181 MFA Writing Classes in 2026

The City College of New York MFA

The City College of New York

The City College of New York's MFA offers an MFA in fiction, nonfiction, drama, screenwriting, experimental, genre fiction, and more.

Website: https://english.ccny.cuny.edu/mfa-creative-writing-home/

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in New York

Level: Advanced

Class size: 120-140

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

William Paterson University MFA

William Paterson University

William Paterson University offers a two-year MFA in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, cross-genre, memoir, literary biography, and more. Fully funded, with a tuition waiver and stipend.

Website: https://www.wpunj.edu/cohss/departments/language-literatu...

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in New Jersey

Level: Advanced

Length: 2 years

Class size: Small program

Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the undergraduate major

Western Kentucky University MFA

Western Kentucky University

Western Kentucky University offers a residential MFA in fiction, poetry, and screenwriting in Bowling Green. Five competitive graduate assistantships are awarded each year.

Website: https://www.wku.edu/english/mfacw

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in Kentucky

Level: Advanced

Class size: 5 competitive graduate assistantships awarded each year

Prerequisites: Minimum of four undergraduate English courses beyond gen-ed requirements (two upper-level); creative writing courses recommended. Cumulative GPA of 3.0+ required. No GRE required.

NEW VIDEO COURSE

How to Write a Novel

Your story matters. Unlock your potential with daily video lessons from bestselling ghostwriter Tom Bromley, and finish your first draft in just 3 months. Learn more →

Iowa Writers' Workshop MFA

University of Iowa

The Iowa Writers' Workshop is a two-year residential MFA in fiction and poetry, enrolling about 100 writers at a time. It is fully funded: students receive a full tuition scholarship plus a living stipend, with funding open to international students.

Website: https://writersworkshop.uiowa.edu/graduate/funding

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in Iowa

Level: Advanced

Length: 2 years

Class size: About 100 writers

Prerequisites: Undergraduate degree at an accredited college or university; undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (4.0 scale) preferred; some admitted provisionally with lower GPA if other evidence of success is presented

University of Colorado, Boulder MFA

University of Colorado, Boulder

University of Colorado, Boulder offers a four-year MFA in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, literary nonfiction, novel, play, and more.

Website: https://www.colorado.edu/english/mfa/mfa-program-overview

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in Colorado

Level: Advanced

Length: 4 years

Class size: Limited

Prerequisites: Foreign language requirement (fourth-semester college language course, two semesters of Old English, or language proficiency exam)

University of California, Irvine MFA

University of California, Irvine

University of California, Irvine offers a two-year residential MFA in fiction and poetry, admitting six new students per genre each year.

Website: https://www.humanities.uci.edu/mfawriting/finance-support...

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in California

Level: Advanced

Length: 2-3 years

Class size: 12 in poetry, 12 in fiction (6 new students per genre per year)

Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree with minimum 3.0 GPA (may be waived in exceptional cases). GRE not required.

University of Arkansas At Monticello MFA

University of Arkansas At Monticello

University of Arkansas at Monticello offers a fully online MFA in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.

Website: https://www.uamont.edu/academics/arts-humanities/mfa-cw.html

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Online course

Level: Advanced

Length: 48 semester hours

Class size: Limited

Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree with minimum 3.0 GPA (exceptions may be made)

San Jose State University MFA

San Jose State University

San Jose State University offers a two-year residential MFA in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, playwriting, and screenwriting. All applicants are considered for six Graduate Steinbeck Fellowships covering in-state tuition.

Website: https://www.sjsu.edu/english/graduate/mfa/

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in California

Level: Advanced

Length: 2 years

Class size: 9-16 students (range); workshops average 15-16 students

Prerequisites: Applicants should have an undergraduate major or minor in English or Creative Writing, or a minimum of 12 credit hours in literature and/or creative writing. These requirements can be customized by the MFA director on an individual basis.

Oregon State University MFA

Oregon State University

Oregon State University offers a two-year MFA in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Fully funded, with a tuition waiver and stipend.

Website: https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/wlf/mfa/about/mfa-han...

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in Oregon

Level: Advanced

Length: Two years

Class size: 10-14 spots across three genres

Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university; combined GPA of at least 3.00 on the last 90 quarter (60 semester) credit hours of graded undergraduate work toward the first baccalaureate degree plus all work completed thereafter

Oklahoma State University MFA

Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University offers a residential MFA in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction in Stillwater. Assistantships and tuition waivers are available to the majority of graduate students.

Website: https://go.okstate.edu/graduate-academics/programs/master...

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in Oklahoma

Level: Advanced

Length: 33 credit hours total

Class size: Limited

Prerequisites: B.A./B.S. from an accredited institution, typically English with creative writing option and 12+ hours upper-division English (GPA 3.0 min). Other majors eligible based on writing sample. Two letters of recommendation and statement required.

Monmouth University MFA

Monmouth University

Monmouth University offers a residential MFA in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction in New Jersey.

Website: https://www.monmouth.edu/graduate/masters-creative-writing/

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in New Jersey

Level: Advanced

Length: 18 credits (MFA only)

Class size: Limited

Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree with minimum 2.75 overall GPA; 15+ credits in literature or related field strongly recommended; at least one course in creative writing strongly recommended for MFA applicants

Mississippi University for Women MFA

Mississippi University for Women

Mississippi University for Women offers a low-residency MFA in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, playwriting, and translation, based in Columbus. Limited scholarship aid is available.

Website: https://www.muw.edu/mfacreativewriting/

Categories: MFA

Start date:

Open all year round

Based in Mississippi

Level: Advanced

Length: 2-3 years (48 semester hours)

Class size: 10-15 students admitted per year

Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree required; no specific major required; some upper-level literature and writing coursework beneficial but not required; no GRE required

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.

Free online materials

Begin your novel today with tips from Reedsy's experts (blog post)
How to Edit a Book (blog post)
How to Write a Book Proposal (blog post)

Recommended books

For writers in the UK: Writers' & Artists' Yearbook
For writers in the US: Writer’s Market 100th edition

181 Best MFA Writing Classes in 2026

How to choose an MFA program

More writing MFA resources

Save your shortlist

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.