nyu mfa creative writing scholarship

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Program in Creative Writing

as.nyu.edu/cwp Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House, 58 West 10th Street, New York, NY 10011-8702 • 212-998-8816

Professor Landau

The New York University Program in Creative Writing, among the most distinguished programs in the country, is a leading national center for the study of writing and literature. The undergraduate and graduate programs provide students with an opportunity to develop their craft while working closely with some of the finest poets and novelists writing today. The creative writing program occupies a lovely townhouse on West 10th Street in the same Greenwich Village neighborhood where so many writers have lived and worked. The Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House allows writers—both established and emerging—to share their work in an inspiring setting.

The program's distinguished faculty of award-winning poets and prose writers represents a wide array of contemporary aesthetics. Our instructors have been the recipients of Pulitzer Prizes, MacArthur Genius, Guggenheim, and NEA fellowships, National Book and National Book Critics Circle awards, Pushcart Prizes, the Whiting Writer's Award, and more.

Undergraduates are encouraged to attend the program's reading series, which brings both established and new writers to NYU. Writing prizes, special events, and our undergraduate literary journal,  West 10th , further complement our course offerings and provide a sense of community for undergraduate writers. If you have questions about the minor in creative writing, please contact us at  [email protected] .

Creative Writing in Spanish (MFA)

Program description.

Due to its location in New York City, home to an important and diverse Latino and Latin American community, NYU is uniquely situated to offer a graduate Creative Writing Program in Spanish. New York has been a meeting point for Spanish and Latin American writers and journalists since the 19th century and a home to many of them. José Martí (Cuba), Gabriela Mistral (Chile), Federico García Lorca (Spain), Julia de Burgos (Puerto Rico), Francisco Ayala (Spain), Pedro Pietri (Puerto Rico) Manuel Ramos Otero (Puerto Rico), Manuel Puig (Argentina) and Reinaldo Arenas (Cuba), among many others, have in the past either settled in New York or spent extended periods of time there.

The end of the 20th century has seen this community of writers grow considerably both in visibility and cultural significance. Nowadays many Spanish and Latin American writers, such as Carmen Boullosa (Mexico), Cecilia Vicuña (Chile), Eduardo Lago (Spain), Mercedes Roffé (Argentina), Carmen Valle (Puerto Rico), and Roger Santiváñez (Peru) make of New York their temporary or permanent home.

Dada su ubicación privilegiada—la ciudad alberga a numerosas y diversas comunidades latinoamericanas—New York University es el lugar ideal para cursar un programa de escritura creativa en español. Desde el siglo XIX Nueva York viene atrayendo a escritores y periodistas españoles y latinoamericanos, y ha sido lugar de residencia de muchos de ellos. José Martí (Cuba), Gabriela Mistral (Chile), Federico García Lorca (España), Julia de Burgos (Puerto Rico), Francisco Ayala (España), Pedro Pietri (Puerto Rico), Manuel Ramos Otero (Puerto Rico), Manuel Puig (Argentina) y Reinaldo Arenas (Cuba), entre otros, vivieron en Nueva York o pasaron allí largas temporadas.

Esta comunidad de escritores ha aumentado considerablemente a lo largo del siglo veinte. Hoy son muchos los escritores hispanos que residen en esta ciudad o que alternan largas permanencias en ella con regresos a sus respectivos países, como Carmen Boullosa (México), Cecilia Vicuña (Chile), Eduardo Lago (España), Mercedes Roffé (Argentina), Carmen Valle (Puerto Rico) o Roger Santiváñez (Perú), para nombrar sólo algunos.

All applicants to the Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) are required to submit the  general application requirements , which include:

• Academic Transcripts
• Test Scores  (if required)
• Applicant Statements
• Résumé or Curriculum Vitae
• Letters of Recommendation , and
• A non-refundable  application fee .

See Spanish and Portuguese Languages and Literatures for admission requirements and instructions specific to this program.

Program Requirements

Master of fine arts thesis.

This program is a two-year program of 32 credits (i.e., eight courses, two per semester) and a creative writing thesis at the end. Workshops will be offered in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, theater, and translation. Additional workshops will be added to the program as needed.

At least two in the field in which the student plans to specialize.

May be in the Creative Writing Program, the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, or in another department, with an adviser’s approval.

Additional Program Requirements

Students will also write a thesis with the counsel of a faculty member and a second reader at the second year of their course of study. Students write this final independent project consisting of between 50-80 pages for prose, 40-50 pages for theater or translation (including source and target languages), 30 pages for poetry. This final project may include, or may be an expansion of work begun during previous courses, but it should represent a culminating effort to shape stories, prose pieces, a long narrative, a literary translation or a group of poems into a coherent, self-sufficient work.

Sample Plan of Study

Learning outcomes.

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will:

• Learn to write, read, and revise creative pieces including the following genres and forms: Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Theater, Literary Translation, Film Script, Hybrid Writing, Digital Writing. They will become proficient in copy-editing and style editing.
• Gain expertise in selection and organization of materials, and virtually proofreading, copy editing and style editing of literary texts submitted by participating as Committee Members and/or Board Members in the layout and contents supervision of Temporales , our MFA online magazine.
• Be able to teach Language courses in Spanish, including elementary and intermediate levels.
• Be able to study and revise the literary traditions of Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as that of Spain, and the USA, including those written and performed in Spanish, English and Spanglish.

NYU Policies

Graduate school of arts and science policies.

