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2019 MFA Index: Your Guide to More Than 220 Programs

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The Best 15 Creative Writing MFA Programs in 2023

April 7, 2023

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? This article walks you through the considerations for an MFA program, as well as the best Creative Writing MFA programs in the United States.

First of all, what is an MFA?

A Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a graduate degree that usually takes from two to three years to complete. Applications require a sample portfolio for entry, usually of 10-20 pages of your best writing.

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.

Reasons to 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.

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 programs 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 (baltimore, md).

This is a two-year program, with $33,000 teaching fellowships per year. This MFA offers the most generous funding package. Not to mention, it offers that sweet, sweet health insurance, mind-boggling faculty, and a guaranteed lecture position after graduation (nice). No nonfiction MFA (boo).

• Incoming class size: 8 students
• Admissions rate: 11.1%
• Alumni: Chimamanda Adiche, 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 (Austin, TX)

A fully-funded 3-year program with a generous stipend of $29,500. The program offers fiction, poetry, playwriting and screenwriting. The Michener Center is also unique because you study a primary genre and a secondary genre, and also get $3,000 for the summer.

• 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 (Iowa City, IA)

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. Most students are funded, with fellowships worth up to $21,000. The Translation MFA, co-founded by Gayatri Chakravorti Spivak, is also two years, 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: 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

4) University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)

Anne Carson famously lives in Ann Arbor, as do the MFA students U-Michigan’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 $23,000 stipend, summer funding, and health care.

This is a 2-3-year program, 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.

• Incoming class size: 18
• Acceptance rate: 4% (which maybe seems high after less-than-1%)
• Alumni: Brit Bennett, Vievee Francis, Airea D. Matthews, Celeste Ng, Chigozie Obioma, Jia Tolentino, Jesmyn Ward

5) Brown University (Providence, RI)

Brown offers an edgy, well-funded program in a place that doesn’t dip into arctic temperatures. Students are all fully-funded for 2-3 years with $29,926 in 2021-22. 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.

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

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs (Continued) 

6) university of arizona (tucson, az).

This 3-year program 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 dry heat is good for arthritis.

This notoriously supportive program pays $20,000 a year, and offers the potential to volunteer at multiple literary organizations. You can also do supported research at the US-Mexico Border.

• Incoming class size: 9
• Acceptance rate: 4.85% (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 (Tempe, AZ):

Arizona State is also 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. Everyone gets a $19,000 stipend, with other opportunities for financial support.

• 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 (new york, ny).

This two-year program is in New York City, meaning it comes with close access to literary opportunities and hot dogs. NYU is private, and 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.

• Incoming class size: 40-60
• Acceptance rate: 6%
• 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 (New York, NY)

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.

• Incoming class size: 110
• Acceptance rate: 21%
• 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 (Bronxville, NY)

Sarah Lawrence offers speculative fiction beyond the average fiction, poetry, and nonfiction course offerings. 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.

• Incoming class size: 30-40
• Acceptance rate: N/A
• Alumni: Cynthia Cruz, Melissa Febos, T Kira Madden, Alex Dimitrov, Moncho Alvarado

LOW RESIDENCY

11 bennington college (bennington, vt).

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, and then you get a degree. The tuition is $23,468 per year, with scholarships available.

• Acceptance rate: 53%
• Incoming class: 40
• Alumni: Larissa Pham, Andrew Reiner, Lisa Johnson Mitchell, and others

12)  Institute for American Indian Arts (Santa Fe, NM)

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 offered, in screenwriting, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction.

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

• Incoming class size : 22
• Acceptance rate: 100%
• Alumni: Tommy Orange, Dara Yen Elerath, Kathryn Wilder

13) Vermont College of Fine Arts

One of few MFAs where you can study the art of the picture book, middle grade and young adult literature, graphic literature, nonfiction, fiction, and poetry for young people. Students meet twice a year for nine days, in January and July, in Vermont. 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 is $48,604.

• 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 (el paso, tx).

The world’s first bilingual and online MFA program in the world. UTEP is considered the best online MFA program, and features award-winning faculty from across the globe. Intensive workshops allow submitting in Spanish and English, and genres include poetry and fiction. This three-year program costs $14,766 a year, with rolling admissions.

• Alumni: Watch alumni testimonies here

15) Bay Path University (Long Meadow, MA)

This 2-year online program is dedicated entirely to nonfiction. A supportive, diverse community, Bay Path offers small class sizes, close mentorship, and a potential field trip in Ireland.

There are many tracks, including publishing, Narrative Medicine, and teaching. Core courses include memoir, narrative journalism, and the personal essay. The price is $785/credit, for 39 credits, with scholarships available.

• Incoming class size: 20
• Acceptance rate: an encouraging 78%
• Alumni: Read alumni testimonies here

Prepare for your MFA in advance:

• Best English Programs
• Best Creative Writing Schools
• Writing Summer Programs

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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Graduate Fine Arts

US News & World Report Ranks Pratt’s Fine Arts MFA Program among Top 15 in the Nation

In its 2020 listing of Best Arts Schools, US News & World Report ranked Pratt Institute’s Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program among the top 15 of over 200 programs from across the country. The scoring of top graduate fine arts schools was based on a survey of academics at peer institutions conducted by US News in the fall of 2019 and early 2020. 

The surveyed deans and other top academics represented 227 MFA programs in art and design.

Additionally, Pratt was ranked 11th on the list of Best Painting & Drawing Graduate Programs . 

Find the full list of Best Graduate Art Schools from US News & World Report and more information on the methodology of the rankings.

What an MFA Degree Is and What You Need to Know

An MFA helps artists gain confidence and mastery in an art form, whether it is painting or dancing.

What You Should Know About MFA Degrees

iStockphoto

Students pursuing an MFA need to be ready and willing to learn from criticism.

Despite the intense competitiveness of artistic fields and the fact that these disciplines are unlikely to make someone rich unless he or she experiences extraordinary success, these fields continue to attract legions of men and women. The allure of fine arts careers, which allow for a high degree of autonomy and self-expression and offer the constant challenge to produce original and influential work, entices many people. Artists who are determined to become experts on their art form may be interested in a Master of Fine Arts degree , commonly known as an MFA.

What is an MFA degree?

An MFA degree signifies that a professional artist has completed a series of rigorous courses in his or her art form and signals that someone is adept at his or her chosen craft, whether it is a technologically intensive field like graphic design or film editing, or a technology-free art form like drawing. An MFA is a graduate-level credential, meaning that before you get an MFA, you typically need a college degree.

MFA degree recipients say their graduate school education allowed them to refine their artistic philosophy and creative techniques while elevating the quality of their art to make it more unique, polished and interesting. In addition, MFA degree holders say having an MFA has given them the credentials necessary to teach courses in their art form at colleges and universities, and that it gives them sufficient knowledge of their art discipline to offer thoughtful critiques.

[Read: Determine the Risks, Rewards of a Master's in Fine Arts .]

Frank J. Stockton, a visual artist who earned an MFA in painting and drawing from the University of California—Los Angeles , says his primary motivation for pursuing an MFA was that he loved painting and wanted to do as much of it as humanly possible. "Also, I just wanted to be the best artist that I could be," he says.

Anthony Borchardt, an assistant professor and gallery director at Fontbonne University in St. Louis, says prospective MFA students should understand that an MFA degree is unlikely to result in an extremely lucrative job.

