Editorial selection

Best Low-Residency MFA Creative Writing Programs

Low-residency MFA programs that publish their residency model, costs, genres and program length on official pages. An editorial assessment against published criteria, listed alphabetically — not an official ranking.

Methodology v1.0 · criteria and evidence rules · reviewed October 9, 2026

Listed alphabetically, not in order of quality. Required criteria for this list: Curriculum and genre fit · Source quality and freshness · Published student support · Evidence of funding · Teaching and editing opportunities · Published cost · Program structure. Sponsored placements are never part of this list.

Antioch University-Los Angeles
MFA in Creative Writing · Culver City, CA · Low-residency
Partial fundingFiction · Poetry · Creative Nonfiction · Screenwriting · Playwriting · Literary Translation
Antioch University-Los Angeles offers a low-residency MFA in Creative Writing in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, screenwriting, playwriting and literary translation. Partial funding. Published length: Two years: five residencies and four five-month online project periods. Residencies: Two hybrid residencies per year, in June and December.
Evidence for each criterion
Curriculum and genre fit
Genres named by the program: 6; curriculum elements verified: workshop, thesis.
Source quality and freshness
Eligibility and facts verified on official pages; last verified 2026-10-09.
Published student support
3 named awards.
Evidence of funding
Partial funding.
Teaching and editing opportunities
school literary journal: Lunch Ticket.
Published cost
Tuition published (3 verified rates); residency fee published.
Program structure
Format verified; length: Two years: five residencies and four five-month online project periods; residency model verified.
Each fact links to its official source on the program page.
View program
Bennington College
Bennington Writing Seminars / MFA in Writing · Bennington, VT · Low-residency
Partial fundingFiction · Creative Nonfiction · Poetry · Literary Translation
Bennington College offers a low-residency Bennington Writing Seminars / MFA in Writing in fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry and literary translation. Partial funding. Published length: Two years: four terms (five for dual-genre) and five residencies (six for dual-genre), 64 credits (80 for the dual-genre option); 16 credits per term. Residencies: Two 10-day residencies a year (January and June) plus a final fifth residency.
Evidence for each criterion
Curriculum and genre fit
Genres named by the program: 4; curriculum elements verified: workshop, literature courses, thesis.
Source quality and freshness
Eligibility and facts verified on official pages; last verified 2026-10-09.
Published student support
3 named awards.
Evidence of funding
Partial funding.
Teaching and editing opportunities
teaching opportunities documented.
Published cost
Tuition published (2 verified rates); residency fee published.
Program structure
Format verified; length: Two years: four terms (five for dual-genre) and five residencies (six for dual-genre); residency model verified.
Each fact links to its official source on the program page.
View program
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development
Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing · Santa Fe, NM · Low-residency
Funding not verifiedPoetry · Fiction · Creative Nonfiction · Screenwriting
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development offers a low-residency Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing in poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction and screenwriting. Published length: Four semesters. Residencies: Students and mentors gather twice a year on campus for an intensive week.
Evidence for each criterion
Curriculum and genre fit
Genres named by the program: 4; curriculum elements verified: workshop, thesis.
Source quality and freshness
Eligibility and facts verified on official pages; last verified 2026-10-09.
Teaching and editing opportunities
journal work documented.
Published cost
Tuition published (2 verified rates); residency fee published.
Program structure
Format verified; length: Four semesters; residency model verified.
Each fact links to its official source on the program page.
View program
Pacific Lutheran University
Rainier Writing Workshop: Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing · Tacoma, WA · Low-residency
Partial fundingPoetry · Fiction · Creative Nonfiction
Pacific Lutheran University offers a low-residency Rainier Writing Workshop: Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing in poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. Partial funding. Published length: Three years (Regular Standing); two years (Advanced Standing), Regular Standing 44 credits; Advanced Standing 36 credits. Residencies: Each academic cycle begins June 1 and culminates in a 10-day residency on campus each July.
Evidence for each criterion
Curriculum and genre fit