University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages .

Academic Policies for the Graduate School of Arts and Science can be found on the Academic Policies page . 

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• Fully-Funded Programs
• Fellowships, Grants, & Scholarships
• Workshops, Retreats, & Residencies
• Organizations, Conferences, & Festivals
• Websites, Podcasts, & Social Media
• Books, Magazines, & Media

Fellowships, Grants, & Scholarships

A collection of fellowships, grants, and scholarships for creative writing.

Here you will find a variety of opportunities to support your writing pursuits, whether you are a student, established writer, or emerging talent. Our selection includes funding for fiction, poetry, nonfiction, playwriting, and more. Explore the options below to find the perfect fit for your writing goals. 

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | #  

• Akademie Schloss Solitude
• Anisfield-Wolf Fellowship
• Bennett Fellowship at Exeter
• Gaius Charles Bolin Fellowship
• CAAP Creative Writing Fellowship
• Dalton Creative Writing Program Fellowship
• Barbara Deming Memorial Fund
• Emory Creative Writing Fellowship
• The Hodder Fellowship
• Kenan Visiting Writer
• Kenyon Review Fellowship
• Ruth Lily and Dorothy Sargent Rosenburg Poetry Fellowship
• Jenny McKean Moore Writer-in-Washington
• National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship
• Olive B. O’Connor Fellowship
• Penn State, Altoona, Emerging Writer-in-Residence
• Princeton Arts Fellowship
• Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center Fellowship
• Radcliffe Institute Fellowship
• Wallace Stegner Fellowship
• Stadler Fellowship
• Steinbeck Fellows Program
• Sustainable Arts Foundation Awards
• Reginald S. Tickner Writing Fellowship
• Tulsa Artist Fellowship
• The Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing Fellowship

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15 Best Creative Writing MFA Programs in 2024

May 15, 2024

Whether you studied at a top creative writing university or are a high school dropout who will one day become a bestselling author , you may be considering an MFA in Creative Writing. But is a writing MFA genuinely worth the time and potential costs? How do you know which program will best nurture your writing? If you’re considering an MFA, this article walks you through the best full-time, low residency, and online Creative Writing MFA programs in the United States.

What are the best Creative Writing MFA programs?

Before we get into the meat and potatoes of this article, let’s start with the basics. What is an MFA, anyway?

A Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a graduate degree that usually takes from two to three years to complete. Applications typically require a sample portfolio, usually 10-20 pages (and sometimes up to 30-40) of your best writing. Moreover, you can receive an MFA in a particular genre, such as Fiction or Poetry, or more broadly in Creative Writing. However, if you take the latter approach, you often have the opportunity to specialize in a single genre.

Wondering what actually goes on in a creative writing MFA beyond inspiring award-winning books and internet memes ? You enroll in workshops where you get feedback on your creative writing from your peers and a faculty member. You enroll in seminars where you get a foundation of theory and techniques. Then, you finish the degree with a thesis project. Thesis projects are typically a body of polished, publishable-quality creative work in your genre—fiction, nonfiction, or poetry.

Why should I get an MFA in Creative Writing?

You don’t need an MFA to be a writer. Just look at Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison or bestselling novelist Emily St. John Mandel.

Nonetheless, there are plenty of reasons you might still want to get a creative writing MFA. The first is, unfortunately, prestige. An MFA from a top program can help you stand out in a notoriously competitive industry to be published.

The second reason: time. Many MFA programs give you protected writing time, deadlines, and maybe even a (dainty) salary.

Third, an MFA in Creative Writing is a terminal degree. This means that this degree allows you to teach writing at the university level, especially after you publish a book.

Fourth: resources. MFA programs are often staffed by brilliant, award-winning writers; offer lecture series, volunteer opportunities, and teaching positions; and run their own (usually prestigious) literary magazines. Such resources provide you with the knowledge and insight you’ll need to navigate the literary and publishing world on your own post-graduation.

But above all, the biggest reason to pursue an MFA is the community it brings you. You get to meet other writers—and share feedback, advice, and moral support—in relationships that can last for decades.

Types of Creative Writing MFA Programs

Here are the different types of programs to consider, depending on your needs:

Fully-Funded Full-Time Programs

These programs offer full-tuition scholarships and sweeten the deal by actually paying you to attend them.

• Pros: You’re paid to write (and teach).
• Cons: Uprooting your entire life to move somewhere possibly very cold.

Full-Time MFA Programs

These programs include attending in-person classes and paying tuition (though many offer need-based and merit scholarships).

• Pros: Lots of top-notch non-funded programs have more assets to attract world-class faculty and guests.
• Cons: It’s an investment that might not pay itself back.

Low-Residency MFA Programs

Low-residency programs usually meet biannually for short sessions. They also offer one-on-one support throughout the year. These MFAs are more independent, preparing you for what the writing life is actually like.

• Pros: No major life changes required. Cons: Less time dedicated to writing and less time to build relationships.

Online MFA Programs

Held 100% online. These programs have high acceptance rates and no residency requirement. That means zero travel or moving expenses.

• Pros: No major life changes required.
• Cons: These MFAs have less name recognition.

The Top 15 Creative Writing MFA Programs Ranked by Category

The following programs are selected for their balance of high funding, impressive return on investment, stellar faculty, major journal publications , and impressive alums.

FULLY FUNDED MFA PROGRAMS

1) johns hopkins university , mfa in fiction/poetry.

