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MFA PROGRAMS

Save favorites. Transparent Listings. One of the most comprehensive databases of MFA programs in America and abroad. Instructions: Use the search bar above to smart filter through listings by State, Degree (e.g., MFA, MA, PhD), or Specialization (Fiction, Poetry, Screenwriting, Creative Nonfiction).

ADELPHI UNIVERSITY
GARDEN CITY, NY / MANHATTAN, NY

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, Playwriting, Screenwriting.

💡 Features a "Manhattan Week" where students meet directly with NYC editors.
FUNDING: PARTIAL DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: LOW
ALASKA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
ANCHORAGE, AK

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Literary Nonfiction.

💡 During the summer solstice, Anchorage gets 22 hours of daylight.
FUNDING: TUITION-DRIVEN DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: LOW
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY
WASHINGTON, DC

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 High up on the Washington National Cathedral, there is a stone carving of Darth Vader. He was added in the 1980s after a children's design competition.
FUNDING: PARTIAL & FULL DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY
BOISE, ID

Specialization: Fiction and Poetry with a heavy emphasis on community engagement.

💡 Boise State University is home to the world's first blue-colored artificial grass football field.
FUNDING: FULL & STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
BOSTON, MA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Playwriting.

💡 Boston built America's first subway in 1897.
FUNDING: FULL & STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY
BOWLING GREEN, OH

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry with opportunities in literary editing.

💡 Bowling is built on what was once the Great Black Swamp.
FUNDING: FULL & STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY
PROVO, UT

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry.

💡 Provo is located at the base of Mount Timpanogos, which has a massive cave system that can be toured during the summer months.
FUNDING: FULL & STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
BROOKLYN COLLEGE
BROOKLYN, NY

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Playwriting.

💡 Its architecture was intentionally designed to mirror the neo-Georgian New England colleges of the early 20th century.
FUNDING: TUITION-BASED DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
CA INSTITUTE OF INTEGRAL STUDIES
SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Specializations: Interdisciplinary Arts, Writing, Creative Studies, Consciousness.

💡 San Francisco features a "Fog Bridge" that uses high-pressure nozzles to create a bridge of artificial mist.
FUNDING: INSTITUTIONAL AID DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: Low
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS
VALENCIA, CA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction.

💡 Founded by Walt Disney as a "CalTech of the Arts" for cross-disciplinary collaboration.
FUNDING: FULL FELLOWSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
CAL POLY SAN LUIS OBISPO
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Nonfiction.

💡 The nearby Madonna Inn features 110 themed rooms, including a pink-everything dining room.
FUNDING: TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS DEGREE: MA ENGLISH (CREATIVE WRITING EMPHASIS)
CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO
SAN BERNARDINO, CA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 The campus museum has one of the largest Egyptian antiquity collections in the Western U.S.
FUNDING: TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
CHATHAM UNIVERSITY
PITTSBURGH, PA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, and Children’s Writing.

💡 The Big Mac was invented by a local Pittsburgh McDonald’s franchisee in 1967.
FUNDING: MERIT AID DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL/LOW
CITY COLLEGE OF NEW YORK
NEW YORK, NY

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Translation.

💡 The campus was used as the filming location for "The Royal Tenenbaums" and is known for its Gothic architecture.
FUNDING: STIPENDS/TA DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON
CHARLESTON, SC

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 Founded in 1770, it is the oldest college in South Carolina and the 13th oldest in the United States.
FUNDING: TA/FELLOWSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
FORT COLLINS, CO

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry.

💡 Fort Collins is often cited as the primary inspiration for "Main Street, U.S.A." at Disneyland.
FUNDING: FULL + STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
NEW YORK, NY

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Until the mid-1800s, thousands of roaming pigs acted as the city’s primary "waste management" system, eating trash off the streets.
FUNDING: PARTIAL & FELLOWSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
CONVERSE UNIVERSITY
SPARTANBURG, SC

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, Young Adult Fiction.

💡 Founded by Dexter Edgar Converse specifically to ensure his daughter, Marie, had a quality local education.
FUNDING: SCHOLARSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: LOW
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
HANOVER, NH

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Every winter, students at Dartmouth College continue a century-old tradition by building a snow sculpture on the campus.
FUNDING: INTERNAL FELLOWSHIPS DEGREE: MA ENGLISH (CREATIVE WRITING CONCENTRATION)

DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
CHICAGO, IL

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction.

