFA candidate Sarah Hobin for assembling, organizing, and writing most of the material on this page! 

Connect With Us

The University of Texas at El Paso Department of Creative Writing University Towers, Room 520 Additional Emails English: [email protected] Español: [email protected] MFA Online: [email protected] Undergrad: [email protected] 500 W University Ave El Paso, Texas 79968

E: [email protected] P: (915) 747-5713

5 Uncommon Tips on Your MFA Creative Writing Application

A couple of years ago, I made the decision to apply to MFA programs in creative writing. Compared to medical school or law school, the application process for an MFA can sometimes feel like a crapshoot, with the odds of getting into a fully-funded program hovering somewhere below four or five percent (and some programs like Iowa, Michigan, Michener—gulp—even less!). Still, it seems that every year, a few applicants manage to get admitted to a handful of programs, which brings up the question of whether the process is as random as one might initially think.

As a caveat, I’ve never served as a reader for any programs’ admissions committee (for a genuine insider look, follow Elizabeth McCracken’s twitter and listen to everything she says!), but I happen to have been lucky enough to get accepted to several fully funded schools on my first try. Whenever someone asks me for advice, I get a little queasy, because I barely knew what I was doing back then. However, I’d like to think that I’ve had some time to reflect on the process and have spoken to many people, including students who’ve been accepted and faculty members. I’ve since graduated from my MFA and hold (at the time of writing) a Zell postgraduate fellowship in fiction at the University of Michigan.

I’ll skip the general consensus—polish the writing sample, apply to more than one school, get feedback on your materials, etc. Instead, I’ll offer some less common ones that I thought worked for me. I hope they help with your application, and I’m certainly indebted to many writers who came before me and similarly shed light on their own experiences.