This two-year program offers an incredibly generous funding package: $39,000 teaching fellowships each year. Not to mention, it offers that sweet, sweet health insurance, mind-boggling faculty, and the option to apply for a lecture position after graduation. Many grads publish their first book within three years (nice). No nonfiction MFA (boo).

• Location: Baltimore, MD
• Incoming class size: 8 students (4 per genre)
• Admissions rate: 4-8%
• Alumni: Chimamanda Adichie, Jeffrey Blitz, Wes Craven, Louise Erdrich, Porochista Khakpour, Phillis Levin, ZZ Packer, Tom Sleigh, Elizabeth Spires, Rosanna Warren

2) University of Texas, James Michener Center

The only MFA that offers full and equal funding for every writer. It’s three years long, offers a generous yearly stipend of $30k, and provides full tuition plus a health insurance stipend. Fiction, poetry, playwriting, and screenwriting concentrations are available. The Michener Center is also unique because you study a primary genre and a secondary genre, and also get $4,000 for the summer.

• Location : Austin, TX
• Incoming class size : 12 students
• Acceptance rate: a bone-chilling less-than-1% in fiction; 2-3% in other genres
• Alumni: Fiona McFarlane, Brian McGreevy, Karan Mahajan, Alix Ohlin, Kevin Powers, Lara Prescott, Roger Reeves, Maria Reva, Domenica Ruta, Sam Sax, Joseph Skibell, Dominic Smith

3) University of Iowa

The Iowa Writers’ Workshop is a 2-year program on a residency model for fiction and poetry. This means there are low requirements, and lots of time to write groundbreaking novels or play pool at the local bar. All students receive full funding, including tuition, a living stipend, and subsidized health insurance. The Translation MFA , co-founded by Gayatri Chakravorti Spivak, is also two years long but with more intensive coursework. The Nonfiction Writing Program is a prestigious three-year MFA program and is also intensive.

• Incoming class size: 25 each for poetry and fiction; 10-12 for nonfiction and translation.
• Acceptance rate: 2.7-3.7%
• Fantastic Alumni: Raymond Carver, Flannery O’Connor, Sandra Cisneros, Joy Harjo, Garth Greenwell, Kiley Reid, Brandon Taylor, Eula Biss, Yiyun Li, Jennifer Croft

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs (Continued) 

4) university of michigan.

Anne Carson famously lives in Ann Arbor, as do the MFA students in UMichigan’s Helen Zell Writers’ Program. This is a big university town, which is less damaging to your social life. Plus, there’s lots to do when you have a $25,000 stipend, summer funding, and health care.

This is a 2-3-year program in either fiction or poetry, with an impressive reputation. They also have a demonstrated commitment to “ push back against the darkness of intolerance and injustice ” and have outreach programs in the community.

• Location: Ann Arbor, MI
• Incoming class size: 18 (9 in each genre)
• Acceptance rate: 2%
• Alumni: Brit Bennett, Vievee Francis, Airea D. Matthews, Celeste Ng, Chigozie Obioma, Jia Tolentino, Jesmyn Ward

5) Brown University

Brown offers an edgy, well-funded program in a place that only occasionally dips into arctic temperatures. All students are fully funded for 2 years, which includes tuition remission and a $32k yearly stipend. Students also get summer funding and—you guessed it—that sweet, sweet health insurance.

In the Brown Literary Arts MFA, students take only one workshop and one elective per semester. It’s also the only program in the country to feature a Digital/Cross Disciplinary Track.  Fiction and Poetry Tracks are offered as well.

• Location: Providence, RI
• Incoming class size: 12-13
• Acceptance rate: “highly selective”
• Alumni: Edwidge Danticat, Jaimy Gordon, Gayl Jones, Ben Lerner, Joanna Scott, Kevin Young, Ottessa Moshfegh

6) University of Arizona

This 3-year program with fiction, poetry, and nonfiction tracks has many attractive qualities. It’s in “ the lushest desert in the world, ” and was recently ranked #4 in creative writing programs, and #2 in Nonfiction. You can take classes in multiple genres, and in fact, are encouraged to do so. Plus, Arizona’s dry heat is good for arthritis.

This notoriously supportive program is fully funded. Moreover, teaching assistantships that provide a salary, health insurance, and tuition waiver are offered to all students. Tucson is home to a hopping literary scene, so it’s also possible to volunteer at multiple literary organizations and even do supported research at the US-Mexico Border.

• Location: Tucson, AZ
• Incoming class size: usually 6
• Acceptance rate: 1.2% (a refreshingly specific number after Brown’s evasiveness)
• Alumni: Francisco Cantú, Jos Charles, Tony Hoagland, Nancy Mairs, Richard Russo, Richard Siken, Aisha Sabatini Sloan, David Foster Wallace

7) Arizona State University 

With concentrations in fiction and poetry, Arizona State is a three-year funded program in arthritis-friendly dry heat. It offers small class sizes, individual mentorships, and one of the most impressive faculty rosters in the game. Moreover, it encourages cross-genre study.

Funding-wise, everyone has the option to take on a teaching assistantship position, which provides a tuition waiver, health insurance, and a yearly stipend of $25k. Other opportunities for financial support exist as well.

• Location: Tempe, AZ
• Incoming class size: 8-10
• Acceptance rate: 3% (sigh)
• Alumni: Tayari Jones, Venita Blackburn, Dorothy Chan, Adrienne Celt, Dana Diehl, Matthew Gavin Frank, Caitlin Horrocks, Allegra Hyde, Hugh Martin, Bonnie Nadzam

FULL-RESIDENCY MFAS (UNFUNDED)

8) new york university.

