"The collaborative and supportive environment of the program, especially evident during the residencies, took me by surprise — an overwhelming generosity of spirit exists between faculty and students. Each student, equally in all genres, is truly encouraged to grow.

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—Laura Calaway
MFA student in Fiction

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"Translation is reading made visible—and reading is an active attempt to empathize: with characters, with authors, even with oneself. Translation, therefore, is the exposure to scrutiny of our capacity—even our need—to empathize; that is, to connect beyond the limitations of self and the restrictions of ego. And the low-residency MFA program at FDU is a place to connect, across time and space, with other reader-writers.

—Joshua Laskey
MFA student in Translation

So much of what I love about my daily life has been made possible by my Poetry and Literary Translation studies with FDU. From teaching college composition and literature to editing anthologies and other publications, from connecting with like-minded literary artists to having a better understanding of the world around me, my current life—which feels like my life—was sparked by my time with the program.

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—Heather Lang
MFA alum, Poetry and Literary Translation

It was here — through the direction of our mentors, the keen eye of our peers, and the wisdom of these friendships — that I came to recognize the story I wanted to tell was the one I was already living.

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—Mariella Diaz
MFA Student

Poetry takes patience and perseverance. The amount of gratitude I feel for the program and the faculty is ungraspable!

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—Aminah Abutayeb
MFA Student

Admissions

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

DEADLINES FOR ADMISSION:

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Once you apply, you will receive a decision within 4-5 weeks.

Winter 2022: To be considered for scholarships, apply by September 15th, to begin with the winter residency in early January.

Summer 2022: To be considered for scholarships, apply by April 15th, to begin with the summer residency in late July.

Though students may not be eligible for awards after the above dates, they may still apply by June 15th for the summer residency/fall semester or by November 1st for the winter residency/spring semester.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS:

If you are considering financial aid, complete a FAFSA online as soon as possible. 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 an application.
All applications require a personal statement, a writing sample, and an official transcript verifying the undergraduate degree. They should be uploaded when completing the online application. We do not evaluate applicants until their writing sample, personal statement, and official transcripts have been received.

1. Have your college or university send your official undergraduate transcript directly to the graduate admissions office on the Florham Campus. They can be sent electronically or by mail. Click here for the email and mailing address. 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).

2. Complete the Online Application.

When completing the application please note:

Students are required to begin the program with a residency. Choose summer or winter start dates when applying.
GRE Scores are not required.
Indicate your genre on the application: Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, YA, or Translation. If you are applying for a dual degree program, use the genre you plan to begin the program with.
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 the writing sample.

Once the online application is submitted, the system will prompt you to upload any documents.

A. Upload a personal statement telling us why you wish to pursue an MFA and what you hope to gain from the degree.

B. Upload a writing sample in the genre you are applying to. You may upload any other materials you wish to include, such as a resume or recommendation, in PDF or MS Word format.

For your writing sample, 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.

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 information about tuition and fees, email writingmfa@fdu.edu or see the FDU website here.

Room and board are included in the residency fee. Travel to and from the residencies is not included in tuition or fees.

Assistantships and Awards

All awards are given by the Faculty Admissions Committee in recognition of students whose work shows significant promise.

Along with several scholarships, the program offers Graduate Assistantships in conjunction with work on The Literary Review—two for first-year students that carry the title of Editorial Assistant, and two for second-year students that carry the title of Assistant Editor.