• Presenting yourself . Most of us writers tend to dislike being pigeonholed, or to accept the idea that there are certain themes or styles we keep reverting to again and again.  I definitely struggled with this (and continue to) but for the application process, presenting ourselves in a way that is unified and meaningful can sometimes spell the difference between sticking out in the pile or not. I write a lot about the Philippines, where I grew up, and this location not only influences the setting of my stories, but also informs my thematic sensibility as well as my identity. My personal statement talked about my background growing up in a predominantly Christian and Chinese-Filipino family, the conflicts at the dinner table as a result of our ethnic and religious upbringing, and how these issues are explored in my work. My fiction samples were chosen with this in mind (of course, they also happened to be my best work at the time), and I imagine my recommendation letters further attested to my experience as an immigrant. As a result, I believe I demonstrated myself as someone who deeply cares about what I write and has something important to say about the world around me. A place or region might not be the element that binds your application materials together. It might be a style, philosophy, or occupation—but whatever it is, it should resonate meaningfully in all aspects of your work (you can even ask your recommenders to talk about it). If readers can come away with the feeling that they know you and what motivates you to write, then you only need to show that you also can write.
• Range and length of sample . This might sound like a contradiction to the above, but it really isn’t. Rather, this is the part where you get a chance to display your skill and flexibility as a writer. For my sample, I chose three stories with varying styles: fabulist, comedic, and straight realist. They also differed in their lengths: short, medium, and long. What kept them all together was the setting of the Philippines, which again referred back to my personal statement and kept them from feeling haphazardly chosen. You might wonder if this is a good idea, since schools often just ask for 25 to 30 pages of creative sample, and might even say something to the effect that they’re looking for “a demonstration of sustained, quality work.” I debated with myself on the correct approach, and you might not agree with my conclusions: If programs clearly ask for just a single story, and if they feel more traditional in their aesthetics, then perhaps sending a longer story is better. However, the risk of sending one story is the risk of increasing subjectivity, and has to do more with the practical reality of the selection process than anything else. We all know that readers have different tastes, and if for some reason they don’t connect with the first few pages of your work, they most likely won’t read on. If you present them with a shorter work first, they might be willing to read the beginning of the second story, and if they still don’t like that, then the third. If each story is different stylistically, you’re increasing the chances that one of these would be appealing to the readers, and they might reconsider the stories that they passed on the first read.
• Potential . I’ve heard anecdotes of applicants being turned down because the admission committee thought they were “overqualified” to be studying in an MFA program. This probably doesn’t apply to most of us, but the principle remains: administrators are looking for people they believe can get something out of the two-to-three-year experience. In other words, they’re looking for writers’ potential as much as writers’ ability. I can certainly speak to this. When I applied, I’d barely taken any creative writing workshops. I’d just started writing literary fiction and I was unpublished. I took screenwriting as an undergrad (a related field, I know) but I still emphasized the things I anticipated learning from an MFA, including the benefit of being in a community. I did not downplay my background in screenwriting (and as it happened, also journalism), but I was able to articulate how each tradition influenced me as a writer. You might be someone who’s majored in creative writing as an undergrad and knew for a long time that you want to write literary fiction. That’s okay (in fact I think that’s great!). But you still have to find a way to communicate your limitations while playing to your strengths. To a large extent, it seems to me more of an attitude check: nobody wants to be with the writer who feels privileged and entitled to a seat at the MFA table.
• Preparedness . Sometimes, perhaps because I got in on my first try, I wonder if my acceptance was a fluke, and if I was really ready for the MFA experience. Of course, I’ve heard many people who felt similarly, some who even have a lot of creative writing background under their belt. The impostor syndrome aside, I do think that it’s good to gain as much exposure to the literary world as possible before applying to an MFA program. This not only gives you a better sense of why you write and what you write (going back to my first point), but moreover it increases the likelihood that once you are accepted, you’ll know how to make the most out of your time and the resources being offered. I had a wonderful experience at the University of Michigan—indeed, I’ve never read or written more in my life than I did at that point, and I could not have asked for a better set of cohort or mentors. I have grown exponentially as a writer. Rightly or wrongly, though, I did consciously set myself apart as someone who was a beginner, who had the most to learn about writing literary fiction. This attitude has enabled me to develop in leaps and bounds. At the same time, I could see how—had I been further along in my progress—I could’ve used the MFA in a different way: writing that novel I’ve always wanted, giving more thought to the direction of my career, the business side of the industry, finding an agent, etc. I think there’s something valiant and admirable about finding yourself as a result of experimenting during the MFA years, but it might also be worth considering and being aware of the different trajectories in entering a program. As a suggestion for preparing yourself pre-MFA-application, I highly suggest going to a conference (the Napa Writers’ Conference, Wesleyan Writers Conference, and the Key West Literary Seminar being some of the more well-known ones I’ve personally attended and recommend).
• On success . My final note on the application process is less of a tip and more of a reminder. When the time comes around to February or March, and should you find yourself not getting into the programs of your choice, recuperate from the rejections and take them in stride. View the result both as a sobering reminder of the odds stacked up against anyone applying for an MFA, and also as an opportunity to become better prepared, so that if you do get in later, you will be in an improved position. Similarly, should you be fortunate enough to get into your top programs, view the achievement as the means to an end, and not the end in itself. If a study were to be conducted on MFA admittances, I’m almost sure that the findings would show that acceptances to programs are in no way predictive of future success in publishing. Only diligence and perseverance are positive indicators of writerly success, and in this sense, we all can take comfort in the fact that all of us have a fair shot if we’re in it for the long haul.

Image: The Hopwood Room, where some workshops are held at the Helen Zell Writers’ Program, University of Michigan.

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You are what you eat., 2 thoughts on “5 uncommon tips on your mfa creative writing application”.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this post. It’s exactly what I dd in my sample. Anyone who wants to see real successful samples of statements of purpose should read this post: 10 Statement Of Purpose Examples: How To Wow The Admission Committees Of Fully-Funded MFA Programs (Guide + Samples +Tips) https://www.creativewritingnews.com/statement-of-purpose-examples-2/

As an inexperienced writer, with only a background in taking screenwriting courses during their undergrad, I found this post to be helpful. I plan on applying to multiple MFA programs this fall and at times the imposter syndrome feels real. I’m unsure whether to include sections of completed work that I’m proud of, or short stories that might be able to show more sides of myself as a writer. I’m sure the LoR and Statement of Purpose will be key in getting accepted, but I still feel nervous all the same with putting myself out there. Thanks for the advice. Cheers!

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How to Apply to an MFA in Creative Writing Program in Five Easy Steps

As the Director of the MFA program at Dominican University of California and an associate professor of English, I would like to offer you my guidance about how to successfully apply to an MFA program. 

A Master in Fine Art (MFA) Creative Writing application generally has four components: a resume, a writing sample, a statement of purpose (also called a letter of intent or an artist statement), and a letter of recommendation.

I’ll go over each of these items step-by-step, explaining how these parts of the application work and how you can address the requirements in a way that makes your application shine.

Step 1: Should I get an MFA in Creative Writing? Put your doubts aside.

Cast your bread upon the waters. The time to decide whether or not to do an MFA in Creative Writing is after you’ve been accepted. There are a hundred reasons to talk yourself out of applying but since you keep thinking about it, listen to that voice and apply.

