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Creative WritingPrograms

Campus-Based MFA Creative Writing Programs Based in California

Classes and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program. Study intensity (full- or part-time) is shown separately on each program.

7 programs

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

California Institute of the Arts logo

California Institute of the Arts

MFA Creative Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Location: Valencia, CA
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program.
Genres: Fiction · Poetry · Creative Nonfiction · Cross-Genre / Interdisciplinary
Duration: Two years
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $62,954 per academic year · All students — Full-time undergraduate (BFA and certificate) and graduate (MFA, advanced certificate, and DMA) programs · 2026-2027
Deadline: December 1, 2026 · Fall 2027
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Chapman University logo

Chapman University

MFA in Creative Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Location: Orange, CA
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program.
Genres: Fiction · Poetry · Creative Nonfiction
Duration: Duration not verified
Funding: Competitive full funding$18,000 stipend (per year (fellowship payment), renewable for a second year)
Tuition: $1,240 per credit · All students — MFA Creative Writing, per credit · 2026-2027
Deadline: November 1, 2026 · Spring 2027
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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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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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University of San Francisco logo

University of San Francisco

MFA in Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Writing
Location: San Francisco, CA
Format: Campus-basedClasses and workshops meet in person on campus throughout the program.
Genres: Fiction · Poetry · Creative Nonfiction
Duration: Two years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $1,735 per credit · All students — MFA in Writing, per unit · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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