This two-year program is in New York City, meaning it comes with close access to literary opportunities and hot dogs. NYU also has one of the most accomplished faculty lists anywhere. Students have large cohorts (more potential friends!) and have a penchant for winning top literary prizes. Concentrations in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction are available.

• Location: New York, NY
• Incoming class size: ~60; 20-30 students accepted for each genre
• Acceptance rate: 6-9%
• Alumni: Nick Flynn, Nell Freudenberger, Aracelis Girmay, Mitchell S. Jackson, Tyehimba Jess, John Keene, Raven Leilani, Robin Coste Lewis, Ada Limón, Ocean Vuong

9) Columbia University

Another 2-3 year private MFA program with drool-worthy permanent and visiting faculty. Columbia offers courses in fiction, poetry, translation, and nonfiction. Beyond the Ivy League education, Columbia offers close access to agents, and its students have a high record of bestsellers. Finally, teaching positions and fellowships are available to help offset the high tuition.

• Incoming class size: 110
• Acceptance rate: not publicized (boo)
• Alumni: Alexandra Kleeman, Rachel Kushner, Claudia Rankine, Rick Moody, Sigrid Nunez, Tracy K. Smith, Emma Cline, Adam Wilson, Marie Howe, Mary Jo Bang

10) Sarah Lawrence 

Sarah Lawrence offers a concentration in speculative fiction in addition to the average fiction, poetry, and nonfiction choices. Moreover, they encourage cross-genre exploration. With intimate class sizes, this program is unique because it offers biweekly one-on-one conferences with its stunning faculty. It also has a notoriously supportive atmosphere, and many teaching and funding opportunities are available.

• Location: Bronxville, NY
• Incoming class size: 30-40
• Acceptance rate: not publicized
• Alumni: Cynthia Cruz, Melissa Febos, T Kira Madden, Alex Dimitrov, Moncho Alvarado

LOW RESIDENCY

11) bennington college.

This two-year program boasts truly stellar faculty, and meets twice a year for ten days in January and June. It’s like a biannual vacation in beautiful Vermont, plus mentorship by a famous writer. The rest of the time, you’ll be spending approximately 25 hours per week on reading and writing assignments. Students have the option to concentrate in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Uniquely, they can also opt for a dual-genre focus.

The tuition is $23,468 per year, with scholarships available. Additionally, Bennington offers full-immersion teaching fellowships to MFA students, which are extremely rare in low-residency programs.

• Location: Bennington, VT
• Acceptance rate: 53%
• Incoming class: 25-35
• Alumni: Larissa Pham, Andrew Reiner, Lisa Johnson Mitchell, and others

12)  Institute for American Indian Arts

This two-year program emphasizes Native American and First Nations writing. With truly amazing faculty and visiting writers, they offer a wide range of genres, including screenwriting, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. In addition, each student is matched with a faculty mentor who works with them one-on-one throughout the semester.

Students attend two eight-day residencies each year, in January and July, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. At $12,000 in tuition a year, it boasts being “ one of the most affordable MFA programs in the country .”

• Location: Santa Fe, NM
• Incoming class size : 21
• Alumni: Tommy Orange, Dara Yen Elerath, Kathryn Wilder

13) Vermont College of Fine Arts

VCFA is the only graduate school on this list that focuses exclusively on the fine arts. Their MFA in Writing offers concentrations in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction; they also offer an MFA in Literary Translation and one of the few MFAs in Writing for Children and Young Adults . Students meet twice a year for nine days, in January and July, either in-person or online. Here, they receive one-on-one mentorship that continues for the rest of the semester. You can also do many travel residencies in exciting (and warm) places like Cozumel.

VCFA boasts amazing faculty and visiting writers, with individualized study options and plenty of one-on-one time. Tuition for the full two-year program is approximately $54k.

• Location : Various; 2024/25 residencies are in Colorado and California
• Incoming class size: 18-25
• Acceptance rate: 63%
• Alumnx: Lauren Markham, Mary-Kim Arnold, Cassie Beasley, Kate Beasley, Julie Berry, Bridget Birdsall, Gwenda Bond, Pablo Cartaya

ONLINE MFAS

14) university of texas at el paso.

UTEP is considered the best online MFA program, and features award-winning faculty from across the globe. Accordingly, this program is geared toward serious writers who want to pursue teaching and/or publishing. Intensive workshops allow submissions in Spanish and/or English, and genres include poetry and fiction.

No residencies are required, but an optional opportunity to connect in person is available every year. This three-year program costs about $25-30k total, depending on whether you are an in-state or out-of-state resident.

• Location: El Paso, TX
• Acceptance rate: “highly competitive”
• Alumni: Watch alumni testimonies here

15) Bay Path University

This 2-year online, no-residency program is dedicated entirely to nonfiction. Featuring a supportive, diverse community, Bay Path offers small class sizes, close mentorship, and an optional yearly field trip to Ireland.

There are many tracks, including publishing, narrative medicine, and teaching creative writing. Moreover, core courses include memoir, narrative journalism, food/travel writing, and the personal essay. Tuition is approximately $31,000 for the entire program, with scholarships available.