Added bonus: There’s no application fee to apply to the low-residency MFA in Creative Writing program at Dominican University of California. The application materials are the same as applying for writing grants and residencies so you can use the application to apply to other things as well.

Step 2: Dust off your resume to apply for an MFA in Creative Writing. 

A resume gives a sense of where you are from, what you are interested in, and how you’ve spent your time.

Education and work experience

Make sure it conveys a clear timeline. An MFA in Creative Writing is not a corporate job. It’s totally fine if you spent years living in a tent in the wilderness or on a meditation retreat or caring for family members. Just make sure there’s a progression in terms of the timeline.

Information to include specific to an MFA

Include anything that might be relevant to an MFA Creative Writing program. Are you a member of a book club? Have you tutored or taught anything (swimming, tennis, Zumba)? Has any of your writing been made public? Do you have a blog? This is a writing resume, not a job resume so include any activities or experiences that you feel are important to your path as a writer.

Step 3: Write a letter introducing yourself as a writer.

This is usually called The Statement of Purpose or an Artist Statement.

Writing prompts to help you get started:

• What is your background in writing? What calls you to write? Include anything that has helped you prepare for an MFA in Creative Writing. Do you keep a journal? What do you like to read? Have you taken any classes that might prepare you for a degree in creative writing? Also, include any other kinds of study that might inform your writing. If you are planning to write about environmental issues and have worked in a related field (such as studying geology or volunteering at a park) include that information.
• What are your current writing interests? OK, this is the absolute hardest part of the entire application process. You are supposed to talk about the work you plan to do. But since you haven’t done that writing yet, it’s almost impossible to talk about it in any real, substantial way. I recommend instead that you discuss something you’ve written in the recent past. This will create a jumping-off point that lets you talk about the formal and thematic influences on your work. It’s not a bad idea to name one or two writers whose work has inspired your writing.
• What do you bring to the MFA Creative Writing program? When you apply for an MFA, you are asking to join a writing community. What kind of community member will you be? Do you have special skills to share? Literary knowledge, cultural knowledge, and interesting personal stories are all assets that you can bring to an MFA program.

Step 4:  Submit a writing sample.

Submit a sample of your writing. You can either submit poetry or prose. The writing should be somewhat recent, something you have written in the last two or three years. Choose work that you want to share. It does not matter if the writing has been published or shared with a writing workshop. It just needs to be writing you feel reflects where you are right now in your work.

Poetry can be single-spaced. It can be a series of poems or a lengthy poem. Submit no more than 10 pages. There are no requirements on form or style. Just submit a sample of your poems.

Prose (fiction, memoir, creative non-fiction) should be double-spaced. Submit no more than 25 pages. You can assemble a number of short pieces. Or, if you are working in a longer form, you can submit an excerpt of a longer story, memoir, or novel. Most of the time, even an excerpt does not need to have an introduction or explanation. Remember, the people who are reading your writing are also writers. If you do want to have some framing, you can put that in the introduction letter.

Things to remember:

• An MFA in Creative Writing program is an educational experience. The goal of the program is for students to hone their craft in writing. You can apply at any stage of your writing journey.
• It is almost impossible to feel that your writing is finished or ready to share. If you wait to apply until you have a sense of completion or accomplishment about your writing, you might spend your whole life planning to do an MFA.

Step 5: Have a chat with me.

Applicants to the low-residency MFA in Creative Writing program at Dominican University of California can choose between submitting a letter of recommendation or a meeting with the program director (that’s me).

These meetings give us a chance to connect in real time. You can ask questions about the program and get a sense of what it would be like to study at Dominican on our San Rafael, California campus. This is by far the easiest option. But if you insist on getting a written recommendation, here are some tips:

Ask someone who knows you well. It doesn’t have to be a professor. It can be someone you know through work. Or, someone that knows you through an organization or community group. We’re reading the letter to see if you are going to work well as part of a group, be generous with peers and faculty, embrace new experiences, that sort of thing. We’ll have your transcripts and your writing sample, so we don't need a letter testifying to your brilliance, which will already come through in the other parts of the application.

Those are all the steps! You are on your way to an MFA in Creative Writing.

Apply to Dominican's low-residency MFA Creative Writing program 

For guidance or more information, reach out to our admissions counselor or me.

