Admission to the Low-Residency MFA Program in Poetry and Creative Nonfiction
Students seeking admission to the Master of Fine Arts Program must:
- complete an application, either online or in print
- submit official transcripts from all institutions from which a degree was earned
- submit writing sample (10-15 pages of poetry or 20-25 pages of creative nonfiction)
- creative nonfiction writing samples may be comprised of several shorter pieces or one longer piece totaling 20-25 double-spaced pages
- writing samples may be uploaded within the online application or sent electronically to mfa@ashland.edu
- submit two letters of recommendation
- letters of recommendation should be addressed to Stephen Haven, Director
- no form is necessary; a simple letter of recommendation is acceptable
- letters may be submitted electronically through the online application or by mail
- submit a $30 application fee
Admission is based on the following:
- completed bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a GPA above 2.75 (conditional acceptance for GPAs 2.25-2.75)
- submission of 10-15 pages of poetry or 20-25 pages of creative nonfiction deemed by the MFA faculty to be of sufficient quality for admittance to the program
Application Deadlines
Summer Residency
Students will be admitted beginning February 1. As long as space is available, new applications will be accepted until May 15.
January Non-Residential Semester
There is a priority deadline of September 1 for students interested in enrolling during the spring non-residential semester. Applications will be considered through November 15 as long as there is space available in the program.
Students either begin the program with the summer residency or in the spring non-residential semester.
Application Process
A downloadable application is also available at the link above.
After completing the application, send your official transcripts and other support materials to:
Sarah Wells, Administrative Director
MFA in Creative Writing Program
Ashland University
401 College Avenue
Ashland, OH 44805
Applicants may send support materials as they are ready for submission. If you are completing a hard copy application, you may email your writing sample to mfa@ashland.edu. References may email letters of recommendation as well or submit them directly through the online application.
Residency-Only Option
Students interested in attending the residency only are invited to apply as non-degree seeking students. Applicants must submit an application and a writing sample and be granted admission to the program as non-degree students. Students will be placed in degree-track student workshops. Consult the Summer Residency pages for more information.
Students seeking admission to the summer residency only must:
- complete the application
- submit a writing packet in either poetry (10-15 pages) or creative nonfiction (20-25 pages)
- submit a $30 non-refundable application fee
- provide evidence of undergraduate degree (official undergraduate transcript or letter from undergraduate institution)
Non-degree admission to the summer residency is based primarily on the quality of the writing sample.
A downloadable application is also available at the link above. After completing the application, send your writing sample, along with evidence of undergraduate degree, to:
Sarah Wells, Administrative Director
MFA in Creative Writing Program
Ashland University
401 College Avenue
Ashland, OH 44805
You may also email your writing sample to mfa@ashland.edu.