One is as likely to become wealthy from art as he or she would be to become wealthy from athletics, Borchardt wrote in an email. "It's a rare opportunity, and it takes commitment, sacrifice and patience. Besides being a full-time working studio artist, students can try to get into the teaching field post-graduation. An MFA is not a guaranteed job. As I tell my students, once they get the degree, that's when the hard work actually starts. The payoff is the opportunity to do what few people are able to do. Make art and do what you love. To find success in this field, you need to have a burning desire from within and be committed morning, noon and night."

However, Marta Bistram, a communications professional with an MFA in creative writing from Chapman University in California, says the creativity you cultivate in an MFA program can be applied in multiple career paths. "I pursued a career in communications after defending a creative thesis of original poetry, which some might consider an unusual avenue," she wrote in an email. "I firmly believe that the way an artistic graduate program encourages you to think is applicable to any career path a graduate chooses, whether or not it directly correlates to their discipline. I continue to work on my poetry outside my 9 to 5, but I find extreme satisfaction from both my career and my artistic pursuits."

Experts say that though there are some extremely wealthy people with MFA degrees who achieved fame and fortune as a result of their art, the vast majority of MFA degree holders earn modest salaries. According to PayScale, a compensation data company that publishes the going rates for various types of jobs, the average MFA degree-holder in the U.S. earns an annual salary of $58,000.

Maria Cominis – a theater professor, professional director and working actress who has published books about acting and who most recently played Mona Clarke on the TV show "Desperate Housewives" – says that she has "never regretted" getting an MFA.

Cominis, who teaches at California State University—Fullerton says people who pursue an MFA are typically seeking an artistic career, because they believe such a career would be fulfilling. Cominis adds that most prospective MFAs understand that it is unlikely they will become rich and famous, but that's besides the point.

"I don't think that anybody goes into the arts to become rich," she says. "I don't think I've ever met anybody – whether it's a playwright, an actor, a designer – that enters the arts to become a gazillionaire."

What types of MFA degrees are there, and how do dual-degree programs fit in?

There are a variety of MFA programs, with programs that specialize in nearly any artistic discipline you can imagine. For instance, there are MFA programs specially tailored to the interests of aspiring fashion designers, dramatic actors, fiction authors, choreographers, ballet dancers, sculptors , arts critics and movie directors.

It is also possible to combine an MFA degree with another graduate credential, such as an MBA degree , if you pursue a dual-degree program. For instance, New York University offers a MBA/MFA graduate program which involves coursework in both the school's Tisch School of the Arts and its Stern School of Business .

"A dual degree may be attractive to students because it allows them to gain expertise in two disparate, but complementary academic domains, in order to set themselves apart in their field and foster innovation across sectors," Kathryn Heidemann, assistant dean of Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy and its College of Fine Arts , wrote in an email. "For example, it's not uncommon now to see the arts and creativity permeate across the fields of health, law, technology, community development, government, and business. However, as dual degrees typically involve earning two separate degrees (which typically involves two separate curricular agendas, faculty/administration and more), this may put all of the onus on the student to 'connect the dots' themselves across disciplines."

Heidemann, who directs Carnegie Mellon University's master of arts management program, says that prospective graduate students who want to combine their interest in art with their passion for another discipline, like business, should consider pursuing an interdisciplinary degree. "With this in mind, it is important to note that there is a strong supply of interdisciplinary degree programs available that offer holistically-designed, cross-disciplinary curricula that allow students to achieve full competency of the arts within a specific cross-sector domain," she wrote in an email.

U.S. News Ranks 2019 Best Grad Schools

Ilana Kowarski March 20, 2018

How long is an MFA program, and how hard is it to get an MFA degree?

MFA programs vary in length, with some accelerated programs lasting only a year and others lasting as long as three or four years. Typically, an MFA program lasts between two and three years, experts say, and a strong MFA program is a demanding one which requires serious commitment. Experts say that an MFA that can be obtained easily, with minimal effort, is of limited utility, since one of the benefits of high-quality MFA programs is that they teach artists how to be disciplined about their creative process and respond to critiques.

Who should get an MFA?

Michael Markowsky – a studio artist with an MFA who teaches on the faculty of the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, Canada – says an MFA is a large investment of time, energy and money. It's not right for everybody, but it's been very rewarding for him personally.

"I had a fantastic experience, which I always describe to people as saving me 10 years worth of struggling to refine my art practice and ultimately my life," Markowsky wrote in an email. "It was an intense experience, but it was instrumental in helping me understand the core ideas and themes that run throughout all of the diverse artworks that I make."

Markowsky adds that an MFA is only the right choice for someone who is both passionate about becoming a better artist and interested in learning the history and theory of a particular craft. He notes that someone who pursues an MFA needs to be ready and willing to learn from criticism, but he or she must also be confident enough to know that criticism doesn't necessarily mean failure.

"I often discourage students from pursuing an MFA because I don't believe most of them are ready or willing or capable of undergoing such an intense experience, and therefore it would not only be a waste of money, but also might destroy their interest in making art altogether," he says. "I personally believe someone interested in pursuing an MFA should have both a very clear idea of what they are doing and want to do, and also an extremely open mind to working with people who will ruthlessly challenge those ideas. Anyone who is stubborn and inflexible won't get anything else but frustration out of the exercise, and anyone who is lost and timid will find themselves traumatized and torn to pieces, and – as one of my former MFA advisors once said – incapable of putting themselves back together again."

[Read: Fine Arts Programs Slowly Move Online .]

Experts say it is also important to consider whether your financial, professional and family obligations will permit investment in an MFA program, which tends to be very expensive, time-intensive and stressful.

How much does an MFA degree cost?

The cost of an MFA program varies from school to school and from student to student. Fine arts schools often give scholarships and financial awards. However, sticker prices at the nation's most prestigious fine arts programs are significant. Some nationally renowned art schools charge MFA students more than $30,000 annually for tuition and fees.

Bistram says price was a key factor for her when she was choosing an MFA program. "I knew that paying for my graduate degree would be challenging for me, so I looked for programs that were willing to invest in their students," she says. "I only applied to programs that offered full or partial fellowships. This financial assistance allowed me to spend my two years of graduate school focusing primarily on perfecting my craft, rather than splitting my time between competing priorities, and was extremely rewarding."

How much should prestige matter when choosing an MFA program?

MFA recipients disagree about how much MFA applicants should weigh the importance of a program's reputation and name recognition when choosing a program.

Stockton says some art institutions and galleries in Los Angeles do have a preference for featuring artists with MFAs, so visual artists who want to have their work displayed in prestigious art shows may want to get an MFA. “It's no secret that the art world looks at all kinds of different criteria for deciding who is worthy of working with and who to take seriously, and there is a perception that you are a professional artist, I find, if you have a master’s degree," Stockton says. He notes that the MFA can add credibility to an artist's resume and help him or her get a second look from art curators, but ultimately, the quality of the art is what matters most for artistic career success.

[Read: Fine Arts School Tips for Success .]

Stockton says enrolling in an MFA program with an exceptionally talented cohort of students allows you to learn from those students, both during and after the program, assuming you establish and maintain strong relationship with classmates.

Markowsky notes that another important factor to consider is the quality of professors at an MFA program, since having top-notch artistic mentors in the area of art that you are interested in can be very valuable.

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However, experts says prospective MFA students who are unable to gain admittance to the most competitive fine arts schools should find reassurance in the idea that they can become great artists and produce beauitful art, regardless of which art school they attend, so long as they are committed to their craft.

