Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing
The W offers a Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing. It is a 48-hour program that can be completed in two to three years (or longer if students choose to attend part time). Students take online classes, combined with two types of brief residency classes. Online classes include Graduate Writing Workshops in Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Playwriting, Translation, and Writing for New Media, as well as Literature and Form classes.
No GRE
The MFA in Creative Writing program does not require the GRE.
Same Tuition for Everyone
The W does not charge out-of-state tuition. No matter where you live, you'll pay the same low tuition.
The W Difference
There are many low-residency writing programs to choose from, and most combine some form of distance learning with an intense personalized experience during residency periods, often at the end of each semester. Programs like ours are especially geared towards students who are already active in a career or who have family obligations that do not allow them to uproot and move to a new location to attend a resident MFA program. When designing the W's low-residency program, we wanted to make use of the latest developments in online education to create a program that is flexible, professional, personal, and affordable.
Before you apply
Before you formally apply to the graduate MFA program in Creative Writing or pay any fees, we ask that you tell us a little about yourself so we can help you decide whether the W is the right program for you and you are right for us.
Letter of Intent - 1-2 pages indicating why you are interested in our program, what your goals are for your writing, and who you are as a writer and as a person.
Writing Sample - 10-30 pages of your best poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or drama.
Pre-Application Information How to Apply Graduate Studies Requirements
Admission Deadlines
Spring 2025
Final Deadline: December 1, 2023
Fall 2025
Priority Deadline: March 1, 2025
Final Deadline: June 30, 2025
Among the Top in the Nation
Intelligent.com ranked The W's MFA in Creative Writing one of the best programs in the nation, online or in person, and the categories that matter to students.
- Best Master's in Creative Writing - #4 in the nation
- Best Online Master's in Creative Writing - #9 in the nation
- Best Student-Faculty Ratio
- Best Scholarships
US News & World Report
#18 Top Public Southern Regional Universities
#10 Best Public Regional Universities in the South
#1 Best Value Public Schools in the South
#1 Least Debt among Regional Universities in the South
#10 Best Public Regional Universities in the South
#1 Best Value Public Schools in the South
#1 Least Debt among Regional Universities in the South
Washington Monthly
#21 Best Public Master's Universities in the South
#33 Best Bang for the Buck Universities among Southern Public Universities
#33 Best Bang for the Buck Universities among Southern Public Universities
CollegeChoice.net
#1 Most Affordable Online MFA in Creative Writing Degree in the Nation
BestMastersDegrees.com
#1 Best Affordable Online Master’s in Creative Writing in the Nation