Judy Halebsky, MFA Director Email: [email protected] Cell: (415) 724-2398 Office of Graduate Admissions Email:  graduate @dominican.edu Phone: (415) 485-3280

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MFA Program in Creative Writing

About the MFA in Creative Writing

The Master of Fine Arts program at Wichita State University is the twelfth oldest in the nation and one that has earned widespread respect by producing graduates who are not only well-trained writers but also well-prepared teachers of writing and literature possessing skills in editing and other related fields.

The program, now in its 44th year, is a 48-hour, studio-academic program with students in full-time residence for three years developing their skills in fiction or poetry writing. Over those three years, students take a core of workshops and tutorials as well as additional coursework in English, which leads to a final writing project -- a collection of fiction or poetry, a novel or some appropriate work. Flexibility is provided in academic coursework to allow for a variety of possible interests.

Almost all of the program’s Master of Fine Arts students are funded for three years either through graduate teaching assistant positions (GTAs) or through a fellowship. In fall 2017, three fiction students and three poetry students entered the program. Of those six new MFA students, all were offered Graduate Teaching Assistantships receiving tuition remission and a stipend.

What makes Wichita State University's MFA program different?

• All of our students are able to receive the same amount of funding so they don't have to compete with their classmates.
• Our students are able to teach their first year. Many of our students graduate having taught three or four different classes.
• Our students are eligible for multiple awards like the Barr Fellowship and the MFA Fellowship in Creative Writing.
• Our students are entered into Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) awards and various school-wide and national scholarships.
• Our Graduate Teaching Assistants lead classes in rhetoric and composition, basic and advanced skills for ESL students, and business writing.
• Our students have the opportunity to pair up with alumni to receive one-on-one mentoring about post-MFA opportunities.
• Unlike other programs, students in the MFA program at Wichita State University are encouraged to take classes in the "other" genre (poets can take fiction and nonfiction classes and fiction students can take poetry and nonfiction classes).
• We keep our MFA class sizes small, so there are opportunities for one-on-one mentorship.
• Our students are able to take one-on-one tutorials with visiting distinguished writers .
• All of our students have opportunity to attend our   Writing Now Reading Now   reading series. Recently, we've had readings by Nick Lantz, Gregory Orr, Ed Skoog, Kevin Brockmeier, Alice McDermott and Peter Behrens.

Visiting Distinguished Writers and Faculty

Mikrokosmos and mojo

Wichita State University is the home to   Mikrokosmos   and   mojo , a literary journal that recently celebrated its 60th anniversary issue.   Mikrokosmos   has published poets like William Stafford, William S. Burroughs and Charles Plymell. Graduate students can work on everything from reading submissions to website design. Our journal features poetry, fiction, nonfiction and art. Feel free to look at our website at   www.mikrokosmosjournal.com   for more information.

Life After Wichita State University

Our graduates have gone on to become leaders, authors and business people. Some of our graduates work as creative writing program directors, chairs of creative writing programs, professors of composition, doctoral students at top creative writing programs, high school teachers, editors-in-chief of magazines, middle school teachers, tenured faculty and creators of MFA programs.

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Academic Requirements

To receive the Masters of Fine Arts degree in creative writing, a student must complete a three-year program in residence at Wichita State University that includes:

• 6 hours of Final Writing Project (completing a fiction or poetry final project)
• 3 hours in literary research course
• 24 hours of courses in literature and tutorials with visiting writers
• 3 hours of “enrichment,” a graduate level course outside of English

Students also take a comprehensive examination in their last semester. This is a three-part essay exam over books chosen from a master list in consultation with the student’s final project director.

MFA Final Project

Students in both genres work during their last year with one of the faculty on completing an original body of work. For poetry students, this is at least 24 pages of publishable work; for fiction writers, this is at least 100 pages of publishable work.

Financial Support

Most of our MFA students are GTAs who teach two composition classes each semester to WSU undergraduates and work one hour a week in the English Department’s Writing Center. They pay no tuition, receive $4,250 each semester and may buy discounted health insurance. The MFA program also awards two $12,500 fellowships each year, one in fiction writing and one in poetry, and it awards the Stephen F. Barr Fellowship, worth about $600.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Have your references mail the letters to the below address or use a service like Interfolio which, for a fee, will keep a file of your materials and mail it out to the offices that need them.

GTA Application for MFA Program Department of English, Box 14 Wichita State University Wichita, KS 67260-0014

Yes. The Office of International Education will help. (Wichita.edu/international) If you have earned your degree in a country where English is not the native language, you must score at least 600 paper-based, 25-computer-based, or 100 Internet-based on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an overall band score of 7.5 on the IELTS before you may be admitted to the program .

