creative writing mfa statement of purpose

10 Statement Of Purpose Examples: How To Wow The Admission Committees Of Fully-Funded MFA Programs With Your Personal Statement (Guide + Samples +Tips)

Have you been struggling to write your personal statement or sop reading some good statement of purpose examples and mfa personal statement samples can make your application season easier and less stressful. also, it helps to read practical advice by professors who have sat on mfa in creative writing admissions committees, particularly professors who know what makes a good mfa personal statement..

This article will take you through the process of writing an SOP. Attached, herein, are 10 statement of purpose examples (or 10 MFA Personal Statement examples, if you like), contributed by writers who gained admission into fully-funded MFA in Creative Writing programs. We’ve also shared tips from creative writing professors on how to write a personal statement.

The purpose of this article is to help you write a personal statement that will wow the admission committee members in the English, Literature and Creative Writing programs you’re applying to.

What is a Statement of Purpose or a Personal Statement?

A statement of purpose, in the context of applying to a graduate writing program, tells an admission committee about who you are, what your work focuses on, why you are applying to their program, and what you will do in the future.

Writing a statement of purpose is akin to attending an audition or an interview or a workshop . You need to stamp your suitability and prospects as best as you can.

Owing to this, a statement of purpose or personal statement should do more than what it is called. It has to show your purpose.

Before you start the process of writing your graduate school essay, take note of the following:

Focus on your Interest.

Know what you are interested in as a creative person, or what your work focuses on. For example, if you are interested in Memoir writing , Travel writing, or Speculative Fiction , or Historical fiction or Ancient Greek poetry , you should be able to write a few words regarding your approach to that area.

creative writing mfa statement of purpose

Many writers cannot really point a finger to what they are interested in because of their fecundity. And that’s okay.

In fact, writing tutor, Daniel Galef, with his untrammeled imagination wrote in his SOP:

“It’s difficult to describe what kind of fiction I write, because I’m not sure there is a kind of fiction I write. No two stories I’ve written have been alike. One of them is alike, but none of the others are.”

Research the Programs you are Applying to.

Read widely about the programs you are applying to and note your findings systematically. There is no escaping from this exercise because you need to know about the schools of your interest. In turn, that knowledge needs to reflect on the pages of your SOP.

This will tell the admission committee that you care about their creative writing program and that your SOP is not generic.

For instance,

Who is on the faculty of XYZ arts program?
What are their specializations?
Have the faculty members published any books or stories or poetry collections?
If yes, what works have they published?
What fascinates you about their English and creative writing program?
What are their acceptance rates of this MFA or PhD in Creative Writing Program?
How does their funding work? Does the MFA or PhD program provide full-funding for students who want to study creative writing?
How many years will it take to complete the MFA program? Do they allow students to run an MFA and PhD joint program?
What is the workload like?
Where are they located?
What are your general thoughts of their Creative Writing program?

Knowing these will help you decide whether a grad school program is best for you.

This article has been broken into four parts with headings of no consequence.

(Note: The headings mean nothing. They are just to stimulate understanding. You should not break your SOP into headings. Very few, if any, creative writing programs will be impressed with a segmented statement of purpose or personal statement.)

We’ll Call The First Part ‘The Open Window’

The initial part of your SOP should make a commanding entry with the essence of your being. It should offer little windows into you, and reveal profoundly what you are about as a person, and as a creative, taking into consideration where you are from.

This is that place you afford the admission committee a brief uncensored moment about your ‘who’. It should be so transparent that they can look through it and see your world.

One of the most transparent “window” statements I think I have heard about oneself is from Shane Patton in the movie ‘Lone Survivor’. At the tail end of his speech, Shane, while trying to join a band of war brothers, says with gusto,

Pardon the asterisks. Your SOP does not have to be Shane-Pattonesque. However, it has to have some art-mosphere. It must be written in a style and voice that are unique to you. However, your SOP should employ the ‘story approach’.

Important Questions These Statement Of Purpose Samples Address.

This guide will help you to address the following questions in your personal statement or letter of intent:

What kind of a storyteller or poet are you?
Where are you coming from?
How has your socialization/environment/formative years/job experience informed the way you view the world?
What are your motivations?
Also, what feeds your imaginations?
More importantly, what inspired you to start writing in the first place?
What has sustained it?

Here, Okwudili Nebolisa gives us a perfect window statement in this sample statement of purpose. Here’s how he opens his grad school essay:

It’s one of the most insightful MFA personal statement examples I’ve read in a while.

statement of purpose graduate school sample essays

From the foregoing, Okwudili created a short background of himself and gave an idea why he had first chosen a path outside the art. It’s one detail many Creative Writing admission committees would be interested in.

He went further (though, not included in this article) to tell the committee how he found his way into the arms of poetry .

Here is another statement of purpose example that has a compelling window ‘personal’ statement:

Simply put, this MFA applicant talks about her approach to writing fiction , speaks of how it has become a tool in her hand against societal norms, mentions her writing influences, and states what draws her to them.

Note: You should be able to say who and what influences you, and clearly express the ways in which they do.

This sample statement of purpose opens with a vivid and memorable story.

examples statement of purpose grad school essay MFA Creative writing

Here’s another opening statement from another MFA personal statement example or letter of intent. It also exemplifies the important point I was trying to make. It says:

Statement of purpose sample for MFA creative writing English and Literature

We’ll call the second part ‘the Briefcase’

Here, you supply the gist of your educational experience. You may add your professional interest and inform the admission committee about relevant activities you have been engaged with recently.

Assuming you work as a content writer/creator , how has it helped your craft? The same thing applies if you work in any other endeavor outside the literary sphere.

For example, an applicant says in this MFA in creative writing personal statement sample:

Note: Non-writing related jobs and experiences are important. Think about the many ways they can give you insight about your craft. They are worth the mention in the sense that they set you apart because of the experience you must have had, and add to what your craft can gain.

Here’s how a teacher explained her experience in her MFA statement of purpose example. It can also work in a teaching statement:

Going further, you may emphasize on your literary achievement and recognition here. Here’s another good example of a statement of purpose. Here’s how this MFAyer stated his/her literary achievement:

samples statement of purpose grad school MFA in Creative Writing

Note: you may say one or two things about your publishing history.

Let’s call the third part “the Knock”

You must exemplify clear-headedness here in talking about why you are seeking this degree now.

In one of the grad school statement of purpose examples we received , one MFA in Creative Writing applicant wrote:

Another sample statement of purpose for an MFA in Creative Writing Application put it this way:

How to write a statement of purpose examples

Write About Your Dreams, Hope and Intentions

Next is to inform the graduate committee on why you are knocking on their doors.

Are there members of the faculty you want to work with? If yes, state why. Is it something about their academic tradition or vision? Does the school’s location appeal to you? Or is it about their commitment to diversity?

You should end this part of the statement of purpose with an idea of the project you hope to write during your time on the program. This will inform the professors that you already have an idea of what kind of book your thesis will be.

It shows seriousness. Also it shows that you’re more likely to begin once you arrive. We have more statement of purpose examples to illustrate how this can be done in your MFA portfolio.

Note: Your intended project should contain the promise of presenting something fundamentally new and important to the literary world.

For example, in her statement of purpose, this MFA in Creative Writing applicant wrote:

Writing a statement of intent Grad school

Here’s an excerpt from another sample statement of purpose for a graduate school (MFA) application:

How to write a personal statement example

We’ll Call The Last Part The Telescope

Here you have to be futuristic. Talk about the big picture. What do you intend to do with the knowledge and network you would have acquired in the MFA program?

Do you want to go on to teach creative writing professionally , (If yes, where do you have eyes one? ) Do you want to start a publishing outfit or a literary magazine ?

What other career plans do you have? Do you want to go back to your job? (If yes, how would the degree help in making you better at your job?)

Note: Ensure you close your grad school statement of purpose on a hopeful note. Show preparedness to start. Exude confidence. Express anticipation on getting in.

Hopefully, these statement of purpose examples have given you a clear idea of what a successful personal statement looks like.

But that’s not all. Some MFA Admission Committee members have shared a couple of tips on Twitter. So we’ll share more of them alongside tips sent in by some generous past and current MFA students..

Tips For Writing A Good Statement of Purpose or Letter Of Intent .

If you’re applying to graduate creative writing programs, pay attention to your writing samples first. But also, craft your SOP with the following tips in mind.

There Are No Hard and Fast Rules To Writing An SOP.

There is no hard and fast rule in writing an SOP. Just ensure that yours is well-knit, with flowing ideas and a fantastic rhythm. Keep it organized and clear. Stick to the manuscript formatting guidelines. As with everything else, make your submissions error free.

Here’s what MFA Admission committee member has to say:

how to start a Personal statement examples MFA

Now, on to our next point.

Ensure That Your Writing Samples and SOPs Are Creative, Well-written and Workshopped.

Your writing sample largely pre-determines the success of your SOP. The admission committee may not open your SOP if your samples aren’t any good.

So, ensure your writing samples matter and are on the verge of saying new things. If you’re eligible, you can apply to get feedback from volunteer MFAyers at the MFA App Review .

And if you’re lucky, the MFA App Review might match you with a reviewer who will send you more unique statement of purpose examples.

More from Elizabeth McCracken who, if you don’t already know, has been a longstanding member of the admission committee at the University of Texas’ MFA in Creative Writing program.

Be Original.

Resist the temptation to copy other writers’ personal statements or statement of purpose examples and samples you might find online.

Trust your story, your style and voice. The adcoms can tell when everyone sounds the same. And they don’t like it. Here’s a quote from Elizabeth McCracken’s Twitter page:

Consider Starting With a Story

“While your personal statement can’t be wildly creative, it is important to show your storytelling skills if you want to get into a creative writing program,” advises Elyse Hauser .

“One way to do this is to open with a story, giving you a chance to “show, not tell” your writing abilities. This also helps your personal statement stand out from the rest. [Also] admissions staff are likely to keep reading a statement of purpose that has a unique and exciting beginning.”

Don’t Be Afraid To Assert Yourself. In Your Statement Of Purpose.

MFA programs are avant-garde compared with other university grad school and undergrad programs so feel free to assert yourself even if you feel you are without the “right” credential and publishing history.

Another tip from Matt Bell Of making your statement of purpose stellar.

What you think serve as your ‘shortcomings’ can work for you if you stir them properly. It matters so much that you have the right motive and that you show promise. Do not play small. Play confident.

Employ A Memorable Tone.

“The standard Personal Essay Voice, like the droning and soporific Poetry Reading Voice, is forgettable and undermines its own content,” says Daniel Galef. “Trying for a different tone is a gamble—nothing is so unfunny as someone trying to be funny and failing—but if you can pull it off it makes you stand out.”

Comply With The Creative Writing Program’s Submission Guidelines.

Check for specific information required by the English and creative writing program you are applying to and ensure you stay within the shores of their requirement.

Get Feedback From Current and Past Students.

It is important to get feedback from people who may be on writing programs or who have extensive knowledge of graduate school application processes.

A couple of MFA groups on Facebook offer beneficial company. For example, join the MFA Draft ’21 if you intend to apply this Fall. This Facebook group offers support and advice to anyone applying to get into a writing program next year.

Wrap Up On Statement of Purpose Examples, Samples and Tips:

At this point, you’re no longer asking questions like: what is a statement of purpose? How can I write a good MFA or PhD statement of purpose that will earn me a spot in that fully-funded Creative Writing program.

The aforementioned grad school statement of purpose examples will guide you in your journey. As one of the professors advised, take a deep breath.

The next step is to start writing that personal statement or letter of intent, because quite frankly, it won’t write itself. You can always edit your SOP.

Please edit it. Remember, the admission committee members are also accomplished writers and writing teachers. They’re primed for spotting and frowning at grammatical errors.

While writing and editing your personal statement, take note of the admission committee’s advice above. What are they often looking for in a good statement of purpose for graduate school? If in doubt, you can always return to the great statement of purpose examples we’ve published above.

Wondering if you need an MFA in Creative Writing to be a writer? Then you should definitely read our take on the topic . Also, we have more on writing scholarships here .

Have you written a successful statement of purpose for a creatIve writing program? Please leave a comment below. We are open to adding more tips and samples that readers might find helpful.

Authors’ Bios:

Tega Oghenechovwen has published work in Longreads, The Rumpus, Black Sun Lit, Litro UK, and other venues. He tweets @tega_chovwen.

Chioma Iwunze-Ibiam is a lecturer in Cornell University’s MFA in Creative Writing Program. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Mukana Press Anthology of African Writing, MTLS, Fiction 365, Asterix Journal and elsewhere. She tweets at @chiomaiwunze_

Interested in writing for Creative Writing News ? See our Write for Us page . We look forward to hearing from you.

How to Write Your MFA Statement of Purpose: A Success Story

By Jordan Dotson
Updated: March 1, 2023

MFA Statement of Purpose Tools Paint Pencils Notepad

Though they may not realize it, Fine Arts students are cursed. (Believe me, I know, I was one.) Not only are they more stubborn than engineers, but often they suffer the misfortune of being shackled to creative self-expression. Of course, unbounded creativity is a necessary and glorious aspect of their existence. But when it comes time to write an MFA statement of purpose, this same creativity can be a kiss of death.

It doesn’t matter that we’re applying for a somewhat non-academic degree. It doesn’t matter that we’re being judged on our ability to produce meaningful art. All that matters is that this one aspect of the application – the SOP – is NOT the same as a portfolio, in which we unleash our most potent creative juices. Instead, the SOP is a test for how clearly we can articulate our goals .

The funny thing is, these difficulties apply to ALL kinds of MFA applicants, from creative writing to visual arts to theater. (Creative writing students might be the worst.) Though the art differs, all seem to have trouble articulating their goals and inspirations without resorting to artful prose gimmicks. In fact, they face the exact same obstacles that ALL graduate applicants face.