Steve Almond, a published author who earned an MFA in creative writing and who teaches narrative journalism courses at Harvard University , says the quality of a person's artwork is the primary metric that matters in artistic careers, so if someone can become a tremendous artist without going to a big-name art school, that's fine.

Almond says in creative writing, good editors and publishers judge work based on its own merits, rather than the credentials of the person who made it. "What matters is whether it's a gripping story," he says.

What is the best way to judge the quality of an MFA program?

Borchardt says one key thing to look for when evaluating MFA programs is rigor.

"The degree is an intense multiyear commitment to creating a style of art that will separate you in a very difficult market," he says. "It is a study in which you may end up not creating the art that you love or first desired but an art that can be both marketable and self worthy."

Borchardt says a solid MFA program will provide students with highly technical training in their particular art form. "A good program will focus on the technical aspects of how to make art, whether that's learning new painting processes or studies in different firing techniques for ceramics," he wrote. "Knowledge is what needs to be gained to be able to create art that stands the test of time. Art work will flourish out of those studies. Some programs focus on just creating work and not focusing on the processes, but a good program should be technical and offer the freedom to create after the skills are built up....Red flags for a subpar program include limited instruction in technical processes and fundamentals."

How does someone become a competitive applicant for an MFA program?

MFA professors and alumni say the most important component of an MFA application is the quality of the art that is included in the application. Depending on the type of MFA a person is applying for, he or she would either be submitting an artistic portfolio or writing sample, or he or she would be auditioning before a panel of judges.

Bistram says when she applied for an MFA program, the component of her application which she focused on was her portfolio. "The portfolio component of the application was most important in my admissions process," she wrote. "While other graduate programs place a great deal of value on test scores and undergraduate transcripts, MFA programs evaluate a candidate primarily based on the artistic work they can produce."

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The 10 Best Creative Writing MFA Programs in the US

The talent is there. 

But the next generation of great American writers needs a collegial place to hone their craft. 

They need a place to explore the writer’s role in a wider community. 

They really need guidance about how and when to publish. 

All these things can be found in a solid Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing degree program. This degree offers access to mentors, to colleagues, and to a future in the writing world. 

A good MFA program gives new writers a precious few years to focus completely on their work, an ideal space away from the noise and pressure of the fast-paced modern world. 

We’ve found ten of the best ones, all of which provide the support, the creative stimulation, and the tranquility necessary to foster a mature writer.

We looked at graduate departments from all regions, public and private, all sizes, searching for the ten most inspiring Creative Writing MFA programs. 

Each of these ten institutions has assembled stellar faculties, developed student-focused paths of study, and provide robust support for writers accepted into their degree programs. 

To be considered for inclusion in this list, these MFA programs all must be fully-funded degrees, as recognized by Read The Workshop .

Creative Writing education has broadened and expanded over recent years, and no single method or plan fits for all students. 

Today, MFA programs across the country give budding short story writers and poets a variety of options for study. For future novelists, screenwriters – even viral bloggers – the search for the perfect setting for their next phase of development starts with these outstanding institutions, all of which have developed thoughtful and particular approaches to study.

So where will the next Salinger scribble his stories on the steps of the student center, or the next Angelou reading her poems in the local bookstore’s student-run poetry night? At one of these ten programs.

Here are 10 of the best creative writing MFA programs in the US.

University of Oregon (Eugene, OR)

Starting off the list is one of the oldest and most venerated Creative Writing programs in the country, the MFA at the University of Oregon. 

Longtime mentor, teacher, and award-winning poet Garrett Hongo directs the program, modeling its studio-based approach to one-on-one instruction in the English college system. 

Oregon’s MFA embraces its reputation for rigor. Besides attending workshops and tutorials, students take classes in more formal poetics and literature.  

A classic college town, Eugene provides an ideal backdrop for the writers’ community within Oregon’s MFA students and faculty.  

Tsunami Books , a local bookseller with national caché, hosts student-run readings featuring writers from the program. 

Graduates garner an impressive range of critical acclaim; Yale Younger Poet winner Brigit Pegeen Kelly, Cave Canem Prize winner and Guggenheim fellow Major Jackson, and PEN-Hemingway Award winner Chang-Rae Lee are noteworthy alumni. 

With its appealing setting and impressive reputation, Oregon’s MFA program attracts top writers as visiting faculty, including recent guests Elizabeth McCracken, David Mura, and Li-young Lee.

The individual approach defines the Oregon MFA experience; a key feature of the program’s first year is the customized reading list each MFA student creates with their faculty guide. 

Weekly meetings focus not only on the student’s writing, but also on the extended discovery of voice through directed reading. 

Accepting only ten new students a year—five in poetry and five in fiction— the University of Oregon’s MFA ensures a close-knit community with plenty of individual coaching and guidance.

Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)

Cornell University’s MFA program takes the long view on life as a writer, incorporating practical editorial training and teaching experience into its two-year program.

Incoming MFA students choose their own faculty committee of at least two faculty members, providing consistent advice as they move through a mixture of workshop and literature classes. 

Students in the program’s first year benefit from editorial training as readers and editors for Epoch , the program’s prestigious literary journal.

Teaching experience grounds the Cornell program. MFA students design and teach writing-centered undergraduate seminars on a variety of topics, and they remain in Ithaca during the summer to teach in programs for undergraduates. 

Cornell even allows MFA graduates to stay on as lecturers at Cornell for a period of time while they are on the job search. Cornell also offers a joint MFA/Ph.D. program through the Creative Writing and English departments.

Endowments fund several acclaimed reading series, drawing internationally known authors to campus for workshops and work sessions with MFA students. 

Recent visiting readers include Salman Rushdie, Sandra Cisneros, Billy Collins, Margaret Atwood, Ada Limón, and others. 

Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ)

Arizona State’s MFA in Creative Writing spans three years, giving students ample time to practice their craft, develop a voice, and begin to find a place in the post-graduation literary world. 

Coursework balances writing and literature classes equally, with courses in craft and one-on-one mentoring alongside courses in literature, theory, or even electives in topics like fine press printing, bookmaking, or publishing. 

While students follow a path in either poetry or fiction, they are encouraged to take courses across the genres.

Teaching is also a focus in Arizona State’s MFA program, with funding coming from teaching assistantships in the school’s English department. Other exciting teaching opportunities include teaching abroad in locations around the world, funded through grants and internships.

The Virginia C. Piper Center for Creative Writing, affiliated with the program, offers Arizona State MFA students professional development in formal and informal ways. 

The Distinguished Writers Series and Desert Nights, Rising Stars Conference bring world-class writers to campus, allowing students to interact with some of the greatest in the profession. Acclaimed writer and poet Alberto Ríos directs the Piper Center.

Arizona State transitions students to the world after graduation through internships with publishers like Four Way Books. 

Its commitment to the student experience and its history of producing acclaimed writers—recent examples include Tayari Jones (Oprah’s Book Club, 2018; Women’s Prize for Fiction, 2019), Venita Blackburn ( Prairie Schooner Book Prize, 2018), and Hugh Martin ( Iowa Review Jeff Sharlet Award for Veterans)—make Arizona State University’s MFA a consistent leader among degree programs.

University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)

The University of Texas at Austin’s MFA program, the Michener Center for Writers, maintains one of the most vibrant, exciting, active literary faculties of any MFA program.

Denis Johnson D.A. Powell, Geoff Dyer, Natasha Trethewey, Margot Livesey, Ben Fountain: the list of recent guest faculty boasts some of the biggest names in current literature.