• Location: Longmeadow, MA
• Incoming class size: 20
• Alumni: Read alumni testimonies here

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs — Final Thoughts

Whether you’re aiming for a fully funded, low residency, or completely online MFA program, there are plenty of incredible options available—all of which will sharpen your craft while immersing you in the vibrant literary arts community.

Hoping to prepare for your MFA in advance? You might consider checking out the following:

• Best English Programs
• Best Colleges for Creative Writing
• Writing Summer Programs
• Best Writing Competitions for High School Students

Inspired to start writing? Get your pencil ready:

• 100 Creative Writing Prompts 
• 1 00 Tone Words to Express Mood in Your Writing
• 60 Senior Project Ideas
• Common App Essay Prompts

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs – References:

• https://www.pw.org/mfa
• The Creative Writing MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Graduate Students , by Tom Kealey (A&C Black 2005)
• Graduate School Admissions

Julia Conrad

With a Bachelor of Arts in English and Italian from Wesleyan University as well as MFAs in both Nonfiction Writing and Literary Translation from the University of Iowa, Julia is an experienced writer, editor, educator, and a former Fulbright Fellow. Julia’s work has been featured in  The Millions ,  Asymptote , and  The Massachusetts Review , among other publications. To read more of her work, visit  www.juliaconrad.net

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Creative Writing Program

The New School invites you to join a community of diverse writers, become part of New York City’s publishing world, and build a network of support on campus and beyond. Our prestigious MFA Creative Writing program is designed to help you develop your writing in supportive workshops and literature seminars led by an internationally recognized faculty and renowned authors.

books published annually by alumni and faculty

annual writing events, including the National Book Awards Finalist Reading

of admitted MFA students awarded merit-based university scholarships (2020–2021)

MFA in Creative Writing

As an MFA student at The New School, you can choose your concentration—in Arts Writing, Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, or Writing for Children and Young Adults—and receive personalized faculty mentorship and faculty and peer critiques. Innovative courses in publishing and multimedia storytelling engage you in the development of literature. Popular graduate minors include Impact Entrepreneurship and Transmedia and Digital Storytelling . Or you can apply to WriteOn NYC! , a New School–funded fellowship program providing MFA students with high-quality teaching experience in area middle schools and high schools. All students benefit from evening classes and events, which enable them to work or attend responsibilities during the day while enrolled in a  full-time program.

Related Programs

In addition to the renowned MFA in Creative Writing, The New School offers other programs and opportunities for writing students. These include noncredit courses and summer intensives, as well as an undergraduate major in the Bachelor’s Program for Adults and Transfer Students, the Writing and Democracy Honors Program, and undergraduate minors in related fields. Summer Writing Intensive Continuing Education Courses Writing & Democracy Honors Program BA in Creative Writing Undergraduate Creative Writing Courses

• Meet our faculty

The Writer’s Life in NYC

Creative Writing students come to The New School from across the United States and around the world to live the writer's life in New York City. Evenings with agents and editors, offered exclusively for MFA students, provide informal opportunities to meet publishing professionals.

The New School Bookshelf

We are proud to feature books recently published by The New School's Creative Writing community.

Sigrid Nunez, Faculty

Hurricane Child

Kacen callender, mfa '14.

The Impeachers

Brenda wineapple, faculty.

The January Children

Safia elhillo, mfa '15.

Mira Jacob, Faculty and MFA '01

Events & news.

• The Vera List Center for Art and Politics Presents New School New Books Event Series
• Adrian Madlener, History of Design and Curatorial Studies ’18, Explores Design Through Writing and Research
• The Vera List Center for Art and Politics Hosts Reading Room Featuring Faculty Books
• Richard Barone, School of Jazz and Contemporary Music Faculty Member, Debuts New Book about Music Scene in 1960’s Greenwich Village
• New Faculty Achievements from Across The New School Include Fellowships, Grants, and More
• Alexandra Kleeman, SPE Assistant Professor of Writing, Awarded Guggenheim Fellowship in Fiction

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Anne Carson, Kaveh Akbar, Rae Armantrout, and Joyce Carol Oates Among Those Featured at NYU’s Creative Writing Program Fall Events

The Creative Writing Program’s Fall 2022 Reading Series begins this month with events featuring Anne Carson (Sept. 17 & 18), Kaveh Akbar (Oct. 7), Rae Armantrout (Oct. 7), and Joyce Carol Oates (Oct. 27), among others.

The New York University Creative Writing Program’s Fall 2022 Reading Series begins this month with events featuring Anne Carson (Sept. 17 & 18), Kaveh Akbar (Oct. 7), Rae Armantrout (Oct. 7), and Joyce Carol Oates (Oct. 27), among others.

All events are held in the program’s Greenwich Village home, the Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House, located at 58 W. 10th Street (between 5th and 6th Aves.) and are free and open to the public. Attendees must show proof of government-issued ID and COVID-19 vaccination and booster. An RSVP is required (see links below), and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, call 212.998.8816 or visit the program's web site . 

Friday, September 16 and Saturday, September 17, 7 p.m.   (same performance each night) The Egocircus Collective with Anne Carson and Robert Currie SALT! Objects and Live Performances  RSVP

In spring 2020 at the Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House at NYU, Anne Carson with Robert Currie offered a seminar called “Egocircus, a Workshop in Collaboration.” In March of that year, like every class at NYU, it was moved online. Two and a half years later, 12 or so writers are still meeting but have become a kind of arts collective—a lab for the trying out and critiquing of ideas in art making. SALT! consists of  a number of duet pieces made in a variety of media with the common theme of salt, to be shown in various rooms in the Writers House. In addition to Anne Carson and Robert Currie, the performers are: Joanna Acevedo, Sasha Burshteyn, Charis Caputo, Sara Elkamel, Amir Hall, Bayan Kiwan, Jenna Lanzaro, Amanda Larson, Jiaoyang Li, Cleo Qian, Will Walton, and JinJin Xu.

