An independent directory of dedicated creative writing degrees in the United States
Virginia Commonwealth University · Department of English, College of Humanities and Sciences
A 48-credit, three-year MFA with concentrations in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction, plus a dual-genre option. Requirements include 12 hours of workshops, 12 hours of graduate literature, and six to 12 hours of thesis work toward a book-length creative thesis.
The graduate bulletin states that students in each concentration receive a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing.
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 9, 2026We list dedicated creative writing degrees only. Eligibility rules
FictionPoetryCreative Nonfiction
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 9, 2026As listed on the program's official page on October 9, 2026. Listing does not mean a faculty member is teaching or supervising new students in a given year.
Source: english.vcu.edu · verified October 9, 2026| Genre | Length | Requirement as published |
|---|---|---|
| Fiction | 20–25 pages | 20-25 pages of fictionSource: english.vcu.edu · verified October 9, 2026 |
| Poetry | — | 8-10 poemsSource: english.vcu.edu · verified October 9, 2026 |
| Creative Nonfiction | 20–25 pages | 20-25 pages of essays, memoir chapters, or flash creative nonfictionSource: english.vcu.edu · verified October 9, 2026 |
We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate competitiveness: programs rarely publish comparable figures.
Application deadline
February 1 · for Fall
The school does not print a year with this date.
Source: english.vcu.edu · verified October 9, 2026Funding / priority deadline
January 15 (recommended for full-time applicants seeking assistantships) · for Fall
The school does not print a year with this date.
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 9, 2026Tuition: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.
Competitive full fundingPolicy year: 2026-2027
Published stipend: $19,000 – $29,000 (a year (9-12 month annual stipend))
We do not judge whether a stipend is sufficient: living costs differ by city, household and year.
Cabell First Novelist Fellowship fellowship
Full tuition waiver and a 12-month stipend of $27,000 · Awards: 1
Eligibility: One third-year MFA fiction student each year
Source: english.vcu.edu · verified October 9, 2026Levis Reading Prize Coordinator assistantship
Full tuition waiver and a 9-month stipend of $21,000 · Awards: 1
Eligibility: One continuing nine-month GTA
Source: english.vcu.edu · verified October 9, 2026Blackbird Managing Editor assistantship
Full tuition waiver and a 12-month stipend of $29,000 · Awards: 1
Eligibility: One second-year MFA student who already holds a graduate fellowship and has worked for the journal
Source: english.vcu.edu · verified October 9, 2026Something out of date? Request a correction · Represent this school? Claim the profile
Same degree level, nearby or in the same format. Listed for discovery, not ranked.
Creative Writing Programs is independent and not affiliated with Virginia Commonwealth University. Information is collected from official pages and can change; confirm requirements, costs and deadlines with the school.