2026 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[analog_e]

Applications to Brown, Cornell, Vandy, Notre Dame, Minnesota, and Iowa Writer's Workshop are in, just have to finish up the app for Johns Hopkins, then I am done and can largely stop thinking about this until like February. I met with the three professors writing my letters last week and one has already submitted, the other two have promised to submit. That was an exhausting sprint but I am glad I crammed it all in early and just clicked submit to prevent myself from constantly looking back and doubting elements of them. I realized I really do not need to constantly revise my personal statement until December and can just let it be. Lovely feeling.

[SocialKonstruct]

On 9/27/2025 at 7:28 AM, jinny-r said:

to US-based applicants, may i know how the state is in the US right now? one of my recommenders, although willing to give her letter, is advising me not to proceed because of the political situation. i am a southeast asian bisexual woman and i tackle US imperialism and colonialism explicitly in my writing. 

thank you! 

To be honest, I would probably avoid coming over to the United States as an international applicant considering the horrid political situation as of late. The increasing number of ICE raids and growing marginalization of the queer/bi and trans community by the authoritarian regime makes it a high risk proposition to study here in the States. Also the banning of DEI and defunding of liberal arts makes those topics more difficult to address in any type of writing today.

On my end, I just accepted for publication in a pretty mid-size literary magazine thias past week (got a few publications under my belt so far this year) and right now I am applying to only three programs without a MFA in creative writing. I do have a MFA in studio art which makes my writing style, research, and approach rather heterodox in nature.

Right now my choices are: 1) USC Ph.D. (nonfiction, first choice hands down), 2) UC Irvine MFA (fiction), and very lastly 3) U of Utah PhD. (prose). I prefer to stay here in LA as much as I can and avoid Utah due to the political situation there. I also am applying to two other USC Ph.D. non creative writing programs just in case.

I am pretty nervous being an artist and writer in this day and age. Still I welcome the adventure and cross fingers to get into a program for the fall of next year. I just need to wait my letters of recommendation (one professor finished 2/3 of them so far) from my instructors since I finished up my essay writing completely.

[Chex]

On 10/3/2025 at 4:29 AM, writeordie said:

NC STATE FIRST-YEAR MFA STUDENT, HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

Greetings and salutations.

Last year at this time, I was going out of my mind with application stress and confusion, so I want to pay it forward on behalf of the folks that gave me advice and helped me along my journey.

I am now at NC State, a first-year MFA student in Fiction, and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY PROGRAM. To say it has exceeded my expectations doesn't begin to cover it. From the strength and diversity and noncompetitive camaraderie of my cohort (and their respective genres--GENRE FICTION AND YA ARE WELCOME HERE, BTW); to the endlessly supportive faculty (who I carpool with, who throw us parties at their houses, who will read your entire manuscript in their free time, these are the devoted faculty members of your freaking dreams); to the support for queer, trans, BIPOC, and neurodivergent folks; to the generally activist/SJ-forward vibe; to an academic program that only asks you to teach second year and lets you be the *INSTRUCTOR OF RECORD*---I am telling you, this program deserves hall of fame status, and every single one of you should apply, unless you really hate places that are gorgeous and friendly and spending your days debating Flannery O'Connor in a library that's larger than the NYPL. And oh yeah, NCSU's MFA is a two-year program, fully-funded, including free health insurance, and a $20K/yr stipend, gym membership, and more amenities than I can list, including everything from being able to borrow kayaks and VR equipment over the weekend to the ability to take classes for free at Duke and UNC Chapel Hill. It's epic here. I am learning more than I would have thought possible from workshop and classes; only a couple months in, I already never want it to end.

Ok, that's my playful pitch. Ask me anything about NC State's program in thread!

(*EXCEPTION: Please do NOT ask me about application stuff/how I got in/what they're looking for. They're looking for brilliant writers of all stripes and styles, and no two people here are even remotely similar in their aesthetic, so I promise you, it's a meaningless question. I am here to talk about *this* program/MFA life/what to expect if you come here to join the WolfPack.)

This is great to hear. It's not often that one hears such glowing reviews of MFA programs - even the most elite ones - from students actually attending them. There's something to be said of the experience itself, beyond external indicators like prestige. 

How far does the stipend go in NC? Are you able to live on it? 