This three-year program fully funds candidates without teaching fellowships or assistantships; the goal is for students to focus entirely on their writing. 

More genre tracks at the Michener Center mean students can choose two focus areas, a primary and secondary, from Fiction, Poetry, Screenwriting, and Playwriting.

The Michener Center for Writers plays a prominent role in contemporary writing of all kinds. 

The hip, student-edited Bat City Review accepts work of all genres, visual art, cross genres, collaborative, and experimental pieces.  

Recent events for illustrious alumni include New Yorker publications, an Oprah Book Club selection, a screenwriting prize, and a 2021 Pulitzer (for visiting faculty member Mitchell Jackson). 

In this program, students are right in the middle of all the action of contemporary American literature.

Washington University in St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)

The MFA in Creative Writing at Washington University in St. Louis is a program on the move: applicants have almost doubled here in the last five years. 

Maybe this sudden growth of interest comes from recent rising star alumni on the literary scene, like Paul Tran, Miranda Popkey, and National Book Award winner Justin Phillip Reed.

Or maybe it’s the high profile Washington University’s MFA program commands, with its rotating faculty post through the Hurst Visiting Professor program and its active distinguished reader series. 

Superstar figures like Alison Bechdel and George Saunders have recently held visiting professorships, maintaining an energetic atmosphere program-wide.

Washington University’s MFA program sustains a reputation for the quality of the mentorship experience. 

With only five new students in each genre annually, MFA candidates form close cohorts among their peers and enjoy attentive support and mentorship from an engaged and vigorous faculty. 

Three genre tracks are available to students: fiction, poetry, and the increasingly relevant and popular creative nonfiction.

Another attractive feature of this program: first-year students are fully funded, but not expected to take on a teaching role until their second year. 

A generous stipend, coupled with St. Louis’s low cost of living, gives MFA candidates at Washington University the space to develop in a low-stress but stimulating creative environment.

Indiana University (Bloomington, IN)

It’s one of the first and biggest choices students face when choosing an MFA program: two-year or three-year? 

Indiana University makes a compelling case for its three-year program, in which the third year of support allows students an extended period of time to focus on the thesis, usually a novel or book-length collection.

One of the older programs on the list, Indiana’s MFA dates back to 1948. 

Its past instructors and alumni read like the index to an American Literature textbook. 

How many places can you take classes in the same place Robert Frost once taught, not to mention the program that granted its first creative writing Master’s degree to David Wagoner? Even today, the program’s integrity and reputation draw faculty like Ross Gay and Kevin Young.

Indiana’s Creative Writing program houses two more literary institutions, the Indiana Review, and the Indiana University Writers’ Conference. 

Students make up the editorial staff of this lauded literary magazine, in some cases for course credit or a stipend. An MFA candidate serves each year as assistant director of the much-celebrated and highly attended conference . 

These two facets of Indiana’s program give graduate students access to visiting writers, professional experience, and a taste of the writing life beyond academia.

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, MI)

The University of Michigan’s Helen Zell Writers’ Program cultivates its students with a combination of workshop-driven course work and vigorous programming on and off-campus. Inventive new voices in fiction and poetry consistently emerge from this two-year program.

The campus hosts multiple readings, events, and contests, anchored by the Zell Visiting Writers Series. The Hopgood Awards offer annual prize money to Michigan creative writing students . 

The department cultivates relationships with organizations and events around Detroit, so whether it’s introducing writers at Literati bookstore or organizing writing retreats in conjunction with local arts organizations, MFA candidates find opportunities to cultivate a community role and public persona as a writer.

What happens after graduation tells the big story of this program. Michigan produces heavy hitters in the literary world, like Celeste Ng, Jesmyn Ward, Elizabeth Kostova, Nate Marshall, Paisley Rekdal, and Laura Kasischke. 

Their alumni place their works with venerable houses like Penguin and Harper Collins, longtime literary favorites Graywolf and Copper Canyon, and the new vanguard like McSweeney’s, Fence, and Ugly Duckling Presse.

University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN)

Structure combined with personal attention and mentorship characterizes the University of Minnesota’s Creative Writing MFA, starting with its unique program requirements. 

In addition to course work and a final thesis, Minnesota’s MFA candidates assemble a book list of personally significant works on literary craft, compose a long-form essay on their writing process, and defend their thesis works with reading in front of an audience.

Literary journal Great River Review and events like the First Book reading series and Mill City Reading series do their part to expand the student experience beyond the focus on the internal. 

The Edelstein-Keller Visiting Writer Series draws exceptional, culturally relevant writers like Chuck Klosterman and Claudia Rankine for readings and student conversations. 

Writer and retired University of Minnesota instructor Charles Baxter established the program’s Hunger Relief benefit , aiding Minnesota’s Second Harvest Heartland organization. 

Emblematic of the program’s vision of the writer in service to humanity, this annual contest and reading bring together distinguished writers, students, faculty, and community members in favor of a greater goal.

Brown University (Providence, RI)

One of the top institutions on any list, Brown University features an elegantly-constructed Literary Arts Program, with students choosing one workshop and one elective per semester. 

The electives can be taken from any department at Brown; especially popular choices include Studio Art and other coursework through the affiliated Rhode Island School of Design. The final semester consists of thesis construction under the supervision of the candidate’s faculty advisor.

Brown is the only MFA program to feature, in addition to poetry and fiction tracks, the Digital/Cross Disciplinary track . 

This track attracts multidisciplinary writers who need the support offered by Brown’s collaboration among music, visual art, computer science, theater and performance studies, and other departments. 

The interaction with the Rhode Island School of Design also allows those artists interested in new forms of media to explore and develop their practice, inventing new forms of art and communication.

Brown’s Literary Arts Program focuses on creating an atmosphere where students can refine their artistic visions, supported by like-minded faculty who provide the time and materials necessary to innovate. 

Not only has the program produced trailblazing writers like Percival Everett and Otessa Moshfegh, but works composed by alumni incorporating dance, music, media, and theater have been performed around the world, from the stage at Kennedy Center to National Public Radio.

University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA)

When most people hear “MFA in Creative Writing,” it’s the Iowa Writers’ Workshop they imagine. 

The informal name of the University of Iowa’s Program in Creative Writing, the Iowa Writers’ Workshop was the first to offer an MFA, back in 1936. 

One of the first diplomas went to renowned writer Wallace Stegner, who later founded the MFA program at Stanford.

 It’s hard to argue with seventeen Pulitzer Prize winners and six U.S. Poets Laureate. The Iowa Writers’ Workshop is the root system of the MFA tree.

The two-year program balances writing courses with coursework in other graduate departments at the university. In addition to the book-length thesis, a written exam is part of the student’s last semester.

Because the program represents the quintessential idea of a writing program, it attracts its faculty positions, reading series, events, and workshops the brightest lights of the literary world. 

The program’s flagship literary magazine, the Iowa Review , is a lofty goal for writers at all stages of their career. 

At the Writers’ Workshop, tracks include not only fiction, poetry, playwriting, and nonfiction, but also Spanish creative writing and literary translation. Their reading series in association with Prairie Lights bookstore streams online and is heard around the world.

Iowa’s program came into being in answer to the central question posed to each one of these schools: can writing be taught? 

The answer for a group of intrepid, creative souls in 1936 was, actually, “maybe not.” 

But they believed it could be cultivated; each one of these institutions proves it can be, in many ways, for those willing to commit the time and imagination.

