Frequently Asked Questions
The University of Oregon's Creative Writing Program is a two-year full-time residency Master of Fine Arts program. Although the Program no longer provides printed materials, general information and answers to commonly asked questions about the Program are located within this website and/or other University of Oregon units such as:
If, after reviewing the above, you have any additional questions, please email the Creative Writing Program.
Statistics
How many students are in the MFA program?
The total number of students in the MFA program averages 24 each year. Admission is offered to only six or seven students in each genre each year.
How large are the workshops?
The limit is 15 students, but workshops are usually smaller.
How many applications do you typically receive each year?
We receive over 500 applications each year but admit less than four percent.
Deadlines
Is the January 15 postmark deadline for applications a firm deadline?
Yes. The application, fee, personal statement, writing samples, transcripts, and letters of recommendation must be postmarked by the deadline or the application will not be reviewed.
What if I miss the January 15 deadline?
You would need to wait and apply for the following year. Applications for admission are accepted beginning in October of each year.
Acceptance Factors
On what do you base acceptance?
The faculty members read the writing sample first (but only if the file is complete). If there is interest in the sample, the faculty will then review an applicant’s entire file. At that point, they are especially interested in statements of purpose and letters of recommendation.
What can I do to increase my chances of being accepted into the MFA program?
Submit your very best writing. Get letters of recommendation from people familiar with your creative writing and with you as a student. Make sure your application and all supporting materials are postmarked by January 15.
Will I improve my chances for acceptance if I visit your campus?
No. Some applicants do choose to visit the University of Oregon campus to help them decide if they want to apply to the MFA program. As a rule, the Director of Creative Writing meets with applicants only after they have been accepted. The best time to visit is after we’ve accepted you. Then you can meet students and get a sense of the faculty and the place so you can make an informed decision about coming here.
Is there any advantage to sending in an application long before the deadline?
Submitting your application materials with plenty of time to spare before the deadline hits allows for ample time for you to monitor your application to ensure all of the materials have been received. However, please keep in mind that faculty members do not begin reading the writing samples until after the January 15 deadline.
What is a profile of the successful applicant?
Most successful applicants have an undergraduate degree with a B average or better; undergraduate or community workshop study in creative writing; enrollment in several literature courses, often with a major in English; ease within the university environment and respect for university teaching; knowledge of our faculty and a clear reason for wishing to study with them.
Genre
Can I apply in both fiction and poetry?
Yes; however, you must submit two separate application packets (simply make a copy of the online application, change the genre, and send with the second application); only one online fee is required. Each packet must be complete unto itself as the fiction and poetry applications are reviewed by different committees. If admitted, students may only take workshops in the genre for which they were accepted.
Writing Samples
Can I send more than the required number of pages for my writing sample?
No. Please limit your writing sample to 14 pages for poetry and 25 pages for fiction. Only submit writing samples in your chosen genre, fiction or poetry, not both. Additional pages will not be read by the admissions committee. Fiction writing samples must be double-spaced in a standard 12-point font with one-inch margins; poetry samples may be single-spaced.
Can I send nonfiction writing samples in a fiction application?
No. Though we offer some creative nonfiction courses and encourage our writers to explore this genre, we offer only a fiction or poetry MFA, and only applications to those genres will be accepted.
Letters of Recommendation
Do my letters of recommendation have to be from college professors?
The most useful letters of recommendation come from teachers familiar with your creative writing and with you as a student. Letters from other college professors, who may be familiar with your habits as a student and with your academic writing, for example, can also be helpful. Letters from employers, unless the work was directly related to writing, are less helpful to us.
Do I need to include the letters of recommendation in my application packet, or can they be sent separately?
The recommender may choose to give you the letter to include with your application packet or send his or her letter directly to the Creative Writing Program. Either way, each letter should be in a sealed envelope with the recommender's signature across the seal.
Do I need to include the Graduate Evaluation Form?
Although the form and/or letters addressing the points contained in it are preferred, we will accept letters without the form itself from retention services such as Interfolio.
Financial Aid
What type of financial support or fellowships do you offer?
The Creative Writing Program attempts to fund all admitted students with Graduate Teaching Fellowships (GTFs). A GTF appointment (.49 FTE) includes a monthly salary, a waiver of graduate tuition, and some fees. For specific information, see Graduate School FTE, Deadlines, Levels, & Salary.
What does the Graduate Teaching Fellowship involve?
In the first year, the Creative Writing Program awards MFA students with GTFs teaching in the Kidd Tutorial Program or teaching undergraduate intro courses in fiction or poetry. No previous teaching experience is required for the GTF appointments. However, applicants will need to demonstrate their probable success as first-time teachers through their application materials and letters of recommendation. In the second year, most students apply for GTFs teaching composition through the English Department. GTFs teach one course per quarter. Training and support are provided.
What other sorts of financial aid are available?
A limited number of fellowships, scholarships, and awards are available through the Graduate School. Work-study assistantships, loans, and other forms of financial aid are available through the University of Oregon’s Office of Financial Aid.
Extraneous Application Materials
Can I send materials not required by the Creative Writing Program?
No. Please do not send extraneous application materials such as video cassettes, tapes, news clippings, chapbooks, etc. They will not be seen by the admissions committee. Also, do not send specialized file covers, bindings, or folders. The strength of your application lies within the required information; each will be reviewed and considered for admission on the basis of the required materials alone.
Can I get advice from a University of Oregon faculty member regarding my application?
No. Since we receive nearly 600 applications each year, the Creative Writing Program is not in a position to critique an applicant’s writing sample—or any other part of the application—before or after the process takes place.
Miscellaneous Application Requirements
Are GRE scores required for admission?
No. If GRE scores are received, they will not be matched to the applicant's file. The committee members will never see them.
Is there a foreign language requirement?
No.
After Being Accepted
If I am accepted, may I defer my entrance into the program?
Acceptance in the Creative Writing Program is for fall quarter only and cannot be deferred until winter or spring quarter. Deferment until the following year is only allowed under emergency circumstances.
Can I transfer credits from another graduate school?
Once an applicant has been admitted, only approved seminar credits may be transferred to apply toward the literature requirements of the degree. Workshop credits are never accepted as transfer credits.
When will letters of acceptance be sent?
Admission decisions will be made by mid-March. All notifications will be sent by mail. We will not discuss admission results via e-mail or phone.