[writeordie]

On 10/9/2025 at 8:44 AM, Chex said:

This is great to hear. It's not often that one hears such glowing reviews of MFA programs - even the most elite ones - from students actually attending them. There's something to be said of the experience itself, beyond external indicators like prestige. 

How far does the stipend go in NC? Are you able to live on it? 

20K is difficult to live on, even here, but some do. Most students get by with just a small part-time side hustle. I personally worked in publishing for years before doing my MFA, so I kept a few coaching clients that I work with one day a week, and that's been just fine. I also want to note that the prestige of the actual *faculty* is considerable here--e.g., Meg Day just won the Guggenheim, Carter Sickels is rapidly becoming one of the most in-demand queer/trans writers working, and Belle Boggs has been putting out brilliant books of many genres for decades with Graywolf and elsewhere. (She's also the head of the NC chapter of the American Association of University Professors and has been using her tenure to fight for academic freedom all over the state.) Anyway, I love it here! APPLY! I want another fabulous crew of first-years to join our rad cohort next term.  

[commandercowboy]

On 10/2/2025 at 11:29 PM, writeordie said:

NC STATE FIRST-YEAR MFA STUDENT, HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

Greetings and salutations.

Last year at this time, I was going out of my mind with application stress and confusion, so I want to pay it forward on behalf of the folks that gave me advice and helped me along my journey.

I am now at NC State, a first-year MFA student in Fiction, and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY PROGRAM. To say it has exceeded my expectations doesn't begin to cover it. From the strength and diversity and noncompetitive camaraderie of my cohort (and their respective genres--GENRE FICTION AND YA ARE WELCOME HERE, BTW); to the endlessly supportive faculty (who I carpool with, who throw us parties at their houses, who will read your entire manuscript in their free time, these are the devoted faculty members of your freaking dreams); to the support for queer, trans, BIPOC, and neurodivergent folks; to the generally activist/SJ-forward vibe; to an academic program that only asks you to teach second year and lets you be the *INSTRUCTOR OF RECORD*---I am telling you, this program deserves hall of fame status, and every single one of you should apply, unless you really hate places that are gorgeous and friendly and spending your days debating Flannery O'Connor in a library that's larger than the NYPL. And oh yeah, NCSU's MFA is a two-year program, fully-funded, including free health insurance, and a $20K/yr stipend, gym membership, and more amenities than I can list, including everything from being able to borrow kayaks and VR equipment over the weekend to the ability to take classes for free at Duke and UNC Chapel Hill. It's epic here. I am learning more than I would have thought possible from workshop and classes; only a couple months in, I already never want it to end.

Ok, that's my playful pitch. Ask me anything about NC State's program in thread!

(*EXCEPTION: Please do NOT ask me about application stuff/how I got in/what they're looking for. They're looking for brilliant writers of all stripes and styles, and no two people here are even remotely similar in their aesthetic, so I promise you, it's a meaningless question. I am here to talk about *this* program/MFA life/what to expect if you come here to join the WolfPack.)

I think you've sold me on NC State... I'm applying for poetry, so I'd love to hear more about what poetry life is like at NCSU, but I love Meg Day's work. One of my most selfish wants in an MFA program is about location... I'm from NC and I miss the nature there like none other after doing undergrad in the midwest. I'm from a more rural part of the state, but I would love to hear about what life is like in Raleigh for a grad student! If you have anything to say about the poetry or the environment of it all, I'm all ears

[OctopusCactus]

On 9/27/2025 at 10:28 AM, jinny-r said:

to US-based applicants, may i know how the state is in the US right now? one of my recommenders, although willing to give her letter, is advising me not to proceed because of the political situation. i am a southeast asian bisexual woman and i tackle US imperialism and colonialism explicitly in my writing. 

thank you!

Current MFA student here.  There are a significant number of people in my program on student visas, including POC, writing about imperialism and colonialism (and queerness, for that matter).  I have trouble imagining a US-based MFA program that is not supportive of students doing that kind of work.  The day-to-day experience you have as a queer POC in the US will depend hugely on where you live (coastal city vs southern college town for example).  This is probably common sense, but be aware that the people reviewing your visa application may look at your social media posts.  

[SocialKonstruct]

Woot..finally my UCI MFA application is done finally. Got all letters of recommendations done and all I need to do is pay the fee now..whew.