💡 The Chicago "L" train tracks run directly through the Lincoln Park campus.
FUNDING: ASSISTANTSHIPS & WAIVERS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
DREXEL UNIVERSITY
PHILADELPHIA, PA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Philadelphia has the most outdoor murals of any city in the world.
FUNDING: TUITION DISCOUNTS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: LOW / ONLINE
DUKE UNIVERSITY
DURHAM, NC

Specializations: Writing, Documentary Arts, Multimedia.

💡 Durham is known as "Bull City.” It was nicknamed in the late 1800s after the "Bull" Durham Tobacco.
FUNDING: FULL DEGREE: MFA (EXPERIMENTAL/DOCUMENTARY ARTS) RESIDENCY: FULL
EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
GREENVILLE, NC

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction.

💡 The city only averages about 3 inches of snow per year.
FUNDING: STIPEND DEGREE: MA ENGLISH (CREATIVE WRITING CONCENTRATION) RESIDENCY: FULL
BARD COLLEGE (MILTON AVERY)
ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, NY

Specializations: Writing (Interdisciplinary focus with Film/Video, Music, Painting, Photography, Sculpture).

💡 In Marvel Comics, Annandale-on-Hudson is the fictional hometown of Jean Grey (Phoenix).
FUNDING: AID-HEAVY DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: LOW
BENNINGTON COLLEGE
BENNINGTON, VT

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, and Dual-Genre.

💡 Bennington was the first US college to include visual and performing arts as full subjects in liberal arts.
FUNDING: TUITION-BASED DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: LOW
BUTLER UNIVERSITY
INDIANAPOLIS, IN

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Screenwriting, Young Adult, and Graphic Novel.

💡 Indianapolis has the largest children’s museum in the world at nearly 500,000 square feet.
FUNDING: ASSISTANTSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF THE ARTS
SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Comics, and Hybrid Forms.

💡 San Francisco has the world’s only moving National Historic Landmark: the iconic cable car system.
FUNDING: MERIT/TA DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
ITHACA, NY

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 Ithaca has more than 150 waterfalls within a 10-mile radius, carved out by glaciers.
FUNDING: 100% FUNDED DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY (EKU)
RICHMOND, KY

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, and Popular Fiction.

💡 Richmond is located where the Bluegrass region meets the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
FUNDING: TUITION-BASED DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: LOW
EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
YPSILANTI, MI

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Michigan is home to the country’s only floating post office, the J.W. Westcott II.
FUNDING: ASSISTANTSHIPS DEGREE: MA (CREATIVE WRITING) RESIDENCY: FULL
EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
SPOKANE, WA

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 Eastern Washington is a high desert that averages only 6–10 inches of rain a year.
FUNDING: FULLY FUNDED DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
EDINBURGH NAPIER UNIVERSITY
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

Specializations: Creative Writing, Genre Fiction, and Popular Fiction.

💡 Edinburgh has over 100 parks.
FUNDING: TUITION-BASED DEGREE: MA (CREATIVE WRITING) RESIDENCY: FULL/ONLINE
FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY
FAIRFIELD, CT

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, and Screenwriting.

💡 Residencies are held on Enders Island, a private 11-acre island connected to the coast by a narrow causeway.
FUNDING: FELLOWSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: LOW
EMERSON COLLEGE
BOSTON, MA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 When Boston was first settled in 1630, it was a hilly peninsula called Trimountain.
FUNDING: FELLOWSHIPS/TA DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON UNIVERSITY
MADISON, NJ

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Translation, YA, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 In the late 19th century, Madison was the rose-growing capital of the world. At its peak, the town sent over 50,000 roses a day by train to New York City.
FUNDING: SCHOLARSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: LOW
FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY
BOCA RATON, FL

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 The university’s stadium is the only one in the world with a view of the Atlantic Ocean from the top bleachers.
FUNDING: FULLY FUNDED DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNI.
MIAMI, FL

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Miami earned the nickname "The Magic City" because of its explosive growth.
FUNDING: FULLY FUNDED DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
TALLAHASSEE, FL

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Tallahassee is built on a series of rolling hills and features the highest elevation in the state of Florida.
FUNDING: FULLY FUNDED DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
FRESNO STATE
FRESNO, CA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Fresno is the only major U.S. city within easy driving distance of three National Parks: Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia.
FUNDING: ASSISTANTSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
FAIRFAX, VA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 In the early 20th century, Fairfax was primarily a dairy hub.
FUNDING: FULLY FUNDED DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
GEORGIA COLLEGE & STATE UNI.
MILLEDGEVILLE, GA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Milledgeville was the longtime home of Flannery O'Connor. Her farm is now a museum.
FUNDING: FULLY FUNDED DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY
ATLANTA, GA

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 Atlanta is known as the "City in a Forest" because over 47% of its land is covered by trees, the highest percentage of any major U.S. city.
FUNDING: FULLY FUNDED DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
GOUCHER COLLEGE
BALTIMORE, MD

Specializations: Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Baseball player Babe Ruth was born in Baltimore in 1895.
FUNDING: TUITION-BASED DEGREE: MFA (NON-FICTION) RESIDENCY: LOW
HAMLINE UNIVERSITY
ST. PAUL, MN

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, and Writing for Children.

