Graduate Creative Writing :: Admissions

Application deadline: January 15. Students accepted into the program will begin coursework in fall. No applications will be considered for spring or summer admission.

To be considered for admission to the Master of Fine Arts degree program in Creative Writing, the following requirements must be met:

• An undergraduate degree, preferably in English, from an accredited college, with a 3.2 average, or its equivalent;
• A score in the 73rd percentile or better on the verbal reasoning section of the Graduate Record Examination general test (typically 550 or better) and at least 4.0 on the analytical writing section [International applicants must also take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and must score at least 600];
• Three letters of recommendation, preferably from former English instructors, assessing the student’s potential to do graduate level work;
  - recommendation request form (PDF)
• A writing sample in one genre only: either 12-20 pages of double-spaced fiction or 10-15 pages of single-spaced poetry;
• A two-to-three page statement, describing the student's background, purpose for attending graduate school, and career goals;
• A completed application form submitted to the Graduate Admissions Office.

All supplementary application materials (i.e., statement, writing sample, and letters) should be submitted directly to the Department at the following address:

Graduate Director
Department of English, CPR-107
University of South Florida
4202 East Fowler Ave.
Tampa, FL 33620-5550

If you would like to be considered for a Graduate Assistantship, you my also include an application for an assistantship in your graduate application packet.

All materials, including GRE scores and transcripts, must be received by the application deadline in order for students to be considered for admission. Graduates of USF do not need to order official transcripts. Applications are reviewed by an admissions committee after the application deadline. Students will be notified by mail of the application decision within four to six weeks after the deadline.