[SocialKonstruct]

On 10/14/2025 at 8:17 AM, writeordie said:

20K is difficult to live on, even here, but some do. Most students get by with just a small part-time side hustle. I personally worked in publishing for years before doing my MFA, so I kept a few coaching clients that I work with one day a week, and that's been just fine. I also want to note that the prestige of the actual *faculty* is considerable here--e.g., Meg Day just won the Guggenheim, Carter Sickels is rapidly becoming one of the most in-demand queer/trans writers working, and Belle Boggs has been putting out brilliant books of many genres for decades with Graywolf and elsewhere. (She's also the head of the NC chapter of the American Association of University Professors and has been using her tenure to fight for academic freedom all over the state.) Anyway, I love it here! APPLY! I want another fabulous crew of first-years to join our rad cohort next term.  

Speaking of Meg Day I just turned in my University of Utah Ph.D. application today and only need to pay the fee now. Day is a graduate of the U of U Creative Writing Ph.D. program btw.

[SocialKonstruct]

Just completed and paid the fee for my Ph.D. application for the Creative Writing/Literature at USC. It's great to rest a little while working on more literary submissions and my day job.

[SocialKonstruct]

On 10/6/2025 at 11:16 AM, analog_e said:

Applications to Brown, Cornell, Vandy, Notre Dame, Minnesota, and Iowa Writer's Workshop are in, just have to finish up the app for Johns Hopkins, then I am done and can largely stop thinking about this until like February. I met with the three professors writing my letters last week and one has already submitted, the other two have promised to submit. That was an exhausting sprint but I am glad I crammed it all in early and just clicked submit to prevent myself from constantly looking back and doubting elements of them. I realized I really do not need to constantly revise my personal statement until December and can just let it be. Lovely feeling.

This is a solid video

Useful video!

[redgum]

First year applying for fiction. 5 programs (Iowa, UT, JHU, UM and NYU), but mentor is encouraging me to try maybe 6-7. The only other one I'm interested in is Columbia (mostly location and relative proximity to publishing network like NYU, except maybe a bit more prestigious) but I don't know if it's too late to ask recommenders to add another program..

Anyway finished UT and JHU apps, just have to submit! Met with my professor to look over my portfolio and they said there was no need to consider any more revisions so I'm so relieved (I spent a month revising...). Although I'm a little concerned at the brevity of the portfolio, it barely makes 30 pages for Iowa, but I feel like the other pieces I have are not as strong or just completely different thematically and formally.

Next three weeks I'll finish the rest and try to submit everything before December 1st. That way I can worry about other things... 

 

[SocialKonstruct]

On 11/4/2025 at 12:05 PM, redgum said:

First year applying for fiction. 5 programs (Iowa, UT, JHU, UM and NYU), but mentor is encouraging me to try maybe 6-7. The only other one I'm interested in is Columbia (mostly location and relative proximity to publishing network like NYU, except maybe a bit more prestigious) but I don't know if it's too late to ask recommenders to add another program..

Anyway finished UT and JHU apps, just have to submit! Met with my professor to look over my portfolio and they said there was no need to consider any more revisions so I'm so relieved (I spent a month revising...). Although I'm a little concerned at the brevity of the portfolio, it barely makes 30 pages for Iowa, but I feel like the other pieces I have are not as strong or just completely different thematically and formally.

Next three weeks I'll finish the rest and try to submit everything before December 1st. That way I can worry about other things... 

 

Just finished paying for my Ph.D. application for University of Utah (U of U) and still have left to work on my UC Irvine MFA application. Hope to be done by next week then call it good. Three programs only.

[girlericforman]

hi friends! I'm in the process of applying for fiction mfa programs and have been on the fence about the univ of kansas program (mfa not phd). I was wondering if anyone knows how big the cohort sizes are, and what sort of funding they have-- is a GTA appt guaranteed, etc? I've been struggling to find answers elsewhere. best wishes to all ❤️

[SocialKonstruct]

Just finished and paid for my MFA application to UCI so now it's just a waiting game for me at this point.

[commandercowboy]

Hi everyone  I hope your applications are going well... for anyone applying to the Litowitz program at Northwestern, the "sample of your writing on a literary topic" part of the application is vexing me. I don't have anything ready that really fits the bill... all of my literary critique papers are right at the 3 pages mark and not cited. Should I write something new just for this? I do have a ton of scholarly papers that aren't necessarily literary that *would* meet the page count so... not sure. What are others doing? 