That’s why I was so impressed by Yuxuan.

A color-blind graphic designer and painter, and non-native English speaker, Yuxuan wrote an SOP that puts many creative writing students to shame. And it earned admission to 5 fully funded MFA programs.

But before we read Yuxuan’s amazing essay, let’s examine how he started planning, so we can help you achieve the same wild success.

Getting Started

When he looked back on his applications, Yuxuan expressed his anxieties this way:

“I think the pandemic was a huge disadvantage. It increased the number of applicants and also reduced schools’ funds. This was a big challenge for me since I mainly applied for fully funded MFAs. At the same time, the pandemic reduced available studio time, and I had to complete a lot of my projects at home. The lack of space and equipment gave me a lot of concerns about my portfolio, so I knew I needed a statement of purpose that showed I could be better than other applicants.”

Luckily, Yuxuan was a willing student. When he read the Structure is Magic template , he understood immediately that the SOP isn’t a work of creativity, but a job application. His portfolio would reveal his artistic potential. But the essay had to reveal his potential as a clear thinker who knew exactly why he was applying to each program.

What did he want to convey?

The over-arching theme of his work; the artistic problems that really motivate him.
Why each individual school was a perfect place for him to develop those themes.
How his past successes prove he’s ready to succeed as an artist (and maybe…teacher).

What’s Great About This SOP?

Yuxuan followed Structure is Magic as if it were a paint-by-numbers exercise, and the results were spectacular.

Two paragraphs in the Introductory Frame Narrative
One paragraph for Why This Program
Two paragraphs for Why I’m (Overly) Qualified
One resounding frame narrative conclusion paragraph

Amazingly, this paragraph-by-paragraph structure is almost exactly the same as that used by uber-successful Neuroscience PhDs . (When I tell you these narrative structures are universal and timeless, I ain’t lying!)

The frame narrative starts with the compelling story of how color-blindness makes Yuxuan a truly unique artist. It’s funny, humble, and it teaches us something. Quickly, this evolves into a description of the techniques he obsesses over in his pursuit of barrier-free art, and how this defines his goals.

Next, it goes into great detail to explain why two professors at his target school are the absolute perfect mentors for Yuxuan: they share the same artistic obsessions, and have much to teach him. Then, he gives a “highlight reel” of his artistic and academic achievements, proving that he’s ready to continue succeeding in graduate school.

Finally, the SOP ends with a clear rearticulation of Yuxuan’s goals, proving that his “genetic color weakness is actually an invaluable lens for viewing the world.”

This essay is beautiful. After reading, we walk away knowing we’ve encountered a true and talented artist, one with a uniquely powerful mind. Let’s read it and find inspiration for your own writing.

A Brilliant MFA Statement of Purpose

I have a red-green color weakness, one most people know as color-blindness. Most people think this means I see the world without green and red. Actually, in my world, reds and greens are grey shades with variegating shadows. I also have difficulty distinguishing pink from grey, and purple from blue. Curiously, this makes me think of animals. Dolphins are dichromats. They can see only two colors. Humans are trichromats. We see red, blue and yellow. Pigeons are tetrachromats. They see the world in a way people cannot even imagine. All creatures see the world through the heteronomy of their colors, and I exist somewhere between humans and dolphins. This fascinates me deeply.

In college, I have largely worked with chiaroscuro and high-contrast color. Chiaroscuro has always been provocative, as my insensitivity to color only increases my sensitivity to light and shadow. No shadow is a single shade of darkness, and I have found high-contrast color offers the same points of inquiry, especially blue, which is as bright as red in the eyes of people with color weakness. Color is thus an expression of self-identity. In most of my work, it is not an emotional expression, but a rational guide in a metaphysical dialogue that alters over time, and this issue of barrier-free visualization is exactly what I hope to explore in the MFA program at Gotham City School of Design.

I am particularly inspired by the work of Professor Karl Banksy. His work often deals with underserved public interest issues, echoing my own pursuit of barrier-free visual experiences. As I create designs for people with achromatopsia, color disorders, and others with visual impairment who are often overlooked in social services, I believe Professor Banksy will be a great mentor. I also feel inspired by Professor Wang Lu, whose research focuses on historical and cultural influence in graphic design. As a Chinese-diaspora artist, I often explore design themes idiosyncratic to Asian culture in my work. I experimented with this in my contribution to “Seeking Plural Narratives,” a recent anthology which sought to examine Eurocentric design and typographic cultures. My pieced discussed Cuban graphic design and its similarities to communist iconography from China. Therefore, I think Professor Lu will be a reliable mentor as I grow my international, multicultural vision for design.

As I consider working with these ideas at GCSD, my academic experiences give me confidence. At Metropolis University, I have excelled as a Graphic Design major, earning a 3.8 GPA even as I took graduate-level coursework in design and computational thinking. These latter courses allowed me to explore philosophy of art, particularly regarding deep fakes and artificial intelligence, as I combined critical reviews of important texts with coding experiments. By studying our emerging culture of disinformation selectively deployed as media manipulation, I learned how new modes of thinking are required to critically and artistically engage with computer culture in the public realm. This use of technology is also an area I hope to explore at GCSD. At the same time, I have interned for one year at the Metropolis Center for Arts and Technology, where among other tasks I serve as a teaching assistant for students from low-income families. Teaching these students, many of whom work part-time to fund their art tuition, has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It has taught me new degrees of empathy, inspiring even more my desire to study barrier-free visual experience, and sparking my a desire to become an educator.

This is why I apply to GCSD: to study barrier-free visual experiences, to contemplate art in a multicultural and technological world, and to prepare to become a teacher myself. If given the chance to pursue these goals, I will work hard to be a credit to the university, and prove that my genetic color weakness is actually an invaluable lens for viewing the world.

Professional, Powerful, Persuasive

I admit that Yuxuan has a unique background that not everyone can match. A colorblind artist?! C’mon. But either way, it’s easy to see how everyone can model his essay and speak to program directors in a professional, powerful, and persuasive way.

1. Start with a compelling Frame Narrative

What is it about your art that makes you unique? What are you trying to accomplish? What stories are you trying to tell? Which aspects of humanity are you trying to draw out and explore? Most importantly, how are these inspired by your own life and experiences?

Don’t devolve into hackneyed proclamations about social issues. I assure you, every MFA program receives 500 essays a year about social inequalities and art-as-activism. Instead, focus on the things that make you and your art different from everyone else’s.

2. Explain “Why This School” is perfect for you

Once you’ve established the goals for your art, it’s time to explain how this school will help you achieve those goals. Look at the studios and resources available. Look at the faculty. Look at their work. See which courses and workshops you can take under them. Make sure they’re actually teaching next semester! Draw connections between your own themes, obsessions, and questions, and those in the work of your hopeful professors.

A warning, however: don’t claim that a school is perfect because they have a famous professor. Fame is not a good reason to want to work with someone. You need to find real connections between their work and yours. If the connection isn’t there, you’ll only look immature. Remember: if a school has a famous professor, everyone who applies will mention them in their MFA statement of purpose.

3. Prove that you’re ready to succeed

You’re applying to be a graduate student . Here, give them proof that you’ve been a good student in the past, and will continue to do so in the future. Remember, your portfolio proves how good an artist you are. This section shows that you take everything else seriously as well.

Good GPA. Awards you’ve won. Unique design internships you’ve held. Whatever constitutes your “Greatest Hits List,” include it here.

4. End your Frame Narrative

In the beginning, you showed how your life has been unique, and how this gave you unique artistic goals. Now, restate those goals. Remind us of them. Be circular. Take us back to the beginning. Give us a feeling of harmony as we finish your essay.

I’m grateful to Yuxuan for allowing me to republish his work and brag about his success. I originally met him through BosonEd in Philadelphia, a fantastic organization that helps internationals study in elite universities in America. Right from the start, I knew Yuxuan would be an artist of true consequence one day, and I hope his writing is an inspiration for you.

As you craft your MFA statement of purpose, do exactly what Yuxuan did: follow the Structure is Magic template or the SOP Starter Kit . Use the timeless, universal lessons of narrative structure to compose an essay that actively persuades programs to choose you.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking: “Oh, I’m an artist, I’m a creative writer, I know how to do this.” Chances are, you don’t. The SOP isn’t a short story. It’s not a film script nor a personal memoir. It is, however, the easiest part of the application to screw up. But if you treat it properly, as a clear, mature, professional statement of your plans for the future, then I’m sure you too can achieve wild success, and I wish you all the luck in the world!

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The sop starter kits.

These FREE (and highly insightful) guides will tell you exactly what to write, step-by-step, and leave you feeling super-confident and ready to hit “submit.”

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Writing a Winning MFA Statement of Purpose: Example & Advice

Are you applying to a master’s in fine arts program and looking for advice on how to make your statement of purpose stand out? Writing an effective statement of purpose can be challenging – but with some guidance, it doesn’t have to be. The Admit Lab is here to provide tips and insight into the statement-writing process, including an MFA statement of purpose example that demonstrates the components of a winning MFA application essay. Let us help take the stress out of making your writing shine!

Know thyself

Writing an MFA statement of purpose begins with a deep and introspective examination of one’s unique experiences, interests, and goals. The essence of the statement lies in the ability to convey your journey and the specific motivations that drive your desire to pursue a master of fine arts. The document should provide a detailed account of your artistic journey so far, punctuated by the experiences that sparked your interest in the arts. Whether it was an early childhood fascination with colors, your first drawing class at school, or the pivotal moment when you realized that art was your calling, these experiences are instrumental in detailing your artistic evolution. Reflect on the moments that challenged you, those situations that pushed you to evolve and grow as an artist. Perhaps it was a critique that made you rethink your work or a piece that didn’t turn out as expected, leading you to explore a new technique or medium. Finally, consider your future goals. Why are you pursuing an MFA? How do you envision it helping you achieve your artistic objectives? Remember, this statement is your opportunity to show the admissions committee not just who you are as an artist today, but who you aspire to become.

Speaking to Fit

When it comes to articulating your fit for a particular MFA program, it’s vital to conduct thorough research on each institution you’re applying to. Unlike an undergraduate program, an MFA is highly specialized and significantly influenced by the ethos, facilities, faculty, and community of the program. Begin by delving into the curriculum, understanding the course offerings, the teaching methodology, and the predominant artistic philosophies that the program adheres to. Understand the core values of the institution and how they resonate with your own artistic beliefs. Explore the faculty profiles, their work, and their accolades, and see if their style or approach to art aligns with yours. The community is another crucial aspect to consider. Does the program foster a collaborative environment, or is it more individualistic? What opportunities exist for exhibitions, internships, or collaborative projects? As you gather this information, identify the facets that make this program an ideal fit for you. Maybe it’s a particular course that perfectly aligns with the skill you wish to master, or perhaps it’s the opportunity to work under a faculty member whose work you’ve long admired. These specifics should be woven into your statement, crafting a narrative that not only showcases your understanding of the program but also highlights why you’re a great match.

Your MFA statement of purpose can be about contemporary art

Highlight Strengths and Skills

As demonstrated in the MFA statement of purpose example below, when writing your statement of purpose for an MFA program, it’s imperative to highlight your strengths and skills, particularly those that are transferable and align with the qualifications sought by the program. Start by analyzing the program’s requirements and identifying the skills and qualifications they value the most. Then, reflect on your artistic journey, your academic accomplishments, past projects, internships, or any relevant work experiences. Identify the skills and strengths you’ve developed throughout these experiences and articulate them in your statement. These could range from technical skills specific to your art form, like mastery in a particular medium or technique, to soft skills like creativity, perseverance, critical thinking, or collaboration. Emphasize how these skills have shaped your artistic practice, and supported your creative growth, and how they will contribute to your success in the MFA program. For instance, if you’ve honed your skills in digital art through a series of projects, discuss how this technical expertise will allow you to experiment and create innovative art in an MFA program that values digital mediums. Similarly, discuss transferable skills, such as your ability to work collaboratively on projects or your experience in organizing art exhibits, depicting how these skills make you a valuable addition to the program. By weaving these elements into your statement, you demonstrate not only your qualifications and preparedness for the program but also your potential to contribute to their community.

Choose Your Focus

When crafting the focus of your statement of purpose for an MFA program, it’s essential to illustrate a clear understanding of your artistic discipline and your specific creative intentions within it. This focus forms the crux of your statement, providing a lens through which the admissions committee can view your artistic aspirations. Start by elaborating on your chosen art or discipline – be it visual arts, creative writing, theatre, or any other art form. Discuss what drew you to this discipline, share your exploration and evolution within it, and the unique perspectives or techniques you’ve developed. Then, transition into your intended creative focus within this discipline. For this, discuss your future goals, the kind of projects or works you wish to create, the themes or issues you wish to explore, and how you intend to push the boundaries of your craft. It’s essential to be specific and articulate here; don’t just assert your passion for your art form, demonstrate it by discussing your ideas, inspirations, and creative vision in detail. Show how these align with the MFA program’s philosophy and how the program will provide the perfect platform to realize these ambitions. Remember, your focus is not just about what you wish to do, but also about who you wish to become as an artist and the impact you aim to make through your art. Thus, use this part of your statement to paint a vivid picture of your artistic journey ahead, making the reader invested in your creative future.

