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Creative WritingPrograms

MFA Creative Writing Programs

Master of Fine Arts degrees in creative writing, writing, fiction or poetry — campus-based, low-residency and fully online.

93 programs · page 3 of 5

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Listed alphabetically by school. This directory is not a ranking — editorial selections are published separately under Rankings. What we list

Saint Mary's College of California logo

Saint Mary's College of California

MFA in Creative Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Location: Moraga, CA
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program. · Full-time
Genres: Creative Nonfiction · Fiction · Poetry
Duration: Two years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $34,056 per academic year · All students — MFA in Creative Writing, yearly tuition (locked for two years) · 2026-2027
Deadline: January 8, 2027 · Fall 2027
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San Francisco State University logo

San Francisco State University

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Location: San Francisco, CA
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program. · Full-time, Part-time
Genres: Creative Nonfiction · Fiction · Playwriting · Poetry · Literary Translation
Duration: About three years full time; up to seven years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $4,274 per semester · In-state — Graduate, 6.1+ units (full time), tuition only, per semester · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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Sarah Lawrence College logo

Sarah Lawrence College

Master of Fine Arts in Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Writing
Location: Bronxville, NY
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program. · Full-time, Part-time
Genres: Fiction · Poetry · Creative Nonfiction
Duration: Two years full-time; three years or more part-time
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $38,716 per academic year · All students — Full-time · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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School of the Art Institute of Chicago logo

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Master of Fine Arts in Writing (MFAW)

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Writing
Location: Chicago, IL
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program.
Genres: Fiction · Creative Nonfiction · Poetry · Playwriting · Cross-Genre / Interdisciplinary
Duration: Two years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $2,066 per credit · All students — Graduate, per credit hour · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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Seton Hill University logo

Seton Hill University

Writing Popular Fiction (MFA)

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction
Location: Greensburg, PA
Format: Low-residencyShort, mandatory in-person residencies (often once or twice a year) combined with remote mentored study between them.
Genres: Fiction
Duration: Duration not verified
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $982 per credit · All students — Writing Popular Fiction MFA · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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Spalding University logo

Spalding University

Master of Fine Arts in Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Writing
Location: Louisville, KY
Format: Low-residencyShort, mandatory in-person residencies (often once or twice a year) combined with remote mentored study between them. · Flexible pace
Genres: Fiction · Poetry · Creative Nonfiction · Screenwriting · Playwriting
Duration: Two years on the standard schedule; four years on the extended schedule (four semesters plus a graduation residency)
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $650 per credit · All students — Graduate, Writing (MFA) · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Best Low-Residency MFA Creative Writing Programs
Stony Brook University logo

Stony Brook University

MFA Program in Creative Writing and Literature

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Literature
Location: Stony Brook, NY
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program. · Full-time, Part-time
Genres: Fiction · Creative Nonfiction · Poetry
Duration: Duration not verified
Funding: Competitive full funding$30,000 stipend (academic year)
Tuition: $471 per credit · In-state · Fall 2023
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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Syracuse University logo

Syracuse University

Three-Year M.F.A. in Creative Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Location: Syracuse, NY
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program.
Genres: Fiction · Poetry
Duration: Three years (six semesters)
Funding: Fully funded (all admitted)$24,750 stipend (per year)
Tuition: $2,086 per credit · All students — Graduate, Main Campus
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Best MFA Creative Writing Programs

Texas State University

MFA in Creative Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) Major in Creative Writing
Location: San Marcos, TX
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program.
Genres: Fiction · Poetry
Duration: Three years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $4,514.49 per semester · In-state — Graduate, resident, 9 hours, Fall 2026 (tuition and fees) · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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The New School

Creative Writing (MFA)

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Location: New York, NY
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program.
Genres: Fiction · Creative Nonfiction · Poetry
Duration: Duration not verified
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $2,062 per credit · Continuing students who enrolled before fall 2025, per credit · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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The University of Alabama logo

The University of Alabama

MFA Program in Creative Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Location: Tuscaloosa, AL
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program.
Genres: Fiction · Creative Nonfiction · Poetry
Duration: Three years, with an optional fourth year
Funding: Fully funded (conditions apply)$18,090 stipend (nine months)
Tuition: Tuition not published
Deadline: December 31, 2026 · Fall 2027
View programSelected in: Best MFA Creative Writing Programs
The University of Montana logo

