| Admission, Creative Writing Low-Residency MFA, Fairleigh Dickinson University
Admissions Policies and Fellowships and Awards; Fairleigh Dickinson University Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing
Low-Residency MFA Creative Writing , Fairleigh Dickinson University, admission
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Admissions

Students holding undergraduate degrees from an accredited four-year institution in the U.S. or abroad may apply.

DEADLINES FOR ADMISSION:

The program admits students year-round, and once you apply, you should receive a decision within 4-6 weeks.

To be considered for the Baumeister, Ronald J. Doerfler Memorial Scholarship, Director’s Award, or the TLR Graduate Assistantships apply by April 1st for Fall admission or by October 15th for Spring Admission.

Since new students must begin the program with a residency, we suggest you apply no later than May 31st for Fall and October 31st for Spring in order to arrange transportation and prepare for the residency.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS:

  • Complete a FAFSA online as soon as possible if you plan to use financial aid. You do not have to accept any funds if you don’t attend.
  • If you are an FDU undergraduate applying for the BA/MFA in Creative Writing Program, please contact the MFA office at writingmfa@fdu.edu. You don’t need to complete the new student application.
  • All applications require an official UG transcript and a writing sample. The writing sample should be uploaded when completing the online application.

1. Your official undergraduate transcript must be sent directly by your institution to the graduate admissions office on the Florham Campus in Madison, NJ and can be sent electronically or by mail. Click here for the email and mailing address (scroll down the page). We only need the college transcript where you completed your B.A. or B.S. degree (if you transferred a lot, this will save you time and money). We do not evaluate applicants until their writing sample and official transcripts have been received. 

2. When you apply online, upload a personal statement telling us why you wish to pursue an MFA and what you hope to gain from the degree.

3. Upload a writing sample to your application and any other materials you wish to include, such as a resume or recommendation, in PDF or MS Word format and use the following guidelines:

  • Fiction or Young Adult and Children’s Literature: 15-25 double-spaced pages that can include short stories or part of a novel.
  • Creative Nonfiction: 15-25 double-spaced pages that may include essays or an excerpt from a memoir.
  • Poetry: 5-7 poems, totaling not more than 150 lines in all.
  • Translation: following the appropriate prose or poetry guidelines above, include a short sample of the original and a short (paragraph long) description of the project.
  • Be sure to paginate the document (top, right) and include your name on every page.

4. Complete the Online Application.

When completing the application please note:

  • Please note that students begin the program with a residency (see this link for residency dates) which are held in the summer and winter intersessions. If you apply in the fall semester, you take the summer residency. If you apply for the spring semester, you take the winter residency.
  • GRE Scores are not required.
  • Indicate your genre on the application: Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, YA, or Translation.
  • We welcome letters of recommendation (personal, professional, or academic) but they are not required.
  • The MFA program is housed on the Florham campus in Madison, New Jersey.
  • In making admissions decisions, the greatest weight is given to writing samples.

Many graduate students are eligible for State and/or Federal loans and aid.
Our Financial Aid Office (974-443-8701) can assist with this.

Apply here
Tuition and Aid
For the Academic year 2019-20

$4394 per module

$1700 per residency

Travel to and from the residencies is not included.

$150 per year matriculation fee for any year in which you do not take modules but wish to remain an active student.

Assistantships and Awards

There are four Graduate Assistantships offered in conjunction with work on The Literary Review—two for first-year students that carry the title of Editorial Assistant and two for a second-year students that carry the title of Assistant Editor.

The Director’s Award, Baumeister, and Ronald J. Doerfler Memorial Scholarship are all awards that are given by the Faculty Admissions Committee in recognition of students whose work shows significant promise.

For information on the Provost’s Graduate Scholarship, please see this page.