Anne Carson has been a professor for over 30 years. She was twice a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award; was honored with the 1996 Lannan Award and the 1997 Pushcart Prize, both for poetry; and was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2000. In 2001 she received the T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry—the first woman to do so, the 2001 Griffin Poetry Prize and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. In 2020, Carson was awarded Spain’s prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for Literature . 

Thursday, October 6, 7 p.m. The Rona Jaffe Foundation/NYU Creative Writing Program Graduate Fellowship Fifteenth Anniversary Reading Co-sponsored with the Rona Jaffe Foundation This event will be held in person and will be live streamed via Zoom; RSVP required for either format. In person ;  Zoom

Celebrating 15 years of partnership between the Rona Jaffe Foundation and the NYU Graduate Creative Writing Program. Readings by four fellowship alumni recipients: Elaine Hsieh Chou, Marissa Davis, Sasha Debevec-McKenney, and Julia Pierpont. The Rona Jaffe Foundation fellowship is given annually to an incoming first-year female MFA student. 

Friday, October 7, 5 p.m. Poetry Reading: Kaveh Akbar and Rae Armantrout RSVP

Kaveh Akbar's poems appear in the New Yorker , the  Paris Review , the New York Times , Best American Poetry , and elsewhere. He is the author of two books of poetry— Pilgrim Bell (Graywolf 2021) and Calling a Wolf a Wolf (Alice James, 2017)—and the editor of the Penguin Book of Spiritual Verse . He serves as poetry editor for the Nation . Rae Armantrout’s poetry collections include Finalists (Wesleyan, 2022), Conjure (Wesleyan, 2020), which was named one of  the 10 best books of 2020 by Library Journal. Her 2018 book, Wobble , was a finalist for the National Book Award that year. In 2010 Versed won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and the National Book Critics Circle Award. 

Thursday, October 13, 7 p.m. Fiction Alumni Reading: Tess Gunty and Isabel Kaplan RSVP

Tess Gunty holds an MFA in creative writing from NYU, where she was a Lillian Vernon Fellow. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in the Iowa Review , Joyland , Literary Hub, Granta , the Los Angeles Review of Books , Freeman’s , and other publications. The Rabbit Hutch , her first novel, was shortlisted for the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize. Isabel Kaplan is the author of the national bestselling novel NSFW , which has been longlisted for the Center For Fiction’s First Novel Prize, as well as the national bestselling young adult novel Hancock Park . She graduated from Harvard and holds an MFA in creative writing from NYU.

Thursday, October 20, 7 p.m. Poetry Reading: Alex Dimitrov, Robert Wood Lynn, and Jenny Xie RSVP

Alex Dimitrov is the author of three books of poems, Love and Other Poems , Together and by Ourselves , and Begging for It . His poems have been published in the New Yorker , the New York Times , the Paris Review , and Poetry . With Dorothea Lasky he is the co-author of Astro Poets: Your Guides to the Zodiac . Robert Wood Lynn is a writer from Virginia. His debut collection, Mothman Apologia , was selected by Rae Armantrout for the 2021 Yale Series of Younger Poets prize, and his chapbook How To Maintain Eye Contact is forthcoming from Button Poetry in January 2023. Jenny Xie is the author of Eye Level , a finalist for the National Book Award and the recipient of the Walt Whitman Award of the Academy of American Poets, and The Rupture Tense . An alum of the NYU MFA Program, she has been supported by fellowships and grants from Civitella Ranieri Foundation, Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, Kundiman, and New York Foundation for the Arts. 

Thursday, October 27, 7 p.m. New Salon: Fiction Writers in Conversation Joanna Margaret and Joyce Carol Oates, in conversation with Darin Strauss RSVP

Joanna Margaret is a New York–based writer and historian. In 2019, she received her MFA in fiction from NYU and was awarded a scholarship to the New York State Summer Writers Institute. She holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of St. Andrews. Her debut novel, The Bequest , is out from Scarlet in October 2022. The Bequest follows a group of young scholars in Europe, as they unravel a five hundred year-old mystery with eerie repercussions in the present. Joyce Carol Oates is a recipient of the National Book Award and the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in Short Fiction. She has published numerous essays and memoirs, novellas, plays, children's and young adult fiction, and dozens of works of short fiction, poetry, and fiction, including We Were the Mulvaneys and Blonde (a finalist for the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize), as well as the New York Times bestsellers The Falls (winner of the 2005 Prix Femina Etranger) and The Gravedigger’s Daughter and A Book of American Martyrs . Her most recent works include the poetry collection American Melancholy (2021), collection of stories The (Other) You (2021), and a novel Breathe (2021). She is Distinguished Writer-in-Residence at NYU. Darin Strauss is the internationally bestselling author of the novels Chang and Eng , The Real McCoy , More Than it Hurts You , the NBCC-winning memoir, Half a Life , the comic-book series, Olivia Twist , and most recently the acclaimed novel, The Queen of Tuesday: A Lucille Ball Story (Random House, 2020). A recipient of a National Book Critics Circle Award, the Guggenheim Fellowship, an American Library Association Award, and numerous other prizes, Strauss has written screenplays for Disney, Gary Oldman, and Julie Taymor. His work has been translated into 14 languages and published in 19 countries, and he is a clinical professor at the NYU Creative Writing Program.