💡 Founded in 1854, Hamline is the oldest university in Minnesota.
FUNDING: SCHOLARSHIPS DEGREE: MFA/MFAC RESIDENCY: FULL/LOW
HOLLINS UNIVERSITY
ROANOKE, VA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, and Children's Literature.

💡 The campus sits in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains with a historic view of Tinker Mountain.
FUNDING: ASSISTANTSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
HUNTER COLLEGE
NEW YORK, NY

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 Over 800 languages are spoken in NYC.
FUNDING: FELLOWSHIPS/TA DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY
HEMPSTEAD, NY

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, and Playwriting.

💡 Hempstead contains the Hempstead Plains, which is the only naturally occurring prairie east of the Appalachian Mountains.
FUNDING: ASSISTANTSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
HOUSTON CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
HOUSTON, TX

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 The university houses the Dunham Bible Museum, home to one of the largest rare Bible collections in the U.S.
FUNDING: TUITION-BASED DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: LOW
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
HOUSTON, TX

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Houston is home to the Texas Medical Center, which is the largest medical complex in the world.
FUNDING: FULLY FUNDED DEGREE: MFA/PHD RESIDENCY: FULL
INDIANA UNIVERSITY BLOOMINGTON
BLOOMINGTON, IN

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry.

💡 The city is famous for its Indiana Limestone, which was formed millions of years ago when the area was an inland sea full of tiny marine creatures.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
INST. OF AMERICAN INDIAN ARTS
SANTA FE, NM

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, Screenwriting.

💡 Santa Fe is the highest capital city in the United States, sitting at an elevation of 7,000 feet above sea level.
FUNDING: TUITION-BASED DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: LOW
IOWA WRITERS' WORKSHOP
IOWA CITY, IA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry.

💡 Iowa City was the first city in North America to be designated a "City of Literature."
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO
MOSCOW, ID

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Moscow was incorporated in 1887, which actually makes the city older than the state of Idaho itself.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
EVANSTON, IL

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 The modern ice cream sundae was created in Evanston.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA+MA RESIDENCY: FULL
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME
NOTRE DAME, IN

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 This campus is famous for its gothic architecture.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
U OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
URBANA, IL

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 The University Library houses one of the largest public collections in the world, including original works by Shakespeare and Milton.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY
CARBONDALE, IL

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 Carbondale was a crossroads for both the 2017 and 2024 total solar eclipses, earning it the title "Eclipse Capital."
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
AMES, IA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, and Drama (Environmental Focus).

💡 Iowa State was the location of the world’s first electronic digital computer, built in 1937.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA (Creative Writing & Environment) RESIDENCY: FULL
JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY
JACKSON, MS

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and African American Literature.

💡 Jackson is the only United States capital city that sits directly on top of an extinct volcano.
FUNDING: STIPEND AVAILABLE DEGREE: MA (CREATIVE WRITING CONCENTRATION)
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
BALTIMORE, MD

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 Baltimore is nicknamed "Charm City."
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
MANHATTAN, KS

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Manhattan, Kansas, was the first of several American cities to be named after the island in New York.
FUNDING: STIPEND AVAILABLE DEGREE: MA (CREATIVE WRITING CONCENTRATION)
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
LEXINGTON, KY

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Lexington is home to a Jif plant that produces more peanut butter than any other factory on Earth.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
KENT, OH

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, and Playwriting.

💡 Kent is the birthplace of the legendary rock band DEVO, formed while the members were students at the university.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
LESLEY UNIVERSITY
CAMBRIDGE, MA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Stage & Screen, and YA.

💡 Located in the heart of Cambridge, the campus is just blocks away from Harvard Square.
FUNDING: TUITION-BASED DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: LOW
LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY
ST. CHARLES, MO

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 In 2002, the school gained national attention for its "Pork for Tuition" program, allowing rural families to pay with livestock.
FUNDING: TUITION-BASED DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL/ONLINE
LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY (LIU BROOKLYN)
BROOKLYN, NY

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Playwriting.

💡 The name Brooklyn comes from the Dutch town Breukelen. In Dutch, broeck means marshland and lede means a small stream.
FUNDING: STIPEND AVAILABLE DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
BATON ROGUE, LA

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 The university grounds contains over 1,200 historic live oak trees.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY
LOS ANGELES, CA

Specializations: Screenwriting.

