About Master’s Program,
The Department of English offers the Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing for students committed to pursuing the writing life. This three-year degree provides advanced graduate-level coursework in writing, language, literature, as well as studies in a related field.
Workshops in poetry, fiction, and literary nonfiction are at the heart of the creative writing program, while courses in the Reading as Writers and Topics in Advanced Writing series enable writers to explore a variety of issues relating to contemporary themes in American and world literature. The program encourages experimentation across genres, fostering the discovery of new and varied forms for a developing voice.
Our program is committed to the goal of improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of departmental operations. Diversity, here, includes but is not limited to: race, indigeneity, gender identity, sexual orientation, caste, religion, cultural/educational background, (dis)ability, nationality, and socioeconomic status.
Master’s Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
Admission to a UMN graduate program requires a bachelor’s degree issued by an institution with accreditaton from one of the following accrediting organizations in the U.S., or a comparable degree from outside the U.S.
Many graduate programs prefer an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or higher for admission. Consult your program of interest for specific GPA requirements.
(GRE) scores may be required by your program of interest.
Master’s Funding Coverage,
The Creative Writing Program is committed to providing three years of support to MFA students, contingent upon available funding. A ‘year of support’ is defined as any year in which an MFA student receives a fellowship or two single-semester appointments of 50% each from any department or program. Funding sources include fellowships, grants, teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and other forms of campus employment.
All admitted MFAs receive full funding, in the form of teaching assistantships or fellowships. MFAs will also receive extensive training in teaching and pedagogy for the full three years. Teaching assistantships carry a full tuition waiver (up to 14 credits per semester), health benefits, and a stipend (the nine-month, academic-year stipend is about $21,380 for 2024-25 and we expect it to be similar for 2025-26; the teaching load is one class per semester. The health insurance coverage is active for the full calendar year, September 1 through August 31.
Application Requirement,
Online application: This will be submitted via the University of Minnesota Graduate School application. Please note that the English department is unable to waive application fees.
Statement of purpose (500-1,000 words): The MFA application’s statement of purpose should give the admissions committee a sense of your literary/artistic interests and sensibilities. You may address creative or intellectual influences, projects completed or underway, or goals within the context of our three-year program and beyond.
Diversity statement (500-1,000 words): The University of Minnesota is a large campus with a diverse student population. Our MFAs join this community as writers, students, teachers, and residents of the greater Twin Cities. Please discuss how you will contribute/commit to the artistic, social, and intellectual diversity of the program, our student body, and campus environs. We are particularly interested in how this commitment/contribution will manifest in workshop and classroom interactions. How might you engage with Creative Writing’s efforts to build a diverse and inclusive community by fostering underrepresented voices? Diversity, here, includes but is not limited to: race, indigeneity, gender identity, sexual orientation, caste, religion, cultural/educational background, (dis)ability, nationality, age, and socioeconomic status. We welcome you to write this as a personal narrative including matters relevant to and challenges against your pursuit of graduate education.
Transcripts: Your unofficial transcript from each degree-granting college or university that you have attended is required. International students should also upload an English translation if the transcript is not in English. Please upload a .pdf of your unofficial transcripts directly into the application portal; do not send transcripts (paper or electronic) to the program. If you are unable to upload your transcripts for any reason, please contact the Graduate Admissions Office (gsquest@umn.edu).
Creative writing sample: For the MFA, your sample should be a substantial example of your creative work. The page limit for poetry is 15 pages, single spaced. The page limit for prose is 30 pages, double spaced. You may submit more than one story or a novel excerpt for fiction, or more than one nonfiction piece, but the total amount of pages may not exceed 30. You should submit your best work, even if that amounts to fewer than 30 pages.
Three letters of recommendation: MFA applicants may ask TAs for recommendations, as well as professors, employers, and literary mentors. Files with two letters will still be reviewed; however, your chances for admission may be adversely affected. Applications that list fewer than two recommenders will be considered incomplete, and the application system will not accept the application. You may submit your application and pay the fee before your letters of recommendation have been received. Recommenders may upload letters after December 1, as long as they are uploaded by December 7. There are no exceptions to this, as the applications must go to the committees on December 8. (Yes, we do accept letters uploaded from dossier services such as Interfolio.)
Résumé or CV
Application fee: We are sorry, but the English department is unable to waive the application fee.
Supplementary Materials
TOEFL or other English language examinations: Students whose native language is not English are required to submit scores from one of the following English proficiency examinations:
Application Deadline,
Dec 01, 2025
Application Fee,
- International ($95.00)
- S. citizen/permanent resident ($75.00)