Friday, October 28, 5 p.m. LIBER Magazine November/December Issue Launch Reading with Anna Godbersen, Laurie Stone, and Aline Mello Co-sponsored with LIBER: A Feminist Review RSVP

Anna Godbersen holds an MFA in fiction from NYU, where she was the Axinn Foundation writer-in-residence and the NYU Veterans Writing Workshop fellow. She is the author of several bestselling historical novels for young adults, including the Luxe series. Laurie Stone writes the Streaming Now column for LIBER and is the author of Streaming Now: Postcards from the Thing that is Happening (Dottir Press, 2022). A longtime writer for the Village Voice , Stone was theater critic for the Nation and critic-at-large for NPR’s "Fresh Air". Aline Mello's debut poetry collection More Salt than Diamond was published by Andrews McMeel in 2022. 

Subways: F, L, M (14th Street/6th Avenue); 1 (Christopher Street); A, B, C, D, E, F, M (West 4th Street).

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Published September 13, 2023

A Tale of Three Cities: NYU’s Summer Creative Writing Programs

Staff Writer

• Aspiring writers can spend a month honing their craft in Paris, Florence, or New York City.
• These summer programs are open to current NYU undergrads as well as visiting students.
• Writers immerse themselves in their cities and learn from leading literary and creative minds.

Writers draw inspiration from their own experiences, and for many, global cities become their muse. At NYU, aspiring poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers can enroll in a monthlong immersive summer program through the College of Arts and Science . Participants choose between Paris, Florence, and New York City, and then hone their creative writing skills against the backdrop of an iconic city. Below, three aspiring wordsmiths share their experiences living a writer’s life.

Enjoy a Moveable Feast in Paris

NYU English and American Literature major Isean Bhalla chose to study in Paris because a friend completed the program and loved it. Their endorsement? “‘It was the greatest month of my life,’ word for word,” Isean recalls. “Plus, one does not say no to Paris. Ever.” Reflecting back, Isean credits growing as a creative writer to the program’s high-quality faculty and “excellent” nightly readings from “world-class writers.” “It gave me a greater understanding of my own voice as well as things I want to write about in the future,” Isean affirms.

Most importantly, however, Writers in Paris connected Isean to an inspiring community that was rich in writing talent and friendship. “The program put me in constant contact with other writers who were better than I was. They pushed me in ways I couldn’t. Being around writers 24/7 doesn’t sound like it’s that important, but I found it more stimulating for my writing than anything else. That’s all anyone ever talked about or thought about. So we’d feed off each other and get better.” And, of course, being in Paris didn’t hurt. Isean says, “Paris is a muse; Paris has always been a muse; and I suspect Paris will always be a muse.”

Get a Room with a View in Florence

Katherine Ertman always considered writing a hobby, but after attending Writers in Florence , she realized it could be a career. The NYU Vocal Performance major is training to be an opera singer, but in Florence, she found that “writing my own stories instead of performing stories written by others was a refreshing experience.” In fact, Katherine spent the past summer completing a Creative Writing minor by enrolling in both Writers in Florence and Writers in Paris. “It seemed like an amazing opportunity to complete all 16 credits while exploring two inspiring European cities,” she explains.

In Florence Katherine drew inspiration from a day trip to Castello di Fosdinovo, a Tuscan medieval castle. In Paris she attended readings by renowned authors outside the iconic Shakespeare and Company bookstore. “The locations really influenced me, and I ended up writing a few stories set in both locations,” Katherine says. In the end, she urges anyone interested to enroll, even if they’ve never shared their creative writing with others. “Just try it!” she exclaims. “Writing was a hobby for me, and I went in without any prior workshop experience. Also, I was intimidated because I’m not an English major. However, my fears were unfounded because the faculty and students alike were so supportive. It’s an experience I wouldn’t trade for the world.”

A Writer Grows in New York City

Esmé Warmuth grew up close to New York City, admiring the city from afar but never spending much time there. So when the English major learned that she could join NYU’s Writers in New York program as a visiting student , she jumped at the chance. “I’ve been a longtime admirer of NYU’s creative writing faculty,” she adds. Living in Greenwich Village, Esmé connected with published authors, literary agents, and magazine editors, gaining valuable professional experience. She particularly enjoyed a panel with program alumni. “It was helpful to hear from authors who had started where we were and wound up with book deals, jobs teaching creative writing, and overall successful careers,” she explains.

During her month in New York City, Esmé sharpened her skills as a writer and gained confidence in her abilities. “Receiving, giving, and listening to advice in class helped me grow my craft and gave me the opportunity to share my writing with a receptive and positive audience,” she says. All in all, the experience was better than she could have imagined. “The Writers in New York program was like nothing I ever experienced before,” she concludes. “Being among students my age who were just as passionate about books and writing as I am was wonderful. Plus, everyone came in with a great attitude and a willingness to learn. I’m very grateful.”

A Creative Writing Minor Complements Any Major

Across majors and around the world, NYU students find the value in a Creative Writing minor.

A Guide to Writing Majors at NYU

At NYU, English and creative writing aren’t the only options for aspiring writers!