💡 Westchester campus sits on a bluff with views of the Pacific Ocean and Los Angeles skyline.
FUNDING: STIPEND AVAILABLE DEGREE: MFA (SCREENWRITING) RESIDENCY: FULL
LASELL UNIVERSITY
NEWTON, MA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Graphic Narrative, and YA.

💡 Solstice is one of the few programs offering a specialized track in Graphic Narratives and Comics.
FUNDING: MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: LOW
UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT LAFAYETTE
LAFAYETTE, LA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Nonfiction.

💡 The campus has "Cypress Lake," a swamp where students can study alongside alligators and egrets.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MA (CONCENTRATION IN CREATIVE WRITING)

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
COLLEGE PARK, MD

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 College Park is the site of the world's oldest continuously operating airport, established by the Wright Brothers in 1909.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST
AMHERST, MA

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 Amherst was the lifelong home of Emily Dickinson. Her house is a museum located just a short walk from campus.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS
MEMPHIS, TN

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Memphis is known as the "Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll."
FUNDING: STIPEND AVAILABLE DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
CORAL GABLES, FL

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 One of the most famous landmarks in this city is the Venetian Pool.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
ANN ARBOR, MI

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 The Ann Arbor Art Fair is one of the largest outdoor art fairs in the nation.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND + OTHER DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
MINNEAPOLIS, MN

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 While the Mall of America is famous, the concept started at Southdale Center in Minnesota.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI
OXFORD, MS

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 The Old Post Office on the Square was built in 1885 and is one of the oldest surviving federal buildings in North Mississippi.
FUNDING: STIPEND AVAILABLE DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
ST. LOUIS, MO

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 In 1911, St. Louis secured one of the first criminal convictions in U.S. history based solely on fingerprint evidence.
FUNDING: STIPEND AVAILABLE DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA
MISSOULA, MT

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Missoula is situated in the middle of five mountain ranges.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY
STARKVILLE, MS

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 Long before it was a college destination, Starkville was nicknamed "Hog Town."
FUNDING: STIPEND AVAILABLE DEGREE: MA (EMPHASIS ON CREATIVE WRITING)

MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY
SPRINGFIELD, MO

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Springfield is the "Birthplace of Route 66," officially named during a telegram meeting in the city in 1926.
FUNDING: STIPEND AVAILABLE DEGREE: MA RESIDENCY: FULL
NAROPA UNIVERSITY
BOULDER, CO

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Boulder has more atmospheric and space scientists per capita than anywhere else in the nation.
FUNDING: MERIT FELLOWSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL/LOW
NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
FLAGSTAFF, AZ

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Flagstaff is the world's first "International Dark Sky City."
FUNDING: GTA + TUITION WAIVER DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
NORTHERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
MARQUETTE, MI

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Located blocks from Lake Superior, Northern Michigan University has the world's only domed football stadium made entirely of wood.
FUNDING: FULL TUITION WAIVER + STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
COLUMBUS, OH

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 White Castle began in Columbus, the first fast-food hamburger chain in the world.
FUNDING: FULL TUITION + MONTHLY STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY
NORFOLK, VA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 At Doumar’s Confections in Norfolk, you can still see the original four-iron machine that launched the waffle cone into history.
FUNDING: TUITION REMISSION + STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
CORVALLIS, OR / BEND, OR

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Corvallis city was originally named Marysville.
FUNDING: GTA STIPEND/MERIT DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL/LOW
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
EUGENE, OR

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 The film National Lampoon’s "Animal House" was filmed almost entirely on the University of Oregon campus.
FUNDING: FULLY FUNDED + STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
FOREST GROVE, OR / PORTLAND, OR

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Portland was almost named Boston, Oregon. The city’s name was decided by a best-of-three penny toss between two settlers, Francis Pettygrove and Asa Lovejoy.
FUNDING: MERIT-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: LOW
PACIFIC LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY
TACOMA, WA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 On clear days, the campus features a direct view of Mount Rainier.
FUNDING: INSTITUTIONAL AID & SCHOLARSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: LOW
QUEENS UNIVERSITY OF CHARLOTTE
CHARLOTTE, NC

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, CNF, YA, and Stage & Screen.