Craft a compelling narrative

In crafting a compelling narrative for your MFA statement of purpose, ensure that it’s a true reflection of your journey as an artist. Storytelling is a powerful tool that brings your artistic passion to life, connecting with the reader on a personal level. Share your story through a lens of authenticity and honesty, focusing on the experiences that have shaped you as an artist. Talk about the transformative moments, the challenges you’ve overcome, the triumphs you’ve celebrated, and the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Highlight pivotal artworks or projects that have influenced your work, the inspirations behind your creations, and how you’ve evolved artistically over time. As shown in any of our MFA statement of purpose example, this narrative should not be a mere recitation of events; instead, it should be a deeply personal and stirring exploration of your artistic journey. Remember, the purpose here is not to impress but to express, not to showcase your achievements

Show, don’t tell

It’s also crucial to detail specific instances where your creativity was ignited. Rather than merely stating that you’re passionate, demonstrate this passion through concrete examples. For instance, perhaps there was a time when you found inspiration in the mundane, like how the shadow-play of leaves on a sunny day led you to explore light and shadow in your art. Or maybe there was a moment of emotional turmoil that you transformed into a powerful painting, allowing you to process your feelings and create a piece that resonated with others. Don’t shy away from discussing the creative process either – how you felt while creating, the techniques you used, the risks you took, and how you pushed your boundaries. You might also describe how a particular artist, artwork, or art movement has influenced you, demonstrating this through specific projects or pieces you’ve developed in response. Providing these specific examples offers a deeper insight into your creative excitement, making your statement more compelling.

As demonstrate in the MFA statement of purpose example, the degree can be in a variety of disciplines

Capturing Your Audience

You should aim to draw in your reader with creative prompts or reflective vignettes that highlight your writing prowess. This could be realized through the portrayal of the artistic experiments and breakthroughs that excite you, the personal anecdotes that reveal your commitment to art, or the captivating descriptions of your pieces. Using these techniques allows you to paint a vivid picture of your artistic journey and the exploration of your creative voice. It’s important, however, to maintain a balance of creativity with transparency and clarity. You want your statement to be enthralling, but it should also effectively communicate your artistic narrative, your motivations, and your potential in the MFA program. Remember, your reader isn’t just looking for a good story, but also an understanding of who you are as an artist.

Customize for each school

When crafting your statement of purpose for an MFA program, consider the unique strengths and characteristics of each school you’re applying to and tailor your SOP accordingly. Showcase in your SOP how your artistic aspirations align with the school’s offerings and ethos. For instance, if you’re applying to a program known for its strong focus on experimental forms, highlight your interest and past work in this area. If a school boasts a renowned faculty member whose work resonates with your own, mention how you look forward to learning from their expertise. Additionally, if a school offers unique resources such as specialized workshops, state-of-the-art studios, or community engagement projects that will enhance your artistic journey, include these elements in your SOP. By customizing your SOP for each school, you not only demonstrate your thorough understanding and appreciation of the program but also articulate how your artistic journey can be enriched by, and contribute to, the unique fabric of each institution.

Convey enthusiasm clearly

In the process of authoring your statement of purpose for an MFA program, a crucial element to incorporate is a clear display of your enthusiasm. It’s essential to remember that while the SOP is an academic document, it doesn’t necessarily have to be devoid of emotion. Rather, it is your opportunity to convey your passion for your art, your commitment to honing your craft, and your excitement at the prospect of joining the MFA program. An engaging, enthusiastic tone can truly make your application stand out, prompting the reviewers to envision you as an energetic, dedicated participant in their program. As demonstrate in any of our MFA statement of purpose example below, use vivid, evocative language to describe your past projects, your artistic inspirations, and your future aspirations. Highlight instances where you’ve gone beyond the call of duty in your pursuit of art—be it late-night sessions at the studio, extensive research for a project, or even a piece of art you created that deeply moved your audience. Underscore your eagerness to immerse yourself in the MFA program, the skills you wish to acquire, the faculty you’re keen on working with, and how this journey would contribute to your growth as an artist. Remember, an engaging, passionate SOP can serve as a compelling testament to your dedication, thereby making the admission committee not just consider, but want to admit you!

MFA statement of purpose example

Mfa statement of purpose example 1:.

As an artist, I have always thrived on expressing the inexplicable—translating the deepest emotions and profound experiences into captivating visual narratives that resonate with the viewer on a profound level. My unwavering passion for art was ignited during my transformative undergraduate years, where I delved into the mesmerizing power of visual storytelling and discovered the immense potential it holds. Now, with an ardent desire to further harness and nurture this power, I am excited to embark on a remarkable journey by joining the esteemed MFA program at your institution.

The allure of your program lies not only in its prestigious reputation but also in the vibrant artistic community it fosters such as X and Y. It is with great admiration that I have come across the works of Professor X, whose exploration of abstract expressionism aligns seamlessly with my personal artistic inclinations. I believe that under her expert guidance, in addition to the X and Y courses, I will have the invaluable opportunity to push the boundaries of my artistic expression, unravel new depths of creativity, and make meaningful contributions to the ever-evolving art community. Both of these courses will provide me with *** and will help me reach my artistic goals.

By immersing myself in the rich artistic discourse, collaborating with fellow passionate artists, and embracing the diverse perspectives offered by the program, I am confident that I will not only grow as an artist but also develop a profound understanding of the profound impact art can have on society. I am looking forward to joining the X, Y and Z activities, because…With an unwavering dedication to my craft and an insatiable hunger for artistic growth, I am eager to embark on this transformative journey and make a lasting mark in the world of art.

MFA statement of purpose example 2:

“Bridging the gap between digital and traditional art forms has been the relentless driving force of my artistic journey. As an enthusiastic undergraduate art student, I have consistently sought to experiment with a multitude of mediums and techniques, pushing the boundaries of creativity to create art that not only challenges the status quo but also sparks conversations.

The MFA program at XYZ University, renowned for its innovative approach and unwavering commitment to artistic excellence, presents the perfect platform for me to further deepen my understanding and expand my artistic skillset. I believe X, Y and Z will allow me to….

The potential to engage in fruitful collaborations with like-minded peers by joining X, Y and Z, as well as the invaluable opportunity to learn from distinguished faculty members such as the esteemed Professor Y, fills me with immense excitement and anticipation. I believe their expertise will help me…

Through this transformative program, I aim to create art that not only blurs the lines between the digital and the real but also captivates the audience with its unparalleled uniqueness, leaving a lasting impression and provoking thought-provoking discussions within the art community and beyond.”

MFA statement of purpose example 3:

“Art, for me, is not only a medium to engage in dialogue with society, but also a powerful tool to challenge and question existing norms, and ultimately, to invoke meaningful change. With each piece in my body of work, I strive to shed light on pressing social and environmental issues, aiming to inspire reflection, empathy, and action.

The MFA program at XYZ University represents a significant milestone in my artistic journey, as it provides the perfect platform to further refine and amplify my creative voice. The program’s interdisciplinary curriculum, coupled with its emphasis on critical thought and conceptual exploration, promises to equip me with the necessary skills and knowledge to create art that has a lasting impact. I am looking to enroll in courses Z and X because…

One aspect of the program that particularly excites me is the opportunity to work closely with Professor Z, a renowned artist known for his socially engaged art. His mentorship will not only provide invaluable guidance but also inspire me to push the boundaries of my own artistic practice. I cherish this chance to learn from a visionary in the field and am eager to absorb his wisdom and insights. I believe his expertise in **** will help me achieve X, Y, and Z.

As I embark on this immersive journey, I am filled with anticipation and enthusiasm. I am confident that through this program, I will not only create art that matters but also contribute to the ongoing societal discourse, sparking conversations and provoking thought. I am excited to make a meaningful impact through my artistic endeavors and play my part in shaping a better future for our society.”

Navigating the Complexities of Crafting an Impactful Statement of Purpose

Despite the clear and articulate vision presented in your statement of purpose, it is essential to consider the potential uncertainties that may arise. Are you confident that your artistic intent and future goals align well with the program’s objectives? Does the statement effectively capture your unique artistic approach and how it will evolve throughout your academic journey? Have you convincingly conveyed how this program is the ideal fit for your creative aspirations? Remember, the admissions committee will be reviewing countless applications, many of which will be from individuals with comparable talents and ambitions. Therefore, to stand out from the crowd, every sentence of your statement must reflect your passion, dedication, and potential for exceptional contributions to the art world. A mere oversight or misjudgment can be the difference between acceptance and rejection, with significant implications for your career and life trajectory. Therefore, it may be prudent to seek expert feedback on your statement, to ensure it represents the best version of your aspirations and abilities before submission. You wouldn’t want to leave something this important to chance, would you?

Solicit feedback from trusted individuals who can evaluate your SOP objectively. Ask them to focus on assessing the clarity of your message, the flow of your thoughts, and the overall potential of your SOP to impress the admissions committee. Encourage them to be honest in their feedback and to highlight areas where you can improve. Remember, constructive criticism can provide invaluable insights that may not be obvious to you. This step, while sometimes daunting, can essentially help refine your SOP, ensuring it truly reflects your passion, showcases your abilities, and resonates with the admissions committee.

We hope that, with the advice we’ve given, you now have a greater understanding of how to write an effective MFA statement of purpose. Remember: when you write for your master’s degree program in fine arts, be focused yet concise; demonstrate why you’re uniquely qualified but humbly aware; and use powerful language to make your point stick. If you feel that you need more help perfecting your statement for success, The Admit Lab can assist with everything from essay review to crafting original content tailored just for you. Don’t struggle alone – we are here to lighten the load and help make sure that your application packs a punch! So don’t delay – check out our graduate school application essay services and stand out among the rest of the applicants. All the best!

With a Master’s from McGill University and a Ph.D. from New York University, Dr. Philippe Barr is the founder of The Admit Lab . As a tenure-track professor, Dr. Barr spent a decade teaching and serving on several graduate admission committees at UNC-Chapel Hill before turning to full-time consulting. With more than seven years of experience as a graduate school admissions consultant, Dr. Barr has stewarded the candidate journey across multiple master’s programs and helped hundreds of students get admitted to top-tier graduate programs all over the world .

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The Graduate Blog, Columbia College Chicago

A Comprehensive Breakdown of My Statement of Purpose

As deadlines for applying to an MFA program approach, I want to share tips that will save you time when writing your Statement of Purpose, using my own SOP as an example. This is the time to show off your dynamic creative range outside of your specialized craft. My SOP was geared towards a creative writing MFA, but a lot of the concepts can be applied to any program you apply to. Check out my breakdown below:

Most SOPs are 700 words or less, so brevity is very important. In two sentences, I gave a general understanding of my life before applying to the MFA program. In the next three sentences, I tied that story to writing and how writing has transformed my life to what it is now, which, in turn, explains why I am investing time and energy into getting an MFA. Poet and Creative Writing professor at Mississippi University for Women, Kendall Dunkelburg says: “Keep it brief and to the point but do give some information about where you’re coming from. Remember that your focus should always be to convince the program that you are ready to take on graduate work in creative writing.”

One technique I personally chose to include was selecting a theme that would permeate throughout the whole SOP. The theme I centered around was community .

Tips for writing your opening paragraph

Keep the description of your past brief. Only include the parts that inspired you to write.
Remember to tie in your purpose for applying for an MFA.
Don’t talking about how, as a child, you loved to write (Cathy Day, Author and Creative Writing professor at Ball State University).

In the second paragraph, I delved deeper into the theme that I chose. In the first sentence, I spoke authentically about what community is to me and why I value it. I then transitioned into the kind of writing I want to pursue in the program by introducing a novel idea I had. If you do not have a novel idea, short story idea, poetry collection idea, etc., you do not have to come up with one on the fly. You could use this section to talk about the writing you are interested in doing. I only added my novel idea because (1) it was pre-thought out before applying to grad school and (2) because I wanted to give the admissions committee some insight into my writing, the genre I was interested in, and my creative depth as a writer.

In the third paragraph, I introduced a fallacy that I identified within myself as it pertains to writing: thoughts of inadequacy. My intent was to show humility as well as reaffirm my reasons for continuing to pursue writing as a career. Although I introduced a flaw unveiled from my own insecurities, I have a practice that aids with censoring those thoughts, unlocking my potential onto the page. My purpose for adding this was to show the admissions committee that I know I am not perfect, in fact, I have doubts about how my writing is perceived by others, but I am still willing to persevere, even when faced with these thoughts of inadequacy.

The fourth paragraph was probably the most important paragraph for me because it delved into the writers that inspired me as well as a faculty member I’ve acknowledged I wanted to study under. Kyle G. Dargan, director of the MFA program in creative writing at American University, states: “Writers are readers first and foremost. One comes to an MFA program seeking a literary community, and one of the clearest ways of assessing what kind of literary community member an applicant will be is to get a sense of how and why she or he reads.”

In conjunction with the writers who’ve inspired me, I added a TENURED professor whose work I’ve read and intrigued me enough to want to apply to the program. I emphasized “tenured” because those are the professors that are most likely on admissions committee. Ideally, the professor you’ve reached out to and spoke one-on-one with is the professor you want to choose to write about in your SOP. Reading the work of the professor is important because it will allow you to speak articulately about it in your SOP.

Tips for writing your fourth paragraph

Have a reason for the authors you chose as inspiration. Try not to choose a generic reason why. Be as specific as possible.
Use that same philosophy when writing about the professor you would like to work with at the university. If I could go back, I would have chosen two professors and written about them both.
Bring it back to what you want to gain from the program. Having that clear vision will translate well to the admissions committee.
Try not to choose authors that are widely known. It shows you are more widely read when choosing authors that were not born a century before you were.

This is it: the conclusion paragraph. The crescendo. The au revoir. This section should tie together everything you’ve talked about in the previous paragraphs. For me, I brought back the idea of community and how certain characters/authors growing up played a major part in my love for literature and writing. Personally, I like to make my conclusion paragraph very metaphorical like. I also leaned on my unique identity as it pertains to an MFA program (as you should as well). Most people in a creative writing program are usually white, heterosexual, men, which makes sense because that demographic of people dominate the writing industry. If you have even the slightest deviation from this, you should include it in the introduction paragraph and then reinforce it in the conclusion paragraph.

