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Apply for Admission

Apply for Admission

Karla Elling
Program Manager
Office: LL 315C
Phone: 480-965-3528
Fax: 480-965-3451
E-mail: elling@asu.edu

 

Applicants should have an undergraduate major in English or Creative Writing, with a GPA of 3.00 or above; however, exceptional students who do not have either of these undergraduate majors may be admitted on the basis of writing excellence. Applicants must submit:

  • The application fee ($70 domestic and $90 international)
  • Three (3) letters of recommendation.
  • A personal résumé or curriculum vitae.
  • A personal statement including your writing background, intended area of specialization, a brief self-evaluation of recent work, and goals.
  • Three (3) copies of a manuscript sample: 20 pages of poetry, 30 pages of prose, or both.
  • Official academic transcripts (see below).

Plus, to be considered for a Teaching Assistantship, please submit:

We no longer require the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).

All materials except for three copies of the manuscript and the letters of recommendation should be submitted directly to the Graduate College between August 1 and January 15. (No applications will be read before January 15.) Have your official transcripts sent (from each college attended) directly to:

ASU - Graduate College
P.O. Box 871003
Tempe, Arizona 85287-1003

The Graduate College will not act on applications that do not include complete transcripts and the application fee.

Send three (3) copies of your creative manuscript directly to:

ASU - English
Creative Writing Program
P.O. Box 870302
Tempe, AZ 85287-0302

Do not send your writing sample to the Graduate College.

Selection

All application materials must be received by January 15. Selection is based on talent and promise, as demonstrated in the manuscript sample; the academic record; evidence of dedication and potential for growth, from the recommendations and personal statement; and compatibility of the applicant’s goals with the purpose and design of the ASU degree program. In recent years, we have been able to accept the top 4% of applicants.

Transfer of Credits

Subject to the recommendation of the MFA steering committee and the program director, a maximum of nine credit hours taken before admission, not as part of a completed degree at ASU and/or another institution, may be used to fulfill MFA degree requirements. All course work for the ASU Master of Fine Arts in creative writing must be completed within a six-year time limit. Financial aid is not extended beyond the third year.