💡 The campus is located in the historic Myers Park neighborhood, known for its canopy of century-old willow oaks.
FUNDING: MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: LOW
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY (NEWARK)
NEWARK, NJ

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 Consistently ranked as one of the most diverse campuses in the U.S.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY (CAMDEN)
CAMDEN, NJ

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 In 1933, Richard Hollingshead opened the first Drive-In Movie Theater on Admiral Wilson Boulevard in Camden.
FUNDING: STIPEND AVAILABLE DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
SAINT MARY'S COLLEGE OF CALIFORNIA
MORAGA, CA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 In the early 1900s, Moraga was an important stop on the Sacramento Northern Railway.
FUNDING: MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY
SAN DIEGO, CA

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 Old Town San Diego is the site of the first permanent European settlement in California.
FUNDING: STIPEND AVAILABLE DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY
SAN JOSE, CA

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, CNF, and Screenwriting.

💡 This college publishes Reed Magazine, established in 1867, making it the oldest student-run literary journal west of the Mississippi.
FUNDING: FELLOWSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE
BRONXVILLE, NY

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, CNF, and Speculative Fiction.

💡 In the early 20th century, Bronxville was part of a dairy route.
FUNDING: MERIT FELLOWSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART/DESIGN
SAVANNAH, GA / ATLANTA, GA

Specializations: Fiction, CNF, Screenwriting, and Business Writing.

💡 The Girl Scouts was founded in Savannah by Juliette Gordon Low.
FUNDING: MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL/ONLINE
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS U. CARBONDALE
CARBONDALE, IL

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 For decades, SIU was well known for a Halloween street party.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE
PORTLAND / FREEPORT, ME

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, CNF, and Popular Fiction (Genre).

💡 One of Freeport's oldest historic markers is the Witch-Trot Road.
FUNDING: SCHOLARSHIPS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: LOW
SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNI.
NEW HAVEN, CT

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 The Hamburger Sandwich was invented here in New Haven.
FUNDING: STIPEND AVAILABLE DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
SYRACUSE, NY

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 The university's Hall of Languages was the architectural inspiration for the "Addams Family" house design.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
UNIVERSITY OF ST. ANDREWS
ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 Founded in 1413, it is the oldest university in Scotland.
FUNDING: INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS DEGREE: MLITT RESIDENCY: FULL
TEMPLE UNIVERSITY
PHILADELPHIA, PA

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 The "Mutter Museum" of Philadelphia is a world-famous hub of medical history that has inspired countless writers of the gothic and strange.
FUNDING: TA POSITIONS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
U OF TENNESSEE, KNOXVILLE
KNOXVILLE, TN

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Knoxville is the "Gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains," with the national park located just 45 minutes from campus.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY
SAN MARCOS, TX

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 The San Marcos River flows directly through the campus and stays a constant 72°F year-round.
FUNDING: STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
UT AUSTIN (New Writers Project)
AUSTIN, TX

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 Austin has the largest urban bat colony in North America.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
LUBBOCK, TX

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Lubbock has some of the most dramatic sunset horizons in the American West.
FUNDING: STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
UT AUSTIN (Michener Center)
AUSTIN, TX

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, Screenwriting, and Playwriting.

💡 Unlike larger breakfast burritos, the Austin-style breakfast taco emphasizes portability and fresh flour tortillas.
FUNDING: STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
SALT LAKE CITY, UT

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Located in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains, Utah is one of the few programs to offer a "Modular Book Arts" concentration.
FUNDING: TA POSITIONS DEGREE: MFA/PHD RESIDENCY: FULL
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
NASHVILLE, TN

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 Known as the "Harvard of the South," this campus is a designated arboretum with over 6,000 trees.
FUNDING: $36,500 STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 The University of Virginia was originally designed as an "Academical Village," where students and faculty lived in shared pavilions around a central lawn.
FUNDING: FULL STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
VIRGINIA TECH
BLACKSBURG, VA

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 Blacksburg began as part of the Draper’s Meadow settlement.
FUNDING: TA POSITIONS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
WARREN WILSON COLLEGE
SWANNANOA, NC

Specializations: Fiction and Poetry.

💡 Founded in 1976, Warren Wilson was the first low-residency MFA program in the U.S.
FUNDING: NEED/MERIT GRANTS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: LOW
WA UNI. IN ST. LOUIS
ST. LOUIS, MO

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 The brewing industry in St. Louis was revolutionized when Adolphus Busch pioneered the use of refrigerated railroad cars.
FUNDING: STIPEND DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
MORGANTOWN, WV

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction.

💡 Completed in 1876, Woodburn Hall is a centerpiece of the university's Downtown Campus.
FUNDING: TA POSITIONS DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL
WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
KALAMAZOO, MI

Specializations: Fiction, Poetry, CNF, and Playwriting.

💡 Kalamazoo was the original home of Gibson Guitars.
FUNDING: STIPEND AVAILABLE DEGREE: MFA RESIDENCY: FULL

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