Tips for writing your conclusion paragraph (from DLA Editors & Proofers)

Avoid stating that it is your conclusion.
Avoid introducing an entirely new concept.
Be specific in details.

MFA Program in Creative Writing

The Creative Writing Program offers the MFA degree, with a concentration in either poetry or fiction. MFA students pursue intensive study with distinguished faculty committed to creative and intellectual achievement.

Each year the department enrolls only eight MFA students, four in each concentration. Our small size allows us to offer a generous financial support package that fully funds every student. We also offer a large and diverse graduate faculty with competence in a wide range of literary, theoretical and cultural fields. Every student chooses a special committee of two faculty members who work closely alongside the student to design a course of study within the broad framework established by the department.

Students participate in a graduate writing workshop each semester and take six additional one-semester courses for credit, at least four of them in English or American literature, comparative literature, literature in the modern or Classical languages or cultural studies (two per semester during the first year and one per semester during the second year). First-year students receive practical training as editorial assistants for Epoch, a periodical of prose and poetry published by the creative writing program. Second-year students participate as teaching assistants for the university-wide first-year writing program. The most significant requirement of the MFA degree is the completion of a book-length manuscript: a collection of poems or short stories, or a novel, to be closely edited and refined with the assistance of the student’s special committee.

MFA program specifics can be viewed here: MFA Timeline Procedural Guide

Special Committee

Every graduate student selects a special committee of faculty advisors who works intensively with the student in selecting courses and preparing and revising the thesis. The committee is comprised of two Cornell creative writing faculty members: a chair and one minor member. An additional member may be added to represent an interdisciplinary field. The university system of special committees allows students to design their own courses of study within a broad framework established by the department, and it encourages a close working relationship between professors and students, promoting freedom and flexibility in the pursuit of the graduate degree. The special committee for each student guides and supervises all academic work and assesses progress in a series of meetings with the students.

At Cornell, teaching is considered an integral part of training for a career in writing. The field requires a carefully supervised teaching experience of at least one year for every MFA candidate as part of the program requirements. The Department of English, in conjunction with the First-Year Writing Program, offers excellent training for beginning teachers and varied and interesting teaching in this university-wide program. These are not conventional freshman composition courses, but full-fledged academic seminars, often designed by graduate students themselves. The courses are writing-intensive and may fall under such general rubrics as “Portraits of the Self,” “American Literature and Culture,” “Shakespeare” and “Cultural Studies,” among others. A graduate student may also serve as a teaching assistant for an undergraduate lecture course taught by a member of the Department of Literatures in English faculty.

All MFA degree candidates are guaranteed two years of funding (including a stipend , a full tuition fellowship and student health insurance).

Graduate Assistantship with EPOCH . Students read submissions, plan special issues and assume other editorial and administrative responsibilities.
Summer Teaching Assistantship, linked to a teachers' training program. Summer residency in Ithaca is required.
Teaching Assistantship
Summer Fellowship (made possible by the David L. Picket ’84 Fund and The James McConkey Master of Fine Arts Creative Writing Award for Summer Support, established by his enduringly grateful student, Len Edelstein ’59)

Optional MFA Lecturer Appointments Degree recipients who are actively seeking outside funding/employment are eligible to apply to teach for one or two years as a lecturer. These positions are made possible by an endowment established by the late Philip H. Freund ’29 and a bequest from the Truman Capote Literary Trust.

Admission & Application Procedures

The application for Fall 2024 admission will open on September 15, 2023 and will close on December 15, 2023 at 11:59pm EST. Please note that staff support is available M-F 9am-4pm.

Eligibility : Applicants must currently have, or expect to have, at least a BA or BS (or the equivalent) in any field before matriculation. International students, please verify degree equivalency here . Applicants are not required to take the GRE test or meet a specified GPA minimum.

To Apply: All applications and supplemental materials must be submitted on-line through the Graduate School application system . While completing your application, you may save and edit your data. Once you click “submit,” your application will be closed for changes. Please proofread your materials carefully. Once you pay and click submit, you will not be able to make any changes or revisions.

DEADLINE: Dec. 15, 11:59 p.m. EST . This deadline is firm. No applications, additional materials or revisions will be accepted after the deadline.

MFA Program Application Requirements Checklist

Academic Statement of Purpose Please use the Academic Statement of Purpose to describe, within 1000 words: (1) your academic interests, (2) your academic background, preparation, and training, including any relevant professional experiences, (3) your reasons for pursuing graduate studies in this specific program, and (4) your professional goals.
Personal Statement Your Personal Statement should provide the admissions committee with a sense of you as a whole person, and you should use it to describe how your background and experiences influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Additionally, it should provide insight into your potential to contribute to a community of inclusion, belonging, and respect where scholars representing diverse backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experiences can learn and work productively and positively together. Writing your Personal Statement provides you with an opportunity to share experiences that provide insights into how your personal, academic, and/or professional experiences demonstrate your ability to be both persistent and resilient, especially when navigating challenging circumstances. The statement also allows you to provide examples of how you engage with others and have facilitated and/or participated in productive collaborative endeavors. Additionally, it provides you with an opportunity to provide context around any perceived gaps or weaknesses in your academic record. Content in the Personal Statement should complement rather than duplicate the content contained within the Academic Statement of Purpose, which should focus explicitly on your academic interests, previous research experience, and intended area of research during your graduate studies. A complete writing prompt is available in the application portal.
Three Letters of Recommendation Please select three people who best know you and your work. Submitting additional letters will not enhance your application. In the recommendation section of the application, you must include the email address of each recommender. After you save the information (and before you pay/submit), the application system will automatically generate a recommendation request email to your recommender with instructions for submitting the letter electronically. If your letters are stored with a credential service such as Interfolio, please use their “online application delivery” feature and input the email address assigned to your stored document, rather than that of your recommender’s. The electronic files will be attached to your application when they are received and will not require the letter of recommendation cover page. Please do not postpone submitting your application while waiting for us to receive all three of your letters. We will accept recommendation letters until December 30,11:59pm EST . For more information please visit the Graduate School's page on preparing letters of recommendations .
Transcripts Scan transcripts from each institution you have attended, or are currently attending, and upload into the academic information section of the application. Be sure to remove your social security number from all documents prior to scanning. Please do not send paper copies of your transcripts. If you are subsequently admitted and accept, the graduate school will require an official paper transcript from your degree-awarding institution prior to matriculation.
English Language Proficiency Requirement All applicants must provide proof of English language proficiency. For more information, please view the Graduate School’s English Language Requirement .
Fiction applicants: Your sample must be between 6,000 and 10,000 words, typed, double-spaced, in a conventional 12- or 14-point font. It may be an excerpt from a larger work or a combination of several works.
Poetry applicants: Your sample must be 10 pages in length and include a combination of several poems, where possible.

General Information for All Applicants

Application Fee: Visit the Graduate School for information regarding application fees , payment options, and fee waivers . Please do not send inquires regarding fee waivers.

Document Identification: Please do not put your social security number on any documents.

Status Inquiries: Once you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email. You will also be able to check the completion status of your application in your account. If vital sections of your application are missing, we will notify you via email after the Dec. 15 deadline and allow you ample time to provide the missing materials. Please do not inquire about the status of your application.

Credential/Application Assessments: The admission review committee members are unable to review application materials or applicant credentials prior to official application submission. Once the committee has reviewed the applications and made admissions decisions, they will not discuss the results or make any recommendations for improving the strength of an applicant’s credentials. Applicants looking for feedback are advised to consult with their undergraduate advisor or someone else who knows them and their work.

Review Process: Application review begins after the submission deadline. Notification of admissions decisions will be made by email or by telephone by the end of February.

Connecting with Faculty and/or Students: Unfortunately, due to the volume of inquiries we receive, faculty and current students are not available to correspond with potential applicants prior to an offer of admission. Applicants who are offered admission will have the opportunity to meet faculty and students to have their questions answered prior to accepting. Staff and faculty are also not able to pre-assess potential applicant’s work outside of the formal application process. Please email [email protected] instead, if you have questions.

Visiting: The department does not offer pre-admission visits or interviews. Admitted applicants will be invited to visit the department, attend graduate seminars and meet with faculty and students before making the decision to enroll.

Transfer Credits: Transfer credits are not available toward the MFA program.

Admissions FAQ

For Further Information

Contact [email protected]

MFA in Creative Writing Graduation Readings

College of Liberal Arts
Creative Writing
Academic Programs
undergraduate

The MFA in Creative Writing

Many writers interested in continuing their study of Creative Writing beyond their bachelor's degree pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree (MFA) in Creative Writing. MFA programs are designed to provide writers with theoretical framework, practical skills, and critical community support to help them further hone their craft and develop the expertise needed to become published writers.

MFA programs, however, are very competitive, with only a small percentage of applicants getting into the programs of their choice each year. As such, putting together a successful application takes considerable planning, research, focus, and time. From conducting research on which program is right for you, to preparing the materials you need, to perfecting your creative writing sample and statement of purpose, to obtaining letters of recommendation from your favorite professors, to actually sending in your applications: all this can take from six months to a year from start to finish.

If gaining a Master of Fine Arts degree is of interest to you, then this guide is a great place to start. Below are some tips on how to succeed in that process.

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In total, you can expect to do the following as part of the process of applying to MFA programs:

Plan the overall process and create a timeline
Research MFA programs / Decide where to apply
Creative Writing sample (10-20 pages of fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, etc.)
Statement of Purpose
Letters of Recommendation from current or past professors (3 total)
Undergraduate transcripts
Curriculum Vitae or Resumé
GRE test scores (if required by any of the programs to which you plan to apply)
Application fees
Submit your applications and required materials by the appropriate deadlines (see above)

Planning and Research

Your Application Timeline. The very first thing you'll want to do is create a timeline for your application process. (See " Creating Your Timeline " below for some more specific info.) Knowing that most application deadlines are between December 1st and February 1st (for students who want to begin in the fall semester), you will want to get started on everything AT LEAST six months prior to the earliest deadlines: i.e. you'll want to start the process in the spring of your Junior year (assuming you plan to start an MFA in the fall after graduating. If you think you might take a year off after graduation then you can begin in the spring of your Senior year.)

As part of your timeline, figure out when you need to start the various pieces of your completed application packet, and when you want to have them completed. For instance, knowing that it will take time to revise the stories or poems you want to include as your Creative Writing Sample, and that as part of this process you'll want to get feedback toward revision from a trusted friend and/or a willing (and generous) professor, you should plan to complete your first drafts of these no later than September, and possibly earlier. (Your friend or professor will need time to read and provide feedback for you. And then you will need time to revise, etc.) Similarly, knowing that your professors will need time to write your letters of recommendation, and that there's no guarantee that every professor you ask will agree to do this, you should start asking your favorite professors for letters early in your process, perhaps in the spring semester of your Junior year.

All this is to say: make yourself a timeline, give yourself deadlines, and do your best to stick to these deadlines!

Research. After completing your timeline, your next step in some ways is the most difficult: doing research to decide where you want to apply. Maybe you already have a program or two in mind. If so, that's great. If not, our best advice is to start with a resource right here at UTEP: Your Creative Writing professors.

Who are your favorite current or past Creative Writing professors ? Send each an email, or drop by their office hours. Simply let them know that you're interested in applying to MFA programs, and that you would like their advice. All of your professors here will have great advice, and can point you to programs that they admire, and/or in which they think you would be a good fit.

Of course there are other factors you should think about aside from your professors' recommendations. Here are a few things to consider as you're looking at various MFA programs:

Genres. Does the program offer courses in all genres, or specialize in a limited number of genres (poetry, fiction, cre ative non-fiction, children's lit, screenwriting , gaming, etc)? Does it offer a variety of courses in the genre you're interested in? Does the program have faculty who specialize in and/or publish in the genre(s) you want to study?
Faculty. Are you interested in writing by one or more members of the faculty in the program? (You may need to do some research to find and read some work by the program's faculty. Each Faculty member's bio or Faculty page will list their most prominent or most recent work.) If you're really intrigued, a sk t o be connected with faculty, if possible, to sit in on a class or for a one-on-one conversation about the program. Conversely, are there writers (perhaps that you've encountered through your Creative Writing classes, or by reading contemporary poetry/fiction journals) that you really admire? Look them up and find out where they teach!
Location. Consider where the school is located . Is it somewhere you'd like to live? Is it affordable to live there? Is there a literary arts scene (or music scene, or performance scene, or visual arts scene)? Do you have connections to anyone in this location, or will you need to form new community upon joining the program? (Keep in mind that an MFA program is a great and easy place to form a new community!) Is the program online or in person? Do you want to move to a new city and start over, or would you like to be close to family and friends?
Finances. Does the program offer Teaching Assistantships or Fellowships (or some other kind of yearly stipend) to its MFA students? (It should.) Does the program (and/or the University) offer grants/scholarships/tuition wavers to help defer the costs of graduate school? How much is not covered by all the above, and what is the remaining amount, considering tuition, fees, and cost of living, that you would have to cover out of pocket? Are you willing to take out loans to cover the rest? How much aid will you receive from FAFSA? Contact the school’s Financial Aid office for more information and to learn about additional resources.
Program Specifics. Every student will have their own unique wants and needs from an MFA program, so consider what you value and are looking for. Some of the things you might consider: the reputation of the university and/or the program; the size of the program; the culture of the program and the competitiveness among classmates; what the graduates of the program do after completing the program; access to faculty; class size; opportunities to take part in reading series or in the production of a literary magazine; etc.
Get in Touch. Talk to MFA students currently in that program to get a sense of what their experience has been, the strengths and weaknesses of the program, what they like and don't like about the program and/or the location, about the camaraderie among fellow students, why they chose that program, etc. (To get in touch with current students, you can usually e-mail the program, tell them you're considering applying, and that you'd like to be put in touch with current students.)
Visit. If you have the time and resources, visit the programs you're most interested in (in person or virtually) to get a feel for the campus, the people, the program, and the town/city where it's located. If visiting in person, let the program know ahead of time that you're coming, make sure it's a good time to visit (you don't want to visit while they're on break!), and ask if you can sit in on a class and/or meet with current students etc. This is a great way to get a sense of whether or not you would fit in and feel comfortable there.

