Each year, the Creative Writing Program admits only five students in writing and five students in poetry. Application materials must be submitted online, and applications are accepted for fall admission only.
The application cycle for admission in the fall is Sept. 15 - Dec. 15.
You need not have been an English major as an undergraduate, but you should be familiar enough with English and American literature to satisfactorily complete graduate literature courses. The Creative Writing Program does not have a foreign language or GRE requirement.
Application Materials
Application materials must be submitted online. Please follow the steps below after you have reviewed our MFA program information and frequently asked questions. Please retain your login credentials (username and password) in a safe place for reference during the season.
Personal Information and Academic History
Identify all institutions you have attended and upload PDF copies of corresponding transcripts to the online application. (Unofficial copies are acceptable for uploading purposes only.)
NOTE: Student and institution names must appear on uploaded and official transcripts.
Foreign students for whom English is a second language must also submit official TOEFL scores in compliance with the requirements outlined by the Division of Graduate Studies.
Letters of Recommendation
Three recommenders are required; however, you may list up to four. Identify persons familiar with your writing, intellectual ability, academic record, and who can provide an estimation of your success as a teacher.
You may provide recommenders with the ability to respond prior to submitting your finished application by completing the recommenders’ page. Fill in the required information (first name, last name, position, institution, and email) for at least three referees and press “Submit.” An automated email will be sent to each with instructions on how to respond. If you identified three recommenders and wish to add one more, you may return to your application to do so. Note: You cannot change any referee information once an email has been sent.
Information regarding the use of a dossier or career service center is located in our frequently asked questions.
Departmental Application
You may apply for admission in either the fiction or poetry genre, or both. Single-genre applicants should select either fiction or poetry. If you’re applying to both:
- Submit two complete and separate online applications (including recommendation letters)—one for each genre.
- The second application may be eligible for a discount which applies to all applicants who have already submitted a UO graduate admission application and paid the graduate application fee within the same admissions cycle.
NOTE: Each online application must be complete and stand on its own for presentation to its respective review committee. If accepted, an offer of admission is made to one genre only (i.e., fiction OR poetry).
The reporting of GRE scores is optional.
Personal Statement
Your personal statement should be a well-written intellectual autobiography that addresses your literary apprenticeship and the relevant life experiences that have led you to apply for the MFA. Address your literary influences in terms of what you’ve learned, not what you like. Your statement should also demonstrate that you have an informed wish to study in the Oregon MFA program and with our specific faculty. What critical or creative issues do you plan to pursue after your MFA? Your statement must be double-spaced and no longer than three pages.
Avoid the obvious: Assume every applicant is dedicated to learning how to write, has received some praise, has funny or moving childhood stories about writing, and thinks the Northwest is attractive.
Writing Sample
Upload your creative writing sample:
- For poetry, the sample should consist of 10 poems or up to 14 pages of poetry (single-spaced).
- For fiction, send one to two short stories, or a chapter of a novel, or a substantial portion of a sustained work, up to 25 pages in length (double-spaced).
Payment
A non-refundable fee is collected by the Office of Admissions for the Graduate Admissions Application. A limited number of fee waivers for qualifying applicants are available through the Division of Graduate Studies. The request for such waiver is included in the online application.
Once You’ve Applied
Applicants are responsible for ensuring all required materials are uploaded correctly.
Updates are made throughout the application season to reflect the receipt of official documents. Due to the volume of incoming materials, a complete application may not immediately show completed status; we appreciate your patience. View the status of your application.
- Complete: Online application submitted and three recommendations have been received and will be read by review committee
- Pending: Online application submitted, but missing one or more recommendations
Please do not call or email the Creative Writing Program office to check on the status of your application.
Decisions will be made by mid-March. Applicants accepted into the Program will be notified by both phone and email. All other applicants will be notified via email.
For information regarding the deadline for accepting offers of admission with financial aid, see: Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees, and Assistants published by the Council of Graduate Schools.
International Students
In addition to the program’s application procedures, international applicants are also responsible for the complying with the Division of Graduate Studies’ admissions procedures:
- English Language Proficiency Requirement
- Financial Verification and Visa Process
- Official Transcript Requirement
While it is not necessary to complete and submit your financial verification with your application, if you are accepted, you will need to provide financial verification within 30 days of notification of your acceptance.
Traditionally, applicants admitted to the program are offered a graduate teaching appointment. In most cases, that alone is not enough to cover the full amount required, so you may still be asked to provide proof of additional available funds.
Application FAQs
Is the December 15 deadline for applications a firm deadline?
Yes, the deadline to complete your portion of the online application is December 15.
Is there any advantage to sending in an application long before the deadline?
No; however, it does provide ample time for people to submit their recommendations for your application.
What if I miss the December 15 deadline?
You will need to wait and apply for the following year when the next application season begins in October.
Due to financial circumstances, may I request a waiver of the application fee?
