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Creative WritingPrograms

Low-Residency MFA Creative Writing Programs

Short, mandatory in-person residencies (often once or twice a year) combined with remote mentored study between them. Study intensity (full- or part-time) is shown separately on each program.

14 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

Antioch University-Los Angeles logo

Antioch University-Los Angeles

MFA in Creative Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Location: Culver City, CA
Format: Low-residencyShort, mandatory in-person residencies (often once or twice a year) combined with remote mentored study between them.
Genres: Fiction · Poetry · Creative Nonfiction · Screenwriting · Playwriting · Literary Translation
Duration: Two years: five residencies and four five-month online project periods
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $11,017 per semester · All students — Semesters 1-3 · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Best Low-Residency MFA Creative Writing Programs
Bennington College logo

Bennington College

Bennington Writing Seminars / MFA in Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Writing
Location: Bennington, VT
Format: Low-residencyShort, mandatory in-person residencies (often once or twice a year) combined with remote mentored study between them.
Genres: Fiction · Creative Nonfiction · Poetry · Literary Translation
Duration: Two years: four terms (five for dual-genre) and five residencies (six for dual-genre)
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $12,700 per term · All students — Per term, including residency room and board · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Best Low-Residency MFA Creative Writing Programs

Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development

Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing

MFAMFA in Creative Writing
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Format: Low-residencyShort, mandatory in-person residencies (often once or twice a year) combined with remote mentored study between them.
Genres: Poetry · Fiction · Creative Nonfiction · Screenwriting
Duration: Four semesters
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $6,000 per semester · International — International, per semester · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Best Low-Residency MFA Creative Writing Programs
New York University logo

New York University

Low Residency MFA Writers Workshop in Paris

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Location: New York, NY
Format: Low-residencyShort, mandatory in-person residencies (often once or twice a year) combined with remote mentored study between them.
Genres: Poetry · Fiction · Creative Nonfiction
Duration: Duration not verified
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: Tuition not published
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View program
Pacific Lutheran University logo

Pacific Lutheran University

Rainier Writing Workshop: Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing
Location: Tacoma, WA
Format: Low-residencyShort, mandatory in-person residencies (often once or twice a year) combined with remote mentored study between them.
Genres: Poetry · Fiction · Creative Nonfiction
Duration: Three years (Regular Standing); two years (Advanced Standing)
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $46,010 entire program · All students — 2026-27 Program Cost (tuition for 44 credits plus residency accommodation and meals) · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Best Low-Residency MFA Creative Writing Programs
Pacific University logo

Pacific University

Master of Fine Arts in Writing (MFA)

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Writing
Location: Forest Grove, OR
Format: Low-residencyShort, mandatory in-person residencies (often once or twice a year) combined with remote mentored study between them.
Genres: Poetry · Fiction · Creative Nonfiction
Duration: Two years: at least four semesters of study and five residencies
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $23,528 per academic year · All students · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Best Low-Residency MFA Creative Writing Programs
Queens University of Charlotte logo

Queens University of Charlotte

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Location: Charlotte, NC
Format: Low-residencyShort, mandatory in-person residencies (often once or twice a year) combined with remote mentored study between them. · Flexible pace
Genres: Fiction · Creative Nonfiction · Poetry · Playwriting · Screenwriting
Duration: 2 years, with options to accelerate or lengthen (up to six years)
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $856 per credit · All students · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Best Low-Residency MFA Creative Writing Programs
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
View program
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
University of California-Riverside logo

University of California-Riverside

Palm Desert Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts

MFAMFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts
Location: Riverside, CA
Format: Low-residencyShort, mandatory in-person residencies (often once or twice a year) combined with remote mentored study between them.
Genres: Fiction · Creative Nonfiction · Playwriting · Poetry · Screenwriting
Duration: Seven quarters over two years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $9,360 per term · All students — Per quarter; no additional fees for out-of-state students
Deadline: February 1, 2027 · Spring 2027
View programSelected in: Best Low-Residency MFA Creative Writing Programs
University of Southern Maine logo

University of Southern Maine

Stonecoast MFA in Creative Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Location: Portland, ME
Format: Low-residencyShort, mandatory in-person residencies (often once or twice a year) combined with remote mentored study between them.
Genres: Creative Nonfiction · Fiction · Poetry
Duration: 2 years
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $3,609.60 per semester · All students — Summer semester (6 credits) · 2026-2027
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Best Low-Residency MFA Creative Writing Programs

Vermont College of Fine Arts

MFA in Writing

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Writing
Location: Montpelier, VT
Format: Low-residencyShort, mandatory in-person residencies (often once or twice a year) combined with remote mentored study between them.
Genres: Fiction · Poetry · Creative Nonfiction · Cross-Genre / Interdisciplinary
Duration: 2 years (4 semesters, 5 nine-day residencies)
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $12,714 per semester · All students · Winter 2027 – Summer
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Best Low-Residency MFA Creative Writing Programs

Vermont College of Fine Arts

MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Writing for Children & Young Adults
Location: Montpelier, VT
Format: Low-residencyShort, mandatory in-person residencies (often once or twice a year) combined with remote mentored study between them.
Genres: Fiction · Poetry · Creative Nonfiction
Duration: 2 years (4 semesters, 5 nine-day residencies)
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $13,095 per semester · All students · Winter 2027 – Summer
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Best Low-Residency MFA Creative Writing Programs
Warren Wilson College logo

Warren Wilson College

MFA Program for Writers

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Location: Swannanoa, NC
Format: Low-residencyShort, mandatory in-person residencies (often once or twice a year) combined with remote mentored study between them.
Genres: Poetry · Fiction · Creative Nonfiction
Duration: Four semesters and five residencies
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $10,324 per semester · All students
Deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View programSelected in: Best Low-Residency MFA Creative Writing Programs