[tr1stan.jay]

Hi everyone! This is my first time applying to grad programs, so I’m definitely feeling all the nerves with the rest of you. I applied to three TESOL programs out of practicality—Arizona State University (where I’ve already been accepted), The American University in Cairo (I just interviewed), and the University of Alabama (still waiting to hear back).

However on the creative side, I applied to the Johns Hopkins Writing Seminars, and that’s the one program where, if I somehow get in, I’d attend with zero hesitation. My background is a little off the beaten path compared to many MFA applicants: I majored in Professional Writing, minored in Psychology, earned a TESOL certificate, served six years in the U.S. Navy before starting college, and I’m currently finishing my bachelor’s online while working in Saudi Arabia. I have no publishing experience, so I’m really just hoping my writing sample and life experiences help me stand out.

Seeing how many of you applied to the Iowa Writers’ Workshop has me wondering if I should submit one more last-minute application. Still deciding!

Wishing everyone the best of luck this cycle—hope we all end up where we’re meant to be.

[lisichka]

On 11/17/2025 at 9:48 AM, commandercowboy said:

Hi everyone  I hope your applications are going well... for anyone applying to the Litowitz program at Northwestern, the "sample of your writing on a literary topic" part of the application is vexing me. I don't have anything ready that really fits the bill... all of my literary critique papers are right at the 3 pages mark and not cited. Should I write something new just for this? I do have a ton of scholarly papers that aren't necessarily literary that *would* meet the page count so... not sure. What are others doing? 

Hi, I submitted my application for Northwestern about a week ago and I also struggled with the critical writing sample because all my papers on a literary topic from undergrad and postgrad were 3-6 pages! In order to meet the minimum page count, I submitted two papers in one PDF—a 6-page essay, and 9 pages of reading responses (formatted to look like an intentional essay). If you had to do weekly assignments at any point in your former literary courses, I would strongly suggest that you combine them all into one document, with proper headers and citations, like a collection of literary criticism. It might not be a cohesive, 15-page essay, but anything that shows you can write well about a literary topic will do! Good luck 🫶

[lisichka]

Hello fellow creatives! I just discovered this forum after submitting most of my applications, which I'm nervous about as a first-time MFA (poetry) applicant. I have a BA in Film and Media Studies with a minor in English as well as an MA in Publishing. I finished my MA in September of last year, entered a horrible job market, and realized I want to stay in academia as I am most dedicated to poetry and pedagogy.

So far, I've applied to NC State, UT Austin (New Writers Project), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, University of Minnesota, University of Washington-Seattle, Northwestern, and Ohio State, and I'm submitting my University of Pittsburgh application this weekend. On forums like these, I've read of people applying to 10+ schools, but I'm sticking with these 8 for financial reasons and crossing my fingers.

I feel positive about my application materials and I'm excited for what the new year will bring—hopefully some offers! (I say as I try to ignore the 2% acceptance rates of most of these programs.) The late-January to mid-March period will be stressful, but I'm glad to have this space where y'all are in the same boat and we can check in on each other.

[snow_owl]

19 minutes ago, lisichka said:

Hello fellow creatives! I just discovered this forum after submitting most of my applications, which I'm nervous about as a first-time MFA (poetry) applicant. I have a BA in Film and Media Studies with a minor in English as well as an MA in Publishing. I finished my MA in September of last year, entered a horrible job market, and realized I want to stay in academia as I am most dedicated to poetry and pedagogy.

So far, I've applied to NC State, UT Austin (New Writers Project), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, University of Minnesota, University of Washington-Seattle, Northwestern, and Ohio State, and I'm submitting my University of Pittsburgh application this weekend. On forums like these, I've read of people applying to 10+ schools, but I'm sticking with these 8 for financial reasons and crossing my fingers.

I feel positive about my application materials and I'm excited for what the new year will bring—hopefully some offers! (I say as I try to ignore the 2% acceptance rates of most of these programs.) The late-January to mid-March period will be stressful, but I'm glad to have this space where y'all are in the same boat and we can check in on each other.

FYI, if you're applying for the New Writers Project you should consider applying to Michener, too. Because they're both at the University of Texas at Austin, you only have to pay one application fee.