The application fee is set and collected by the Division of Graduate Studies. All fee waivers for qualified students are requested and approved through the online Division of Graduate Studies application system and are subject to availability.
Can I apply to both fiction and poetry genres?
Yes; however, you must submit two (2) separate application packets (only one application fee is required). To obtain a fee bypass for the second submission, please email gradsch@uoregon.edu.
Do you require the GRE?
No. GRE scores may be reported; however, they are not required.
Can I send more than the required number of pages for my writing sample?
No. Limit your writing sample to 14 pages for poetry and 25 pages for fiction. Additional pages will not be read by the admissions committee. Only submit writing samples in your chosen genre. (If you are submitting separate applications in fiction and poetry, you will need to supply the appropriate writing sample for each application.)
May I send nonfiction writing samples in a fiction application?
No. Although we offer some creative nonfiction courses and encourage our writers to explore this genre, because we offer only a fiction or poetry MFA, only applications to those genres will be accepted.
Can I send materials not required by the Creative Writing Program?
No. Do not send extraneous application materials such as video cassettes, tapes, news clippings, chapbooks, etc. Also, do not send specialized file covers, bindings, or folders. The strength of your application lies within the required information; each application will be reviewed and considered for admission on the basis of the required materials alone.
If I applied before, what do I need to do to reapply?
- You must create a new account to begin a new application and resubmit recommendations and transcripts. See the Official Transcript Requirement.
How many applications do you typically receive each year?
We typically receive 400-600 applications each year.
How does the department determine acceptance?
Faculty members evaluate complete applications only. All components of each application are considered; however, the writing sample is given the most weight.
What can I do to increase my chances of being accepted into the program?
Submit your very best writing. Get letters of recommendation from people familiar with your work and with you as a student.
Will I improve my chances for acceptance if I visit your campus?
No. Although some applicants choose to visit the campus to help them decide if they want to apply to the Program, applicants are not permitted to sit in on any graduate level workshops or seminars. As a rule, faculty and current students only engage with applicants after they have been accepted.
If I am accepted, may I defer my entrance into the program?
Acceptance into the program is for fall term only and cannot be deferred until Winter or Spring term or the following year.
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 Seminar requirement for the degree. Workshop credits are never accepted as transfer credits.
Can I identify more than three people to provide recommendations for me?
Three recommendations are required as part of your application. Identifying a fourth recommender is not required, nor will it increase your chances of admission; however, it may ensure your application receives three.
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, may also be helpful. We realize some applicants may have been away from academics for some time and no longer have access to former teachers. In these cases, letters from employers or individuals with whom the applicant has worked are acceptable (especially from those where work was directly related to writing).
Can letters of recommendation be submitted before I’ve completed the online application?
Yes. You may provide your recommenders with the ability to respond prior to finishing your application by completing the Letters of Recommendation page of the online application. (Note: We suggest you contact your recommenders before providing their contact information.)
When you enter your recommenders’ information and press SAVE or SAVE AND CONTINUE, they will immediately receive an automated email with instructions on how to respond. (The link provided to them will take them to a web page where they will see information regarding the waiver of your right to see the letter, and a web-form to enter or upload their recommendation letter.) Once emails have been sent, you will not be able to modify recommender information.
Only one email is sent per recommender identified. The Letters of Recommendation page of the online application may not formally indicate that you have officially completed the page; however, you are barred from making changes to recommender information once an email has been released. Regardless of whether you have submitted your application or not, each recommender receives only one auto-generated email per application.
How will my references know to submit their letters? Where do they upload them?
Your references will be contacted via email once you have completed required fields and pressed “next” at the bottom of the page. We encourage you to identify your recommenders as soon as possible to give them ample time to respond.
Can my recommendations be sent through a dossier service or career service center?
Our application program, Slate, does not currently support dossier services such as Interfolio.
How do I create a PDF from my word processing document?
- Open your word processing document, press “Save As…” and change the “Save as type:” to PDF (.pdf) OR
- Open your word processing document, access the print dialog (Ctrl-P or Apple-P), change target to “Adobe PDF” (you will be forced to save the document) OR
- Print your word processing document and scan it to a PDF. If you need assistance in doing this, consider contacting a local copy service center OR
- Ask a family member, friend, or colleague for assistance.
Do not call the program office as we are working as quickly as possible to update records.
I don’t have a PDF copy of my transcripts. How do I get one?
You may already have access to an electronic copy of your unofficial transcript(s) through an online student account. If not, contact the Registrar’s Office of your institution(s) to obtain a paper copy and then scan/convert it into a PDF to upload. If you need assistance with the conversion, consider contacting a local copy service center.
Can I get advice from a University of Oregon faculty member regarding my application?
No. Since we receive hundreds of applications each year, we are 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.
Apply to our Graduate Program
Ready to apply? Start your application on Slate, the centralized application portal for graduate admissions at the University of Oregon.