In the end you'll want to apply to at least three, and up to eight programs, depending on your resources. (The more MFA programs you apply to, the greater chance you have of being admitted to one. At the same time, the more MFA programs you apply to, the more you'll be paying in application fees, which can be quite expensive.)

Recent alumni from UTEP's Creative Writing Department have had success getting into a number of MFA programs that you might want to consider as well: University of Arizona, University of New Mexico, the New School, the Art Institute of Chicago, University of Pittsburgh, Emerson College, Simmons University, NMSU.

Assembling Your Application

Once you've made your selections and you know where you want to apply, you'll need to start assembling your application materials. The following is a list of materials commonly requested as part of an application to an MFA program in Creative Wriitng.

Three Letters of Recommendation. I t is best to ask for letters of recommendation from current/previous professors who can speak to your writing abilities, your growth as a student, your participation and contributions to the classroom, and why they believe you are the right candidate for an MFA program . It is important to ask professors whom you know and in whose classes you did well. Also, consider your audience. Since you're applying to Creative Writing programs, you'll want letters primarily from Creative Writing professors. (One letter from a professor in a related field, such as Literature, would be okay, as long as the others are in the field you're applying to.) If you've done a special project with a professor, like an Honors Thesis, or If you've taken multiple classes with a particular professor you like and admire, and whose classes have been important to you, then she or he or they should be on the top of your list. Think ahead. C onnecting with professors during your experience as an undergraduate Creative Writing major--through class participation , attending office hours , and staying in touch even after your class with them ends--will help you build relationships with them and thus provide your recommenders with a deeper understanding of you and your writing as they prepare their letters. Always ask for letters at least two to three months prior to your earliest application deadline. (It never hurts to ask earlier rather than later.) Your professors are very busy, and while they always want to help if they can, good letters of recommendation require a lot of time and effort to prepare. You do not want to rush them. Make sure you provide for them the names of each school/program you're applying to and the deadlines for each.
Statement of Purpose (or Statement of Intent). Precisely what any particular program asks for here can vary, but most programs request a writer’s statement and/or a statement of purpose (of approximately 500-1000 words) that speaks about your writing influences and goals ; what makes you distinctive as a writer; your academic and literary interests ; why you think their program is right for you; and your further professional goals beyond the MFA program . While the Creative Writing Sample (see below) is often the most important document you submit as part of your MFA application, the Statement of Purpose is still crucial, as it can often sway an admissions committee (who are weighing your application against many others), who may realize from your statement that you are truly interested in their program and what their program has to offer, and that you will therefore be a good fit there. What this means, however, is that you shouldn't simply send the exact same Statement of Purpose to each program you're applying to. Rather, you should tailor each Statement of Purpose to the program you're sending it to. Make sure you address the topics the program asks you to address, of course, but also make sure you talk about the specific aspects of their program that excite you: particular courses that are offered; faculty members you're excited to work with and why; specialty tracks or sub-programs within the program (such as screenwriting, literary translation, children's literature, etc.). All this is to say that you want to let the admissions committee know that you know something about their program, and that you know why you want to be there.
Creative Writing Sample. A Creative Writing Sample will be 10-20 pages of your best poems, short stories, excerpts from novels, etc. In an MFA application, this is often the most important document you submit , and an admissions committee will often start by looking at this sample of your work. If they like it, they'll move you forward and look at the rest of your application. If they don't, that'll be the end. As such: do not simply dust off the work that got you an "A" in your recent Creative Writing classes and send it in. You'll want to work on these, revise, and work on them some more. Get feedback from a trusted friend or CRW classmate, or from a professor (who has agreed ahead of time to give you feedback). Take their constructive criticism seriously (they're trying to help! They want you to succeed!) and revise, revise, revise. Make your creative writing sample the absolute best you can. Once you've decided on the stories or poems you want to submit, have revised it all to the point where you (and your trusted readers) think it's ready, and you're ready to put the sample together, you'll want to think about how to order the work you've chosen for your writing sample. It's often best to lead with the strongest works first, the next strongest samples last, and the least strong samples in the middle. Finally, keep in mind that quality is more important than quantity (as long as you provide the minimum number of pages they request).
Transcripts. Official Transcripts are official legal documents listing among other things the courses you took at the University and the grades you received, and these are issued by the university or college where you completed your undergraduate coursework, usually by the University Registrar's office. Unofficial transcripts show the same information, but do not have official legal standing. Most programs you're applying to will require official transcripts. To request your official transcripts from UTEP, contact the Division of Student Affairs Office of Registration and Records .
Application Fees. Most programs charge an application fee to apply to their program. These fees cover the time and effort needed to process and review applications. These are typically between $50-$100 per application, and sometimes more. So, the more programs you apply to, the more you'll be spending on application fees. You'll need to think about this ahead of time, and start saving if necessary.

Some less commonly requested materials :

Curriculum Vitae or Resume. A curriculum Vitae (CV) is a complete list of education, jobs, volunteer work, professional experiences, publications, public performances, awards, etc. Whereas a resume is usually a brief, one-page snapshot of all the above, highlighting your skills and past job responsibilities. You can find examples of both online.
Critical Writing Samples. A 10-20 page sample of critical/analytical/research writing. Such a writing sample would be more commonly requested for applications to MA or PhD programs in more traditionally academic programs, like Literature, History, Communications, or Sociology. But, you never know. If you happen to be applying to a PhD program in Creative Writing, however, you will likely be asked for both a creative writing sample AND a critical writing sample.
GRE Test Scores. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is similar to the SAT test (which you may have taken in preparation to apply to college), but is for those who want to study at the masters level or beyond after finishing their bachelor's degree. The "general" GRE test is supposed to measure your aptitude for graduate-level study, while specific GRE tests for specific disciplines (such as Literature or History) measure your preparation for advanced study in that discipline. In either case, though, one can dramatically improve their performance on these tests by studying for them with a test-prep book or app. Important to note is that few MFA programs require GRE scores, but some do. Best to do your research ahead of time here and figure out if any of the programs you're interested in require the GRE. If they do, and if you still want to apply to them, you'll need to schedule a GRE test time far in advance of those application deadlines. You can get more info on taking the GRE at the GRE website: https://www.ets.org/gre On the other hand, you may decide that you don't want to apply to any programs requiring the GRE, and therefore eliminate programs that require it from your list.

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Creating Your Timeline

Below is a general guideline for putting together your own application timeline. Make sure you check with the programs you're applying to for specific dates for everything below.

12 months before applying (winter of Junior year) – Begin researching MFA programs
2 months before applying – Ask for Letters of Recommendation
September 1 st - May 15 th – Applications Due (see MFA programs for exact deadline e s)
Many programs have deadlines the first few weeks of January (for students intending to begin in the fall of that year). However, some of the most competitive programs have deadlines as early as September, and others have deadlines as late as May. Start researching early so that you don’t miss these crucial deadlines.
October 1 st – June 30 th – FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid– see schools for exact deadlines) FASFA opens for applications October 1 st and closes June 30 th . Submit your FAFSA as soon as possible – some schools have priority deadlines or hard deadlines before June 30 th , or give a wards until funds are depleted. Check with your school to see when their deadlines are. A pply for FAFSA HERE .
Rolling – Applying for scholarships Scholarships have deadlines throughout the year. It is recommended to start research ing and applying for scholarships in the fall prior to the year you are seeking funding. Check with the programs you are applying to to learn of additional scholarships and funding they may have. Contact the UTEP Office of Fellowships and Awards for assistance.
March – July – Accept Offer (see schools for exact deadlines) You will get letters of acceptance or rejection anytime between March and July. Hopefully you'll have received an acceptance or two (or more). Review offer letters and notify program s of decisions. Some programs require a non-refundable deposit upon acceptance, while others do not. (If you are not successful in getting into the programs you applied to, it is okay to call and ask to speak to (or email) the chair of the admissions committee simply to thank them for their time and consideration, and to (politely) ask what was lacking in your application. This can help should you decide to try again next year.)
Remember to say "Thank You" Send a follow up “thank you” card to the professors who wrote you letters of recommendation. And, don't forget to keep your recommenders in the loop as you make decisions – share with them when you are accepted into programs, and what your ultimate decisions are so that they can celebrate with you or provide support if you decide to apply to additional programs in the future.

Additional Application Tips

Build time into your application timeline to h ave all of your materials reviewed by trusted classmates, fellow writers, and/or UTEP's University W riting C enter . Receiving feedback on (and then revising!) your creative/ critical writing samples and statement of purpose is crucial to the process of assembling quality application materials.
Carefully proofread everything you submit. You are applying to a writing program, after all. You don't want to send writing that is riddled with typos and grammatical errors.
Apply to multiple programs. While you may have an ideal program in mind, it is good to have several options available in case you are not admitted into your first choice; circumstances change your priorities; or so that you can compare the various offers in the event you are accepted to multiple programs.

Additional Online Resources

MFA Programs Database (Poets & Writers): https://www.pw.org/mfa
Guide to Writing Programs (AWP): https://www.awpwriter.org/guide/guide_writing_programs
UTEP University Writing Center: https://www.utep.edu/uwc/
6 Tips for Getting Successfully Accepted into an MFA Program (UTEP): https://www.utep.edu/extendeduniversity/utepconnect/blog/march-2019/6-tips-for-getting-successfully-accepted-into-an-mfa-program.html
" So You're Thinking About Applying to Grad School in Creative Writing " -- from the University of Arizona MFA in Creative Writing Program.
Spanish: [email protected]
English: [email protected]

Thanks to UTEP Creative Writing MFA candidate Sarah Hobin for assembling, organizing, and writing most of the material on this page!

Connect With Us

The University of Texas at El Paso Department of Creative Writing University Towers, Room 520 Additional Emails English: [email protected] Español: [email protected] MFA Online: [email protected] Undergrad: [email protected] 500 W University Ave El Paso, Texas 79968

E: [email protected] P: (915) 747-5713

Graduate Admissions

Aerial photo of University of Iowa campus

Creative Writing (MFA in English)

The MFA in English with a focus in Creative Writing is awarded by the Graduate College. The Creative Writing Program, also known as the Iowa Writers' Workshop, also offers Nondegree Course Work . For the MFA in English with a focus in nonfiction writing, apply to the Nonfiction Writing Program .

Applicants must meet the Admission Requirements of the Graduate College and the department offering the degree program (review the department's web site or the General Catalog for departmental requirements).

Tuition and fees vary by degree program and the type of student you are.

Fall semester—Dec. 15
Spring semester—not offered

The graduate application process has two steps

You must first submit the online application to the Graduate College and pay the $60 application fee by credit card ($100 for international applicants).
Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an email instructing you on how to upload your supporting documents and submit letters of recommendation. A few programs require materials be sent directly to them. However, almost all supplemental material can and should be uploaded from your Admissions Profile in MyUI , our online service center for applicants and students. You can only access this AFTER you have submitted your application.

Degree Program Supplemental Materials

Mail manuscript of your best work, with a Manuscript Cover Sheet (PDF) - address listed below Receipt of your manuscript will be noted on your Admissions Profile.
A Statement of Purpose
Application for Graduate Awards
Your General GRE test scores (optional but recommended)
Supplemental Financial Aid

Recommendations

The application requirement section of your Profile includes an electronic letter of recommendation feature. If your program of study requires letters of recommendation, you will be asked to give the contact information of your recommenders including their email on your Admissions Profile. The recommender will then get an email giving them instructions on how to upload the recommendation letter and/or form.

Three letters of recommendation

Materials to send to Admissions

A set of your unofficial academic records/transcripts uploaded on your Admissions Profile. If you are admitted, official transcripts will be required before your enrollment. For international records, all records should bear the original stamp or seal of the institution and the signature of a school official. Documents not in English must be accompanied by a complete, literal, English translation, certified by the issuing institution.
Your official GRE scores are not required for admission to this program. However, applications that include GRE scores may be more competitive for a greater range of financial assistance (the University's institutional code is 6681).
International students may also be required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or DuoLingo scores to comply with the university's English Language Proficiency Requirements .
Once recommended for admission, international students must send a Financial Statement .

Apply Online , the $60 application fee ($100 for international students) is payable by Discover, MasterCard, or Visa.

Creative Writing Program The University of Iowa 102 Dey House Iowa City, IA 52242-1000 [email protected] 1-319-335-0416

Enrollment Management The University of Iowa 2900 University Capitol Centre 201 S. Clinton St. Iowa City, IA 52242 [email protected] 1-319-335-1523

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Statement of Purpose for MFA in Creative Writing

Submit a statement of purpose (500 – 1,000 words) outlining your relationship to your chosen genre(s) and your own writing process, as well as your reasons for applying to our program.

Name First Last
Application ID (Optional)
Your statement of purpose (500-1,000 words) *
Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

sweater weather

a close read of my MFA statement of purpose

Hello friends—

The other day, I was helping a friend with his applications for graduate school, specifically his statement of purpose. I still don’t really understand what a statement of purpose is or what it is for, so my help to my friend was mostly in the form of tightening up the sentences and with creating a sense of drive within the piece as a whole. I thought it would be helpful to show him an example of a statement of purpose, so I dug deep into my Google Drive to find the statement I wrote when I applied to MFA programs, thinking at least I could use it to show him what not to do. I opened the document and found, among other things, a really frank record of my goals and ambitions for my creative life. And I thought it might be interesting to revisit what I was trying to do in seeking formal writing education. That’s what a statement of purpose is, I think, right? Your reason for pursuing the degree.