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The Top 25 Underrated Creative Writing MFA Programs

By Terry Helms | April 19, 2011

• University of Central Florida. Recently named one of the nation’s biggest party schools, and why not? It’s in Orlando, so there’s more than just the weather to celebrate — Disney World is only a short car-trip away. But locale aside, who knew that UCF fully funds nearly all its incoming students? The faculty roster may not boast many superstars, but neither do most other programs’ faculties, and ultimately it’s the quality of teaching that matters, not public acclaim for professors’ writing. If you want to attend a large, vibrant university in the midst of a large, vibrant, warm-weather city — and be fully funded in the bargain — UCF is for you. It’s no coincidence that four programs on this list are located in Florida; MFA applicants consistently under-apply to Florida programs (even University of Florida, a Top 25 program overall and certainly the best MFA program in the state, receives only half the applications it should).
• Ohio State University. Nobody can explain why this program isn’t Top 25 — perhaps even Top 20 — every year. Sure, it’s already popular, but it remains half as popular as it should be. Three years in an AIER-rated Top 15 “mid-size metro” with a strong faculty, a reasonable teaching load, and a vibrant university community deserves a close look from any serious MFA applicant. Every year OSU is outside the Top 25 (especially in poetry), something is grievously wrong with the national MFA picture.
• University of Miami. Knocking on the door of the Top 50 in all categories of assessment, Miami will someday soon make the leap to the Top 50 and stay there. It’s a great university in a great city, and it deserves — and has — a great, well-funded MFA program. If you’re looking for a fully-funded-for-all MFA experience in a big city (and there are only around five such experiences available nationally), you’ve found your place.
• University of Texas at Austin [Department of English]. This is the other MFA program at the University of Texas. The program at the Michener Center is already one of the most well-known and highly-selective in America; what many don’t realize, however, is that the MFA run by the university’s English Department is also fully funded — albeit less generously — and its students get to workshop alongside Michener faculty and students. Plus, it’s in Austin, as happening a college city as one could hope for. You can expect this program to crack the national Top 50 sometime in the next 24 to 36 months, but for now it’s still a hidden gem. No other university in America (except the University of Iowa, which offers both the Writers’ Workshop and the Nonfiction Writing Program) has two separate and distinct MFA programs, though the difference between Iowa and Texas is that both of Iowa’s programs are incredibly selective. Applicants looking to slip into a Michener-grade experience through the back door should take the hint.
• University of New Orleans. The Big Easy is coming back — in a big way. The MFA at UNO offers both a full- and low-residency option, and frankly there’s no reason not to leap at the former. Many students get full funding, you can take classes in screenwriting and playwriting as well as poetry and fiction, and there are summer programs available in both Europe and Mexico. There’s much to be excited about here.
• Oklahoma State University. The prospect of living in Stillwater won’t set many eyes agog or causes many hearts to flutter, but the fact remains that the Okies don’t currently crack the Top 100, and they certainly should. Lots of full funding packages are available, there’s a creative writing doctoral program at the university along with the MFA — meaning, by and large, a higher quality workshop experience than one might otherwise expect — and yet almost no one applies. That should change.
• Florida Atlantic University. Last year the report on FAU was simply this: “A dark horse among dark horses.” This year the program earns a slightly more robust entry, as a spotlight is cast on the following program features: three genres of study are available; the program fully funds many admittees; it’s located three miles from the beach; and it’s woefully under-applied to. All of which are great reasons to consider applying to this under-ranked and under-rated gem.
• Florida State University. Tallahassee gets mixed reviews, and some worry the program has gotten too large for its own good, but it’s three years of full funding at a university with not only a creative writing MFA but a top-notch creative writing doctorate, too (currently ranked second nationally). It may not deserve to be a Top 20 program in the national MFA rankings, but its recent fall in this year’s yet-to-be-released rankings (to #72) is entirely unwarranted. Right now there’s better than even odds it makes a return to the Top 50 next year.
• Georgia College & State University. The whole operation here gives off a warm vibe, and why not: it’s a well-funded, intimate program that’s been flying below the radar for years. Yet now it’s within hailing distance (nine spots) of an Honorable Mention classification in the forthcoming national MFA rankings, and it really does deserves to make the jump to that next level. A better rural Southern program you’d be hard-pressed to find.
• Iowa State University. What was said last year bears repeating, especially with the program making the jump to Honorable Mention status in the national rankings this year: the secret’s almost out of the bag on Iowa State, and what’s not to like? It’s three fully funded years in one of AIER’s Top Five college towns (PDF) at a program to which few apply. ISU’s unique focus on the environment (as well as interdisciplinary work and one-on-one mentoring) are stand-out features.
• Minnesota State University at Mankato. It’s a program you keep hearing good things about, even if you’re not entirely sure why. Maybe it’s the fact that the English Department offers a total of 30 full-tuition-remission teaching assistantships, and they’ll let you stay three years if you want. Maybe it’s the sense that this is a friendly, inviting program. Who knows. In any event, it makes the list, and while it may not be this grouping’s strongest entrant, by all accounts it deserves to be here.
• New Mexico State University. Students insist the program’s website is outdated, and that NMSU actually fully funds the majority of its incoming students. We’ll take the students at their word. Certainly, the program gives all the signs of hosting a lively literary community, and that’s reflected in its slow creep up the national rankings (currently #82). As with Minnesota State, it’s certainly not the strongest program on this list, but nevertheless it’s worth watching.
• North Carolina State University. Rumor has it that NCSU will soon become part of what’s become a national trend among MFA programs: only admitting students who can be fully funded through grants, fellowships, or assistantships, and thereby becoming a “fully funded program” under the current national assessment scheme via the back door. Well, why not? If the rumor’s true, you’re looking at a possible Top 50 program in the years ahead (it’s already Top 30 in selectivity, and just outside the Honorable Mention category of the national rankings). Poet Dorianne Laux is the star of the faculty here.
• Northern Michigan University. A tiny program in the scenic UP that funds surprisingly well. It oughtn’t be as obscure as it is. As with so many — in fact, far too many — MFA programs, NMU’s website reveals little significant information about the program and thereby does it (and its applicants) no favors. But the sense in the creative writing community is that something good is happening here.
• Oregon State University. With all the attention paid to the University of Oregon’s fully funded MFA program, Oregon State somehow gets overlooked. Corvallis isn’t Eugene, sure, and OSU can only fund many, not all, incoming students, it’s true, but the fact remains that OSU ranks just outside the Top 50 in poetry, just outside the Top 25 in nonfiction, in the Top 40 for placement, and in the Top 50 for selectivity. If you can get in with full funding, there’s no reason not to go.
• San Diego State University. Hundreds of California residents apply to MFA programs every year, and a sizable percentage of those would stay close to home if they could. Unfortunately, the Golden State has the smallest percentage of fully funded MFA programs of any state in America as a function of population, if not landmass (that latter distinction goes to the great state of Alaska, whose state university at Fairbanks nearly made this list). Still, if you’re looking to apply to California programs SDSU should be on your list, especially if you’re a poet (the poetry faculty is especially strong). Tons of assistantships are available, the website (unlike 90% of MFA program websites) is fantastic (albeit a little vague about the actual quantity of student funding opportunities), and there’s a top-notch literary magazine on-site, too.
• Temple University. Attention poets: Temple has an MFA program. Philadelphia has long been one of the great cities for American poets to live in, and now that Temple has transformed from a non-terminal MA to a terminal MFA, it’s suddenly worth a second look. Is it still a program in transition? Sure. But it’s also ranked 109th nationally, so the fact that it has a way to go is part and parcel of it appearing on this list. The faculty here is amazing, even if the funding is not (or not yet) — though it’s said that it’s much better for poets than for fiction-writers, in keeping with the program’s strong ties to the Philadelphia poetry community.
• University of Arkansas. With Ohio State, University of Arkansas is one of two current Top 50 programs to make this list (and for the record, University of Nevada at Las Vegas was quite nearly the third). This is a four-year, fully funded program in a nice college town, and it offers literary translation as well as poetry and fiction tracks. It’s in the top tier in practically any measure you’d care to name, and yet it cannot — cannot — seem to crack the national Top 30, which is especially odd given that a similarly long, similarly well-funded southern program (University of Alabama) has been impossible to dislodge from the Top 20 for years now. The difference between the two programs isn’t great enough to explain the ranking difference. More poets and fiction-writers should apply here, it’s that simple.
• University of California at Riverside. Trying to get funding information on California MFA programs requires more than a little detective work. UCR is rumored to fund many of its students well; only the program’s webmaster knows for sure, however, and he’s not telling. Whatever the truth of the matter, a few things are for certain: the program offers five genres of study; it (wisely) requires rather than merely encourages cross-genre work; the faculty is excellent; and the fact that the university has an undergraduate creative writing major (the only one in California) tells you how committed the entire university is to creative writing. The location is also a plus: a large city (300,000+) within a short distance of Los Angeles.
• University of Kansas. What was said last year still applies: this now-Honorable-Mention program offers three years of well-funded creative writing study, and KU is one of the few U.S. universities that cares enough about creative writing to host both a creative writing doctorate and an MFA. And did you know Lawrence, Kansas is deemed a Top 10 college town nationally by AIER? The 2/2 teaching load is daunting, but there’s still a lot of reasons to be excited about KU.
• University of Utah. Back in 1996, the creative writing program at Utah was ranked in the Top 20 nationally — largely due to a creative writing doctoral program that still ranks among the Top 10. It’s a mystery why the MFA program at Utah (now ranked #115) isn’t more popular, given that almost a third of incoming students are fully funded, everyone gets to workshop with some of the best creative writing doctoral students in the world, and Salt Lake City is by all accounts a surprisingly nice (and surprisingly progressive) place to live for a couple years. The literary arts community here deserves much more attention than it’s getting from applicants.
• Virginia Commonwealth University. For years now VCU has been in and out of the national Top 50 — it depends on the year — but in a just world it would consistently be on the inside looking out. And it has nothing to do with the spotlight recently shone on Richmond by the successes of two of its college basketball programs (VCU made the Final Four in 2011, and University of Richmond the Sweet 16). No, what’s happening here is that a three-year, well-funded program in a Top 15 mid-size metro (according to AIER) is being overlooked. This should be a perennial Top 50 program, and someday soon it will be.
• Western Michigan University. Kalamazoo is a larger and more vibrant college town than many realize, and now that — as word has it — the MFA program at WMU is seeking only to admit students it can fully fund (much like North Carolina State, above), applying to be a Bronco just seems like good sense. As with some other programs on this list (Florida State, Utah, and, to a lesser extent, Oklahoma State) students at Western Michigan get to workshop with some of the nation’s most talented MFA graduates — the creative writing doctoral program at the university is ranked among the top dozen nationally. Perhaps that’s why student satisfaction here appears to be so high? WMU is knocking on the door of an Honorable Mention classification in the national rankings, and if it goes public with its plan to become fully funded it will achieve that classification and perhaps even more — a Top 50 designation, too.
• West Virginia University. They’ve been cagey about their funding in the past, but reports are that the funding is actually excellent and that the program’s annual applicant pool is swelling. It’d be hard to argue that the program should be ranked much higher than it is — it makes the Top 60 nationally in the forthcoming national rankings — but it still isn’t spoken of as much as you’d expect.
• Wichita State University. The graduate creative writing program perhaps best known for being the place Albert Goldbarth teaches at has enjoyed a sudden bump in the rankings, from just outside the Top 100 to just inside the Top 80. And the ride may well continue; there’s still relatively little competition for admission to WSU, a real surprise given that this is a well-funded three-year program with a light teaching load.