Genres named by the program: 3; curriculum elements verified: thesis, workshop.
Source quality and freshness
Eligibility and facts verified on official pages; last verified 2026-10-09.
Published student support
2 named awards.
Evidence of funding
Partial funding.
Teaching and editing opportunities
school literary journal: Soundings.
Published cost
Tuition published (1 verified rate); residency fee published.
Program structure
Format verified; length: Three years (Regular Standing); two years (Advanced Standing); residency model verified.
Each fact links to its official source on the program page.
View program
Pacific University
Master of Fine Arts in Writing (MFA) · Forest Grove, OR · Low-residency
Partial fundingPoetry · Fiction · Creative Nonfiction
Pacific University offers a low-residency Master of Fine Arts in Writing (MFA) in poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. Partial funding. Published length: Two years: at least four semesters of study and five residencies, 68 credits. Residencies: Ten-day residencies twice a year in the Pacific Northwest.
Evidence for each criterion
Curriculum and genre fit
Genres named by the program: 3; curriculum elements verified: workshop, literature courses, thesis.
Source quality and freshness
Eligibility and facts verified on official pages; last verified 2026-10-09.
Published student support
4 named awards.
Evidence of funding
Partial funding.
Teaching and editing opportunities
teaching opportunities documented; school literary journal: Silk Road Review.
Published cost
Tuition published (1 verified rate); residency fee published.
Program structure
Format verified; length: Two years: at least four semesters of study and five residencies; residency model verified.
Each fact links to its official source on the program page.
View program
Queens University of Charlotte
Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing · Charlotte, NC · Low-residency
Funding not verifiedFiction · Creative Nonfiction · Poetry · Playwriting · Screenwriting
Queens University of Charlotte offers a low-residency Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing in fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, playwriting and screenwriting. Published length: 2 years, with options to accelerate or lengthen (up to six years), 52 credit hours. Residencies: Two week-long residencies in Charlotte each year, or one two-week residency in Latin America.
Evidence for each criterion
Curriculum and genre fit
Genres named by the program: 5; curriculum elements verified: craft courses.
Source quality and freshness
Eligibility and facts verified on official pages; last verified 2026-10-09.
Teaching and editing opportunities
journal work documented.
Published cost
Tuition published (2 verified rates).
Program structure
Format verified; length: 2 years, with options to accelerate or lengthen (up to six years); residency model verified.
Each fact links to its official source on the program page.
View program
Spalding University
Master of Fine Arts in Writing · Louisville, KY · Low-residency
Partial fundingFiction · Poetry · Creative Nonfiction · Screenwriting · Playwriting
Spalding University offers a low-residency Master of Fine Arts in Writing in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, screenwriting and playwriting. Partial funding. Published length: Two years on the standard schedule; four years on the extended schedule (four semesters plus a graduation residency). Residencies: Spring and fall residencies take place in Louisville; students may opt to stay at the Brown Hotel.
Evidence for each criterion
Curriculum and genre fit
Genres named by the program: 5; curriculum elements verified: thesis.
Source quality and freshness
Eligibility and facts verified on official pages; last verified 2026-10-09.
Published student support
6 named awards.
Evidence of funding
Partial funding.
Published cost
Tuition published (1 verified rate).
Program structure
Format verified; length: Two years on the standard schedule; four years on the extended schedule (four semesters plus a graduation residency); residency model verified.
Each fact links to its official source on the program page.
View program
University of California-Riverside
Palm Desert Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts · Riverside, CA · Low-residency
Partial fundingFiction · Creative Nonfiction · Playwriting · Poetry · Screenwriting
University of California-Riverside offers a low-residency Palm Desert Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts in fiction, creative nonfiction, playwriting, poetry and screenwriting. Partial funding. Published length: Seven quarters over two years, Eight units per quarter for seven quarters. Residencies: Residencies begin the first Friday in June and the first Friday in December.
Evidence for each criterion
Curriculum and genre fit
Genres named by the program: 5; curriculum elements verified: workshop, thesis.
Source quality and freshness
Eligibility and facts verified on official pages; last verified 2026-10-09.
Published student support