I had written statements of purpose to get into PhD programs in biochemistry five or so years before I applied to the MFA. In those research-oriented programs, it is much easier to draw parallels between your interests and your goals. I was interested broadly in the chemical underpinnings of complex biological processes, but looking to shift from the physical side to the more biological. When I look back at the work I did during my abandoned doctorate in biochemistry, I more or less ended up doing just that. It was easy to see how the strengths of a particular set of faculty at particular programs aligned or did not align to my interests and research goals. It was easy to craft my statement for department. Even though, of course, all of this changes in the doing. You get to a place thinking you will study neurodegeneration with specific applications, and instead you end up studying stem cell fate decisions in the context of the C. elegans germline. But the broad strokes usually guide you in the right direction.

In writing, this all feels more mysterious. For one thing, the notion of purpose in one’s writing is so slippery and strange that it feels cringe to go around professing it toward other people. We are taught to have a natural suspicion of people with goals in their creative work, and some would have you believe that all artists share the same single pursuit: trust and honesty . The notion of purpose is also haunted by that most nefarious of specters: politics. And so the statement of purpose for MFA programs in creative writing seems to be a dubious genre in which we are meant to recycle and repurpose the usual platitudes one finds in craft talks from the late mid-century, all about beauty and art and self-expression, or else we risk billing ourselves as propagandists and socialists.

I don’t mean to say that this is what a statement of purpose actually is for. I guess I am trying to recreate the atmosphere of my own thinking when I sat down to write my statement of purpose. That feeling of not quite knowing what to say or how to say it without getting myself dinged. I think I was trying to imagine what a person on the other side would want to read in order to accept me, and in that way, I was trying to biomimicry my way out of science and into art. If only I could fake it well enough to deceive those dastardly gatekeepers. I remember that in the end I got very sick of trying to come up with something dishonest enough to feel honest, so I reverted to type and wrote a very science-y statement of purpose.

Here is the opening paragraph:

I write stories about queer black boys because stories are how we learn to move through the world and because no one tells queer black boys what they can expect from this life. I’m interested in queering narrative spaces—that is, I don’t want to solely write about people who identify as queer, but I want also to bring a queer lens to stories that have traditionally been thought of as the province of heteronormative writers. More than anything, I want to expand the vocabulary we have for intimacy and love between men because it is a vast and unarticulated realm in literature. I think one of the necessary ways that our culture has to change to combat toxic masculinity, patriarchy, and racism is to give men a language for their experiences in an emotional context, particularly in male-male relationships. This tension between what is experienced and what is expressed drives my work and informs many of my stories.

In my defense, it was 2016, and I was spending quite a lot of time in the earnest, representation-centric side of the internet. I had read very little contemporary fiction, and my dominant literary inputs were Cheever, Leonard Michaels, Updike, Mavis Gallant, Ann Beattie, Saul Bellow, André Gide, Stendhal, Mauriac, and Bernard Malamud. I had consumed very little queer writing, and wanted only to write stories that expressed something of the local texture of my own life as a young gay man who had learned how to be gay from superclips of gay storylines form foreign soap operas. I wanted to write about gay things in a way that I had seen Ann Beattie write about restless yuppies and directionless people, where the charge of the story came from the careful and close attention to the everyday stuff of life. I think just after I sent off this application, I discovered Michael Cunningham and found my way through him to Woolf. But at the time, I felt like I was on a high dry rock and sick of waiting for someone to write Ann Beattie stories about people like me. So much so that I decided I would do it myself.

Also, it was a time when I felt a lot of frustration about the underlying assumptions I could feel in the shows and movies and books I read. I felt overwhelmed by the arrogance of these people, these white people, assuming with very little difficulty a centrality of their own experience while for me that act of centrality was only ever a translation, a second-rate one at that. I was tired of having to relate to art that had so little generosity of spirit in it, having to do all this work just to get down inside the subjectivity of someone for whom I might as well have been a dot on the far edge of the cosmos. I do wonder sometimes if that frustration and anger I felt and that many other people felt at that time is the cruel grandmother of the entitlement so many people feel these days toward television, film, novels, comics, etc. I wonder if the version of myself who felt so angry in 2016 and decided to simply stop taking in art that I found boring or exhausting due to whiteness, if that version of myself would today do what I did then and just sit down and write. Or would that version of myself just sit on the internet all day and complain about the status of representation.

At that time, it was possible to complain your way into social prominence and into book deals or at least into blogs that you could one day hopefully convert into a book deal. It was time of high grievance. And so I am not surprised that my statement of purpose begins with this straightforward declaration of representation hunger. I don’t know that I feel the same thing in quite the same intensity now. I mean, certainly, I write what I want and what I want to write is stories about gay black men. I am not trying to represent anyone. This is just what brings me pleasure. And I don’t find that I owe a particular duty to anyone or anything in my writing of them. I think the way I meant that first line then was “no one tells queer black boys what they can expect from this life” that I wanted my work to be a corrective. Just at that moment, actually, a great deal of voices rose out of the internet to spend quite a lot of time and energy telling queer black boys what they can expect from the world. Like, a lot. To the point of it turning into a scheme of self-victimization.

It's actually kind of wild.

I do think that my work more or less achieved the other goals set out in that paragraph. For example, I think my work has very much been interested in finding language for the intimate relationships between men. I am not creating such a vocabulary, I don’t think. I would not make such a claim. But I do think that in my work, I am writing about interactions and kinds of interactions that feel true to me and which I have not seen written about very much before. I also think that in my steadfast dedication to domestic realism—the Cheever of it all, my problematic ancestress—I am importing queer life into a space that Updike once said was incompatible with queer characters. That also is not very new. But it is something I wanted to do and I have done it.

The final sentence there though is the truest. ”This tension between what is experienced and what is expressed drives my work and informs many of my stories.” This has more or less been my subject from the very outset. I think a month or so after I wrote this statement, I would sit down to write the stories that became my collection Filthy Animals and three months after that, I would write my debut novel Real Life . I have been haunted by this idea that people often lie about their feelings for a long time. I don’t mean merely that they are dishonest to the people in their lives. I mean also that they are often dishonest to themselves. And also that we sometimes experience things we simply cannot express. I am most interested in this failure of language. I imagine that this is because I crave self-destruction and there can be no greater self-destruction for the writer than to run headlong toward the experiences and places that render language utterly silent or impossible.

I come by it honestly though—it’s there in James, in Wharton, in Austen, in Proust. It’s there in Ibsen and Chekhov and Beckett. In Gallant and Beattie and Munro. In my work, I am driven to force my characters into experiences and corners where they must express and yet they cannot express. I am moved by unbearable tension. I am moved by periods of charged silence, and I spend a long time trying to imagine ways to capture the failure of language in language. I wish that I could write happier things filled with a profusion of chatter. But I think the cast of my mind is darker, colder, and my imagination is filled with affective and expressive gaps. It’s how I was raised—a series of rageful quiets and half-truths. I feel very weird most days because I have faith in language and yet a total suspicion of language because I have seen people wield it to terrifying ends. My own mother used language to steal from me. Constantly. Money, property, peace of mind. But maybe that is not a lack of faith in language. Or even a lack of faith in human nature. I think I have an absolute faith in human nature—to deceive, to trick, to malign, to curse. What I lack faith in is the myth of some essential goodness. Now that feels like a pile of shit. And maybe what’s under that is a belief in language’s absolute power to shape reality.

There, I’ve convinced myself. What a useful trick.

Later in my statement of purpose, I write about what a weird time it is to pursue creative writing and how I envision the purpose of the writer in society:

At the moment, there is a lot of discussion in the culture about the relevance or necessity of the MFA. It might seem odd that someone whose undergraduate and graduate training has thus far been in biomedical research and chemistry might want to pursue a graduate level writing degree during such a time. I would like to address these two considerations simultaneously: there is no better or greater time than now to be a writer. We are at a moment in our history when we need writers more than ever. We need people to tell stories, to feed our souls, to ask the difficult questions, and to hold up a mirror to oppression and violence. This is the time to do the work that writers do. On a more practical level, while I have had some success, there is so much about the craft of writing that I need to learn. The MFA offers time and space not only to write but to think intensely about writing and its purpose.

I read this paragraph a few days ago and I was struck by the moral clarity of this young man. It was bracing. Yeah, he’s making some points , I thought to myself. This is the time to do what writers do. I am…somewhat skeptical on the first two points of feeding souls and telling stories, but that is what it is, a certain 2016 romanticism if you will, whomst among us. But then that bit about asking difficult questions and holding up a mirror to oppression and violence. This is the time to do just that. To speak out about the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza which is itself merely a horrifying deepening of an already ghastly humanitarian crisis. The cruel terrorism of Hamas. The cruel terrorism of the IDF. The war in Ukraine. The rising tide of antisemitism flooding the streets of American cities. The de rigueur islamophobia coursing through our public policies and discourse. The virulent assaults on queer lives, particularly our trans family. The corroding of civil liberties at every turn. The rampant wage theft by a new generation of robber barons. The hardening of American hearts to suffering of all kinds. The ascendent and unfolding climate crisis that is going to consume us all and deepen every inequity already present in this country. This is a world in peril at every level imaginable—and perhaps that is not new, perhaps one can imagine a degree of peril being a constant function, a straight lin, and if that is a useful fiction for you, let me offer you another.

If it is true that what we are experiencing at this moment in time is but an excess of awareness of th suffering of our fellow humans and all the creatures of the earth, if the problem is indeed merely that we can now know about suffering on the other side of the world, then doesn’t say that the world we inherited all of its illusions of prosperity and material comfort is in fact the product of a lack of action brought about by ignorance. And so what are we supposed to do? Stick our head in the sand? Just because you don’t know your neighbor’s house is on fire doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do anything about it. I am being unclear. Let me try again. If it is true that what we are experiencing is merely an excess of awareness and that the world has always been this place of profound human suffering and that we are merely the inheritors of benevolent ignorance, then don’t we still have an obligation, now that we know, to do something about it? In other words, the solution for an excess of awareness cannot simply be the same inaction that came about because of ignorance. The only people who can make that argument are the people who benefited—in the form of stability, capital gain, material comfort, political ascendency—from inaction and ignorance. For a whole other segment of creation, the price of that inaction was very high—death due to famine, due to war, due to regimes of terror.

What I mean is, does knowledge call us to act? Do we or do we not have a moral obligation?

I am struck by the moral clarity of my 2016 self. I imagine he would say, Hell yeah, absolutely . I don’t know that I have the same certainty. I know too much about what I don’t know now. But I do agree with him that this is the time to do what writers do. To hold up a mirror the world. You are free not to, of course. You have a choice. But as always, your silence benefits some and costs others everything.

The rest of my statement of purposed touched on my influences and my experiences in the literary world. I felt that I had to situate myself within that context so that they would see me not as an interloper but as someone passionate about literature. I mentioned that I worked for a literary magazine and that I had published some pieces online and in small journals. I had not yet written a full manuscript, but had tried and failed to write several. As I said before, months later, I’d have two manuscripts written, but I did not know that then. The whole thrust of the statement seems to be written to give the sense that I had a concrete understanding of my shortcomings and a desire to learn.

In writing about my favorite writers, I said:

My influences include Mavis Gallant, James Baldwin, Garth Greenwell, and André Aciman. Growing up queer and black in the South, I felt at all times a kind of exile from my family, from my friends, and from the place of my birth. I always felt on the outside of things. I think each of these writers captures that feeling so beautifully. They articulate something that is almost impossible to articulate—what it is to be in a place and outside of a place, what is to love a place and to not be loved in return by that place, what is to exist at all times as both a self and a shadow-self. They write about exiles, about outsiders, about queer people in search of family and in search of themselves. I don’t need to expound upon the influence of these writers with respect to the literary canon because that is well-established. So instead, I’ll stress their importance to me personally. It was André Aciman’s Call Me by Your Name that first taught me that queer love and queer desire didn’t have to be a filthy secret. It was James Baldwin that broadened that lesson for me, that gave me a mirror for the first time in my life for awkward queer boys. And a mirror is also a window. Baldwin, writing outside of America, gave me a language for expatriation, for escape. Mavis Gallant writes of difficult people in difficult situations, of the jagged family. I don’t think there’s a writer who better understands the subtle ways in which we maim each other. Garth Greenwell’s work is a light that illuminates a new way forward, a new queer art, one that doesn’t need to feign neutrality in order to be accepted or understood. It’s an unabashed queer gaze, and it’s one that emboldens me to center my own experience in my art and to do good by writing the truth.

I had forgotten I wrote about Garth in my statement of purpose. We were not friends then. I had read and admired What Belongs to You . I think I wrote a short Tumblr post about that book. The André Aciman stuff really took me back. I sometimes think that if anyone wants to get my vibe, all they need to do is read André and Mavis Gallant, and they’d be all set. I remember the first I leant a friend Call Me by Your Name , and they gave it back and said, “wow, you really copied him a lot.” I stand by it. André’s work has been perhaps the single greatest influence on me. Not just that novel, but all of his work, including his sublime essays. I don’t think I understood that what I was feeling at home in Alabama was a kind of spiritual exile until I read his False Papers . One day I will have to write a very long piece on him because he is…he truly is everything to me. His influence over my work is total.

But also reading this over, I realize how grateful I was for books like Call Me by Your Name and What Belongs to You . Two books that made my own work seem possible. But also that, as a reader, just broadened and deepened the world. It also strikes me that in writing this statement of purpose, it was one of the first times I ever wrote about books and my relationship to them. Up til then, I had only written short stories and science writing. And some essays here or there. But very little about books themselves.