The University of Montana

MFA in Creative Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts - Creative Writing
Location: Missoula, MT
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program. · Full-time, Part-time
Genres: Fiction · Creative Nonfiction · Poetry
Duration: Two years (three years part-time)
Funding: Competitive full funding
Tuition: $5,607 per semester · In-state — Graduate School, in-state, tuition and mandatory fees, 12 or more credits · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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The University of Texas at Austin logo

The University of Texas at Austin

Michener Center for Writers MFA in Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Writing
Location: Austin, TX
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program. · Full-time
Genres: Fiction · Poetry · Playwriting · Screenwriting
Duration: Three years
Funding: Fully funded (conditions apply)$32,500 stipend (academic year (fall and spring); $36,500 total annual award with summer stipend)
Tuition: Tuition not published
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Best MFA Creative Writing Programs
The University of Texas at Austin logo

The University of Texas at Austin

New Writers Project MFA in Creative Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Location: Austin, TX
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program. · Full-time
Genres: Fiction · Poetry
Duration: Three years (six semesters)
Funding: Fully funded (conditions apply)$20,760 stipend (9-month academic year (2024-2025 TA and AI rates))
Tuition: Tuition not published
Deadline: December 1, 2026 · Fall 2027
View programSelected in: Best MFA Creative Writing Programs

The University of Texas at El Paso

M.F.A. in Creative Writing Online

MFAM.F.A. in Creative Writing
Location: El Paso, TXSchool location; study is online.
Format: Fully onlineAll coursework is completed online and the school does not require in-person attendance. · Flexible pace
Genres: Fiction · Poetry
Duration: Two years encouraged; up to five years allowed
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $490 per credit · In-state
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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The University of Texas at El Paso

Residential Bilingual M.F.A. in Creative Writing

MFAM.F.A. in Creative Writing
Location: El Paso, TX
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program.
Genres: Fiction · Poetry · Literary Translation · Creative Nonfiction
Duration: Two years
Funding: Partial funding$12,000 stipend (per year (about $1,200 per month, October to June))
Tuition: $3,300 per semester · Approximate tuition per semester for 9 hours (residency status not stated)
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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University of Arizona logo

University of Arizona

MFA in Creative Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Location: Tucson, AZ
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program. · Full-time
Genres: Fiction · Creative Nonfiction · Poetry
Duration: Three years in residence
Funding: Fully funded (all admitted)$22,500 stipend (academic year (2025-2026 figure, 'about'))
Tuition: $15,700 per academic year · In-state — Graduate main campus, Arizona resident, estimated tuition and fees (six-unit semester rate) · 2026-2027
Deadline: December 14, 2026 · Fall 2027
View programSelected in: Best MFA Creative Writing Programs

University of Arkansas

M.F.A. in Creative Writing (Program in Creative Writing and Translation)

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Location: Fayetteville, AR
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program. · Full-time
Genres: Fiction · Poetry · Literary Translation
Duration: Most students take four years
Funding: Competitive full funding$21,163 stipend (annual)
Tuition: $472.22 per credit · In-state — Standard graduate in-state rate · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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University of California-Irvine logo

University of California-Irvine

MFA Programs in Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts (MFA) in English
Location: Irvine, CA
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program.
Genres: Fiction · Poetry
Duration: Two to three years; normative time three years, maximum four
Funding: Fully funded (conditions apply)$35,000 stipend (academic year (nine-month salary, estimated))
Tuition: $23,682.44 per academic year · In-state — Graduate, California resident (tuition and fees incl. student health insurance, three quarters) · 2026-2027
Deadline: December 11, 2026 · Fall 2027
View programSelected in: Best MFA Creative Writing Programs
University of California-Riverside logo

University of California-Riverside

MFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts

MFAMaster of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts
Location: Riverside, CA
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program. · Full-time
Genres: Fiction · Poetry · Creative Nonfiction · Screenwriting · Playwriting
Duration: Six quarters, typically two academic years
Funding: Competitive full funding$5,568 stipend (year (base first-year stipend printed for Fall 2022 entry))
Tuition: $7,413.12 per term · In-state — Graduate, CA resident, total quarterly fees · 2026-2027
Deadline: January 5, 2027 · Fall 2027
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