5 named awards.
Evidence of funding
Partial funding.
Teaching and editing opportunities
school literary journal: The Coachella Review.
Published cost
Tuition published (1 verified rate); residency fee published.
Program structure
Format verified; length: Seven quarters over two years; residency model verified.
Each fact links to its official source on the program page.
View program
University of Southern Maine
Stonecoast MFA in Creative Writing · Portland, ME · Low-residency
Funding not verifiedCreative Nonfiction · Fiction · Poetry
University of Southern Maine offers a low-residency Stonecoast MFA in Creative Writing in creative nonfiction, fiction and poetry. Published length: 2 years, 60 required credit hours. Residencies: Two 10-day residencies a year on the coast of Maine.
Evidence for each criterion
Curriculum and genre fit
Genres named by the program: 3; curriculum elements verified: thesis.
Source quality and freshness
Eligibility and facts verified on official pages; last verified 2026-10-09.
Teaching and editing opportunities
journal work documented.
Published cost
Tuition published (3 verified rates).
Program structure
Format verified; length: 2 years; residency model verified.
Each fact links to its official source on the program page.
View program
Vermont College of Fine Arts
MFA in Writing · Montpelier, VT · Low-residency
Partial fundingFiction · Poetry · Creative Nonfiction · Cross-Genre / Interdisciplinary
Vermont College of Fine Arts offers a low-residency MFA in Writing in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction and cross-genre / interdisciplinary. Partial funding. Published length: 2 years (4 semesters, 5 nine-day residencies), 16 credits per semester. Residencies: Two semesters per year (summer and winter), each beginning with a nine-day residency.
Evidence for each criterion
Curriculum and genre fit
Genres named by the program: 4; curriculum elements verified: workshop, thesis.
Source quality and freshness
Eligibility and facts verified on official pages; last verified 2026-10-09.
Evidence of funding
Partial funding.
Teaching and editing opportunities
teaching opportunities documented; school literary journal: Hunger Mountain Review.
Published cost
Tuition published (1 verified rate); residency fee published.
Program structure
Format verified; length: 2 years (4 semesters, 5 nine-day residencies); residency model verified.
Each fact links to its official source on the program page.
View program
Vermont College of Fine Arts
MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults · Montpelier, VT · Low-residency
Partial fundingFiction · Poetry · Creative Nonfiction
Vermont College of Fine Arts offers a low-residency MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults in fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction. Partial funding. Published length: 2 years (4 semesters, 5 nine-day residencies), 16 credits per semester. Residencies: Two semesters (Summer and Winter), each beginning with a nine-day residency.
Evidence for each criterion
Curriculum and genre fit
Genres named by the program: 3; curriculum elements verified: thesis.
Source quality and freshness
Eligibility and facts verified on official pages; last verified 2026-10-09.
Evidence of funding
Partial funding.
Teaching and editing opportunities
school literary journal: Hunger Mountain Review.
Published cost
Tuition published (1 verified rate); residency fee published.
Program structure
Format verified; length: 2 years (4 semesters, 5 nine-day residencies); residency model verified.
Each fact links to its official source on the program page.
View program
Warren Wilson College
MFA Program for Writers · Swannanoa, NC · Low-residency
Partial fundingPoetry · Fiction · Creative Nonfiction
Warren Wilson College offers a low-residency MFA Program for Writers in poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. Partial funding. Published length: Four semesters and five residencies, Minimum of 60 graduate hours (four semester projects). Residencies: Ten-day residencies twice a year, in early January and early July, attended by all faculty and students.
Evidence for each criterion
Curriculum and genre fit
Genres named by the program: 3; curriculum elements verified: workshop, thesis.
Source quality and freshness
Eligibility and facts verified on official pages; last verified 2026-10-09.
Published student support
5 named awards.
Evidence of funding
Partial funding.
Teaching and editing opportunities
teaching opportunities documented; school literary journal: The Peal.
Published cost
Tuition published (1 verified rate); residency fee published.
Program structure
Format verified; length: Four semesters and five residencies; residency model verified.
Each fact links to its official source on the program page.
View program

Not selected does not mean not good: a program can be missing because we have not yet verified the evidence, because it is outside our current coverage, or because it publishes less information. Schools can send official sources through the correction form.