Can I submit a screenplay, creative nonfiction, journalism or an academic essay?  No, on all counts. Submit a writing sample in the genre in which you intend to study. We offer a program in fiction or a program in poetry

Yes, you can but in a limited way. We offer a course which teaches playwriting and screenwriting. It is taught through the Theatre Department. It's not possible, though, to write an MFA Final Project in these genres because we don't offer regular workshops in them .

A little. We do not offer a degree in creative nonfiction; however, we offer a course in it fairly often .

No. You have to live close enough to attend classes which are scheduled Monday through Thursday every week.

For the 2018-2019 academic year, the tuition rate for graduate students per credit hour is $301.94 for in-state and $741.55 for out-of state. A student who is a GTA does not pay tuition; however, the GTA does have to pay fees. Activity fees are levied in tiers according to the number of credit hours the student is taking. The typical load for a graduate student is 9 credit hours each semester. (Note that MFA students have usually earned enough credits by their third year that they do not have to take 9 credit hours in the last academic year.) Fees are the same for out-of-state and in-state students. Fees for a 9-credit hour semester are $734.68. (A few smaller fees are assessed for technology, infrastructure and transportation as well.)

Here are the tuition and fees costs for 2018-2019 academic year.

In-state $6,904.28 Out-of-state $14,817.26

Since almost all of our MFA students are GTAs a better way to plan expenses is to know that, in addition to books, the GTA will pay $1,469 per year in fees. Since the stipend is now $8,500, a better way to figure the cost is to realize the GTA stipend is, effectively, $7,031 for MFA students enrolled in 9 hours in the fall and 9 hours in the spring.

View detailed information on tuition and fees

First year GTAs are required to attend a two week training session immediately preceding the start of the Fall semester, so in the first two weeks of August. They are paid for this.

• English 700: Introduction to Graduate Studies
• English 780: Theory and Practice of Composition
• English 801 or 805: Graduate Workshop in Fiction or Poetry
• Non-English Department Graduate course (called the Enrichment Course)
• English 7XX: Literature course

Second Year: 9 hours each semester of course work

• English 880 or 881 Tutorial with Visiting Writer or a Literature course
• •English 880 or 881 Tutorial with Visiting Writer or a Literature course

Third Year: 6 hours each semester of course work

• English 875: Final Writing Project
• English 880 or 881: Tutorial with Visiting Writer

During this spring, you would take your Comprehensive Exam and you would finish your Final Project.

MFA in Creative Writing

Other pages in this section:

Our MFA is designed for the writer interested in an immersive writing experience through workshops while expanding their knowledge of literary traditions in craft and forms classes. Read more about our curriculum, courses, learning outcomes and acclaimed creative writing faculty.

Curriculum Overview

Students in the MFA program focus on perfecting their craft, completing courses in literary tradition and practice.

Find out more about the classes offered in our program. 

Meet our incredible faculty.

Learning Expectations

Read our Learning Expectations for the MFA

Our MFA Program

Our program is designed to be flexible, yet rigorous. MFA students complete coursework that includes two to four residential summers in Sewanee, Tennessee, based on their decisions to takes courses in the fall or spring. We work with you to create a degree path based on your needs. 

MFA students take eight courses total plus their thesis course. Curriculum consists of a combination of writing workshops and courses in forms, craft or literature. 

Following their final semester coursework, MFA students complete their thesis project in fulfillment of their final two credits. Working closely with their advisor, students will complete a manuscript of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or dramatic writing.

Meet Amanda, L'17

Amanda Shires,  Singer-songwriter  | Nashville, TN

After spending much of her life on vans and tour buses, Amanda, a singer-songwriter, fiddle player, and poet, craved the stimulation of school. In an interview with  Southern Living , the Grammy Award-winning artist said of her decision to pursue an MFA at the School of Letters, "I am fascinated by words, down to the letters that make them up. I wanted to learn more about poetics and how to get better at writing."

Now with seven solo albums (and an MFA) under her belt, Amanda is a seasoned storyteller and performer. She credits what she learned at the School of Letters for making her a more precise and intentional songwriter.

"Before attending Sewanee, I was writing from instinct alone. Now, I have reasons for word choices and reasons that I go one way or another with phrasing."

Her summers in Sewanee also reframed her perspective on writer's block.

"I learned that there's no such thing as writer's block. If writer's block really existed, no one would ever graduate or pass classes. Writer's block is an excuse. If you are not writing anything good at the moment, that's something different and something you have to work through."

Shires' most recent album was named one of the New York Times best albums of the year.

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