I only wrote the one MFA statement of purpose because I only ever applied to one program. In looking back, I sort of wish I had applied to different programs. 2016 me was very hopeful about what he was going to get out of that experience. He did not get it. Not really. But , he did end up doing many of the things he described wanting to do in his work. And perhaps that is the best thing an MFA program can do: not get in the way of a writer’s ambitions for their work and to make those ambitions possible. As a teacher, that’s all I want. To help myself understand what they want from their work and to help them achieve those goals. But primarily, I just want to get out of the way and to do no harm.

And perhaps, then, my MFA experience was not as bad as I remember it being. Maybe it was a success after all.

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Creative Writing
MFA Overview

MFA Application Checklist

MFA in Creative Writing Application Checklist

Meet the UW Graduate School's Minimum Admissions Requirements

Unofficial Transcripts from All Colleges or Universities Attended

Statement of Purpose (500 - 1,000 words)

Critical Writing Sample

Creative writing sample, three letters of recommendation.

Proof of English Language Proficiency (Non-native English Speakers Only) *We admit students to the MFA program with funding in the form of an Academic Student Employee (ASE) teaching position. Non-native English speakers must meet the requirements listed in the UW Graduate School’s Policy 5.2: Conditions of Appointment for TAs who are not Native Speakers of English in order to be eligible to teach.

For frequently asked questions, please see our MFA FAQ page.

*Effective the Autumn 2021 admissions cycle, GRE General Test scores are no longer required as a part of the application.

The application deadline is January 2. If January 2 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, then the deadline is the following Monday.

***Note: Be sure to select: Creative Writing (MFA) - English - Seattle Campus. You'll need to select either Poetry or Prose. (The UW-Bothell MFA program is independent and located at the Bothell campus.)

For questions about application procedures, please email [email protected] .

Application Materials

One copy of transcripts from each college or university attended, reflecting all graduate and undergraduate coursework is required. This copy will be considered "unofficial," but will suffice for application purposes. If admitted, you will be asked to submit official transcripts (a transcript in a sealed envelope bearing the Registrar's seal) from your degree-granting institution to the University of Washington Graduate School.

Statement of Purpose (500 - 1,000 words)

The statement of purpose is generally between one and two pages long. It indicates some of the intellectual training and background of prospective students, their fields of interest in future English graduate studies, how the program and faculty at the University of Washington is suited to their needs, and what they would hope to bring to the program.

Please address the questions below in your statement of purpose. Keep in mind that there are many ways to answer these questions. The committee is not looking for a particular response, but rather a personal reflection on the link between your background and your work as an artist.

What are you writing and why?
What are you passionate about reading and why?
How has who you are and how you came to writing influenced these interests and passions?

The critical writing sample should be the applicant's best writing, often a revised essay from an undergraduate course or part of a senior project. It is ideal if the paper takes up works or issues identified as areas of interest in the personal statement. There is a great degree of flexibility in regards to the length of the critical paper. This portion of your application can be as short as 8 pages to as long as 25 pages.

A creative writing sample is required for the MFA application. Poets should send 6-10 poems; prose writers should send 10-30 pages of short stories, memoir, personal essays, or a novel.

Use the online application to provide contact information for three people who will submit letters of recommendation by providing their names and email addresses. The most useful recommendations come from college professors familiar with your work as a student. Letters from employers may be helpful if your work was directly related to writing or teaching.

Proof of English Language Proficiency (Non-native English Speakers Only)

Minimum admission requirements: Non-native English speakers must demonstrate English language proficiency in one of the ways listed on the UW Graduate School’s Policy 3.2: Graduate School English Language Proficiency Requirements .

Requirements to hold a TA-ship/ASE teaching position: MFA students interested in an Academic Student Employee (ASE) position must also demonstrate English language proficiency in one of the ways listed on the UW Graduate School’s Policy 5.2: Conditions of Appointment for TAs who are not Native Speakers of English . You must receive a score of at least 26 on the speaking section of TOEFL-iBT or a score of at least 7.0 on the speaking section of the IELTS in order to be eligible to teach.

How to submit official TOEFL scores : Contact the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to order your official TOEFL score report. TOEFL scores are valid for two years from the test date. Our institution code is: 4854. Department code: 99 (any department).

How to submit official IELTS scores : The University of Washington only accepts scores submitted electronically by the IELTS testing center. No paper Test Report Forms will be accepted. All IELTS test centers can report scores electronically. You must request from the center where you took the test that your scores be sent electronically using the IELTS system (E-TRF) to the following address: University of Washington All Campuses, Organisation ID 365, Undergrad & Graduate Admis, Box 355850, Seattle, WA, 98105, United States of America. If you have already taken the IELTS, you can go to the IELTS test center location for the email address of the IELTS Administrator to make your request. Allow a minimum of 13 working days for reporting test results to our school. IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date.

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Graduate Studies
MFA in Creative Writing and Environment

MFA Application Guidelines

How to apply.

Thank you for your interest in applying to the MFA Program in Creative Writing and Environment at Iowa State University. Below you will find basic information about required application materials along with some tips about how to prepare your writing samples. We hope this information is helpful, and we look forward to reading your application.

Complete Application Guidelines : Please visit the following page for links to relevant application upload websites and for complete application guidelines: How to Apply .

MFA TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIP SUPPORT

We make every effort to offer assistantship support to all the students admitted to the MFA Program in Creative Writing and Environment. At present, starting half-time 20 hours per week teaching assistantships for MFA students total $19,675 ($1,967) paid out over 10 months from Aug 16 through May 15). Teaching assistants with half-time assistantships also receive a full tuition waiver scholarship (approximate value $10,140) and health insurance coverage.

The teaching load for teaching assistants is four classes a year (2 classes per semester), teaching in the ISUComm Foundation Courses or Speech Communication programs. Teaching assistants receive excellent preparatory training to support their teaching from the directors of these teaching programs. They are carefully mentored during their first year of teaching.

Other Support: The MFA Program in Creative Writing and Environment is home to the Pearl Hogrefe Fellowship in Creative Writing. Click here for more information.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

January 5 is the single application deadline for admission consideration for entry the following academic year (beginning fall term).

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO APPLY

Application Requirements and Instructions All of the following materials are required for your application to be complete and must be uploaded electronically via the Iowa State University Office of Admissions online application system:

Online Graduate Application (and application fee)

Statement of Purpose

Curriculum Vitae/Resume

Creative Writing Sample

Expository Writing Sample
Three Letters of Recommendation
Scanned Official Transcripts and degree statements
Hogrefe Fellowship Application Form, if applicable
Teaching Assistantship Application if applying for a teaching assistantship (see additional instructions on the English Department’s How To Apply website)
English proficiency official examination scores sent directly to ISU by the testing agency for TOEFL/IELTS/PTE/Duolingo (upload unofficial scores to your application account)
Audio or video file to demonstrate competence in spoken English

Portfolio Requirements

In 750-1000 words, discuss how the MFA Program in Creative Writing & Environment would further your academic, artistic, and professional goals (leave the actual admission application form blank where it requests a 500-word statement of purpose). Consider addressing some of the following in your Statement of Purpose:

Fieldwork experiences in natural or urban landscapes that have influenced your practice and/or aesthetic as a writer;
Writers or currents of environmental thought that have influenced your work;
Issues of place, landscape, the natural world, or environment with which your work engages;
Organizations you’ve worked with or activities you’ve completed that are related to ecological or environmental issues;
Creative projects with an environmental dimension that you have started or anticipate writing while in the program.

Be sure to include education (academic degrees, programs of study, educational institutions), work history (including teaching and editing experience, if applicable), and publications, productions, exhibits, honors, and awards for your creative work.

Include a sample—of no more than 25 pages of prose (double-spaced), 15 pages of poetry (may be single-spaced), or 25 pages of a script for stage or screen (in professional manuscript format)—that demonstrates exemplary ability in one genre. Samples should be in a standard 12-point serif font, such as Times New Roman. We ask that you declare a primary genre (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or drama) at the time of application. Once admitted, students are allowed—and encouraged—to work in multiple genres.

Expository Prose Writing Sample

Include a sample of no more than 10 pages (double-spaced, standard 12-point serif font). Your expository writing sample allows you to demonstrate your command of scholarly research and critical writing skills, as well as accepted grammatical rules for written English. Applicants usually submit a scholarly research essay written for an undergraduate or graduate course in literature, rhetoric, advanced composition, or other humanities field of study.

Statement of Purpose Examples

Successful statements of purpose to help you write your own.

A Statement of Purpose for a Masters of Fine Arts program is perhaps the most difficult Statement of Purpose to write. Like your writing sample, your Statement will be scrutinized. But an MFA Statement of Purpose is also the type of Statement that allows for the most risk-taking. Successful MFA Statement of Purpose essays often read like artist statements and are very creative. Do not fall into the trap of only worrying about the creative aspects, though. Your MFA Statement of Purpose still needs to demonstrate an element of thoughtfulness and groundedness that indicate an understanding of the endeavor being taken on.

Because the MFA is a terminal degree, you will especially want to include what you plan to do with your degree. Do you plan to teach? Write? Every program has its own strengths. Some programs are well know for their MFA in writing, while others for their MFA in installation art. Be sure you know the strengths of the department to which you are applying, and include that information in your MFA Statement of Purpose.

MFA Statement of Purpose Examples:

1. I Write. (Poetry)

{Need more help with your MFA Statement of Purpose? Check out our ebook Hacking Your Statement of Purpose for a concise guide to writing and revising your Statement of Purpose.}

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UMass Boston

Creative Writing MFA

Further your commitment to writing as the center of your professional life.

Intensive study and practice of fiction and poetry writing with award-winning and nationally renowned faculty at the most diverse university in new england..

UMass Boston's Creative Writing MFA offers you an intense, 3-year program and focused opportunity to further your commitment to writing as the center of your professional life. Through a combination of mentoring by accomplished faculty in a series of creative writing workshops, courses focused on the study of literature offered through the English MA Program, and electives that include the practice of literary editing, the teaching of creative writing, documentary poetics, the art of memoir, and more—you will have the guidance to develop and shape your work to the full extent of your talent.

All accepted students receive funding. Graduate assistantships offer the opportunity to work with students as teaching assistants and fellows, or in editorial positions with one of our sponsors, including 826 Boston, Hanging Loose Press, Write on the Dot, Consequence Magazine, Breakwater Review, and Arrowsmith Press.

Career Possibilities

Pursue a career as a professional writer, publishing your work in literary journals, magazines. Work as an editor and collaborate with writers to refine their work and shape the final product for publication. These are just a few of the possibilities.

Become a(n):

Writer/Author
Literary Agent
Writing Instructor/Professor

Start Your Application

Plan Your Education

How to apply.

Applicants must meet general graduate admission requirements in addition to the following program-specific requirements:

A 3.0 GPA overall and in the student’s major
Three substantive and detailed letters of recommendation, from former teachers familiar with the applicant’s most recent academic and creative work
A 3-5 page personal statement focusing on the role of the candidate’s reading life in his or her development as a writer. (Note: The general Graduate Admissions application refers to this as a statement of interests and intent. They are one and the same.)
Applicants must indicate whether they are applying in FICTION or POETRY in their Statement of Purpose. If you want to apply in both genres, include one writing sample in FICTION and one in POETRY and indicate in the Statement of Purpose that the application is for both.
A writing sample of 10 manuscript pages of poetry or 20 manuscript pages of fiction

Deadlines & Cost

Deadlines: January 15 (priority) for fall. While rare, if space is available, we’ll happily consider applications until June 1 (final deadline).

Application Fee: The nonrefundable application fee is $75. UMass Boston alumni and current students that plan to complete degree requirements prior to graduate enrollment can submit the application without paying the application fee.

Program Cost Information: Bursar's website

Writing Workshops (24 Credits)

Complete one from below four times.

CW 601 - MFA Poetry Workshop 6 Credit(s) or
CW 602 - MFA Fiction Workshop 6 Credit(s)

Literature Courses (9 Credits)

Complete three graduate literature courses.

Electives (9 Credits)

Complete three from below.

CW 605 - Memoir Workshop 3 Credit(s)
CW 606 - Literary Editing and Publishing 3 Credit(s)
CW 614 - The Teaching of Creative Writing 3 Credit(s)
CW 675 - Creative Writing Internship 3 Credit(s)
CW 697 - Special Topics in Creative Writing 1-6 Credit(s)

Students may elect courses offered by other graduate programs with approval from the graduate program director.

ENGL 459 Seminar for Tutors may be taken for graduate credit (see Undergraduate Catalog)
ENGL 675 - Reading and Writing Poetry 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 676 - Reading and Writing Fiction 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 681 - Advanced Workshop in Poetry 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 682 - Advanced Workshop in Fiction 3 Credit(s)

Thesis Courses (6 Credits)

Complete the course below both semesters of the third year.

CW 699 - MFA Thesis 3 Credit(s)

Graduation Criteria

Complete 48 credits from twelve courses including four writing workshops, three literature courses, three electives, and two semesters of thesis workshops.

The MFA degree requires six semesters of full-time study, with 9 credits required in each of the first four semesters, and 6 credits in the final two semesters, during which students will concentrate on completing a thesis in fiction or poetry under the direction of a faculty member. MFA workshops are limited to 12 students, and seminars are limited to 15. Students have the opportunity to interact with writers in our Global Voices Visiting Writer series (recent visitors have been Raquel Salas Rivera and Carole Maso), and work with visiting prose writers - recently these have included Jane Unrue, ZZ Packer, and Fanny Howe.

Capstone: Completion of an MFA thesis of 48 to 64 pages of poetry or 100 to 200 pages of fiction written under the supervision of a thesis advisor, reviewed by a thesis committee, and subject to a public defense.

Statute of limitations: Five years.

