Master of Fine Arts in English - Creative Writing

Consistently ranked among the top writing programs in the country, Florida State University's Creative Writing Program has an internationally recognized reputation of excellence. Among our faculty are winners of the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, and the National Poetry Series. Our faculty is not only dedicated to the craft of their own writing, but is also widely known for strong mentorship and committed teaching.
Our students are respected as some of the strongest emerging and established voices in writing today, frequently going on to meaningful careers in academia, and publishing their work with some of the most respected presses in the country. Located in the heart of Tallahassee, a capital city with Southern charm, our program offers a thriving community to all writers who are looking to strengthen their craft while building life-long relationships in writing.Consistently ranked among the top writing programs in the country, Florida State University's Creative Writing Program has an internationally recognized reputation of excellence. Our faculty includes winners of the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, and the National Poetry Series. Our faculty is not only dedicated to the craft of their own writing, but is also widely known for strong mentorship and committed teaching. Our students are respected as some of the strongest emerging and established voices in writing today, frequently going on to meaningful careers in academia, and publishing their work with some of the most respected presses in the country. Located in the heart of Tallahassee, a capital city with Southern charm, our program offers a thriving community to all writers who are looking to strengthen their craft while building life-long relationships in writing

A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution, with a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA) in all coursework attempted while registered as an upper-division undergraduate student working towards a bachelor's degree
Statement of Purpose
R'sum/Curriculum Vitae
Writing Sample (see specifics below)
Three recommendation letters
Unofficial Transcripts (from every university attended)
Official transcripts must be supplied if admitted
Internet based TOEFL (IBTOEFL): 80
Paper based TOEFL (TOEFL): 550
International English Language Testing System (Academic IELTS): 6.5
International applicants must also take the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) and should score at least 26+ on the TOEFL iBT Speaking section. Applicants with a score lower than 26+, or who dont have TOEFL scores, will be required to take the SPEAK test during their first term of enrollment.
Statement of Purpose

a short essay describing the applicant's academic and professional experience and goals (500-750 words will likely suffice, maximum is 1,000)
Students applying for the MFA or PhD in Creative Writing should specify intended genre (poetry, fiction, non-fiction) within their statement of purpose
R'sum/Curriculum Vita
Writing Sample

Applicants to the Literature, Media, and Culture program or Rhetoric and Composition program should submit a critical essay.
Applicants to the Creative Writing program/Poetry should submit up to 10 poems.
Applicants to the Creative Writing program/Fiction should submit a short story or two and/or a novel excerpt. No strict page limitbut generally, 20-40 pages will suffice, dont sweat it if youre a little under or over.
Applicants to the Creative Writing program/Nonfiction should submit one or two pieces and/or an excerpt from a book. No strict page limitbut generally, 20-40 pages will suffice, dont sweat it if youre a little under or over.
Applicants to the Creative Writing program are NOT required to submit a critical writing sample.
Unofficial Transcripts

Unofficial transcripts are sufficient for the application process and can be uploaded directly into the application portal. If admitted, official transcripts should be mailed directly to the Office of Admissions.

At least three letters of recommendation through the electronic application

The online recommendation system connected to our application is the preferred method for recommenders to use.
If they will not be using this system, applicants should enter their information and select offline recommender.
Our application software is not designed to accept submissions from Interfolio.