How to Prepare a Fiction Portfolio for an MFA Application

For most creative writing MFA programs, the fiction sample is the center of the application. Statements, transcripts and letters matter, but faculty readers are mainly looking at a few dozen pages of your prose and asking whether they want to work with that writer for two or three years. This guide covers how long a fiction sample usually is, what to put in it, how to format it, and the details that most often trip applicants up.

How long a fiction sample is

There is no standard length. Each program sets its own limit, and the limits vary widely. In our directory (October 2026), 65 published fiction page limits for MFA programs range from 10 to 80 pages. The most common maximum is 30 pages (20 programs), followed by 20 and 25 pages (16 each); the middle value is 25. See our methodology for how these figures are collected.

Some examples from official program pages:

• Columbia asks for no more than 25 double-spaced pages.
• The Iowa Writers' Workshop says fiction manuscripts typically run 30 to 80 pages and asks applicants not to exceed 80.
• Hunter College asks for 20–25 pages.
• Johns Hopkins sets a maximum of 25 double-spaced pages.

Some programs count words instead of pages. Cornell asks for 6,000 to 10,000 words; the Michener Center at the University of Texas at Austin sets a 9,000-word ceiling; the University of Florida caps the total at 6,000 words. If a program gives a word count, use it and ignore page estimates.

Because limits differ, you will often need more than one version of your sample. Build a strongest core of about 20 pages, then decide what to add for programs that allow more. Never go over a stated maximum. A short excellent sample is safer than a long uneven one, but if a program states a minimum, such as Cornell's 6,000 words, meet it.

Stories, a novel excerpt, or both

Most programs accept either short stories or part of a novel, and many accept a combination. Columbia, for instance, accepts one or several stories, a portion of a novel, or both. Some programs are more specific:

• Johns Hopkins allows at most three short stories or a self-contained section of a novel.
• George Mason asks for at least two complete short stories, or novel or novella excerpts, up to 50 pages.
• Iowa asks for at least two stories or two or more novel sections.

Complete stories let readers see you handle a whole arc: opening, development and ending. Two stories in different modes can show range.

A novel excerpt works best when it can stand on its own. Choose a section that has its own tension and shape instead of simply sending the first chapter. If the excerpt depends on context, check whether the program allows a brief note at the top before adding one; the instructions usually describe only the creative work.

Whichever you choose, the opening pages are the first impression of your writing, so put your strongest piece first.

Choosing what goes in

Choose work that shows how you write now. Practical rules:

• Lead with your best piece, not your newest or the one you love most.
• Prefer revised work. A sample is not the place for a draft you have not tested on readers.
• Show your genuine interests. If you write speculative, historical or genre-inflected fiction, check whether the program welcomes it before you hide it. Some programs are built around it: Emerson's Popular Fiction Writing and Publishing MFA asks for fiction in the applicant's preferred genre and does not accept poetry, nonfiction, fan fiction or scripts.
• Keep to the genre of application. Most programs read your sample in the genre you apply in. Some let you include other forms within the limit, but do not assume it.
• Cut, do not cram. Do not shrink margins or font size to fit more pages. Trim a story or swap in a shorter one.

None of the program pages cited here make prior publication a condition for the sample; check each program's instructions if you plan to include published work.

Formatting the manuscript

When a program publishes formatting rules, follow them exactly. When it does not, use standard manuscript conventions: 12-point type in a plain font, one-inch margins, double-spaced prose, numbered pages, and your name on each page or in the header. The University of Virginia, for example, specifies 12-point type, a conventional font, one-inch margins and standard double spacing within its 20-page limit.

Other common instructions:

• A single file. Many programs want one PDF containing the whole sample.
• A title for each piece, with a new page for each new story.
• Name and genre in the header, when requested.
• No cover art or illustrations unless the program invites them.

Double-check whether a page limit includes a title page or table of contents. If the instructions are silent, keep extra pages to a minimum.

Deadlines, cycles and genre rotation

Fiction application details belong to one admissions cycle and can change the next. Many programs in our directory set December deadlines for fall entry, but some set different dates by genre or format. A few programs admit fiction writers only in certain years: Wisconsin–Madison alternates genres, admitting fiction in even-numbered entry years, so its next fiction intake is fall 2028. Confirm the current cycle on each program's official admissions page.

If you are earlier in your path, an undergraduate degree is a different route. Our guide to the BFA vs. BA in creative writing explains how those degrees differ, and our fiction programs page lists programs that offer the genre.

A short checklist

Before you submit to each program:

1. Confirm the limit (pages or words) and whether it is a range with a minimum.
2. Confirm what counts toward it: title page, table of contents, any note.
3. Match the formatting rules, including spacing and file type.
4. Put your strongest piece first.
5. Proofread on paper or in the final PDF, not only in your editor.
6. Check that the genre you selected in the application matches the sample.

The sample is one part of the application. Pair it with a clear statement; see writing a statement of purpose for creative writing. Requirements vary by school, so treat every example here as a starting point and confirm the details on each program's official pages. You can compare published requirements across programs on our program listings.