Contact & Faculty

Graduate Program Director John Fulton john.fulton [at] umb.edu (617) 287-6700

English & Creative Writing MFA Department englishmfaprogram [at] umb.edu (617) 287-6702

Fiction Faculty

John Fulton , Program Director & Associate Professor Askold Melnyczuk , Professor Eileen Pollack , Visiting Assistant Professor

Poetry Faculty

Jill McDonough , Professor Shangyang Fang , Associate Lecturer

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English Department

Learn more about UMass Boston's English department, our programs, and our faculty.

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College of Liberal Arts

Learn more about the faculty, research, and programs that make up our College of Liberal Arts.

Program Information
Degree Requirements
MFA Admissions and Recruitment

MFA Application Information

Publications
Fiction Students
Poetry Students

To apply to the MFA Programs in Writing, applicants must submit electronic and hard copy documents . Applications are complete when the Programs in Writing has received all of the documents listed below. These documents include the University Electronic Application (with the Statement of Purpose and the Personal History Statement), three letters of recommendation, unofficial transcripts, the Manuscript Submission Form, the Autobiographical Statement, and the writer’s manuscript. Please read the following information carefully for more information on each of these items. The Programs in Writing will not accept incomplete or partial applications. Please submit the following electronically: 1) University Electronic Application :

Applicants must complete and pay for the electronic application by the program deadlines, no exceptions. Paying for the application is the only way to submit the application. The application fee must be paid by credit card only. No checks will be accepted.
Fee Waiver Requests : Your application must be submitted at least 5 days prior to the program's deadline. No exceptions. Applicants requesting a fee waiver who do not meet this deadline will be required to pay the application fee. Please visit the Graduate Division website for more information: https://www.grad.uci.edu/admissions/applying-to-uci/fee-waivers.php
The GRE section of the application should be left blank, as the Programs in Writing does not require GRE scores.

2) Statement of Purpose:

There will be a section for the Statement of Purpose on the University Electronic Application.
The Statement of Purpose is an essay in which the applicant should try to articulate his or her ideas about the value of writing as well as to express how and why the Programs in Writing and its faculty may help with the realization of his or her vocational goals. Suggested length is 500 to 1000 words.

3) Personal History Statement:

Our program requires all applicants to complete the Personal History Statement on the University Electronic Application.
The Personal History Statement is about the applicant’s personal background. Applicants may include information about their upbringing, family, culture, socio-economic background, or any personal experiences and challenges. Applicants may also wish to describe how they might contribute to social or cultural diversity within their chosen field of study. The essay will assist both the admissions committee and fellowship review committees to evaluate your background and motivation for graduate study. Write about how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Suggested length is 500 to 1000 words.

4) Three Letters of Recommendation:

A total of three letters of recommendation are required and they can only be submitted electronically. Paper LORs will not be accepted. Please note: Interfolio is now compatible with our application. You will need to complete the Letter of Recommendation section and enter your recommenders names and e-mail addresses.
Electronic letters of recommendation must be set up through the University Electronic Application. Applicants will input the email addresses of their recommenders, and the recommenders will be emailed a link that explains how to upload an electronic letter of recommendation. If needed, applicants can resend their recommenders this link by logging in to the Application Progress Review.
Letters of Recommendation can be submitted after the deadline, but please ask your recommenders to submit them ASAP, since the committee will begin reviewing your application soon after the deadline. Your application will not be submitted to the committee until it is complete.

5) Transcripts:

For application review purposes only, scan and upload copies of transcripts for all institutions attended since high school. In the online application, you will be prompted to upload your scanned documents. Please upload both the front and back sides of the transcript. Uploaded transcripts should be recent and include the following: your name, dates of attendance, grades/marks received, credits and grading legend. UCI reserves the right to require official transcripts at any time during the admission process, and rescind any offer of admission made if discrepancies between uploaded and official transcript(s) are found. Official transcripts will be requested if and when you are admitted and decide to attend UCI . Do not send official transcripts until this time, unless you are requested to do so.
Applicants who have attended UCI must upload an unofficial transcript; the program cannot obtain them on the applicant’s behalf.

Questions Regarding Electronic App?

For any questions about the University Electronic Application, please contact UCI Graduate Division at [email protected]

Please submit the following in hard copy to the Programs in Writing at the address below AND upload them to the online application, as well:

1) Manuscript Submission Form:

Click HERE to download the form . Please do not staple this form to any other documents.

2) Autobiographical Statement :

500 to 1000 words, double-spaced, in 12-point font, stapled or paper-clipped with full name and page numbers on it. Please no colored paper and no fancy fonts. (Please, no Courier/Courier New font.)
The Autobiographical Statement is a self-portrait of the applicant as a writer and as a person. It may include the influence of favorite writers or teachers as well as personal experiences and information about how the practice of writing became important to the applicant’s life.
Please note that the Personal History Statement, the Statement of Purpose, and the Autobiographical Statement are three separate statements. It is fine if information in the three statements overlap.

3) Manuscript :

Place full name and page number on each page of the manuscript. A cover letter is optional but not required.
Fiction: No more than 40 pages of fiction, double-spaced, in 12-point font, stapled or paper-clipped. One story, a chapter from a novel in progress or several short stories is acceptable.
Poetry: A maximum of 10 poems, single-spaced, in 12-point font, totaling no more than 20 pages. More pages may be submitted if required to accommodate alternative spacing.

Mail all hard copy materials to:

UC Irvine, English Department MFA Programs in Writing 435 Humanities Instructional Building Irvine, CA 92697-2650

Please note : Due to the number of applications, we do not automatically confirm when application materials have been received. However, you can send us a self addressed stamped post card, which we will mail back to you, once we receive your application materials. For any questions please contact the Programs in Writing Administrator at [email protected] or (949) 824-6718. The Programs in Writing does not accept any materials submitted by email.

Contact MFA Programs in Writing

435 Humanities Instructional Building Irvine, CA 92697-2650

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IMAGES

50 Statement Of Purpose Examples (Graduate School, MBA, PhD) ᐅ
12 Excellent Statement of Purpose Examples to Inspire You
10 Statement Of Purpose Examples: How To Wow The Admission Committees
Statement Of Purpose Mfa Creative Writing
25+ Statement Of Purpose Examples & Samples (Graduate School, MBA, PhD
12 Excellent Statement of Purpose Examples to Inspire You

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Webinar: Creating a culture of sustainability with microlearning
Navigating People to Win in Life and Business
Maundering Meaning In English
How to write an SOP (Statement of Purpose) in just 300 words
Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing Faculty Voices: Lidia Yuknavitch

COMMENTS

10 Statement Of Purpose Examples: How To Wow ...
Reading some good statement of purpose examples and MFA personal statement samples can make your application season easier and less stressful. Also, it helps to read practical advice by professors who have sat on MFA in Creative Writing Admissions Committees, particularly professors who know what makes a good MFA personal statement.
How to Write Your MFA Statement of Purpose: A Success Story
Remember: if a school has a famous professor, everyone who applies will mention them in their MFA statement of purpose. 3. Prove that you're ready to succeed. You're applying to be a graduate student. Here, give them proof that you've been a good student in the past, and will continue to do so in the future.
What to say in your Statement of Purpose? (for an MFA Creative Writing
The most important thing you can do in your statement of purpose is to give a clear and concise description of the kind of writing you do. This might mean listing some of your influences, or it might mean describing your style. You can talk about what you want to write, as well as what you have written. And by all means, tell me what genre (s ...
Writing a Winning MFA Statement of Purpose: Example & Advice
Writing an MFA statement of purpose begins with a deep and introspective examination of one's unique experiences, interests, and goals. The essence of the statement lies in the ability to convey your journey and the specific motivations that drive your desire to pursue a master of fine arts. The document should provide a detailed account of ...
6 Tips for Getting Successfully Accepted into an MFA Program
What is a Statement of Purpose for an MFA in Creative Writing? The statement of purpose introduces you to the admissions committee. This is your opportunity to let them know who you are, your interests and background, and why you are pursuing an MFA. ... Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing programs accept a limited number of applicants ...
What to say in your Statement of Purpose? (for an MFA Creative Writing
Ok, as you've decided to apply to an MFA program in creative writing, and you are saddled with the unenviable chore of writing a "statement out purpose" or "letter of intent" as EGO decided to call it in our new low-residency MFA program's application requirements. You're undoubtedly flummoxed, thinking what the heck do I say,…
A Comprehensive Breakdown of My Statement of Purpose
As deadlines for applying to an MFA program approach, I want to share tips that will save you time when writing your Statement of Purpose, using my own SOP as an example. This is the time to show off your dynamic creative range outside of your specialized craft. My SOP was geared towards a creative writing MFA, but a lot of the concepts can be applied to any program you apply to. Check out my ...
MFA Program in Creative Writing
The Creative Writing Program offers the MFA degree, with a concentration in either poetry or fiction. MFA students pursue intensive study with distinguished faculty committed to creative and intellectual achievement. ... Please use the Academic Statement of Purpose to describe, within 1000 words: (1) your academic interests, (2) your academic ...
What to say in your Statement of Purpose? (for an MFA Creative Writing
Okay, so you've decided to apply to an MFA program in creative type, and you are saddled with the unenviable task of writing a "statement of purpose" or "letter of intent" as I decided into call a stylish in new low-residency MFA program's application requirements. You're undoubtedly flummoxed, thinking what which heck doing I say,…
How to Apply to MFA Programs in Creative Writing
In total, you can expect to do the following as part of the process of applying to MFA programs: Plan the overall process and create a timeline. Research MFA programs / Decide where to apply. Assemble your application materials, including: Creative Writing sample (10-20 pages of fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, etc.) Statement of Purpose.
Revisiting the Statement of Purpose for the MFA
Revisiting the Statement of Purpose for the MFA. Kendall Dunkelberg April 17, 2019 Education, MFA application, Writing creative writing, Kenzie Allen, letter of intent, MFA, statement of purpose. This week, I've been learning how to apply to MFA programs in creative writing: I decided to take a free course, even though I direct an MFA program.
Creative Writing (MFA in English)
Once recommended for admission, international students must send a Financial Statement. The MFA in English with a focus in Creative Writing is awarded by the Graduate College. The Creative Writing Program, also known as the Iowa Writers' Workshop, also offers Nondegree Course Work. For the MFA in English with a focus in nonfiction writing ...
Admissions
A Creative Writing Sample: ... Statement of Purpose - a statement approximately 300 words in length that gives us a sense of who you are as a writer and a person; ... should not apply for admission to the UA Graduate School until you receive permission from the MFA program to do so. Get connected on Facebook: Department of English
Statement of Purpose
Statement of Purpose for MFA in Creative Writing. Submit a statement of purpose (500 - 1,000 words) outlining your relationship to your chosen genre (s) and your own writing process, as well as your reasons for applying to our program. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Submit a statement of purpose (500 ...
a close read of my MFA statement of purpose
And so the statement of purpose for MFA programs in creative writing seems to be a dubious genre in which we are meant to recycle and repurpose the usual platitudes one finds in craft talks from the late mid-century, all about beauty and art and self-expression, or else we risk billing ourselves as propagandists and socialists.
The Personal Statement that got me into Five MFA Programs
The Personal Statement that got me into Five MFA Programs. During senior year of college, I was obsessed with getting into a Creative Writing MFA program. I hadn't participated in a single creative writing workshop, but I had always felt deeply that reading and writing were transcendental — that literature picked up where our bodies left ...
MFA Application Checklist
IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date. MFA in Creative Writing Application Checklist Meet the UW Graduate School's Minimum Admissions Requirements Unofficial Transcripts from All Colleges or Universities Attended Statement of Purpose (500 - 1,000 words) Critical Writing Sample Creative Writing Sample Three Letters of ...
MFA Admissions
Statement of Purpose: Your statement should give us a sense of who you are, what you seek from a writing program, and how your interests connect to what the University of Alabama's program offers. Writing Sample: For applicants in Prose, the writing sample should consist of 20-30 pages (fiction, nonfiction, or a combination of the two).
MFA Application Guidelines
Statement of Purpose. In 750-1000 words, discuss how the MFA Program in Creative Writing & Environment would further your academic, artistic, and professional goals (leave the actual admission application form blank where it requests a 500-word statement of purpose). Consider addressing some of the following in your Statement of Purpose:
A Guy Who May Have Read Your MFA Application Speaks
Our MFA program asks only for a writing sample and a cover letter to apply. There are no fees, no transcripts, no recommendation letters, no GRE scores required until we see if the writing is a fit. Of course applicants love this, and we like getting many packets to choose from. Still, hard decisions: only four open slots in fiction for the new ...
MFA
MFA. A Statement of Purpose for a Masters of Fine Arts program is perhaps the most difficult Statement of Purpose to write. Like your writing sample, your Statement will be scrutinized. But an MFA Statement of Purpose is also the type of Statement that allows for the most risk-taking. Successful MFA Statement of Purpose essays often read like ...
Statement of Purpose for MFA applicants : r/gradadmissions
Statement of Purpose for MFA applicants. Fine Arts. Hi, I'm applying for an MFA in creative writing. I've looked up guides on statement of purpose/intent and most are tailored for people going into non fine arts fields. They recommend not writing creatively. However, I've seen people say to include creative style/flair when writing SOPs for a ...
Creative Writing MFA
UMass Boston's Creative Writing MFA offers you an intense, 3-year program and focused opportunity to further your commitment to writing as the center of your professional life. ... If you want to apply in both genres, include one writing sample in FICTION and one in POETRY and indicate in the Statement of Purpose that the application is for ...
MFA Application Information
To apply to the MFA Programs in Writing, applicants must submit electronic and hard copy documents. Applications are complete when the Programs in Writing has received all of the documents listed below. These documents include the University Electronic Application (with the Statement of Purpose and the Personal History Statement), three letters of recommendation, unofficial transcripts, the ...