[lisichka]

8 hours ago, snow_owl said:

FYI, if you're applying for the New Writers Project you should consider applying to Michener, too. Because they're both at the University of Texas at Austin, you only have to pay one application fee.

I considered it, but there are no teaching duties in the Michener program and I want/need to gain teaching experience in order to fulfill my career goals!

[SocialKonstruct]

On 11/21/2025 at 2:11 AM, lisichka said:

Hello fellow creatives! I just discovered this forum after submitting most of my applications, which I'm nervous about as a first-time MFA (poetry) applicant. I have a BA in Film and Media Studies with a minor in English as well as an MA in Publishing. I finished my MA in September of last year, entered a horrible job market, and realized I want to stay in academia as I am most dedicated to poetry and pedagogy.

So far, I've applied to NC State, UT Austin (New Writers Project), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, University of Minnesota, University of Washington-Seattle, Northwestern, and Ohio State, and I'm submitting my University of Pittsburgh application this weekend. On forums like these, I've read of people applying to 10+ schools, but I'm sticking with these 8 for financial reasons and crossing my fingers.

I feel positive about my application materials and I'm excited for what the new year will bring—hopefully some offers! (I say as I try to ignore the 2% acceptance rates of most of these programs.) The late-January to mid-March period will be stressful, but I'm glad to have this space where y'all are in the same boat and we can check in on each other.

Nice to meet you. I am in the same boat. Even though I applied to prose/nonfiction programs I actually do write a lot of experimental poetry... Being in LA has been quite the adventure and I am trying to stay in the area.

Also I am trying to get teaching experience as well. My MFA studio art program was pretty disappointing in that I didn't get a chance to teach any critical theory or contemporary art whatsoever. I am hoping that a PhD program will rectify that very much.

[lisichka]

13 minutes ago, SocialKonstruct said:

Nice to meet you. I am in the same boat. Even though I applied to prose/nonfiction programs I actually do write a lot of experimental poetry... Being in LA has been quite the adventure and I am trying to stay in the area.

Also I am trying to get teaching experience as well. My MFA studio art program was pretty disappointing in that I didn't get a chance to teach any critical theory or contemporary art whatsoever. I am hoping that a PhD program will rectify that very much.

I grew up in the LA area and am trying to get the heck out again haha! If you don’t mind me asking, are there any literary communities in particular that you’ve found here?

I understand your disappointment over not getting the teaching experience you want—I wish there had been opportunities to learn to teach in my previous programs, and I’m thinking of entering a PhD program too after I hopefully get into an MFA.

[sweet.potato]

I finished my applications about a week ago, now it's just a waiting game. I did realize that I might have accidentally put in the wrong gpa on my applications but I can't open them to verify so I sent an email to all the schools to verify the correct gpa. I hope I didn't mess this up completely!

[Craft]

Hi I'm a newbie here. I'm from India. 

Edited Tuesday at 11:56 AM by Craft

[SocialKonstruct]

18 hours ago, lisichka said:

I grew up in the LA area and am trying to get the heck out again haha! If you don’t mind me asking, are there any literary communities in particular that you’ve found here?

I understand your disappointment over not getting the teaching experience you want—I wish there had been opportunities to learn to teach in my previous programs, and I’m thinking of entering a PhD program too after I hopefully get into an MFA.

Actually I haven't developed any literary community out here in LA at all and writing is probably the loneliest job I have atm while working a day job and waiting for getting back to school. My literary connections are in the Bay area, NYC where I am an editor-in-chief for a new literary/arts magazine that is dropping issue 1 next month, and being a prose reader for a lit magazine back in Utah. I suspect that as an experimental writer I probably will be alone during my Ph.D. or MFA backup track for a few years considering that I am pretty political and philosophical with a lot of dense approaches.

My visual art experience was a good learning experience but I really have only one friend left from the 2 years I attended. A lot of my MFA years was filled with drama, competition, and backbiting. I am not optimistic about the writing community being much better and unsure whether making friends or colleague will be easy for my path especially because I am a pretty obesessed critical theory nerd.

On the other hand, I just completed a novel and a full translation of James Joyce's Ulysses recently. So nowadays working on a poetry book and just entered a photography competition. I think that it's going to be crazy if I get into a creative writing Ph.D. while not having a MFA in that field.

Edited Tuesday at 05:42 PM by SocialKonstruct