All of these programs (with the exception of University of Arkansas and Ohio State) will need to spend much more time on their online promotional materials in order to make the jump from this list to the bigger one: the Top 50 national rankings, as published by Poets & Writers. Applicants to these (and, really, all) programs need to know precisely what percentage of incoming students receive the equivalent of a full tuition waiver and a livable stipend, as well as see some hard data on how selective their target programs are. Until that happens, most of these programs will continue to be unjustly underrated rather than justly highly-ranked. And, not for nothing, nearly all of these programs (with a few notable exceptions: Florida State, Iowa State, Ohio State, University of Arkansas, University of Miami, and University of Texas at Austin, all fully funded programs) could do with even more full-funding packages for incoming students.

For those keeping count, this is the second year this list has been compiled. Last year’s list can be found here . Feel free to discuss these and other programs in the comments section below.

Source: Huffington Post, HUFFPOST COLLEGE,  The Top 25 Underrated Creative Writing MFA Programs (2011-2012) . Posted: 04/18/11 11:23 AM ET, by Seth Abramson.

A graduate of Dartmouth College, Harvard Law School and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Seth Abramson is the author of two collections of poetry, Northerners (Western Michigan University Press, 2011), winner of the 2010 Green Rose Prize, and The Suburban Ecstasies (Ghost Road Press, 2009). Presently a doctoral candidate in English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he is also the co-author of the forthcoming third edition of The Creative Writing MFA Handbook (Continuum, 2012).

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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 .

• Top 5 Easiest Master’s Degrees + 10 Easiest Grad Schools to Get Into
• Top 10 Cheap Online Master’s Degrees in the US

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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This is an attempt at creating an objective ranking of graduate creative writing programs.

For further and more detailed information on how the scores are generated see the methodology page.

Lists of authors without graduate creative writing degrees or whose degree status is unknown are available. Send questions, comments and corrections to [email protected] .

Disclaimer: No endorsement of these ratings should be implied by the writers and writing programs listed on this site, or by the editors and publishers of Best American Short Stories , Best American Essays , Best American Poetry , The O. Henry Prize Stories and The Pushcart Prize Anthology .

NATIONAL MUSIC THEATER INSTITUTE

NMTI ENABLES STUDENTS TO CREATE ORIGINAL WORK, LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR THE FUTURE OF MUSIC THEATER.

MOSCOW ART THEATRE SEMESTER

 partnership.

CONSERVATORY RIGOR MEETS CULTURAL IMMERSION AT THE BIRTHPLACE OF MODERN THEATER.

STUDY ABROAD WITH A CONSERVATORY-BASED SCHEDULE

Daily movement and acting classes are complemented with design, voice, Russian language, and Russian theater history. Experience conservatory rigor with classes 10am-6pm, six days a week, taught by masters at one of the world's most renowned theater schools. Conferring 20 credit hours, t he Moscow Art Theatre Semester is only offered only in the fall. 

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE CULTURE

You will experience the rich theatrical culture that permeates Moscow by attending up to 25 performances of theater, opera, ballet, and music throughout the semester as well as enjoying frequent museum visits.

LIVE IN THE HEART OF MOSCOW

Students live in a newly renovated dormitory with a kitchen, Wi-Fi, excellent security, and laundry. Students share high-ceilinged single or double rooms equipped with a twin bed, wardrobe, storage cubbies, bookshelves, and a desk.  