Find Joie de Vivre at NYU Paris

At NYU Paris, you can practice your French, take courses at local institutions, and soak in the French capital’s storied culture.

New York University

New York , NY

http://cwp.as.nyu.edu/

Degrees Offered

Fiction, Poetry

Residency type

Program length.

32 points (2 years)

Financial Aid

All incoming students to the Creative Writing Program receive Departmental Fellowships, ranging from half-tuition remission to full-tuition remission with generous stipends. Additionally, all incoming students receive undergraduate teaching positions during the second year. These positions involve designing and teaching a semester-long introductory course in creative writing for undergraduates, as well as attending a teaching practicum offered by the program. Compensation for teaching is approximately $4,800 per course.

Teaching opportunities

The program is committed to providing teacher training to interested and qualified students. All graduate students are offered undergraduate teaching positions during their second year in the program. Recipients of these positions design and teach a semester-long introductory course in creative writing for undergraduates and take a teaching practicum offered by the program. These positions offer a stipend of approximately $4,800 per course.

Cross-genre study

Occasionally, with permission of the instructor and if there is sufficient room for enrollment, MFA students may have the option to take a craft course in the other genre. However, due to curricular requirements, M.A. students may not.

• Pearl Abraham MFA
• Kazim Ali MFA
• Jacob M. Appel MFA (Fiction) 2000
• Amir Ahmadi Arian MFA 2018
• C. Morgan Babst MFA (Fiction) 2009
• Sara Batkie MFA (Fiction) 2010
• Ciaran Berry MFA 2004
• Ryan Black MFA (Poetry) 2004
• Paula Bohince MFA
• J. Scott Brownlee MFA 2014
• Julie Carr MFA (Poetry) 1997
• Rebecca Chace MFA
• Rita Chang-Eppig MFA (Fiction)
• Colin Cheney MFA
• Ama Codjoe MFA (Poetry)
• Adam Day MFA
• Emari DiGiorgio MFA (Poetry) 2005
• Matt Donovan MFA
• E. A. Durden MFA
• Louisa Ermelino MA
• Jameson Fitzpatrick MFA (Poetry)
• Nick Flynn MFA
• Sidik Fofana MFA
• Nell Freudenberger MFA (Fiction) 2000
• Aracelis Girmay MFA (Poetry)
• Josh Goldfaden MFA
• Kathleen Graber MFA
• Ona Gritz MFA (Poetry) 1987
• Isabella Hammad MFA (Fiction) 2016
• Megan Harlan MFA (Fiction/Poetry)
• Enid Harlow MA
• Giles Harvey MFA
• Graham Hillard MFA 2005
• Ron Huett MFA
• Blair Hurley MFA (Fiction) 2011
• Ishion Hutchinson MFA (Poetry) 2008
• Mitchell S. Jackson MFA (Fiction) 2004
• Rachel Kadish MA
• Adrianna Kalfopoulou MA (Fiction) 1984
• Melissa Kirsch MFA (Poetry)
• Jennifer L. Knox MFA (Poetry)
• Vladislava Kolosova MFA 2014
• Alisa Koyrakh MFA (Fiction) 2016
• Quraysh Ali Lansana MFA (Poetry) 2002
• Matthew Lansburgh MFA (Fiction) 2015
• Richard Scott Larson MFA (Fiction) 2015
• Dana Levin MFA (Poetry) 1992
• Robin Coste Lewis MFA (Poetry)
• Alyson Lie MA 1991
• Ada Limón MFA (Poetry) 2001
• Maxim Loskutoff MFA (Fiction) 2012
• Donna Masini MFA (Poetry) 1988
• Maaza Mengiste MFA
• Ben Miller MFA (Fiction) 1988
• John Murillo MFA
• Yannick Murphy MFA
• Francico Márquez MFA (Poetry) 2017
• Daniel Nester MFA (Poetry) 1997
• Angelo Nikolopoulos MFA
• Kéchi Nné Nomu MFA (Poetry) 2022
• Gregory Pardlo MFA 2001
• Morgan Parker MFA (Poetry) 2012
• Claire Phillips MA
• Matthew Pitt MFA
• Steven Potter MFA (Fiction) 2016
• Richard Prins MFA (Poetry) 2012
• Emily Raboteau MFA (Fiction) 2002
• Max Ross MFA 2011
• Elissa Schappell MFA
• Jason Schneiderman MFA (Poetry) 2001
• Nicole Sealey MFA (Poetry) 2014
• Susan Shapiro MFA 1983
• Solmaz Sharif MFA
• Shanteka Sigers MFA (Fiction) 2020
• Monica Sok MFA (Poetry) 2015
• Bianca Stone MFA (Poetry) 2009
• L. B. Thompson MFA (Poetry) 2000
• Sasha Troyan MFA 1990
• Joe Vallese MFA 2008
• Ocean Vuong MFA (Poetry) 2016
• Javier Zamora MFA (Poetry) 2014

Send questions, comments and corrections to [email protected] .

Disclaimer: No endorsement of these ratings should be implied by the writers and writing programs listed on this site, or by the editors and publishers of Best American Short Stories , Best American Essays , Best American Poetry , The O. Henry Prize Stories and The Pushcart Prize Anthology .

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The Graduate School offers a variety of support services for current graduate students seeking merit-based funding for short-term and long-term fellowship opportunities. These services include individualized fellowship advising, information sessions, grant writing workshops, and general application support. 

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