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181 Best MFA Writing Classes in 2026

Showing 181 courses that match your search.

MFA in Creative Writing

Florida International University

An on-campus MFA taught at FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus in North Miami, structured around small seminars and close mentoring. Coursework combines writing workshops with literature offerings and form and theory classes on plot, character and poetics. Intended as a terminal degree for writers who plan to teach, it culminates in a publishable book-length creative thesis.

Website: https://case.fiu.edu/english/mfa-creative-writing/

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in Miami

Level: Advanced

Length: 3 years

MFA in Fiction and Poetry

University of Miami

A two-year on-campus MFA at Coral Gables in fiction or poetry, with an optional third year for professional development. Every admitted student receives a full tuition waiver and an annual stipend through a James Michener Fellowship or teaching assistantship, with second-year students teaching a creative writing section each semester. Electives extend into literature, screenwriting, interactive media and photography. The programme has a broad multilingual focus, supporting writers working across languages, dialects and linguistic modes. Students finish with a book-length thesis: around 150 pages for fiction, 50 for poetry.

Website: https://english.as.miami.edu/creative-writing/master-of-f...

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in Miami

Level: Advanced

Length: 2 years

Long Island University MFA

Long Island University

A two-year residential MFA in Creative Writing and Publishing at Long Island University's Brooklyn campus, run through the George Polk School of Communications, covering poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting and translation. Worth knowing before you apply: LIU offers the same degree fully online as well, so check you are applying to the Brooklyn residential track if being in the room is the point. The publishing half of the title is meant literally - the programme pairs craft workshops with editorial and industry work.

Website: https://www.liu.edu/george-polk-school-of-communications/...

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in New York

Level: Advanced

Length: 2 years

Class size: Limited

Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree required (typical for MFA admission)

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Mount Saint Mary's University MFA

Mount Saint Mary's University

A two-year MFA taught on the Mount Saint Mary's campus in central Los Angeles, not online. The cohort meets every other weekend, six times a semester, which is what makes it one of the few LA degrees realistically open to people holding down a job alongside it. Workshops cover fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry, and the alternate-weekend rhythm means you are writing between residencies rather than only during them.

Website: https://www.msmu.edu/departments/creative-writing/mfa/

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in Los Angeles

Level: Advanced

Length: 36 units

Class size: Limited

Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree required (typical for MFA admission)

Chatham University Creative Writing MFA

Chatham University

Chatham offers a two-year residential MFA in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and nature and place-based writing in Pittsburgh. Teaching assistantships are available to full-time first-year students. Listed price is annual tuition.

Website: https://www.chatham.edu/academics/graduate/creative-writing/

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in Pennsylvania

Level: Any

Length: 2 years

Class size: Limited

Prerequisites: Completed baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, with a 3.0 GPA.

Hollins University Creative Writing MFA

Hollins University

Hollins University offers a two-year MFA in poetry, short fiction, novels, and creative nonfiction. Listed price is annual tuition. Teaching assistantships with tuition waivers and stipends are available.

Website: https://www.hollins.edu/programs/creative-writing-m-f-a/

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in Virginia

Level: Advanced

Length: 2 years

Class size: 20

Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree required (typical for MFA admission)

Randolph College Creative Writing MFA

Randolph College Creative Writing MFA

Randolph College offers a two-year low-residency MFA in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Listed tuition covers the full program. Students who demonstrate financial need through FAFSA may be eligible for significant financial aid.

Website: https://www.randolphcollege.edu/mfa-cw/

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in Virginia

Level: Advanced

Length: 2 years

Class size: Limited

Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree required (typical for MFA admission)

Butler University MFA

Butler University

Butler runs a three-year residential MFA in Indianapolis, admitting about 15 writers a year in fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Listed tuition covers the full 36-credit program before fees. Scholarships and teaching fellowships are available.

Website: https://www.butler.edu/arts-sciences/master-fine-arts/

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in Indiana

Level: Any

Length: 3 years

Class size: 15

Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree required (typical for MFA admission)

Alma College MFA

Alma College

Alma runs a two-year low-residency MFA in Michigan, with summer or winter residency entry points, in fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. The listed price is one year and combines tuition and residency fees. Not all students are funded.

Website: https://www.alma.edu/academics/programs/mfa-in-creative-w...

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in Michigan

Level: Advanced

Length: 2 years

Class size: Limited

Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree required (typical for MFA admission)

Southern New Hampshire University Creative Writing MFA

Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University offers a 100% online MFA in contemporary, young adult, romance, and speculative writing, completable in as few as two years. Listed tuition covers the full 48-credit program; up to 12 transfer credits can lower the cost.

Website: https://www.snhu.edu/online-degrees/masters/mfa-in-creati...

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Online course

Level: Advanced

Length: 2 years

Class size: Limited

Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree required (typical for MFA admission)

Oregon State University, Cascades Creative Writing MFA

Oregon State University, Cascades

Oregon State University, Cascades offers a two-year low-residency MFA in fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and screenwriting, with two 10-day residencies per year in Bend. Listed price is annual tuition.

Website: https://osucascades.edu/academics/mfa/tuition-and-fee-rates

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Online course

Level: Advanced

Length: 2 years

Class size: 10 per year (5 fiction, 5 poetry)

Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree required (typical for MFA admission)

Saint Mary's College of California Creative Writing MFA

Saint Mary's College of California

Saint Mary's College of California offers a two-year residential MFA in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Listed price is annual tuition; students lock in their rate for two years.

Website: https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/graduate-professional-studies/...

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in California

Level: Advanced

Length: 2 years

Class size: No more than 14 students per genre

Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree required (typical for MFA admission)

How to choose an MFA program

Looking to build your writing skillset, sharpen your craft, or finally finish that book you've been working on? You're in the right place. That's why we built this directory of the best MFA creative writing programs.

However, MFA programs aren't one size fits all. If you're planning to enroll in an MFA in particular, you'll want to make sure it matches what you're seeking from a graduate writing degree.

So make sure to consider the following questions when you're researching MFA programs:

  • Who teaches in the program, and what have the faculty published?

  • Is the program fully funded, or will you pay tuition? Does the funding fit your situation?

  • Which genres does the program focus on, and does it cover the one you write in?

  • How long is the program, and is it residential, low-residency, or online?

More writing MFA resources

Whether you're a new or established author, there are always evergreen resources out there to help you get a headstart on pursuing an MFA.

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