WEEKEND IN ST. PETERSBURG

Discover the history, culture, and beauty of russia's historic capital city with a long weekend in st. petersburg. visit cultural sites such as the hermitage state museum and the winter palace.     , discover the birthplace of modern drama.

The Moscow Art Theatre Semester immerses actors in the Stanislavski training method in the very theater where he developed his approach.  NTI has partnered with the Moscow Art Theatre School for more than 27 years in one of the longest and most celebrated cultural exchanges between the U.S. and Russia.

ORIENTATION AT THE NATIONAL THEATER INSTITUTE

The program begins with a three day orientation at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. Airfare to and from Moscow is included in the program comprehensive fee.  

Moscow, the birthplace of modern drama, is a vibrant international city with a 2,000 year history. Russians in general and Moscovites in particular have an enormous appreciation of culture, and the cultural community flourishes throughout the city.

Why go to mats we offer a total immersion in the craft of theater. you will experience the vitality of one of the world’s first-class theaters and moscow’s best teachers. come to moscow to challenge yourself as a professional. there are very few places in the world where theater truly matters. this is one., anatoly smelianksy president emeritus, moscow art theatre school, the moscow art theatre is located two blocks from red square on a beautiful pedestrian street, near the historic bolshoi theatre. restaurants, coffee shops, luxury stores, and major metro stations are all within a short walking distance from the school and dorm. .

ADDITIONAL PROGRAM INFORMATION

• overview Founded in 1964, the National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center is the country’s premiere program for new play development. Every summer, six to eight unproduced works are selected from a pool of 1,000+ submissions for a week-long, playwright-driven workshop on the O’Neill’s campus in beautiful Waterford, CT. Each play is matched with a team of industry-leading directors, dramaturgs, and actors for an intensive 30-hour rehearsal period, culminating in two public, script-in-hand staged readings. At every step in the process, the O’Neill strives to foster an inclusive, collaborative environment in which artistic exploration and experimentation is encouraged. The upcoming National Playwrights Conference will be held in July 2019. SELECTION The National Playwrights Conference is proudly committed to an open, blind submission process, and we welcome all playwrights, regardless of location or representation, to share their work with us. Our offices typically receive between 1,200 and 1,500 scripts annually, and a small volunteer corps of 200+ industry professionals — directors and dramaturgs, actors and designers, critics and administrators — reads every submission in its entirety. Every submission is considered with care and appreciation, undergoing a rigorous evaluation process in which form, content, and developmental goals are meticulously reviewed and discussed. At the end of this six-month process, eight outstanding plays — chosen for their artistic excellence, originality of voice, singularity of perspective, and developmental potential — are selected for workshop residencies at the O’Neill. DEVELOPMENT The National Playwriting Conference offers each play selected for development a week-long, 30-hour workshop, culminating in two public script-in-hand staged readings. These workshops are wholly playwright-driven, and staffed with industry-leading directors, dramaturgs, actors, and designers. Playwrights are welcome to revise, rework, and rewrite as much or as little as they like while in residence with us — as always, risk-taking is encouraged. STAGED READINGS At the end of their week-long developmental workshop, each play receives two public, script-in-hand staged readings. We believe that these staged readings are a crucial step in the O'Neill’s developmental process, serving as an invaluable opportunity to hear a fresh audience’s real-time response to the play in a welcoming, low-pressure environment. DREAM DESIGN The O’Neill is also delighted to offer our playwrights the rare opportunity to confer with a team of top-of-field designers about the visual, aural, and spatial world of their play. To this end, each workshop kicks off with an hour-long, public conversation between the playwright, scenic designer, light designer, and sound designer — all in the interest of facilitating the play’s later transition from page to stage. Original scenic renderings are created based on this discussion, and presented on the night of the play’s first public reading. RESIDENCY In addition to developmental workshops, the National Playwrights Conference is delighted to offer participating writers a month-long residency at the O’Neill’s ninety-acre seaside property — including full room and board, as well as a stipend. We welcome you to use this time however you see fit. Many playwrights continue to reflect and revise their play while others begin new projects, and others still use this time to retreat and recharge. Playwrights in residence are welcome to attend the rehearsals, readings, and presentations of their peers' work, as well as their own: we’ve found that one of the most valuable elements of an O’Neill summer is its strong community of fellow writers, artists, and theater-makers — which endures long after the summer conferences have drawn to a close.
• history Since its founding in 1964, the National Playwrights Conference has developed over 700 plays; the overwhelming majority of which have gone on to countless productions worldwide. The Conference was first lead artistic director Lloyd Richards (1969-1999), and subsequently by Jim Houghton (2000-03). The current artistic director, Wendy C. Goldberg, has been at the helm of the National Playwrights Conference since 2005. > Discover the new plays we've developed by decade.
• artistic director Wendy C. Goldberg is in her 14th season as Artistic Director of the National Playwrights Conference. Wendy also leads the O'Neill's National Directors Fellowship, now in its third year. Under Goldberg's tenure, the O'Neill was awarded the 2010 Regional Tony Award, the first play development and education organization to receive this honor. In addition, Goldberg has overseen the development of more than 90 projects for the stage, many of which have gone on to great acclaim with productions in New York, London, and around the country. Among them are the 2010 and 2012 Susan Smith Blackburn Award-winning plays (Julia Cho's The Language Archive and Jennifer Haley's The Nether), two American Theatre Critics Association Citation Award-winning Plays (Lee Blessing's Great Falls and Deb Zoe Laufer's End Days), and 2009 Pulitzer Prize Winner for Drama (Lynn Nottage's Ruined), written in part while Nottage was a Writer-in-Residence at the O'Neill in the summer of 2006. In 2005, Goldberg included playwright Samuel D. Hunter, now an Obie and MacArthur Award-winning playwright, in her first season as Artistic Director when he was still a student at the MFA Playwrights Workshop at the University of Iowa. Other critically acclaimed work developed at the O'Neill during Ms. Goldberg's tenure includes Lindsay Ferrentino's Ugly Lies The Bone, Mike Lew's Tiger Style!, Deborah Zoe Laufer's Leveling Up, Adam Bock's The Receptionist, Rebecca Gilman's The Crowd You're in With, Jason Grote's 1001, and Julia Cho's Durango. In addition to re-establishing the Conference a leader in the field, Ms. Goldberg has created domestic and international collaborations with theaters such as the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, and in Ireland with the Abbey Theater and Druid Theatre Company. She is the first woman to lead the Conference in its 54-year history. Ms. Goldberg herself is an award-winning director whose credits include world premieres, revivals, classics, and musicals at the most esteemed theaters in the country, including: Arena Stage, the Guthrie, the Goodman, Denver Center, the Alliance, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Center Stage, Actors Theater of Louisville, Signature Theater, Paper Mill Playhouse, Philadelphia Theater Company and off-Broadway at Ars Nova, The Daryl Roth 2, and McGinn-Cazale. Wendy was represented on Broadway as Creative Advisor to the long running Rock of Ages. She has directed work in every major play developmental program in the country. As Artistic Associate at Arena Stage for five seasons, Ms. Goldberg helped to create the theater's new play initiatives and led them from their inception through 2005. American Theatre magazine has described her as "one of the most promising theater artists working today." Other than the theater's founder, Zelda Fichandler, she is the youngest director to have directed for Arena Stage in its 50 year history, making her main stage debut at the age of 26 with the revival of K2 in celebration of the company's 50th anniversary. Ms. Goldberg is a visiting faculty member at the Iowa Playwrights Workshop and the Yale School of Drama. She has served on panels for the NEA and TCG, and has served as a judge for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize as well as a guest at the Commercial Theater Institute through the Broadway League. Ms. Goldberg has served on the Executive Board of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society for 11 years and has been a Tony Voter since 2005. She is an honors graduate of the University of Michigan (BA) and holds a MFA in Directing from UCLA's School of Theater, Film, and Television where she received the Distinguished Alumna Award in 2014.
• open submission process The National Playwrights Conference is delighted to accept script submissions from playwrights of all stripes. We hold our mission of discovering and amplifying the voices of new plays and playwrights in high esteem, and remain committed to maintaining the open, blind submissions policy that has been place since the inception of the National Playwriting Conference itself. To that end, we don’t require those submitting to have an agent or letter of nomination to apply; rather, we only ask that you have the right to work in the United States. Our literary offices typically receive between 1,200 and 1,500 scripts annually, and a small volunteer corps of 200+ professional theatermakers — directors and dramaturgs, actors and designers, critics and administrators — reads every submission in its entirety. Every submission is considered with care and appreciation, undergoing a rigorous evaluation process in which form, content, and developmental goals are meticulously reviewed and discussed. At the end of this six-month process, eight outstanding plays — chosen for their artistic excellence, originality of voice, singularity of perspective, and developmental potential — are selected for workshop residencies at the O’Neill. The submission fee is $35. This covers the costs of the process itself — its organization, administration, and reading. We recognize that this can be prohibitive, and the O'Neill is actively making efforts to reduce this fee, most notably with the establishment of the Wendy Wasserstein Endowment Fund. As this endowment continues to grow, we hope to eventually reduce and eliminate the fee in its entirety, ensuring that submission process remains open and equitable to all.
• submission info The 2019 National Playwrights Conference will accept applications from September 13, 2018 through October 12, 2018 at 11:59pm PST. If you are interested in submitting a play for our consideration, please review our submission guidelines below. Be sure to sign up to email updates, too: that way, you’ll be the first to know when our application window opens. > View NPC Online Submission Guidelines > View NPC Hard Copy Submission Guidelines > Sign-up for NPC updates Eligibility Requirements: You must be 18 years of age and have the right to work within the United States. The play must not have had a professional production, or be scheduled to have a professional production, prior to August 2019. A professional production means that the artists working on the show were compensated for their time, and that all of the theatrical elements one hopes to see in a production were present. You may submit one original or adapted work, providing that the rights to any material not in the public domain have been granted in writing, and a copy of the release is sent along with the script. We develop all genres and styles of drama, including one-acts and solo pieces. NPC does not develop music theater works, though you may submit such work to the National Music Theater Conference. While we accept work that has been submitted to NPC in previous years, we recommend that you share new work with us each year. Only complete applications will be accepted, whether in hard copy or electronic form. > Start your application!
• frequently asked questions We’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions for your convenience below. However, if you would prefer to speak directly to a member of our literary staff, you’re more than welcome: we gladly devote much of our year to facilitating this process, and we’re always happy to speak with playwrights. You can reach the literary office via email at [email protected], or by phone at 860-443-5378 ext. 227. > Review our frequently asked questions
• 2018 summer season > Discover the 2018 National Playwrights Conference The O'Neill's intensive national reach from the Open Submissions process also serves the larger theater community by spotlighting 45-65 finalist plays to peer theaters for development and production. > See the 2018 NPC FInalists

