About Master’s Program,
The University of Virginia’s MFA in Creative Writing Program is a three-year graduate program that, starting in 2023–24, admits four poets and four fiction writers each academic year. Students have the option to graduate in two years on an accelerated schedule. Our program is full time and residency is required for all years of study.* All of our students receive the same financial support (up to $30,000 in fellowships and/or wage income each academic year).
Applicants often ask what makes UVA any different from other MFA programs. There are many possible answers, but among our favorites are:
- Our graduate classes are small and our faculty-to-student ratio is very high. We will be accepting four students in poetry and four in fiction writing for the 2023–24 academic year.
- All our students receive the same amount of funding, and they do not have to re-compete. We believe this promotes collegiality among our students and supportive, constructive workshops.
- Our students do not teach in the fall of their first year, which preserves time for writing—one of the main reasons students go to MFA programs in the first place. First-year students teach one creative writing class in the spring.
- Our students teach creative writing classes in fiction and poetry largely of their own design (they don’t just run a discussion section of a larger course or do freshman comp).
- Our program also offers great academic flexibility, enabling our MFA students to take graduate-level courses from faculty in other UVA departments and schools like studio art, politics, education, music, and drama, just to name a few.
- We are one of only five graduate programs that awards an annual $15,000 Henfield Prize to a currently-enrolled student for outstanding work in fiction.
- And we think our faculty is among the best in the nation. See our faculty pagefor a full listing and more details.
Master’s Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
To receive the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, a student accepted into the UVA Graduate School of Arts and Sciences completes twenty-four hours of required coursework and up to forty-eight hours of non-topical research. Applicants can view current and historical course offerings in our Student Information System (SIS). Click on “Search for Classes by Semester” and enter “ENCW” into the “Subject” box. Graduate classes are 5000 and higher. Our graduate readings courses are ENGL 8596 and 8598.
Applicants often ask if they can visit our offices, sit in on classes, or get in contact with current students or faculty. Given limited resources, we can only help coordinate these visits and correspondence for applicants with current offers. However, the University of Virginia is a public institution, open to self-guided tours and visits, and if you come to our offices in Bryan 422, we’ll do our best to give you a brief overview of the program, resources permitting.
Master’s Funding Coverage,
If you join our three-year MFA program in 2025, you will receive fellowship support and/or teaching income in the amount of up to $36,000 in the first two academic years and up to $28,800 in the third, as well as full funding of your tuition, enrollment fees, and the health insurance premium for single-person coverage through the university. Tax obligations on your fellowship income will vary from student to student depending on other income earned during the tax year, U.S. vs. international status, and other factors.
Application Requirement,
The full instructions for the online application appear on the Graduate School’s admissions system. Your online application will include
- your basic biographical and contact information and your academic history
- a writing sample
- a statement of purpose
- a personal narrative
- college transcripts (which can be unofficial versions)
- two letters of recommendation
Application Deadline,
Dec 15, 2025
Application Fee,
A non-refundable fee of $85 is due at the time the application is submitted.