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The Program The MFA program at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Art is an interdisciplinary, experimental, research-based program that provides its students with a challenging and supportive context in which to expand and develop their work and thinking as artists. As one of the top-ranked graduate programs 1 in the country, we view art making as a vital social, critical, and intellectual pursuit. With four core faculty members committed to a cohort of 18 graduate students, and an additional 16 tenure and tenure-track professors within the school, the MFA program fosters intensive intellectual relationships with each of our masters candidates. Graduate students are encouraged to employ a comparative and intersectional approach to critical and cultural theories, and to allow this inquiry to inform and expand their notion of what it means to be an artist and to make art within our contemporary condition.

The Faculty The MFA program is guided by a core faculty of four highly active artists who provide critical oversight and intellectual support for students through one-on-one advising, mentorship, and studio visits. The MFA core faculty, along with our 16 full-time faculty, teach and interact across the program’s curriculum; students benefit from additional advisement from within the full-time faculty, studio visits, group critique, critical studies coursework, and more.

Student to Faculty Ratio The MFA program is limited to 18 students, and accepts six per year to its three-year cohort. Predicated on a belief that direct and continuous discourse between artists fosters the most relevant growth, the program is committed to supporting ongoing interaction between faculty, students, and our many visiting lecturers and scholars. This close-knit environment enables meaningful dynamics to form between students and faculty, allows research projects to progress from germination to completion, and provides an inclusive and interactive program for the entire graduate community.

True Interdisciplinarity The MFA program maintains an interdisciplinary structure that supports artists working across all mediums to foster relationships between artistic practices within the School as well as bridging methodologies throughout the University. In addition to generous time afforded for individual studio development, graduate students take advantage of a wealth of electives, visiting lecturers, cutting edge technologies, grant opportunities, funded external advisors, and much more.

Art and Research The MFA program is unique among its peers for being one of the top-ranked programs in the country situated within one of the top-ranked research universities in the world. MFA students have the opportunity to study with faculty and engage with research across the university’s leading fields of Human-Computer Interaction, Robotics, Linguistics, Philosophy, Architecture, Drama, and myriad other disciplines and dialogs in the humanities and sciences. In addition to the many resources within the school and across the university, graduate students are also able to extend their practice beyond the campus in their second and third year by selecting a recognized artist, curator, writer, or scholar of their choice to work with as an advisor over the course of each year. Recent outside advisors include Dan Byers, Nina Katchadourian, Penny Lane, Raimundas Malašauskas, and Eric Shiner.

Three-Year Structure The MFA program’s three-year structure is designed to provide the time, resources, and support for in-depth multidisciplinary research, the development of new technical and conceptual skills, and the possibility of radical shifts in the materials, themes, and processes of one’s practice. Combined, the unique three-year structure, small cohort, and committed core faculty aim to provide a platform that supports the formation of progressive ideas, theories, and studio practices.

Visiting Artists The School of Art’s Visiting Lecture Series brings highly acclaimed international artists, writers, and critics to the school throughout the year. Graduate students have extensive interaction with these visitors through studio visits, workshops, and informal engagements. Recent and upcoming visitors include artists and writers such as Ian Chang, A.L. Steiner, Wangechi Mutu, Petra Cortright, Huey Copeland, and Malik Gaines. In addition to the School’s lecture series, graduate students regularly engage with leading artists and cultural figures visiting the Frank-Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry , and take part in the extensive programming provided by The Center for Arts in Society .

Financial Support The MFA program provides generous financial support to all graduate students, covering a minimum of two-thirds of tuition. In addition to this support, the program also offers a number of merit- and practice-based scholarships to incoming and continuing students. MFA students also have research funding available to attend conferences, attend the Venice Biennale, conduct research, and collaborate across the university.

The Public Sphere The Program challenges artists to recognize social context and civic engagement as paramount within contemporary art and encourages graduate students to constantly reimagine the artist’s role in society by using their work as a critical position within the larger social, cultural, and political discourses of our time.

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